Let's take a quick look at the month of February:
- We have the MID Valentine's Dance coming up on Friday, February 6th! It's one of our biggest and most fun parties of the year, so I hope you'll join us. Be sure to send in your order form for tickets and pizza. If you don't have one, let me know and I'll send one home with your child.
- We'll celebrate Mackenzie's birthday on February 11th!
- We'll have a small Valentine's Day celebration in the classroom on Friday, February 13th. I'll be sending home a list of names this week for a valentine exchange. If you're able to donate cookies or juice boxes, please let me know!
- There is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 16th. It's President's Day AND a Teacher Workday. Progress reports will be posted later that week.
- The current AR period ends on Wednesday, February 25th.
In our classroom we've got lots going on! Here's a peek at what's happening:
Bible: We're continuing in the book of Acts and learning about how the disciples went out and spread the good news. This week's bible verse is: I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16
We've also been participating in some journaling activities that go along with what we're talking about in Chapel with Mr. Tom...putting our lives in God's hands and living out his plan for us. The kids are doing some thinking about what kind of a person they want to be, and what steps they need to take to get there. We're keeping journals that will help us come up with a mission statement for our lives. The first week the kids wrote about 3 people that they admire, and the qualities that they like in that person. Last week they wrote about things that might hold them back from doing what God asks of them. We've been watching this video/singing this song because the song goes along so perfectly with the theme.
Literacy: Both 4th and 5th graders have begun participating in Literature Circles. They're reading the same book with a small group of their classmates, and they each have a job to do each week that will contribute to their group's weekly meeting. We have a wide variety of books being read: in 4th grade groups are reading The Vanishing Coin, Because of Winn-Dixie, Holes, The Tale of Despereaux, and Jackpot. In 5th they're reading Sounder, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Red Moon at Sharpsburg, Holes, and Game Changers.
The jobs that they need to complete for their Lit Circle meetings are:
- Discussion Director: The DD runs the Lit Circle meeting, making sure that everyone gets a chance to do their job. He or she also comes up with four discussion questions for the group.
- Character Sketcher: The CS chooses one of the main characters to do a profile on. He or she draws a picture of the character, determines three of the character's traits (along with evidence from the book), identifies one of the character's goals, problems, and solution (if there's been a solution at that point in the book).
- Word Wizard: The WW finds six words in the reading for that week that are unfamiliar, interesting, or really descriptive, and create vocabulary cards for the group.
- Passage Picker: The PP find two passages from this week's reading that are really important, very descriptive, or interesting, and presents them to the group for discussion (only groups with four people in them have a passage picker...most groups have three members).
Both 4th and 5th graders are working on publishing a writing piece that they created during Writing Circles in December and January (they met with a small group each week, shared their writing with each other, and chose a writing topic for the following week). They'll include this piece in their Writing Portfolios. We'll continue our Writing Circles next week with brand new groups.
4th grade has been working on capitalization and comma usage, and will be starting a figurative language unit. 5th grade is currently reviewing figurative language.
Social Studies: In 4th grade we're studying the early American government that was put in place following the Revolutionary War. Last week we talked about the Constitutional Convention, including the Virginia plan, the New Jersey plan, the Great Compromise, and the 3/5 Compromise. This week we'll learn about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We'll be using these hand movements to help us remember the Bill of Rights. Next week we'll wrap up this unit with the three branches of government and the three levels of government. I'm planning to give the unit test on Thursday, February 12th. I'll let you know if that date changes.
5th graders are studying European Exploration. We learned about Ferdinand Magellan and the Treaty of Tordesillas last week. This week we'll focus on Spanish and Dutch exploration and trade. Next week we'll wrap up the exploration unit with French and English exploration and trade. I'm planning the unit test for Thursday, February 12th. I'll let you know if the date changes.
Wishing you all a blessed week!
