Weekly News
Week of: November 14, 2016
This Week’s News
Greetings 108 Families,
It was great to have a full week and get back to familiar routines!
Our science lovers delighted in the fact that we used the better part of Monday and Tuesday to complete our investigations into earth materials. We observed clay in various states and learned that it is the smallest particle-size of earth material. We learned that sand paper is a mixture of sand, glue, and water. Then, we observed three different grades or textures of sand paper including; coarse, medium, and fine. We observed humus, paying special attention to its’ appearance, feel, and smell. We learned that it is mostly composed of decaying plant material. We used our humus to create soil. The ingredients in our soil “recipe” included 2 cups of sand, 1 cup of gravel, 1 cup of small pebbles, and 26 vials of humus! After creating this mixture, students had a chance to separate it using 3 methods; simple shaking, sifting through mesh screens (small, medium, and large), and by adding water, shaking, and allowing the mixture to settle overnight. We still have to add a few items to add to our Science Journals for this unit, but we’re essentially ready to kick-off our next major science unit entitled, Air and Weather.
Throughout the week, the class enjoyed read alouds related to rocks. Those included Rhonda’s Rock Hunt, Rocks in His Head, and Dirt. Using a book entitled, Pebbles, Sand, and Silt, the second graders introduced the first graders to Room 108’s version of partner reading. We call it Read to Someone. During Read to Someone students sit elbow to elbow and knee to knee (EEKK) with a friend, determine how they will read the book together, read, and question one another as they go along. The second graders were excited to share their knowledge and experience of this great way to expand our reading time in the classroom!
We welcomed Emily back to our room on Tuesday morning as we learned about Corn through the Centuries. Emily told an engaging story about how Native American tribes shared this valuable crop with other tribes. Students saw many different forms of corn and its’ products and had a chance to use a mortar and pestle to grind their own corn flour. And, last, but certainly not least, we had a chance to try a few different kinds of corn chips with, what else, corn salsa!
Our morning meetings found us learning (for some reviewing) three math games including Garbage, Tens and Ones, and Toss It. During our math lessons, the first graders worked on identifying all of the combinations of 7 and 9. We are beginning to understand that we can organize this work to more easily determine all of the possibilities. The 2nd graders worked on applying skip counting to word problems, for example, There are 60 fingers and 28 legs at the park. How many people and how many dogs are at the park?
Finally, thanks for sending so many books our way from the Wild Rumpus Book Fair! We can’t wait to enjoy them in the coming weeks!
Have a terrific week,
Linda Wilterdink ()
First and Second Grade/Barton Open Elementary
Notes and Reminders
· Math packet homework will be coming home on Monday.
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Upcoming Events
*Wed.-Fri., Nov. 23-25 – NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving Break
*Thus., Dec. 8 – Field Trip to Lowry Nature Center (slips will be coming home soon)