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Read-Across America Week

2/24/2019

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This week we were treated with a special guest reader...Mrs. DeBaun (Isabella's mom).  She read to the children The Dot by Peter Reynolds.  Through this inspiring tale, children learned the power of encouragement and perseverance.  If you're stuck, change your perspective, amazing things can happen.  Just..."Make your mark and see where it takes you"
In reading...
  • Students read more informational text on earth's changes.  One text was about flash flooding and another about earthquakes.  Both these natural circumstances can make changes to our earth.  The focus this week was on multi-flow maps, hence students learned how to identify both the causes and effects at the same time.  In doing so students addressed the standard 2.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.​
  • So far this year our reading selection for read aloud time included the following books:  The War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith-a witty story about a boy who leaps into battle with his grandpa when he learns that grandpa's taking his room and moving in.  This story taught us many lessons about compromising and human dignity.  Next in October, we read Bunnicula by James Howe just in time for Halloween!  In this story we learn about how judging people unfairly can have disastrous effects.  Later in December and January, we read one of my all-time favorites by Roald Dahl...Matilda.  Of course in this story we learn of a little girl that, inspite of adversity, when she sets her mind to it, she could achieve anything.  After that, we read the story Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes.  In this story, our class learns of the devastating effects of bullying and discrimination, but also the power of forgiveness.  Now we are on to our next chapter book called The One and Only Ivan, which the students are loving every minute of!  We're reading from the perspective of Ivan, a gorilla living in captivity at a mall exhibition.  
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In writing...
  • Students are working on an informational writing on natural resources.  They are writing about what natural resources are, how people use them, and how can people conserve natural resources.  
  • We also recapped the writing process and created a classroom poster so we can always remember what steps to take. 
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In math...
  • Using mini geared clocks, students practiced counting by five as the clock hands moves between the hours.  Students learned that time can be said in different ways.  For example, 3:30 can be said as three thirty, half-past three or thirty minutes past three.  Students also practiced using the term "quarter past" when telling time 15 minutes past the hour.  
  • Finally, students learned that there are 24 hours in a day and 2 of each hour.  Students learned that different activities take place at different times of the day.  To differentiate between activities that take place during the morning hours and night hours, a.m. and p.m. are used.  Students learned that at 5 a.m. they're still sleeping, but at 5 p.m. they might be doing homework or getting ready for dinner. 

In science...
  • Students had so much fun using the app Google Earth to help them discover Planet Earth.  Students filled in a map of the continents and the oceans.  Students learned why our planet is called the "Blue Planet" and where water can be found...in large bodies of water such as oceans, river and lakes, but also much of earth's water is found underground and in the form of ice.  
  • Students then learned about physical (natural) and human (man-made) characteristics of a community.  Physical characteristics are natural landforms or bodies of water not altered by man, such as mountain ranges, bays, oceans, rivers, forests, icebergs, etc.  Human characteristics are modifications humans made to the land or landforms.  These modifications change the natural shape of the earth.  These changes can be bridges, ports, man-made lagoons, farm land, tunnels, roads, etc.  Students identified these structures on maps.  
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Forest Animals Galore!

2/18/2019

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Very proud children got to show off their amazing work at the Student Showcase.  D103 students really helped to transform the cafeteria into a "forest" of colors and creatures with their work. This year our second graders met their first grade buddy class and viewed the showcase together.  Our second graders assisted the first graders in writing happy grams. ​
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Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​​In Langauge Arts... 
  • Continuing our essential question from last week How does the earth change?  we read a text called Into the Sea.  Using this text, students learned about cause and effect.  The following standard was addressed:  2.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.  Students learned the causes of beach erosion and the effects beach erosion can have on the infrastructure of a community. Students learned how to use partial-flow maps and multi-flow maps to show cause and effects of erosion.  ​
  • In writing, students learned about Word Choice.  We read a fiction story called Rainforest by Helen Cowcher to notice the words (specifically the verbs), the author uses which makes the story more interesting.  We noticed words like dwell instead of live, trooped instead of walked, and dart instead of run.  We made a list of overused verbs and came up with better alternatives.   

In math...
  • Students learned about estimation with a curved number line to help them determine  which ten a number is closer to.  Then after estimating, students found the differences between 2 two-digit numbers.   The video below shows the idea of a curved number line, although the numbers in the video are larger than the numbers our students estimated, the concept still applies.  ​
  • Students learned to subtract a two-digit number from a three-digit number when decomposing the ten.  For example in the problem, 162 - 28 = ?  students learned to trade a ten for 10-ones.  So instead of representing 162 as 1-hundred, 6-tens, and 2-ones, they draw the numbers as 1-hundred, 5-tens, and 12-ones.   
  • Students then transferred this same concept of trading into the hundreds place.  For example in a problem like 126 - 41 = ? students learned to trade the hundred for 10-tens.  Instead of representing 126 as 1-hundred, 2-tens, and 6-ones, students represented it as 12-tens and 6-ones.  

In science...
  • Our PLTW unit on The Changing Earth is in full swing.  This week, students learned all about maps.  They learned the purpose of maps and the different features, such as a map key, symbols, scale, cardinal direction.  They created a map of our classroom.  In addition, they read different types of maps, such as a weather, topographical and a classroom map.   

Announcements & Reminders
  • Read Across America Week:
    • ​Tuesday: "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish"~ Wear red and/or blue
    • Wednesday: "Cat in the Hat Day"~ Hat Day
    • Thursday: "I'm Not Going to Get Up Today"~ Pajama Day
    • Friday: "Oh, The Places You'll Go"~ Favorite Place Day
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Welcome to D103!

2/10/2019

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Our class of 22 is now 23!  We are so excited to have Rikki as our newest friend in D103.  Having a new classmate this week gave all of us the opportunity to benefit from some Tribe activities.  Students shared things about themselves and important things that anyone should know about our school. These activities were great community builders that brought a sense of fellowship.  ​

​​In Langauge Arts... 
  • The standard covered this week was 2.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.  Students used informational text from Wonders to compare and contrast big ideas the author presents within the same text.  Students learned to use red and blue colored pencils to underline differences they found.  They used both the red and blue to underline similarities.  
  • Students read a text called Alaska: A Special Place, which describes different land features of Alaska as well as compares Northern and Southern Alaska regions and compares Alaska's seasons.  Students used a double-bubble map to compare these scientific concepts within a text.
  • Our essential questions this week was What makes different parts of the world different?   Students read another text called Rain Forest by Nancy Smiler Levinson.  Within this text, the author compares a Tropical Rainforest and a Temperate Rainforest.  Using a similar double-bubble map, students describe the connections by comparing and contrasting the two habitats.  
  • In writing, students learned about "Word Choice."  We read a fictional story called Pete's a Pizza by William Steig to notice the author's word choice (specifically the adjectives and adverbs).  Students then made their own paper pizzas and used "juicy" adjectives to create describing sentences.  ​​
In math...
  • We wrapped up our polygon unit.  Students practiced drawing different polygons following criteria.  For example, students had to draw a five-sided polygon with two sides of the same length.  
  • After a review of subtraction using a number line, students took the module 7 math assessment. This assessment measured understanding of subtraction using the number line, solving subtraction word problems also using the number line, and polygons.  
  • This week students learned a new method of subtraction using base-ten blocks.  Students started off using actual blocks to model their thinking.  Then they learned how to draw base-ten blocks to show the process of subtraction.  
  • Students are still working on the understanding of "regrouping" or "trading" 1 ten for 10 ones when there are not enough ones to subtract from.  For example, in the problem 54 - 28 = ?, students would need to regroup 1 ten for 10 ones, to show 54 as 4 tens and 14 ones.  Then, subtracting 2 tens and 8 ones becomes possible.  Check out this video https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/4979-subtract-numbers-within-100-using-base-ten-blocks/

In science...
  • We kicked off our Changing Earth project based unit of study.  After watching some news clips on how erosion is effecting Hawaii's beaches, students wondered about how they can help.  They are starting to learn about the causes and effects of erosion and began their map study.  

Announcements & Reminders
  • Teachers' Institute Day, no school for students 2/11
  • Presidents' Day, no school 2/18
  • Menu change 2/13 Cheeseburger for lunch 
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