ENTREPRENEURS in the house!!

Have your kids told you about the Entrepreneur unit we're working on?!? They LOVE it! (and so do I!) It is such a perfect project for these kids...they have a lot of freedom in their decision making (which they crave), and are using all of the math and social studies skills we've been focusing on! We have four companies representing our classroom: Funspiration, MPCK, Inc., Funtastico, and Kidspiration! These companies have been working all week on developing a "good" using all of their resources...they started with a budget, narrowed down their product ideas to the "perfect product", planned out the materials they would need to manufacture the product, figured in the advertising cost, and came up with a total production cost. They then had to decide on a price to sell their product. Today the companies are breaking out into particular jobs and either designing posters, writing commercial scripts, or producing the good they've decided to sell. We will have a "market day" the week we come back from Spring Break where all of the students are given a salary for working and they will go shopping. It should be a ton of fun...and they are being so cooperative and doing such a great job!


In Language Arts we finished our novel activities and will spend some time after Spring Break reading some excellent literature out of the Junior Great Books series. During this time the students will engage in discourse about the story they have read. They will be asked to support their thinking using examples from the stories as they relate their thoughts aloud in a shared inquiry discussion...another wonderful venue for these very gifted students.


In Writing we are continuing our persuasive writing instruction and will be writing a persuasive essay using a position statement (the table), three reasons to support the position (the table legs), supporting details for each reason (the wheels), and a strong ending in support of the position. The persuasive essay will tie into our entrepreneur unit...and I'm anxious to see the results! The students have also been feverishly publishing a piece for our school publication "The Quill"...I am proud to say that each student in our class will have a piece (or three!) in this school magazine!


In response to a persuasive letter I received, I will be offering an extra credit project in Language Arts...it is completely optional, but will be handed out and explained on Monday. It is due on Friday, April 17th. I ask that you let the kids write this story independently. Feel free to help them edit, but let the story be theirs, please! Again, not a mandatory assignment, just optional extra credit.


We will continue our study of Word Parts until the end of the year...prefixes, suffixes, root words, and the students will be quizzed intermittedly. Today they took a prefix quiz.


As for me...I will not be blogging next week...it's a two day week and then we'll all get some needed rest and relaxation (who am I kidding, I'm a MOM!) :-) I hope you all enjoy your families and whatever you choose to do over the next week. I look forward to some much needed down time in Rehoboth Beach. I will post a picture upon my return...it is definitely my favorite place to be...and I'll be with my favorite people.

Happy Spring Break...take good care of those entrepreneurs...they hold a special place in my heart!