Literatura

This week we read the selection El rey de los espias de Yorktown, by. After going thought the vocabulary and the characteristics of this expository piece, maestra Paola read this selection aloud. The purpose for this was to model reading with fluency, expression and intonation- an area we have been focusing on in literacy. I conducted some reading assessments this week to evaluate thise objectives. Some students took home a “telephone” , a reading device used to listen to their voice when they read. We worked on the reading compression skill Drawing Conclusions.

Students are assigned to do some of their reading in Spanish aloud!

Congratulations to our students who did a remarkable job on their presentations of the American Revolution Project!

 

Ciencias

59BCDB7E-01D0-4515-80CD-C6A210839A3EThis week students continued to read about plants: their structure and needs in order to develop and grow. We read about photosynthesis and observed the growth of the plants we have in our classroom. Students took home a new science book. They are expected to read over the weekend and be back ready to discuss on Monday.

Learning Outcome:

  • Plants make their own food by photosynthesis.
  • Chlorophyll is the green pigment that absorbs sunlight in the cell of producer organisms.
  • Green plant cells make sugar (food) from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight, and release oxygen.

How do animals get the nutrients they need?

Our investigations will focus on animal/human digestion next week. We have been observing the life cycle of the painted lady butterfly. I will go more in depth about the concept of digestion and the process used by animals to break down complex food items into simple nutrients.

History & Geography

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Looking at our awesome European Explorers posters!

This week we began studying Early Russia.

Our objectives were:

  • Describe Russia’s early roots.
  • Explain the impact of the Vikings on Russia.
  • Summarize Christianity’s spread in Russia.
  • Describe the impact of the Mongol invasion on Russia.
  • Summarize the rise of Moscow.
  • Summarize Ivan the Great’s early life.
  • Describe how Ivan the Great ruled Muscovy.
  • Explain the role of the serfs in Russia.

Mathematics

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Working on ratios!

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Working with word problems!

This week we continued working with Ratios.

Our objectives were:

  • interpret ratios given in fraction form
  • write ratios in fraction form to find how many times as large as one number another number is
  • read and write ratios with three quantities
  • express equivalent ratios with three quantities
  • solve real-world problems involving ratios and fraction
  • solve real-world problems involving ratios with three quantities

English Word Work

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Blind Sort Test!

This week we completed our ration and began again.

Our rotation days were:

  • Writer’s Workshop:  This week students could choose between writing on our prompt (you find a mysterious door with a key what happens next?), revising past writing, or reading their writing to a classmate.
  • Blind Sort Test: Students tested each other on their spelling using the Blind Sort method.
  • Teacher Meeting: I met with each student to discuss and clarify their new sort
  • Word Search: Students received a word search with their new spelling words. They were tasked with finding and sorting their new words.

Our spelling test will be Thursday February 15th!

Specialists

Character Education:

This week in Character Ed class, your child learned about the possibility of participating in a book drive for the children of Humacao, Puerto Rico.  Recently ravaged by Hurricane Maria, Humacao is a city on the eastern side of the island with a (formerly)  booming tourist and fishing industry and a university, among other charms. Today, many children there have still not resumed school, and library collections have been left in ruins. A contact of mine who runs the library at the university of Humacao  recently put out a request for donations of children’s books that could be distributed to the children of Humacao and outlying areas.
 We thought the children of Spanish with Sarah could help! We propose that each classroom “adopt” a USPS box (12 x 12 x 51/2)  to fill with books— both in English and Spanish for ages 6 to 14.  Each class would also need to raise the $18.90 for shipping.  Today in class we talked about ways to earn a couple of dollars, perhaps by doing some extra chores. We hope this book drive not only helps children in a place far from here, but also reinforces to our kids value of empathy and service. If your child would like to participate, s/he  can start today! We will be collecting books in each classroom tomorrow, along with postage donations. We will cease collecting on Thursday, February 15 and send the boxes to Puerto Rico.  ~ Jodie Marion