Don't forget:
Yoga: Tuesday mornings with Ms. Skoog in the gym from 9:05-9:25. Parents are invited to join.
Homework club: Still taking place Mon, Tues., Thrus. and Fri. until 4:30 in and a 3rd, 4th or 5th grade classroom in the treehouse (upstairs).
Homework:
Last week students were given a math enrichment focused on long division (any strategy). Many students worked on it over the weekend. Today those students shared and reflected on their work. The results were incredible and I was extremely impressed. On the other hand, some students are still making progress. For those that did not finish, they were given one more night to complete before sharing on Tuesday. For those that did finish on time get a night off!
For homework this week I would like students to read for 30 minutes a night (at least) and refresh multiplication and division work. I will be passing out reading logs and math worksheets on Tuesday. At this point, students need to continue to practice so the processes become engrained.
Word work:
Students are beginning some serious grammar and mechanics of writing work. Last week we clarified the use of quotation marks and dialogue. This week the focus is apostrophes and contractions.
Reader's workshop:
Literature circles wrapped up today. Students are already asking about the next books, which tells me it was a success!
Students will begin to dive into nonfiction reading with a focus on comprehension, organizing information and summarizing.
Soon I will be sending home sample prompt questions that you can use with your students during independent reading. Remember, we are focusing on diving deep into our books and holding discussions that are meaningful (connections to history, and social or political issues). Please help your student chose a book that matters!
Writer's workshop:
Thank you to those parents and family who attended the Writer's celebration. It was a hit and today students were feeling good about it! If you missed out, students are currently posting their realistic fiction on websites.
Students will begin a short fiction unit (any genre). The focus will be to create a very short story with key story elements. Students have been super excited for this moment while I am always hesitant because I struggle to keep up with their imaginations!
Food Chemistry:
Students will continue testing foods (for protein and fats) and looking at it from through a scientific lense. They are making connections to their own eating habits through discussions, watching videos, and reading articles.
Social and Emotional Learning:
Our class meetings have subsided again and have been replaced by a student driven cooperation activity. Students discovered that the donation box was not good enough to raise enough funds for the leopard gecko. Based on their stats, we still need about $45.
The class decided to plan another way to raise money. Instead of just asking, they decided to hold a festival where donations will be accepted. The festival will include performances (live music, dancing, singing, whistling, sports, a play, face painting and possibly dog tricks) by students.
They are very excited about the event and have taken on some serious planning. We would like to get the leopard gecko sooner than later so we think we can pull this off by Friday after school until 4:15 ish. If you have a conflict please let me know and we can find a way to work around your schedule or accomodate accordingly.
Genius Hour:
This idea was termed at Google. Google's work strategy allows employees to spend 20% of their time on projects of exploration. Google employees have created very successful projects, like gmail. The freedom has been successful in business and now it is making it's way into the classroom.
I have decided to try it out because I know that this class will jump on board and create incredible projects. I am introducing it Wed. and we students will begin planning. There are a couple key elements that will be required. The exploration begins with passion and a driving question. Then, planning and taking action on a project that will be presented in the end.
I plan to give students Wed. afternoons to make progress. Instrumental music takes place at this time so some students will unfortunately have less time to work on it. Students will be able to work on the project at home once the first steps are approved.
Check out the link for more info on genius hour.