Wednesday

Once again, we had a great day of learning in Room 15.  During readers' workshop, students learned about reading with expression.  Using the book, Goblins in the Castle, we practiced phrasing: grouping words together and pausing to create just the right affect. Below is a passage we used; how would you phrase this sentence?:
Within minutes I was totally lost, not only unable to find Granny Pinchbottom, but also unable to find my way back to the gorge. Clutching Igor's bear, I glanced around nervously, wondering if more goblins lurked in the woods.

In Science, we watched a six minute clip on New Horizon's discoveries on Pluto.  We debated whether scientists were wrong about reclassifying Pluto as a dwarf planet.  Students wrote claims and are VERY ready to write evidence supporting their thinking.  Ask you child, do you think Pluto should be a planet or a dwarf planet? WHY?  Get ready for an earful!

Homework:
-30 min of independent reading
-Home Link 1.8
-Writer's notebook decorated (by Friday)
-5 artifacts in writers' notebook (by Friday)

Reminders:
-Picture day is Friday, Oct 2 at 10 AM

Monday

Today we worked so hard in writers' workshop.  We learned 3 strategies for coming up with ideas.  The first idea was called My Authority List; we wrote down topics that we were experts in. For example, Megan wrote about butterflies and Eduardo wrote about the ocean.  The next strategy was the Heart Map; students wrote ideas down that were important to them such as grandma's house, fishing with dad, etc. The final strategy is called Artifacts. Students learned that authors use different objects to help them come up with ideas. I showed students pictures and magazine clips from my writers' notebook that helped me generate ideas for writing longer pieces.  By the end of the week, the students of room 15 are going to add at least 5 artifacts to their writers' notebook.

Homework:
- Study Link 1.6
- 30 minutes of independent reading
- Gather 5 artifacts for their writers' notebook (due Friday)
- Decorate their writers' notebook (due Friday)

What about Pluto?

For the past few days in science, we've been discussing Pluto's status as a dwarf planet.  After the recent visit from NASA's New Horizons space probe, students have been gathering evidence and debating whether Pluto should be reinstated as a planet.  Ask your child today about why Pluto was labeled a dwarf planet in August of 2006.

Video clip of new discoveries regarding Pluto.
(will be viewed on Monday; we ran out of time)

Today in Writers' Workshop, we read the book, Enemy Pie.  We talked about times we were tricked and students wrote in their writers' notebooks times when they were tricked.  These will become possible ideas when we begin our new unit of study on Memoirs.

Writers' workshop

Today in Writers' Workshop, we learned 2 different strategies for writing ideas.  One way is called 'Museum'; we chose a noun such as solar system and branched ideas about the topic.  A different strategy helped us think of times when we were a certain emotion. For example, a list of times we were scared.  We had fun sharing our lists.

Pictures below of students' writers' notebooks:

In math, we worked on more area problems today. We practiced with fractional lengths.  Overall my mathematicians are become more efficient at solving area problems.

Homework:

• 30 min of independent reading
• Study Link 1.4

Reminders:

• Picture day is October 2 (paperwork coming home tomorrow in their Friday Folder)

Figuring out Unknown Words

Today in school, we learned how to figure out unknown words. By reading a picture book called Baloney; Henry P., we developed strategies for unearthing the meaning of words; many times through context clues.  We talked about not whipping through words like we're reading on autopilot.  We learned that paying attention to our books and making mental movies as we read is one of the most important things.  We finished the DWA writing assessment.  After literacy, room 15 went to the media center to pick out more just right books.

Homework:

• 30 minutes of independent reading
• Math homework: Study Link 1.3 due on Thursday
• Planners will also be checked on Thursday morning for signatures; sign those planners

Reminders: 

• No School tomorrow (Wednesday): Yom Kippur

Orbit Periods of Planets

Today in Science, we learned about orbit periods. Students from each class created a 'living' model of the solar system and modeled how planets revolve and rotate around the sun.  Through using models, students noticed that the outer planets take longer to revolve around the sun since their orbit paths are so long.  Ask your child about the 'living' model.

During literacy, students learned about how readers sometimes read on autopilot. I demonstrated reading first on autopilot, and then catching myself, rereading, and then modeling how to read actively.  Most students agreed that reading on autopilot makes them think their book is boring which almost always is the cause for abandoning their books.

Homework:

• No math homework
• Read 30 minutes

Reminders: 

• No School on Wednesday: Yom Kippur

Week 2 - Finishing Strong

Today for Readers' Workshop, we learned about inferencing.  We read a book call The Stranger and gathered evidence and created inferences.  We shared our inferences at the end of Readers' Workshop.  During Writers' Workshop, we started the DWA and made our writing plan.  Some of us started writing our first draft. 

Over the weekend, we have to read 30 minutes a day and we have math homework for the very first time.  It is due on Monday.