La lectura
This week we began our new Rojo, blanco y negro language arts unit. We are learning about patriotism and what makes a good citizen. We talk about what makes a good citizen within our classroom and within our school, working together and listening to each other are key!
Students also impressed me with their use of Spanish this week! Someone flipped the switch and they all were using great sentences and asking and answering questions in Spanish.
In writing we moved beyond everyone copying a prompt from the board to them ‘dictating’ their own sentence. They had to form their own sentence and then stretch it out while writing (so they could hear all the sounds from the words they wanted to write). They did an amazing job! I was so proud of this milestone!!
Measuring with two sizes of marshmallows.
Using cubes and big paper clips to measure leprechauns.
Las matemáticas
We had so much fun exploring our measurement unit this week! We also started our estimation jar (always a favorite!). Each week a student will bring the estimation jar home of Friday and should pick like items (same size legos, same size cars, same size dolls, same size gold fish, etc). Students will estimate how many items they think are in the jar. Then we will fill a small clear cup with those items, count how many fit in there, and then make a second estimation. Please do NOT have your child count how many items they put in! Also, there are clear instructions that will come home with the estimation jar but DO NOT put it in the dishwasher!!
Major was the first one to take the jar home. We can’t wait to make our estimations on Monday!!
Bricklayers
History & Geography
This week in Colonial trades people, we learned about the house builders: masons, bricklayers, and carpenters. We talked about the meaning of the sayings “Measure twice, cut once” and “Better safe than sorry”. On Thursday the class acted out some of the trades we have recently read about. This week we began working on daily geography skills, we will be learning how to read and create maps, answer questions, analyze graphic information, and make connections to ourselves. Look for our finished practice work in the take home folders.
Our weekly objectives were to:
• describe the bricklayer, mason, and carpenter in a colonial town
• identify, and associate with the appropriate trade, the tools used by the people we have learned about
Science
This week in our Taking Care of the Earth domain we learned about pollution. We discussed the different kinds of pollution and how it affects our world. On Thursday we did a demonstration of air pollution. We read a trade book about taking care of the Earth.
Water pollution is not good!
Our weekly objectives were to:
• understand that land, air, and water all suffer from different types of pollution, and all types of pollution are caused by human activities.