5/6 Week 21

by Ivary & Paola | Feb 15, 2019 | In The Loop

La Lectura

This week we started working on a very special project. This will be absolutely EPIC!.

What a sweet week!

This week we continued to work on our literacy routines such as word work, grammar and spelling. The highlight of our week, however, was celebrating Valentines Day! It was such a beautiful celebration of friendship and love. We worked on an expository writing Valentines day project and did some Valentines day art. We also had a chance to review some argumentative speaking/writing guidelines. All in all, we had so much fun!

Ciencias

• Explain how adaptations help organisms survive in an environment.
• Describe how population can change over time in response to environmental factors.

Mathematics

This week we started the unit Equations and Inequalities

• We learned the substation method where you plug in a number to the equation to see if it is the right number.
• Then we learned the balancing method where you balance out the equation so the variable is alone so you can find out the value of the variable.
• Last but not least on Valentine’s Day we did an escape room were we had to get rid of the love bugs by solving algebraic expressions, using the secret decoder, and finding envelopes, this week math was a blast!

(Written by:Jack Parbon )

History & Geography

This week we read chapters 7 and 8, Toward a New Government and From Monarchy to Republic.

• Learned about The Declaration of the Rights of Man and The Women March to Versailles.
• Learned about A New Legislative Assembly, France at War and The Death of the King.
• The left-wingers (Radicals who wanted a republic and everything to change.) and the right-wingers (Conservatives who still wanted the king and everything to stay the same.)

(Written by: Tamra Wegner)

English Writing & Spelling

This week we learned the Greek and Latin roots phil, bio, and photo. In writing this week we continued working on argumentative writing.

• We finished our rough draft for argumentative writing
• Reviewed the definitions for the words in Greek and Latin roots
• Did our greek and latin roots packet

(Written by: Sophia )

3/4 Week 21

by Sarah Segall | Feb 15, 2019 | In The Loop

Valentine Fun!

La lectura

We completed our skit this week.  Students submitted their top three choices for the roles and everyone was given one of their top three choices!  They all received a copy of our class-written skit and should read over their lines to become very familiar and comfortable with their lines.  (They do not need to memorize them.)

We had a blast celebrating Valentine’s Day together!  We started with stations:

• stack hearts as high as you can (try, try, and try again, changing your method to see if other ways are more successful.
• STEM project of building the tallest structure with gummy hearts and toothpicks.
• Minute-to-win it games.

All these activities included vocabulary suggestions.

We then had a class round where three groups competed to make the tallest structure.  They were challenged to function without using any English.  English usage meant that team had to stop constructing (hands off) for one minute!  This was so great to see them realize they really could say everything they needed to say in Spanish.

1/2 Week 21

by Jill & Sarah | Feb 15, 2019 | In The Loop

History & Geography

This week we began our next unit on the making of the Constitution. We started off by watching some classic Schoolhouse Rock videos:  “No More Kings” and “The Preamble”. The class had fun singing along and learning the words to “The Preamble”. On Friday we worked on labeling all the 13 original states and had an interesting conversation on compromise and what the delegates at the Constitutional Convention went through to make decisions about this ground breaking document.and their future as a country.

Our weekly objectives were to:
• Identify the causes of the Revolutionary War
• Understand the difficulty facing the new nation after the war.
• Understand the disorder of American society in the 1780s after the war
• Recall the details of Shays’s Rebellion
• Recognize that America needed laws that everyone would obey
• Understand that the Constitution resulted from the work of a group of men who did not always agree
• Recognize the importance of compromise in creating the Constitution

Science

            Insect reports…

I was so impressed to come to school on Tuesday and find out that everyone had worked on their insect reports over the long Snow Day

                    … at home!

weekend. From the looks of it,  the class is doing a terrific job and enjoying working on them.  I reviewed the expectations for the reports in class on Tuesday. Reports and models will not be due until early March but students may continue to work on the reports at home as well as in class. I haven’t set an exact due date because I’m waiting to see when we will be wrapping up the lessons left in this unit, it’s hard to tell what the weather has in store for us. On Thursday  the class enjoyed making glowing love bugs in honor of Valentine’s Day. This week we learned about fireflies and other insects that sing.

Our weekly objectives were to:
• Classify and identify insects as small 6 legged animals with three body parts
• Identify and describe the three body parts of insects: head, thorax, and abdomen
• Identify the placement and / or purpose of an insect’s body parts
• Describe an insect’s exoskeleton
• Compare and contrast Grasshoppers and crickets
• Explain how bioluminescence Works
• Plan and draft an informative text that presents information about insects, including a topic relevant, facts, and a conclusion
• Participate in a research project on insects

        Love bugs that glow!

English Spelling and Writing

In our journals we used the idiom of the week, “He’s opening a can of worms” and related it to what we learned about the Constitutional Convention . The class took their practice spelling test on Thursday and final test on Friday.   Our Word Wall words were: phone, played, pretty.

La lectura

This week we continued studying Black History Month.

Our weekly objectives were to:

• learn about Rosa Parks, Jesse Owen, and Fredrick Douglas

Las matemáticas

This week we continued working with money. Our weekly objectives were to:

• exchange large bills (20,10, and 5) for smaller bills
• exchange bills for coins
• review math concepts by playing Unlock the Love

K/1 Week 21

by Sarah Segall | Feb 15, 2019 | In The Loop

La lectura

This week we began our new unit: persevera / Perseverance. During this unit we will be reading and learning about how to stick with something and how to see something through to accomplish a goal. This is called perseverance. Some of the characters in this theme will accomplish their goals by trying something over and over again in the same way. Other characters will try several different ways to reach their goals.

It was so nice to see the kiddos demonstrate their own perseverance by trying to count to 100 in different ways, and when they weren’t successful they listened carefully to their classmates and tried again.

We had many chats about them displaying perseverance in their learning.

Las matemáticas

We practiced our mathematics skills throughout the week but wanted to share our Valentine math fun!

Stacking the hearts as high as they could. Trying and trying again.

Sorting, counting and comparing skittles.

Line those skittles up (like a graph) to better compare them!

Randomly picking 10 candy hearts to then create a math equation equalling 10.

History & Geography

This week we took our President’s unit assessment and started our next unit on Colonial towns and townspeople. In this unit we’ll be learning more about the early history of our country. Students will be comparing their daily lives to that of the daily lives of people who lived in this country over a hundred fifty years ago. Our first lesson was on the country family.
On Thursday we had fun doing Valentine activities, learning some Valentine songs, and putting  our Valentines in each others’ wonderful robot boxes.  Thanks Candace for volunteering to help out during these activities!

Our weekly objectives were to:

• identify the key characteristics and differences between “towns” and “the country” or “countryside” during the colonial period of American history
• identify reasons why people who lived in the country travel to town
• understand that long ago, during the colonial period, families who lived on farms in the country were largely self-sufficient, and that all family members had many daily responsibilities and chores
• list similarities and differences between modern family life and colonial family life

Science

Lots of Assessments this week and the kiddos were real troopers about it! On Tuesday we took our assessment on Seasons and The Weather. Everyone did very well. On Wednesday we began our next unit on taking care of the Earth. We talked about how amazing our Earth is and why it’s important that we take care of it. On Friday we made Earth hats in order to remind us that we have a special job of caring for our planet.

Our weekly objectives were to:
• Understand that Earth is composed of land, water, and air
• Identify examples of land, water, and air from our environments
• Understand that humans, plants, and animals depend on Earth’s land, water, and air to live
• Understand why people have a special responsibility to take care of the Earth

CLOSED Monday, February 11th

by Sarah Segall | Feb 11, 2019 | In The Loop

We will begin two hours late be CLOSED due to inclement weather.  There will be no after school Spanish today.

5/6 Week 20

by Ivary & Paola | Feb 8, 2019 | In The Loop

La Lectura

Our essential question this week was : What impact do we make in the environment we live in both individually and collectively? This week our class focused on the steps people can take to promote and create a healthier environment. We also be looked at how these changes impact the air, water, and other resources we need. Read read two informational pieces. Please ask your child to tell you about this.

Students took home some homework packets. They will be be expected to work on these in case we have school closures next week. Here are some activities that you can do with your child to help reinforce the skills we are practicing. This can be done in English too.

Word Workout

• Words to Know: synonyms and antonyms In this activity, your child chooses a word from the word list and gives you a one- or two-word clue to help you guess the word. Then you and your child think of a word that means the opposite of the word you guessed.
• Spelling: suffixes This list contains words with suffixes. Choose a word and say it without the suffix. Then, ask your child to say it with the suffix and spell it. Continue spelling all of the words from the list.
• Comprehension: main idea and key details: WIth  your child read a newspaper/magazine article that discusses the topic we are currently seeing at school.  Look for the main idea and supporting details. After deciding which sentence best states the main idea, review some of the details that support it.

Ciencias

Mathematics

This week we began our new chapter, in our new textbooks! Our objectives were:

• to review prior knowledge that will be needed for this chapter
• to work on test corrections from the last chapter

Remember that Prodigy is a great way to keep those math skills sharp if we are to have a few snowy days.

History & Geography

This week we continued learning about the French Revolution. Our objectives were:

• Describe the storming of the Bastille on July 14.
• Understand the reaction in the French countryside to the fall of the Bastille.

English Writing & Spelling

This week we began studying the Greek and Latin roots phil,bio, and photo. Our unit is called love, life, and light.

We also began working on our rough drafts, Student can access these at any time from their google accounts.

3/4 Week 20

by Sarah Segall | Feb 8, 2019 | In The Loop

History & Geography

Our weekly objectives were to:

• Understand that the years of the Tang dynasty represent a golden age of art and culture in Chinese history.
• Recognize the literary achievements that occurred during the Tang dynasty.
• Identify important inventions and technological advances made by the chinese during this era.
• Understand the conflict between the emperor Hui Zong´s interests and his responsibilities.
• Identify accomplishments and innovations in painting during the Song dynasty.
• Understand the military events that led to the division of China into northern and southern sections
• Summarize the fall of Emperor Hui Zong.
• Understand the difference between city life and rural life in twelfth-century China.
• Identify the urban qualities of Hangzhou.
• Recognize the importance of education in China during the Song dynasty.

In case of snow days next week, I sent the textbooks home with the students with some assignments to do at home.  Please return the books on the next school day. 

Thank you, 

Ms. Jill

Mathematics w/Laura

Chapter 8 Assessment on Adding and Subtracting Decimals

La lectura

This week we continued using our Russian folktale, La Sal, to create a class puppet show.

We also did a review of last week’s grammar focus: semi-colons, colons, commas and when to use them. I’ve heard lots of, “Oh, I always wondered when to use that.”  Lots of light bulbs going on for this topic!

I’ve challenged the students to work on their typing skills.  Snow days (should we have any…) are the perfect time to work on this!

Ciencias

In part 2 of our Natural Resources investigation we focused on the earth resources that make up a very important material used for walkways, buildings, and bridges – concrete. We used local resources to make concrete stepping stones for a new school hopscotch.

Our focus question this week was: How are natural resources used to make concrete?

1/2 Week 20

by Jill & Sarah | Feb 8, 2019 | In The Loop

History & Geography

       Greek Chorus takes a bow

We wrapped up our Greek unit this short week with a review on Thursday. We played Jeopardy, answering questions about Ancient Greece and read through our Greek packet.  Fable groups practice reading and acting out their plays. On Friday we celebrated with our Greek day. We had fun participating in a mini Olympics, trading goods at the Agora, and performing our fables for the 3rd and 4th grade class. Next week we will begin our American Constitution unit.

Our objectives:
• review what we have covered in our Ancient Greek lessons
• finish any unfinished work in our Greek packet

  Chariot races at the Olympics

    Trading goods at the agora

Science

On Thursday we finished reading about social insects; ants and termites. We worked in our insect journals and wrote about how termites and ants work together in a community. We began to discuss our upcoming insect report. Students are thinking about what specific insect they would like to report on and make a model of. I will send more information on this project in an email on Monday so students can work on it at home if we miss school next week due to snow.

Our objectives were to:
• explain that insects are the largest group of animals on Earth
• explain that there are many varieties of insects
• distinguish between social and solitary insects
• describe how all members of a social insect colony come from one queen

We are going buggy for insects!

• describe the social behavior of ants and ant colonies
• describe the roles of worker ants, males, and queens

English Spelling and Writing

In our journals we used the idiom of the week, she is hitting the books. The class got their new sort list but we won’t be taking the practice test until Monday due to the short school week.  Our Word Wall words was: people

La lectura

This week we began learning about Black History Month.

Our weekly objectives were to:

• read about famous Black Americans including Martin Luther King Jr,, Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and Ruby Bridges
• create a Black History Month Booklet with facts about each person we read about

Las matemáticas

Our weekly objectives were to begin learning about Money:

• review how to say each coin in Spanish
• understand how to write coins using the cents symbol and the dollar symbol
• learn about bills and how to say them in Spanish
• understand how to write bills using the cents symbol and the dollar symbol

Have students practice exchanging coins and bills at home for extra practice. Remember that Prodigy is a great resource to keep those math skills sharp, in case of a few snowy days.

K/1 Week 20

by Sarah Segall | Feb 8, 2019 | In The Loop

La lectura and Las matemáticas

With our short week we still tried to get in as much learning as possible!

Our weekly objectives were to:

• Read syllables with “a”, create words and sentences with syllable “a” words.
• Write in our journal about our favorite thing to do on a snowy day (we read the classic Snowy Day).
• Use uppercase letters when starting a sentence and when using names.
• Use a period or an exclamation point when needed at the end of a sentence.
• Practice subtraction and addition on the number line.
• Create number families with all numbers up to 10.

History & Geography

In our studies of the presidents of the United States this week we learned about Mount Rushmore. We read our lesson and watched an interesting video about the making of this national monument. Did you know their is a secret room in the Mountain?  We had fun finding out all kinds of information. The class then did an art activity to go along with the lesson. This wraps up our unit. Next week we will review and take our assessment.

Our objectives were to:

• understand what a monument is
• describe the making of Mount Rushmore and identify who created it
• identify the Mount Rushmore presidents
• describe Mount Rushmore as a monument

Science

We finished our unit, Seasons and Weather, this week with a lesson on meteorology. Because of our crazy weather the last few days this was  a perfect lesson for the week and gave us great examples of how weather predictions are important to our lives. Afterwards the kiddos had fun creating their own weather reports and performing them for the class. On Friday we had some fun weather experiments in jars. We created a snowstorm, clouds, and rain. Next week we

           Making it rain!

will be reviewing and taking the assessment for this unit.

Our objectives were to:
• identify ways in which weather affects daily routines, such as dress, activities, etc
• understand why weather prediction is important in daily lives
• explain the role of a meteorologist
• understand the roll satellites play in a meteorologist’s job