Sunshine on a cloudy day

Hello everyone! School is going very well this week considering all the teachers have so much they want to get in before Easter holiday which is next Friday. For the past two days I have been working again with the food pyramid and machine handouts I created. I have been very pleased with how much the student's have retained about the food groups and healthy food choices. I went ahead and taught the linkage lesson for the food pyramid and through that activity was able to again review with the students about their knowledge of the food groups. It impressed me to hear the students using the new terminology and vocabulary in the correct form while talking about the food groups. I now have a clear understanding that they have successfuly learned about the food groups. I think another lesson I could do would be to talk further about sub categories of the food groups for instance starches and fats. I wanted to keep my original food pyramid basic and general so that I could build a strong foundation for all of their knowledge about the food groups. Taking the original food pyramid a step further would really allow the students to have a basis for healthy food education and choices. The other lesson I taught as a linkage lesson was the lesson on machines that corresponded with the book the class was reading. This was a great lesson because it allowed the students to make connections to what they read in the story to their own lives. The students were able to visualize with their imagination what their new machine would look like having all of the components of the machine and having to create the picture. I think this was a good lesson on gradual release of responsibility because even though there was a guide sheet, it allowed the students to still make choices within the choices already given. There was still room for creativity and imagination. Students were writing and illustrating so that aspect covered additional multiple intelligences. In addition the students were able to present their new machine at the end. Students were then focusing on speaking clearly and confidently in front of their peers. Yet again another multiple intelligence was used. I could see that the students do not normally get a chance to present their work to the entire class by the reaction I received when informing the students. I was thrilled with their enthusiasim and will try my best to incorporate more presentation and public speaking in the class.
Today was a good day as well. With Easter coming up there is a lot of preparation for the first Friday mass next week as well as teaching about Christ after lent. So needless to say religion is a big factor in the next coming week. I am not sure If I commented before on the school's resources and technology because it is not much at all. I just wanted to add that I have noticed how creative the teachers are with what they have. In no way does this prohibit learning and experiences. The teacher's have found great alternatives for everyday simple items. For the maths lessons that I teach the students each have a bag of popsicle stick with rubber bands that they use for their tables of adding units and sums. This is not a fancy learning tool but it is neccessary to use manipulatives when teaching students how to add using a table. IT is very effective in the classroom as well as cost effective. I have discovered many ways that I can incorporate more everyday simple materials into my lessons so that students also need a purpose for materials and a use for them.
The weekend is soon approaching and being it my last one I am trying to make the most of it! I hope that everyone finds enjoyment and relaxation in the weekend and I will write again soon, Slan!