Monday PE | Tuesday Out and About to Fernhill -- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! | Wednesday ART | Thursday-Friday -No School -Be sure to schedule your conference. |
Reading: Read the newsletter Monday night and read a book of your choice the other nights. Make sure to record the book in your agenda.
Math: Check agenda or website, but there is daily math homework
Writing: Type up any unfinished poetry--Where I am From poem, in particular, if it isn't done. Otherwise free write or lessons on Typing Web. Record what you do in your agenda.
Important Dates
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A highlight of the week was being back at Fernhill for our 4th year of ongoing data collection. Wow, how this place has changed since the restoration began in the fall of 2014. I love bringing kids here, because their realization of doing something "for real" makes for well behaved citizen-scientists engaged in work. We took this experience to think of unintended consequences with sewage treatment plants. Good thing the reconstructed wetlands help mitigate unintended consequences like water being too warm to return to the watershed.
Ask what was your favorite part of visiting Fernhill?
Talk about the benefits of the new wetlands compared to a traditional sewage treatment plant.
Extend the learning by visiting Fernhill or Jackson Bottom Wetlands and enjoying the merging of natural and human water systems.
Literacy
Last week we looked at "Power of You" --writing about ourself. The focus of the week was writing a "Where I am From" poem mimicked by George Ella Lyon. Kids noticed a lot of the poems we read had a sad tone to them and we discussed that hardships often playing a role in who we are. Quite a contrast to the limericks of the previous week. We also kicked off our nature-adventure literature circles! Kids read a set amount of pages each day and then work on their packets to record their connections and observations about what was read.
Ask to see your child's Google Classroom account and how they are doing with getting poems submitted.
Talk about what nature adventure book are you reading?
Extend the learning by writing a "Where I am From" poem as a family or picking a nature adventure book to read as a family.
6th Grade Math:
Sixth graders will be reviewing multiplying and diving decimals on Monday and then taking their test on Tuesday and Wednesday. We wrapped up the week by doing a math challenge where kids become party planners, figuring out amounts of pizza and beverages to buy while staying under budget. The hardest skill of the block is dividing decimals by decimals since there are so many steps to keep track of. But, we're getting the hang of it!
Ask, what is 5.5 divided by 0.3?
Talk about how you can tell a multiplication problem from a division problem.
Extend the learning by looking at the challenge assignments on the on-line curriculum.
5th Grade Math:
Thanks for taking the time to look at our first math test as a family. The retake was a chance for students to rethink problems they missed, reflect, ask questions and learn from their errors. Please email me if you have questions about that process! This week, we will continue to use our knowledge of place value to multiply and divide decimals by ten.
Ask, what is 19.5 multiplied by 10? Divided by 10? How do you know?
Talk about your child's goals in math.
Extend the learning by exploring ways you use decimals in your life, such as money.