Happy December! We hope you're staying cozy as the weather finally starts to turn cold. Ask your kids about a few special events this week: our observation district during writing on Monday and our assembly on Friday. They showed their best side on both occasions!
Reading: We worked on summarizing this week. We used a framework to guide their writing that sounds like this: "Someone... wanted...but...so...then.." The students use this framework to logically summarize a story and always find it helpful. It improves their summaries tremendously. This week we also used string to literally connect ourselves to one another during discussion; this was a physical reminder of the need to connect their comments to their peers' comments before adding their own. It built upon last week's blog post about improving the quality of discussions. In a recent learning survey I found that about 3/4 of the class is a visual or kinesthetic learner, so seeing and making the connections using string helps both kinds! Ask your students to use the summary framework to summarize a favorite family book, the novel Shiloh, or something else you know and love.
** The kids don't know yet, but we are going to do something really fun for the month of December! Each day I will 'assign' a different reading task for the kids to try- it is optional, but it is a fun way to boost their interest and commitment to reading every day. For example, I'll suggest that they read about the past, read aloud to someone younger, read in their swimsuit, or create a hidden word puzzle about their book. At the end of the month we'll share how many of the tasks we each did and talk about them. Feel free to jump aboard- I'll send out a calendar as soon as I finish it! **
Writing: As I mentioned, we started our writing unit this week with a bang, joined by administrators throughout our district. They commented on the students' enthusiasm for writing, respect for one another, and lack of inhibition.. I was very proud of their poise and courage. We are moving on to opinion writing for our second trimester- always a very fun genre! This week we learned about the structure of an essay using the topic "I love ice cream" It was not hard to come up with reasons to support this thesis. More to come! Talk with your child about their opinions about topics that are important to you and your family. Ask them to elaborate a little bit about why they feel the way they do.
Math: This week we continued our multiplication and division unit by learning multi-digit by one digit multiplication. There are three different ways we learned to multiply multi-digit by single digit multiplication. We practiced them several times in class and worked on using multiplication to solve word problems. We also continued to practice math facts on xtramath.org and played a new math game called moo-ve it multiplication. Many students took a game board home. Next week we will take our midterm assessment and then move onto division. Ask your student if they can show you how to do 234x3 using standard algorithm.
Social Studies: Our election unit has come to an end. Students had the last few days this week to complete their election project. They also looked at the grading rubric that I will use so they could grade their own projects. The project was due on Friday but is on your students iPad. Next week we will begin our study of the Regions in the United States. Ask your student to show you their election project.
Science: This week we have reviewed what we have learned about Soils and Landforms by going over our group work from two weeks ago. We discussed all the answers as a class and prepared for our science test. Students took the test on Thursday. Next week we will begin our rotations for science. Our class will be moving to Mrs. Darley's class and will be learning about magnetism. Ask your student how they think they did on the test.
Miscellaneous:
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!
REMINDER -- 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 enter the building on the north side, near the tot lot). Please note that the movie is rated PG-13 and you may view the trailer at www.thegoodliemovie.com.
