Over the past two weeks (this one being really wacky!) we have accomplished a lot...take a look...
LANGUAGE ARTS
We finished Frindle, wrote about how the author feels about particular characters, read an "A to Z" book titled All About Chocolate, sequenced events from that book about taking the cacao bean from the tree to chocolate, and answered higher level questions about that book.
In Writer's Workshop we have been focusing on organization...bold beginnings, excellent endings, facts with strong details...I can see the kids applying this outside of Writer's Workshop which is very exciting! This past week we wrote about daphnia. The kids have done so much work with daphnia that it was a great subject for them to write an expository piece (non-fiction). This assignment was not modeled at all, just a "cold write" and I was so pleased at the results! The kids will get these paragraphs back next week, we will pull out all the good, find things that are missing, and write final copies. This piece will go into their portfolio, so you will receive a copy, but not the original.
We have also been writing about chocolate! The kids are developing a product description of their candy bars...we are discussing word choice as they ponder words that will make others want to purchase their product. I am excited about the upcoming week where they will turn all of their hard work into a commercial ;-)!!
MATH
In our chocolate unit we have been working on many different math concepts...perimeter, area, arrays, multiplication, analyzing and constructing line graphs, and many difficult calculations! For one of the assignments, I gave the kids calculators...quite a few of them said that they're not allowed to use calculators at home...just a friendly reminder...if we're asking a third grader to analyze and calculate data that includes multiplying decimals, and they haven't had that instruction yet...calculators are a wonderful TOOL for that type of work. :-)
The kids created a candy bar using square inch paper and then calculated the perimeter and area of the bar. Then they created a wrapper using 1/4 inch square paper and calculated the perimeter and area of the wrapper. NEXT they had to figure out how many 1/4 inch squares were in a square inch because they were told their wrapper would cost their company 2 cents per square inch...you should have seen the brain work going on in this room...it was WONDERFUL!!
We are headed into a multiplication and division unit...I know many of the kids are having fun on the website "Carrotsticks" right now...a lot of them are working on addition and subtraction...and although important, I would like the focus to be multiplication facts now. Students should be studying math facts 10 minutes a night starting NOW. Thanks for your help with this!
NEXT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
Next Thursday is our field trip to the Weinberg Theater to see the story, "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble"...thank you to the many parents that volunteered to join us. I am limited to three volunteers that day...but sent home a note yesterday that invites any and all parents to join us Friday am for a Pumpkin Math activity! I will need the slip signed so that I can prepare based on how many parents will attend, so please send that back if you are able. I am asking that parents help supply some of the necessary items for this fun morning. On the slip there is a place you can offer to bring a pumpkin and/or some other supplies. Even if you can't come that morning, but would like to donate a pumpkin or scale (the two things we're usually short), please let me know. Friday afternoon is our Fall Festival party...although the kids are allowed to wear costumes that day, this party focuses on the celebration of a wonderful season...my favorite actually...it is not a Halloween party. Ms. Beers-Arthur and Mrs. Sweeney have been busy planning a fun afternoon...thanks to all who have sent donations or are volunteering to help that day. I look forward to seeing all of you.
As always...if you have any questions...don't hesitate to email me. Have a great weekend!
