Monday & Tuesday Blogs

Hi everyone,

Okay, I missed a blog yesterday, as I had intended to write it at home, but my internet connection was down last night. So, I have combined both days into this blog.

So far this week, we have done some drama exercises with words, sounds and motions. This will help students when they have to play a role, as they will remember not to simply stand still and say their lines. Acting also involves movement to onvey meaning and emotion, and keep things interesting for the audience.

Writing folders were given to all of my students. These folders will be used during class time each day, to provide students with time to write independently about topics they choose, using any genre they would like. I will be monitoring their progress as students develop their Writing Ideas into Explore Drafts (first stage), Edited Drafts (second stage), and their final Published Drafts (third stage). Writing folders will not be sent home for homework, however, students may wish to type up their finished works on home computers. Students will continue to receive writing homework in the form of their Reading Response Journal entries, and several assignments for other curriculum subject areas.

Our Computer Lab time consisted of an online information scavenger hunt. Students started at the Library homepage, and I asked them to find different things - pictures of vikings, information about Natalie Babbitt (the author of Tuck Everlasting, which we are reading for our novel study), and math/science activities dealing with variables. It always amazes me just how knowledgeable children are at using the internet to find information. I wish the world wide web was around when I was in elementary school, as it is such a fantastic tool for students.

In Math, we are continuing our units on Patterning, with each new lesson building on the previous one. We should be moving onto the Numeration unit for Grade 5 and 6 next week.

In Science, the Grade 5 students are examining the different characteristics of the states of matter (solids, liquids, and gases). Grade 6 students are designing paper airplanes in order to determine what variables they can change on it in order to affect its properties of flight.

What is in store for my students for the rest of this week? Stay tuned.

Homework assigned Tuesday September 18, 2007:
Grade 5
-Read 20 minutes, update reading log
-Spelling Unit 2 due Friday
-Math Workbook page 4

Grade 6
-Read 20 minutes, update reading log
-Spelling Unit 2 due Friday
-Reading Response Journal entry due Monday
-Math Workbook page 4