We are headed to the MOHAI tomorrow morning for the Salish experience. We will be leaving around 11:30 and returning by 3:00. We are in need of chaperones (no additional cost)!
Homework:
Students will be working on their websites again. This time they will focus on telling our NW Coast story. They will be expected to retell events and emotions of the experience. They will receive a rubric to help guide.
Homework Club Reminder:
The upstairs Treehouse teachers have decided to host a homework club! We would like to create a calm environment for students to get help. One of us will be available Mon., Tues. Thurs. and Fri. (not Wed. due to regular meetings). We have middle school students volunteering to help on Tues. and Thurs. Perhaps this time will eliminate struggles before bedtime, confusion about how to do the work and losing or leaving a piece of work in random places! This will take place from 3:35 - 4:30.
Social and Emotional Learning:
We have been analyzing our classroom agreements. Students spoke up about bothersome behaviors that seem to be continuing to interrupt our teaching and learning. So, they decided to create an "action plan." This involves a form that students will fill out to reflect on behaviors and think about how to change their ways. Again, this is a way for students to reflect in hopes of thinking about making a change. See the photo gallery, "social and emotional learning" for more details.
All the books are focused on a theme of survival. Here is the list of books students are reading: My Side of the Mountain, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Freedom Train, Hatchet, and The Kid in the Red Jacket
Each student received a packet of questions that will guide them throughout the way. Each group will work at their own pace to complete.
Writer's workshop:
Students are beginning the realistic fiction unit. After developing the plots to our stories we looked at characters. Students realized that characters have external (physical) and internal traits (emotional, personality). So far, they are in the planning stages and will eventually begin writing. They are quite anxious to get started!
Math:
We are continuing work with multi-digit multiplication. Ask them about a few new strategies, lattice and partial products (see posters below).
Northwest Coast People:
Another critical incident occured within the tribe. The hunters were out on a hunting trip and discovered a settlement of log houses. The hunters discussed what to do while out. Ultimately, they decided to send a messenger back to the chief while 3 hunters approached the settlement. They wanted the settlers to know they were arriving in peace so they left weapons behind. The hunters quickly found out that the settlers were not moving and planned to use their resources. At this point, the story will continue when they return to tell the chief as a group. They will then develop a plan of what to do or not do about it!