December already!

Hawaii Theatre for Youth put on a very memorable production that the students enjoyed immensely!  The story was written about an "Ordinary O`hana" and the many extraordinary things they do.  The story helped us to remember the wonderful things we can do as families and to celebrate the values of connection and community!  Students could relate to this multi-generational story.  Don't forget to ask them about it!  

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​In Langauge Arts...

• We used more expository text this week to explore more about text features.  Students learned new text features such as the glossary, index, and table of contents.  Using these features, students practiced locating information in the text.  
• Using the text Eagles and Eaglets by Wonders, students located information using different text features, while also answering our essential question: How are offspring like their parents?  Students identified the main idea of the text and provided supporting details.  
• Using another expository text called Baby Bears by Bobble Kalman, we charted the text features we found and included a description of its purpose.  For example, a table of contents helps us to find what pages chapters are on, while the index tells us where we can find information about a specific topic.  We did this for all the text features we could find including table of contents, index, glossary, maps, charts, diagrams, captions, headings, and title.  At the end of our reading, students determined the main idea of the text and provided supporting details.  Students concluded the main idea was about a baby bear's life from birth to adult.  So students found three details that described the bears development overtime.  
• We watched a short video on coral reefs.  Students were able to see some of the science concepts we've been learning about in action!  Students saw examples of symbiotic relationships, where two different species share a special relationship that is usually beneficial to both partners.  One example students saw was the grouper fish and cleaner fish working together.  
• As a class we discussed everything we knew about coral reefs.  Boy the children have certainly become experts!  We organized all this information into three categories or "big ideas" using a tree map.  Students came up with "location and weather," "animals and plants," and "problems and solutions."  The children begun writing their first paragraph about location and weather.  

In math...

• Students applied various subtraction strategies to solving word problems.  Two-step word problems were introduced this week.  We practiced many of them together as a class.  Students worked with partners and received feedback.  Then had opportunities to practice independently.  Through all this practice, students learned many different strategies.  Students shared how pictures help a lot or "thinking addition" can work better for some.  Many different strategies were shared, but in the end students learned that they have to decontextualize the word problem and analyze the question to make sure they understand this before they solve.  
• Students learned that even with a missing unknown, whether it's a part or a total, you can still determine all the members of the fact family.  Students did this by solving for the unknown, then finding the turn around fact and two related subtraction problems.  
• After a review on number lines, students took Module 5 assessment, which included number lines, subtraction, one and two-step word problems, and fact families. 

In science...

• Students participated in another science lab.  They got to examine a lima bean seed.  Students noticed its hard coat.  The seeds were soaked over night in water to soften the hard coat, which then allowed for the first step in the germination process.  We watched and read different processes and studied the different parts of the seed and seed growth.  Students then "planted" their seeds in ziplock bags with a damp napkin and taped it to the window for sunlight so the seed could begin to grow.  We watched it all week and some seeds have already begun to grow roots! 

REMINDERS AND ANNOUCEMENTS​

• If you have not returned your child's progress portfolio and evidence binder, please do so.  Thank you!
• Our Parent activity is on December 14.  A yellow participation/attendance form went home regarding this activity. If you have not returned this form please turn it in as soon as possible so we can get a more accurate head count.