Miller Moments
November 17, 2017
Miller Elementary Leadership Team
Ashley Miller
Kelli Morse
Ashley Young
How can I help my child at home?
Math Strategies
Problem Solving Strategy - Three Reads
The Three Read Protocol is one way to do a close read of a complex math word problem or task. This strategy includes reading a math scenario three times with a different goal each time. The first read is to understand the context. The second read is to understand the mathematics. The third read is to elicit inquiry questions based on the scenario.
Why would I use this strategy?
The Three Read Protocol is designed to engage students in sense-making of language-rich math problems or tasks. It deepens student understanding by surfacing linguistic as well as mathematical clues. It focuses attention on the importance of understanding problems rather than rapidly trying to solve them. It allows for the use of authentic, instead of overly simplified, text. This strategy also allows for natural differentiation within a class of diverse learners.
When do I use this strategy?
This strategy can be used for math tasks that include complex language structures or language that lends itself to a variety of interpretations. While this is a particularly useful strategy for English Language Learners, all students can benefit from the deeper understanding of word problem structures and open-ended questioning.
How do I use this strategy?
The Three Read Protocol uses the “problem stem” of a word problem. This is essentially the word problem without the question at the end. The purpose of presenting the problem stem alone is to have students focus on the contextual and mathematical information before dealing with any question that is involved. This gives students the freedom to create their own questions for a given scenario, which is an excellent skill to develop both in math and in reading in general. It is important that the teacher choose the problem carefully and anticipate potential linguistic and mathematical roadblocks the students may encounter.
Decomposing
Students in Kindergarten and First grade learn decomposing numbers with number bonds and part-part-whole mat. This knowledge transfers to later grades as seen in the below video of Decomposing Fractions.
Reading Strategies
Comprehension Strategy
Retelling is a strategy that is used to determine how well a student has comprehended a specific story. Retelling can be used as an effective tool in improving comprehension as well as assessing it (Jennings, Caldwell, & Lerner, 2014, p. 268). During a retelling, teachers gain insight as to how students are putting together the information offered in a text. When students' understanding of a text is observed and analyzed during retelling, teachers discover what information students remember and deem as important. According to Jennings, Caldwell, & Lerner (2014), to begin a retelling, inform the student he or she will retell a story after it is read (p. 268). Then, have the student read the text. After reading, ask the student to tell about the story as if he or she was telling it to someone who had never read it. Once the student has finished retelling the information he or she remembers from the story, you may ask the student to elaborate on certain parts.
Retelling should include:
- Presence of the major character(s)
- Defining characteristics of the characters
- Problem presented in the story
- Solution to that problem
- Events presented in sequential order
- Ability to include only those events important to the story and exclude unimportant events
Decoding Strategies
What to try instead of simply telling a child to “sound it out”:
- Say nothing. Give him a chance to figure it out.
- Say, “Look at the picture.”
- Say, “Let’s get the first sound.”
- Say, “What would make sense?” Even if he gets the wrong word, you can say “Yes, it’s a kind of house, but the author chose a different word. Look at the first letter and see if you can get it now.”
- Say, “Chunk it.” Are there smaller words in the bigger ones (e.g., ‘going’ has the word ‘go’ in it)?
- Say, “Let’s reread.” Before you tell your child the word, see if he can re-read the sentence and get it with a “running start.”
- Say, “Close your eyes. Now look again.” Have him close his eyes, open them, and see if his brain can just “get” the word as a sight word, without trying to sound it out.
- Say, “Say it like a word.” Decoding will only take you so far. If you know how to make the sounds come together like a word you know, it makes reading so much easier. It’s not about saying the sounds faster; it’s about saying them like a word. Country can be sounded out as “cow-n-try” or “count” “try.” But if they “say it like a word,” they are more likely to get to country. You can use a slinky to help them literally “see” what it looks like when they say stretched out sounds. Have them collapse the slinky as they “say it like a word.”
- Skip the word and come back when they have the context of the sentence (be sure they do).
- Look at word families. If your child knows ‘at’, they will more easily be able to identify ‘hat.’
- Get the main word first, then add on prefixes or suffixes. You can use your finger to cover up parts of the word while your child gets the main word.
- Tell them the word. You do not want to hinder the comprehension of a story by belaboring a single word. Instead, give your child the word and have her re-read the sentence so that the word sticks in her mind for the next time she encounters it!
Kindness is EVERYWHERE at Miller!
A student brought Mrs. DeWolf a snack.
Mrs. Day's class is spreading Kindness!
Another friend helping another friend!
Ms. Valadez' class has several bucket fillers!
An apple a day can make a teacher's day!
Kindness
Board Games with the Principals
Upcoming Dates
November 20-24- No School:Thanksgiving Break
November 30- Progress Reports Go Home
December 1- Good Morning Miller
December 4-8 - Fall Book Fair
December 7- Winter Theme Family Night
December 11-13 - 5th Grade at Pine Cove
December 15- Donuts with Dad, Good Morning Miller & Winter Parties
December 18 - January 2- Winter Break - No School
Author Visit
Red Carpet Awards
Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast
Friendly Reminder from Nurse Johnson
WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL
Hi Parents! We are seeing an increasing number of flu cases in the community during this time. The first and most important step in preventing flu is to get a flu vaccination each year. CDC also recommends everyday preventive actions (like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent handwashing) to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory (nose, throat, and lungs) illnesses, like flu. (CDC)
Please remind your kids to keep their hands clean. Keeping hands clean through improved hand hygiene is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.
Please talk to your kids about staying healthy and preventing the spread of germs.
1. Wash hands with soap and water
2. Use hand sanitizer
3. Do NOT touch your eyes, nose, or mouth
4. Use a tissue for coughing, sneezing and blowing nose
5. Cover your cough and sneeze with your elbow (Cough and sneeze, elbow please! )
Thank you for helping us prevent the spread of infection by keeping your child home when they are ill.
Miller Elementary Healthy Zone School in Training...
Coy Miller Elementary School
Website: http://schools.friscoisd.org/ES/miller/site/home
Location: 300 Cypress Hill Drive, Little Elm, TX, United States
Phone: 469-633-2075
Twitter: @CoyMillerElem