Blog #18

January 4-8, 2016

Finn visits the Publishing Center with his mom,
Mrs. Brown, who runs the Publishing Center!

Maya, Lulu, Rose, Marie, Anna and Nadia play in the
beautiful snow!

**Please double click on any bold or brown caption for more pictures. **

Tristan earned an XtraMath certificate!

Jaire, Piper and Liam earned their XtraMath certificates!

Mary Jane and Tristan help Matthew celebrate his birthday!

     Happy New Year!  It was a busy first week back to school!

Our first Crew meeting in 2016 was
with our K-4 buddies. We talked
about out winter breaks. 

     We were busy in Crew reviewing self-discipline norms (what it looks like and sounds like) and adding how it feels when we are all displaying these norms. We also discussed how we use self-discipline when something is challenging for us through quotes and a video.

Julia, Aiko and a K-4 buddy
share about their winter break.

Eleanor, Bennett and Kaiden show
Statue of Liberty
 and visitors
during Bippity Boppity Boo. 

Finn and Teddy greet each other
during a Crew activity. 

Jesse tries to get Rose to smile or
laugh during a self-discipline activity. 

Lauryn and Tyndall practice a
Speed Sort with their spelling
words. 

Parth and Noah try out the EL
protocol called "Say Anything."

          In Writing Workshop, students created a scrap book page about winter vacation for their end of the year book. Students also worked hard on cursive and are working hard to write neatly to earn their "pen license."  Students are also continuing to write Publishing Center stories. 

         In Reading Workshop, students continued to work on nonfiction reading.

Piper, Julia and Teddy play a tower
animal  game. 

Students form equal groups.
Students also used chips to make
different groups with equal
numbers. 

Nadia, Anna and Ashley play
"Division Arrays."

      In Math in Mrs. Malloy's class, students are working very hard on adding and subtracting decimals, as well as, using decimals in metric measurement.  Ms. Sakai's class started multiplication and division will have their math menus this week.

Piper, Kaiden and Nadia complete multiplication
number boxes using school supplies.
They also wrote fact families. 

Kaiden, Bennett, Cole, Lauryn
and Teddy research an invasive
species using articles. 

Eleanor, Parth and Piper research
invasive species using websites.

     Part of our writing, reading, science and Guided Study has been integrated together to work on our

Parth, Piper, Eleanor and Tristan
watch videos to gather more
research. 

Tristan, Bennett, Cole and Noah
study for their SS assessment.

"Unwanted Invasive species research."  Students also created group norms, decided who would research each part, read the learning targets, looked at a rubric for the project and are reflecting on group work after each work time.

    

Go Noodle Brain Break!

Zhi leads our Crew in Mindfulness.

Our January schedule is packed with Winter Sing practices and performances, along with MAP testing, assemblies and a Milw. Youth Concert so math will be inconsistent.

My math Crew will have their math menus by Monday so they can work on them.  Meg and I may try to fit math in at other times of the day, too.

Special Notes and Friendly Reminders for Parents

   

1.  Thursday bags are due by Monday (or the first day of the week.)

2.  Please turn in the Reading Log (totaled) by Monday, January 11th.  If your child misplaces his/her reading log, s/he can write the information on a piece of paper. 

3.  Important Math Fact information:  Xtramath 3 times or fact packet due Tues.  1/19

4.  Winter wear:  Please make sure to label hats, gloves, boots and especially snow pants with your child's name on them.  This will help us return to your child if they're misplaced. Please also send an extra pair of shoes for your child to change into at school, as boots stay in our coatroom, or s/he can wear his/her phy. ed. shoes. An extra pair of socks in your child's backpack may be helpful, too, as they may get wet while playing in the snow.  This is especially important with black snow pants. :)

5.  The students received a SS Study guide from Mrs. Malloy last Friday and they started to study in our room. They will review with Mrs. Malloy on Monday, then again with Mrs. Malloy's Crew on Tuesday.  They have their SS assessment on Wednesday, Jan. 13th.  We will also be sure to allow for study time in our room. 

6.  The Vets Spelling Bee is on Friday, Jan. 22nd and the Rookies is on Monday, Jan. 25th. Students can study the words that were sent home. 

7.  Winter Sing readers: Lauryn, Liam and Kaiden (please continue to practice your parts at home.)

Important Dates

Monday, January 11th-Thurs. bag, reading log and fact practice or Xtramath due

Tuesday, January 12th: Winter Sing practice, band

Wednesday, January 13th:Vets-Junior Art Docents, SS assessment


Thursday,January 14th:  Winter Sing practice, MOD for involved students, orchestra


Friday, January 15th: No School-Inservice Day for teachers




Monday, January 18th: No School-Inservice Day for teachers

Tuesday, January 19th: band

Wednesday, January 2oth;   Winter Sing Dress rehearsal 9:00 am (You may attend if you're  unable to attend the night performance.) and 6:15 pm is the 3/4 Winter Sing performance.  (Drop off no later than 6:00 pm to the music room, take your child's coat with you and they should be in dark and dressy clothes.) 

Thursday, January 21st;  

Friday, January 22nd;  

I hope you're staying warm!

Thank you,

Deb