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Some students had difficulty labeling the pre written essay. The paragraph was first given then it would not be developed.
The graphic organizer was a strategy that worked well most times.  The stories and background knowledge was built in the lessons in Canvas. The labeling of the essay was done with color coding which did help. Some were able to transfer the process to when they wrote their own paragraphs or essays. The lower performing students usually failed to elaborate and found seeing evidence a little difficult. Many failed to use the transition words and other higher writers would use a question as the only form of a hook. I should model more right on the spot with as much thinking aloud as I could fit in to the lesson. I should do each step as a routine.

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The group of 5th grade students I had this year were on reading levels from end of 1st grade to EOY 6 grade/BOY 7th grade. The math levels ranged from 2nd to 7th grade as well. I feel like I differentiated more than ever this year to help these students grow academically and in confidence. Math Workshop was a life saver for the students and me because it helped me maximize differentiation. Modifying instruction to help learners was something I did daily- if I hadn't, not much learning would have happened. For example, when introducing rounding decimal numbers a handful of students couldn't grasp this concept, while my high math students got it in the first lesson- in minutes. Modifications were in order for both of these groups. For my striving learners, in guided math (during Workshop) I backed up and reviewed rounding whole numbers. We reviewed place value by referencing a place value chart for personal use. I made an anchor chart to explain the steps of rounding numbers and a "catchy poem" for students to reference, if needed. When students mastered comparing whole numbers, we then moved to the grade level standard/original objective of rounding decimal numbers. In a kinesthetic, auditory and visual sense, we practiced several problems together using dry erase boards and markers- writing numbers, circling the place value we're rounding to, underlining and looking at the number to the right and asking, "Is it 5 or more- then add one more to the circled number."...I sent them off to work independently and encouraging and expecting them to use their visual resources- the place value chart, the poem, the anchor chart and a Screencastify video I made modeling and explaining the process of rounding decimal numbers with examples. They have this video to watch as many times as needed while i'm working with another small group. For my thriving learners, I challenged them with word problems and pushing them on with comparing decimal numbers and putting multiple decimal numbers in order from least to greatest and vice versa. Exit slips are given often so that I can get a "pulse check" of who is getting it and who is not and how I may need to further modify instruction.

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Most students, at one time or another, will encounter material that needs to be modified in order for them to have a better understanding of it.  I try to always make sure that my students have the background information and knowledge that they will need to be successful in whatever tasks, activities or lessons I have planned.  Naturally, if I find that they do not, I attempt to provide them with that before teaching.  Prior to beginning lessons, I try to make a habit of telling my students what we will be learning and why.  I think that this helps many students to direct their focus to what is to come.  In the past when I have had students that experienced difficulty with understanding a lesson or concept I have used a number of different tactics.  Frequently if I had a small number of students that were having difficulty with the same concept I would work with them in a small group.  I have found that I was often able to better assess where difficulties or confusion might lie when working with students in a smaller group.  I will also at times modify the requirements or “lower the bar” slightly.

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I would say that one of the biggest struggles my reading students have is working with new vocabulary that they come across in texts. Many students that I serve are also served in ESOL and have difficulty with vocabulary because they either lack the experience or it doesn't translate to something they know in their own language. To set these students up for success, I like to do a lot of previewing to build a foundation of knowledge prior to reading. We look at the cover, discuss illustrations, preview possible vocabulary terms and discuss concepts or ideas that they may not be familiar with before diving into the text. This way students will gain some confidence before reading and hopefully be prepared when they get to those roadblocks. I think previewing vocabulary and unfamiliar concepts is such an important key to assisting all students, not just those in ESOL..

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Adapting Teaching Strategies
Teaching K5 is all about adaptation and differentiation of planned work to meet the students needs. Starting the second week of school, the K5ers are beginning to write like authors.  Some maybe able to write their name, some maybe be able to sound out and write words, and some may have no idea what to do or how to hold a pencil. Being able to differentiate  expected work, while always expecting the best from all students, is neccessary in K5. One of the first activities I have my students work on is to write a book about their family. These first books are small, two pages-. Everyone has to write thier name and date on the cover of thier book--Book Title, Author's Name, and Date.  If they don't know how to write it, they can copy the letters from the name tag on thier desk and the numbers from the board. If a student can't write any letters, they can draw a picture. If they can write a letters then I ask them to write the sounds that they hear in the names of the people on thier page. If they can write well, I ask them to spell the names as closely to correct as possible.  Students who can't write or don't know letter sounds I will write the names of the people for them.
Because reading and writing are so closely tied together in K5 it is difficult to  work with one without the other. When I begin to teach, especially at the beginning of the year, we work on behavior expections "Please sit." "Look at my face, am I laughing?" (the answer is usually "no" even if I really want to) "Look at my body. Am I relaxed or are my hands on my hips?" By teaching childrent to read body language, voice tone, and non verbal ques, time can be saved  and lessons can proceed without classroom management interuptions. Other ways to help accomodate children and to check and make sure everyone understands a new or reviewed concept is to ask a question, wait, and then use something like a popsickle stick with the student's names on them and randomly draw a name.  This gives everyone think time and it also makes student not rely on the "smart kid" to answer all of the questions.
Another strategy that we employ is teaching mini-lessons. K5ers attention spans are not very long. By telling the students what we will be talking about in the mini-lesson, why we are talking about it, and then coving the concepts, the students have the opportunity to hear the material several times. If they zone out or where talking or not paying attention anytime during the mini-lesson, they have several opportunities to have heard the info. Another strategy I use when introducing new material is to pose a question about the new material and have the kids do a "turn and talk" to answer it. This allows kids to discuss how to reach the answer or decide what the answer is without being put on the spot to answer in front of the whole class. I have each group then give me their answer. This helps me assess if I need to reteach or if we can begin the activity that goes along with the mini=lesson.

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Adapting Teaching Strategies
Two and three digit subtraction with regrouping is usually a point in our math lessons that slows most of my students down. To make matters worse, when this type of function is part of solving a math word problem, a student’s frustration only increases. When this happens, I use a variety of strategies to meet students' needs. The first level of support usually has to do with students who have not mastered basic facts. In order to help develop fact fluency, apps like pop math or flash cards are used. As students who are continuing to develop fact fluency improve this skill, manipulatives are used to help first with 2 and 3 digit subtraction without regrouping. This step hopefully builds confidence and lays the groundwork for transitioning to subtraction with regrouping. Base ten blocks, hundreds chart, using expanded form or a number line is used. Which of these strategies to use will depend on what works best for each child. If a child has mastered their basic facts but is struggling with regrouping, use of manipulatives like base ten blocks are included. These strategies are used in a small group setting to help these students who need scaffolding. Students who grasp the concept of subtracting 2 and 3 digit numbers with regrouping move on to subtracting 4 digit numbers with and without regrouping. The use of our iReady online instruction also allows me to assign lessons designed to target  the need of each student to practice and improve these math skills. These lessons have video tutorials as well as a step by step process while working through an example.

In addition to helping students learn how to solve 2 and 3 digit subtraction as part of solving a word problem, if reading and understanding the word problem is part of the problem, that is addressed as well. To help with this step, I will read and model for students how to determine what to do to solve. After I read the problem, I think aloud to help students identify words in the problem that are important to be able to solve. Sometimes I will create a list of words if it is addition vocabulary, subtraction, comparing, etc. The first time I do most of the work. The next example is about 50/50 so the student can practice what I modeled. This time, after reading the word problem, I will have the student(s) tell me in their own words what they think they are to do and guide as needed. Depending on how students respond to these supports, will determine my next steps. Lots of guided practice takes place before students work independently. During guided practice, I like to have students talk to me about their plan to solve the problem. This helps me know they either really know what to do or don’t know what to do!

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Our last big math unit was on measurement, and my students struggled a lot with capacity. I taught capacity to students in three different guided math groups, and gave them choice within the groups to help them solve the conversions. My high kids memorized the capacity conversions easily and could do it in their heads. Many of my middle group students could do the conversions well as long as they could draw out GallonMan on paper or their whiteboards to use a visual. On GallonMan, they can count the number of cups, pints, or quarts instead of having to memorize them. Several of my low students struggled to remember which units were larger or smaller. For those students, I set out correctly-sized jugs that they could pick up and compare to determine whether a pint or quart was larger. I also played a Umigo video on capacity each day. It is a catchy song with animations that some students remembered and used when practicing capacity. Struggling students could explain their thinking to me orally while my higher students that picked up on capacity quickly were expected to explain their thinking in complete sentences written down on paper.