Monday | Tuesday -UCC Cooking O&A -Studyhall before school | Wednesday -ART -Studyhall before school -OBOB 6th-8th grade battle -Celebrations of Learning 5-6:30 | Thursday -Studyhall before school | Friday -ASM at 9:45 -Rainbow Spirit Day |
2/17- Celebrations of Learning 5:00-6:30
2/19 -All School Meeting 9:45
2/29-1st Passport check (optional geography project)
3/1-Rough draft of Elder Story due
~~Missing Items~~~
Please help! I have 3 library books that I cannot find anywhere in my classroom. Two are poetry books: Rhyme Schemer and How to Write Poetry and the other is The River by Gary Paulsen. Also a purple exercise band went missing from Rachel's room--it goes around a chair for a specific student who has a need for it. If you know anything about these items, please let me know!
Rachel and I are offering materials for a program called Passport Club. It is a program that teaches kids the geography of the world. For now, we are making it an optional endeavor. Students are responsible for Levels 1, 2 and 3 and this month is learning the continents and major bodies of water. I will give them a check on the 29th. The check is a blank map and they fill in the requirements (continents and bodies of water.)
Literacy
- Writing homework this week: Work on elder story!
Our literacy focused on reading material to deepen our understanding of events during colonial American. We took some time to examine how Native Americans are portrayed during these readings and even current stereotypes of Native Americans. These readings led to some interesting thoughts and discussions, and I would encourage these conversations to continue at home. For writing we planned our stories and set expectations for what should be included in the beginnings of our elder stories. The Merlins asked great questions and continued conversations with their elder buddies last week. What a great experience!
Ask what are your thoughts on how Native Americans are portrayed in your readings so far?
Listen to your child talk about how he/she plans to make the elder story sound like the small moment stories we’ve read.
Extend the learning by writing a small moment story as a family.
Project
Kerry created interactive stations for students to learn in-depth geography of the 3 different regions of the 13 colonies. Students also compared and contrasted the 3 regions. It was fun to overhear kids have great conversations about how they interpreted portraits from the era and readings. Kids have been engaged with learning the names of these places and applying their experiences with the simulation to these lessons.
Ask about the similarities and differences in the 3 different regions of the 13 colonies.
Listen to your child name all 13 colonies.
Extend the learning by researching more information about Colonial America.
6th Grade Math
You should be seeing your child’s place-value test Tuesday or Wednesday this week. I would like them signed and returned by Friday. The test was based on the data we collected running an 85 meter dash and taking our heights. Because this block was mostly review, we had a more informal testing process. We’ve already moved into our 2nd block, which is covering how to multiply and divide decimals. This week we will get into division, so hopefully students will be prepared to be perseverant for the process of division.
Ask your child why we use a place-holder in multi-digit multiplication in a problem like 45 x 76?
Listen to your child explain how to multiply decimal numbers.
Extend the learning by looking at how decimal numbers are used in your lives.
5th Grade Math
Last week we dug our mathematical toes in to finite decimals. We learned the definition of a finite decimal, writing a finite decimal as a decimal fraction and reverse, writing a whole number as a finite decimal, and adding and subtracting finite decimals. We continue our study of finite decimals this week. We will review expand form of whole numbers and apply this to writing a finite decimal is expanded form. We will also briefly practice locating mixed number and finite decimals on a number line. Towards this end of the week, mathematicians will spend time reviewing previous work on mixed numbers and improper and proper fractions as pre for a more formal assessment.
ASK your child to prove that 4.92 is equal to 4 + 0.92 by showing all the work as done in class.
LISTEN to your child explain how to write the mixed number 13 7/100 as a finite decimal.
EXTEND the learning by looking at how decimal numbers are used in your lives.