Reading: We are (finally) at the climax of Shiloh! Our kids have been jumping out of their skin at the twist of events that happened this week- Shiloh gets injured by a neighboring dog and so all of Marty's lies unravel as he tries to save Shiloh's life. On a positive note, I see the kids making tons of connections to the reading strategies we've been working on all year (see the paragraph below). In just one class, I overheard several kids say "go back and reread, right Mrs. Roskos?... Mrs. R, you're making an inference!.... During our turn and talk we used 3 thinking strategies!" I'm so pleased to see them identifying this work. It is not easy to recognize what your brain is doing as you do it, and then intentionally do it when it doesn't do it on its own. That is what we ask kids to do when they are reading in order to help them consciously recognize the strategies that they are applying and use them on new texts. They're doing great! Ask your kids about the climax of Shiloh. Ask them to make a prediction for how things will resolve.
During reading workshop we continued to talk about how reading is thinking. I've been modeling my thinking out loud as I read ("I wonder why... Next, I bet... It seems like... That's a cool sentence... What does that word mean..."). I've been explicitly talking about these strategies that I'm using and reminding them to use them in their own work. Ask your kids what they think about when they read. Do they make connections to other parts of the story, their own lives, or other things they know about? Do they reread when they're confused?
Writing: We are nearing the end! This week I gave our writers a lot of time to type their pieces while continuing to teach them strategies to revise, edit, and format their work. They really worked hard and I'm proud of them. Some of them need to finish typing over the weekend. They can access their Google Document through the op97.org site. Per my email from yesterday, if they didn't sit with you to revise their story, they need to do that with you this weekend, too. They'll have a checklist to guide you through the process. Talk with your child about the changes he/ she made to improve the piece. Ask, not only what changes, but why the changes.
Math: This week we continued our multiplication and division unit by learning area and perimeter. We learned the formulas for both and how to find both area and perimeter of an object. We also learned how to find the width of a shape by only knowing the length and area or perimeter. We solved for x and learned a little algebra! Please remember to start practicing math facts at home. Ask your student if they know the formula for area (LxW) and the formula for perimeter (L+W+L+W).
Social Studies: What a week for social studies! On Monday we had a conversation about the election and what to look for on Tuesday night. We also had our own voting in the library for scaredy squirrel and bad kitty. Later in the week we talked about the election and the electoral votes from the election. We will continue that conversation on Monday. Today we had a great conversation with Village Trustee (and Maggie's dad), Adam Salzman and the Vice President of D97 School Board, Amy Felton. We learned about their jobs and how they ran for office. We were very lucky to have them join us at Whittier! Ask your student what they from our elected officials of Oak Park.
Science: This week we continued studying soil components through our "Soil, Rocks, and Landforms" unit. This week we continued learning about erosion and deposition on land. We used our stream tables to see how erosion and deposition occur and compared a standard stream table with a stream table on a slope. We were able to see that the sloped stream table has more deposition and that erosion occurred in the soil. Ask your student how the slope affected the amount of erosion and deposition in our stream tables.
Miscellaneous:
Trick or Treat for UNICEF!!
Many thanks to all those who participated in Trick or Treat for UNICEF this year! We collected a total of $976.34. This money could feed 700 malnourished children for one day or provide a measles vaccine for 683 kids or provide 6 bicycles to deliver medicine to children. Every little bit makes a difference and your support is appreciated!!
WHITTIER FUNDRAISER – GEPPETTO’S TOY BOX HOLIDAY SAVINGS CARD
Please remember to participate in an amazing Whittier fundraiser by purchasing your Geppetto’s Toy Box (GTB) Holiday Savings Card. Your $5 purchase goes directly to the Whittier PTO and in exchange you receive 20% off in-stock items at GTB from 11/22-11/29/16. Plus, you can use the Card as many times as you want during that time. You can purchase your Card by either completing the order form that is being sent home this week (it’s also on the Whittier website and in the Whittier office vestibule) or find Stephanie Thomas on the playground/blacktop either before or after school (she will also be selling them at the Harvest Dance on Friday, 11/18). Whittier benefits and YOU benefit – it’s a win/win!
WHITTIER WELCOME REFUGEE PROJECT – ADULT FILM SCREENING OF “THE GOOD LIE”
Please join the Whittier Welcome Refugee Project for a FREE film screening of “The Good Lie”, staring Reese Witherspoon. The movie tells about a group of Sudanese refugees and their experience upon entering the United States. Following the movie, there will be a discussion with Peter Magai Bul and Gabriel Dut Atem, both of whom spent more than 14 years in refugee camps after fleeing war in the Sudan in the late 1980s. The screening will be in the Whittier Auditorium from 6-9pm on Friday, December 2nd. Please note that the movie is rated PG-13 and you may view the trailer at www.thegoodliemovie.com.
