What a start! Everyone is settling in. Students finished making origami windows with character traits that described themselves, and decorated them beautifully to display in the stairwell. Here is a photo of the result:
Important Dates
Sept. 8th Elective Sign Up (by students)
Sept 14th First Day of Electives
Sept. 17th OPEN HOUSE * see schedule below
Sept. 23 Teacher Workday
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Open House Schedule
6:00-6:30 Intro K-2 staff followed by short PTA Meeting
6:35-7:05 K-2 classroom teacher session with TA's
8:10-8:40 3-5 Classroom teacher session
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Ways You Can Help this Week
1. Return all beginning of year forms, $6 for agendas if you haven't already
2. Join the PTA! Contact me if you need a new sign up sheet.
3. Send in healthy snacks such as granola bars, crackers, pretzels, apples for students to buy.
4. Send in any costumes or props you have at home for Mr. Chappell's drama supplies
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WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM?
Language Arts
So far we have finished the novel Jake Drake Bully Buster by Andrew Clements and read Anansi the Spider Stories with partners.Students have chosen "good-fit books" for silent reading (called read-to-self time) each day. They have created Response Journals to write entries on personal topics and reading responses. Students have also brainstormed and written small moments they recall from their lives. Mr. Bastin joined us to teach about interesting ways to begin stories, how to "hook" the reader.
Retelling the story including character, settting, problem, events and solution has been a key focus, as well as identifying character traits. We also had some great class discussion on the character traits of "tricksters" in folktales and current fiction. We will move into more abstract concepts of making inferences and identifying theme this week. Students will explore more folktales from around the world in small groups. They will do a short research activity on the country from which their tale originates. In writing this week they will develop their own trickster characters and write a short story.
Student-Led Book Clubs
Groups chose a book and assign roles (discussion director, illustrator, word detective and summarizer) for chunks of the book and then meet for discussion. I check the binders for quality work and to make sure they are on track with comprehension. Book clubs are very motivating for many students.
Math Matters!
Our Place Value Unit is underway! Students are learning to order, round and compute numbers into the millions place.
For the first time, students are introduced to the concept that in a multidigit number, a digit in one place represents ten times what it represents in the place value to its right. For example, in the number 3,456 the 4 represents 400, whereas in 3,546 it would represent 40, which is 10 times less.
Students work on word problem solving in this unit involves rounding numbers and completing multistep problems.
If you are interested in more in depth information, including video lessons explaining each concept in the unit, please follow the link below. Math Resources from Wake County Public Schools Place Value Unit Guide for Parents
SCIENCE
Students have been exploring magnetism. They have learned that magnets attract materials containing iron, nickel or cobalt. They are learning vocabulary- repel, attract, magnetism, force, temporary/induced magnetism and more. This week we'll get into the scientific process and do an experiment to measure the force of a magnet.
Student Tasks to Remember
Here are the main responsibilities students are learning to do weekly-
- Deliver Monday Folder to Parents and return signed folder the next day
- Write homework daily in agenda
- Read 20 minutes daily Monday-Friday
- Practice Multiplication and Division facts with Mobymax.com, flashcards or other strategies
- Have any think sheets signed and returned the following day
A last note ....
If you are like me, you ask your child "How was school today?" and get the reply, "Fine." I ran across this website with a list of questions to replace this question. Finally I got my daughter talking. The email link to the website is below, but here are a few we enjoyed-
#1. What was the best thing that happened at school today? (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)
#2. Tell me something that made you laugh today.
#3. If you could choose who would you like to sit by in class? (Who would you NOT want to sit by in class? Why?)
#4. Where is the coolest place at the school?
#5. Tell me a weird word that you heard today. (Or something weird that someone said.)
For more, follow this link: http://www.simplesimonandco.com/2014/08/25-ways-ask-kids-school-today-without-asking-school-today.html/
Love the advice to get kids talking. It worked like a charm on my daughter. Your pupil..."Why are you asking?" Then he finally came over and read where I was getting all these questions.
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