Parent-Activity Week

It was wonderful to see our parents and children working together on math games this Thursday.  We had a great turnout.  The children sure had a lot of fun teaching their parents how to play "Think Addition" and "Make Ten."  I hope you'll continue to play these games at home to reinforce the strategies.  I really appreciate the positive and the honest feedback.  Your concerns and suggestions will help us to improve in the future.  I was a nervous reck speaking in front of hundreds of people!  It's a great thing I did not make a career in public speaking, that's for sure, hahaha!  Another sure thing...the children were amazing!  They put on a wonderful performance for us all!  

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​In Langauge Arts...

• Students practiced more with author's purpose while listening to various stories read this week.  One story from our Wonders Literature Anthology called I Fall Down by Vicki Cobb taught the children about earth's gravity.  Together we looked at the main idea of the text to help us determine the author's purpose.  We identified that the author wants to inform us about how gravity works on earth.  Some of the text evidence we found to support the author's purpose was that the text said gravity is a force that pulls things down and when you carry heavy things you can feel gravity's pull, which is called weight.  We used a graphic organizer to organize how these supporting details help determine the author's purpose.  
• Together we read Tornados by Brian Cassie and we identified text evidence that shows the author's purpose is to inform.  Students realized that knowing the main idea of the text helps a lot when determining the author's purpose.  Students determined the main idea is that tornados are dangerous and that people do things to stay safe.  Students worked independently to look for clues to support the author's purpose. 
• Students published their coral reef writing and begun researching a coral reef animal for a second mini writing piece.  Students learned that getting information from one source is not enough.  To become an expert, reading from multiple resources is necessary.  Students used many of the resources in the classroom (specific ocean animal books, student encyclopedia on animals, and animal fact files) as well as online resources too.  Many have started their tree map.  Students decided that their tree maps should include the following information: basic information about the animal (body parts, special features, adaptations, life span, and/or life cycle), food chain (what animals are its predators and its prey?  Does it eat meat or plants or both? Any important information about eating behaviors, and habitat (where does it live?  Does it migrate?  Live in a cave?  Have hiding places?  Etc...) . Don't forget to ask your child what animal they're writing about and perhaps even help them to learn more about it!  

In math...

• Using the associative property, students learned that you can find friendly pairs when adding more than 2 addends together.  For example when adding 23 + 45 + 17, it would be best to add 23 and 17 together first.  These two numbers are a "friendly pair" because the 3 ones and the 7 ones make a new ten.  
• Now that students have learned how to regroup 10 one-blocks for 1 ten, this week they transferred that skill to the hundreds place.  Students learned how to regroup 10 ten-blocks for 1 hundred.  
•  Finally, students learned to add 2 two-digit numbers that involved regrouping both in the ones and the tens place within the same problem. 

In science...

• After a review on form and function, seed dispersal, and pollination, students took a Science Unit Assessment.  

REMINDERS AND ANNOUCEMENTS​

• We will be having our Turkey Trot Pizza Party and Winter Celebration on Wednesday 12/20.  Please do NOT pack a home lunch for your child on that day and do NOT plan to have your child purchase school lunch.  One of our room parents, Chloe Glatt is organizing this celebration.  She sent a sign-up genius to sign up for snacks.  If you would like to contribute, please see click here
• The last day of school, before Winter Break, is Thursday 12/21.  No school on Friday