Language Arts
Last week we worked with a non-fiction book called Money, Money, Money...we have been focusing on main idea and supporting details. Regardless of your child's reading level, this is a very difficult skill. They are pretty good at identifying the main idea...but finding the best sentences that support it is a lot harder. In conjunction with this skill, the kids wrote main idea paragraphs about a subject at UES that they really enjoy. I chose for the kids to write about our school because it was American Education Week...it was fun reading the details they chose to support their ideas. This week we will take non-fiction articles about Thanksgiving and the turkey to refine these skills!
Social Studies
We are continuing our Economics unit...and this past week we focused on production and consumption. Many new vocabulary words were introduced...through the "Econ and Me" video series...the kids love the stories told and then we use those stories to discuss the concepts. We will finish up with that series this week. The kids are always sad when the "Econ" videos are over!!
Another writing piece the kids did this week was a "cinquain" poem about a producer. The kids are publishing those pieces as I type the blog. They will be graded for following the correct steps in writing a cinquain poem.
FYI...speaking of following steps or directions...many people get a slash mark in "following directions", and I often get a note that states something like, "Please let my child know when they are not following directions." Just to let you all know...I tell them every time it happens. Today in the computer lab I verbally told them to put their name on their published piece, AND the poem that I modeled was on the screen with a "by Mrs. Wills" at the bottom. At least EIGHT kids brought me poems without names...there are hundreds of examples like that daily and I always say, "So and so, that is a great example of not following directions," just so they know. I appreciate any note you send me, but since I see that one a lot, I thought I would address it here! ;-)
Upon our return from Thanksgiving, we will begin our Entrepreneurs unit where the kids will be creating companies, producing a product, using budgets, planning advertising, and eventually selling and making profits. It is a lot of fun and I look forward to seeing their creative business minds at work! If you have any recyclables that you think we might be able to use...cereal boxes, toilet and paper towel tubes, egg cartons...some of the items that will be in high demand...NO cans or glass, please...thanks!
Math
LONG division is our focus right now...we are broken into groups and we are working to master the algorithm of long division...while different groups are meeting, others are working on problem solving, some are looking at two-digit divisors, all are writing to explain their thinking in math. Today the kids will be taking timed fact tests...they should continue studying the multiplication facts, but once those are mastered, they should be working on division. I am hoping to give the Quarter One post test upon our return from Thanksgiving!
American Education Week
We did a lot of fun activities during American Education Week! We wore sneakers on Monday to kick it off! We wrote main idea paragraphs on Tuesday about our school and what makes it fantastic. We had an amazing Math Night on Thursday and then on Friday, we were privileged to have two parents come read to our class! Special thanks to Mrs. Rumancik and Mr. Beers-Arthur for joining us and sharing their love of literature! Also on Friday the kids got together with our buddy class and they read to the kindergartners! In turn, the kindergartners shared a letter they wrote with our class!
What I'm Thankful For...
WOW...that's a hard statement to follow...let's see if I can make my answer blog worthy...
I'm thankful for...
steve
sophie
maegan
helen
gabriel
jack
matthew
lucy
jerry
jude h.s.
mehta
jessie
emma l.
hasita
nikita
nicholas
sai
vincent
hayley
jude s.
nuhad
cherrie
allie
emma s.
trixy
maliha
hannah
aj
I'm also very thankful for...
...my family...they are my pride and joy...
...my friends...if only I had more time...
...my job...I am very blessed to wake up wanting to go to work!
...and so much more...
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my favorite little people's families...enjoy your time together.
