I would like to thank all of the students and parents who participated in student led conferences they all went really well. Please remember that to reach some of these goals, we need parent involvement at home. Practicing multiplication facts and reading aloud to your child is a simple way to get students to excel in class.
Another thing that would be an excellent activity to try at home would be holding weekly family meetings. Each member of the family can have a voice about the household issues and any fun future plans you are making. That way your family can reinforce the positive discipline tools that they are learning in the classroom. These could be a wonderful way for your student to practice leadership and speaking skills by leading the meeting. Perhaps they could work on writing in the family agenda log by being secretary? By holding weekly meetings, you can help maintain a consistency between home life and school.
Last week students began on their school service projects. The students divided into teams based of their interests. Many of the projects will require outside assistance from parents and the community. The students decided that they wanted to form a green outreach team, school beautification crew, newspaper and documentary group, and a fundraising committee. Students are very excited to be giving back to the community.
The students have been planning a Halloween party this Wednesday. They decided that they wanted to have a dance party in one room and a movie playing in the other room so students could have an option as to which activity they would like to participate in. The party will begin right after lunchtime (1:15). If you would like to help out bringing items to the party please click on the following link. PARTY We would like to encourage healthy choices for our children so please avoid bringing soda and candy.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Student led conferences
Don't forget that this week we are having our first student led conferences. If you have not already signed up for them, please click on the following link. SLCs Please remember that SLCs are not parent teacher conferences. This is an opportunity for your child to reflect on their work so far this year and to make goals for the school year. Students need to be doing a majority of the speaking and showing their work.
This week we are finishing up working on our autobiographical narratives about a time that they solved a problem in their life. We discussed how excellent writers spend a majority of their time planning and pre-writing their work. I am truly amazed at the quality of the work produced by our authors. We have been practicing on getting feedback to improve the quality of our work. Students are also creating morals and themes to our stories. Ask your child what the moral of their story is. You might be surprised by the insight your child has!
Last week we continued to have debates. Students were very engaged in our topic- Which lifestyle is easier, the Native Americans or modern life? It was a great experience to learn how to respectfully disagree with our classmates without taking things personally. Students learned great public speaking and listening skills through this activity. I look forward to having more debates about various topics throughout the year.
Just a reminder, this month students are completing their book club reviews. Depending on how long their book was, I gave them the option to choose when the due date of the review was. All work must be completed no later than by the end of the month. As a class, we brainstormed options of how each student could present their work. Some students are creating power points, book blogs, and dioramas. There is no shortage of creativity when it comes to these reports. If your child is taking their book home, please make sure that your child is bringing their book back to school everyday. I encourage you to read with your child at night and ask questions about what they are reading.
This week we are finishing up working on our autobiographical narratives about a time that they solved a problem in their life. We discussed how excellent writers spend a majority of their time planning and pre-writing their work. I am truly amazed at the quality of the work produced by our authors. We have been practicing on getting feedback to improve the quality of our work. Students are also creating morals and themes to our stories. Ask your child what the moral of their story is. You might be surprised by the insight your child has!
Last week we continued to have debates. Students were very engaged in our topic- Which lifestyle is easier, the Native Americans or modern life? It was a great experience to learn how to respectfully disagree with our classmates without taking things personally. Students learned great public speaking and listening skills through this activity. I look forward to having more debates about various topics throughout the year.
Just a reminder, this month students are completing their book club reviews. Depending on how long their book was, I gave them the option to choose when the due date of the review was. All work must be completed no later than by the end of the month. As a class, we brainstormed options of how each student could present their work. Some students are creating power points, book blogs, and dioramas. There is no shortage of creativity when it comes to these reports. If your child is taking their book home, please make sure that your child is bringing their book back to school everyday. I encourage you to read with your child at night and ask questions about what they are reading.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Fascinating Field trip Fun
I would like to thank all of the parents who took time out of their busy schedule to drive on our field trip.This week we got to go visit some very rich local history. We journeyed back in time to the first Mexican land grant estate. Along the way, we paused to make nature drawings and create poems about nature using figurative language.
I am excited as a hummingbird-Fallon
I am as clam as a waterfall- Morgan
Rivers and swamps splish and splash, I am a wet frog
a croak, a rib-bit
like an amphibian exhibit- Mila
Beautiful bumblebees buzz busily-James
I was as calm as the river
My mother, my sister,
the giver...
Boys bouncing boisterously
sometimes missing the subtlety
life is the flower glistening in the sun-Bill
I am as fast a a cheetah chasing its prey-Brecken
The tree was a tall tall tree and looked like a green breeze-Alec
Today told time...
I was as hot as the sun-Alan
One day goats will die,
rise up high
big and small
tall and all,
they can go
to know
but crows oh no-D
I popped like a berry
I'm as protective as a wolf for its cubs-Kai
When I walked on the lazy rocks they winced
The wind chimes laughed at me
as they flew back and forth-Mateo
Alden's amazing armadillo acts awesome-Alden
I'm as small as a crayfish and as quiet as a butterfly-Gabi
Tree trunks triumphed like a trumpet-Grant
My mother is as sweet as a berry-Max
I am as small as a bumble bee
as quiet as the wind-Heidi
Julius' jewel jumped joyously on Jack's jackrabbit-Julius
The river rushes rapidly by the bridge-Is'haq
Clouds could cough calmly
water waved warmly
people played playfully-Dylan
Cattails were as soft as tiger's fur-Julia
Paige's purple pigs played in the park-Paige
Tahti's tiger thinks that he is a ballerina-Tahti
The weeping willow spoke to me,
It made me feel like I can breath
the sunlight shines on the morning dew
a flower bloomed for love and truth-Aidan
Monday, October 8, 2012
Making Change Possible
This week is going to be an exciting week. We are planning on going on a field trip this Wednesday, October 10. We will be venturing down the road to Rancho Penisquitos, which is known for its rich local history. It is the site of one of the first Mexican adobe house ranch estates. We will need to have parent volunteers shuttle children and help chaperon. Please use the following link to sign up. Field Trip
In humanities this week, we are pre-writing our personal autobiographical narratives. Our stories are focusing on a time in our lives when we solved a problem. We are also studying different uses of figurative language. Students have been creating posters about metaphors, personification, similes, hyperbole, characterization, and alliterations. We will be using these literary devices to create a poem that will go along with the collage that the students have already created.
Also this week we are going to create a family survey questionnaire. This fulfills the "Where do I come from?"component of our My Portal project. Please take some time this week to answer the questions with your child. The students will be compiling this information into a paragraph about what they learned about their family heritage.
I am please to announce that my book, The Cartoon History of the United States, has arrived! We will be reading the book for guided reading. Students will be generating questions about the reading, finding unknown words, and writing summaries. I have used the book in the past and found that my students really enjoyed learning about history this way.
In humanities this week, we are pre-writing our personal autobiographical narratives. Our stories are focusing on a time in our lives when we solved a problem. We are also studying different uses of figurative language. Students have been creating posters about metaphors, personification, similes, hyperbole, characterization, and alliterations. We will be using these literary devices to create a poem that will go along with the collage that the students have already created.
Also this week we are going to create a family survey questionnaire. This fulfills the "Where do I come from?"component of our My Portal project. Please take some time this week to answer the questions with your child. The students will be compiling this information into a paragraph about what they learned about their family heritage.
I am please to announce that my book, The Cartoon History of the United States, has arrived! We will be reading the book for guided reading. Students will be generating questions about the reading, finding unknown words, and writing summaries. I have used the book in the past and found that my students really enjoyed learning about history this way.
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