Hello everyone!! I really hope that you all enjoyed your holidays, spending time with family and friends! I am excited for all of the many fun learning opportunities that will take place in our class for 2018! I just wanted to provide a few updates regarding the programming that will be taking place this month.
We will be starting an independent book study for which students have been asked to bring in a “just right book” which is at their level in regards to decoding and comprehension, that they have recently read or are currently reading at this time. If they are currently reading it at this time, they must ensure that they will be able to complete the reading of the text by next week to ensure comprehension of the conclusion of the text. We will be starting this task on Wednesday (Jan. 10th), so students have been encouraged to bring in their text for Wednesday.
In Writing we have been focusing on the form of persuasive, which has now led us into the writing for a speech/TED Talk. We have talked about how to select a good topic that will capture the interest and attention of an audience. We have listened to a few examples of speeches and dissected the main points and examples that provided proof and explanation to the main points. We will be starting the brainstorming process this week prior to drafting. Students have been encouraged to bring in selected materials/resources that they might need throughout the drafting stage of their writing (providing facts/information).
In Math we have started our unit on Number Sense and Numeration focusing on Multiplication and Division. Students will learn a variety of strategies to apply with these operations, mental math strategies, as well as a focus on understanding the context of these operations in word problems. We are continuing to use our daily math of 180 Days which is effective in supporting students throughout the different stands throughout the Math curriculum.
In Social Studies students have selected their inquiry project topic and have been researching and starting to draft their paragraphs for this project. This project has been shared with students through Google Drive and they can choose how they would like to organize and present their information. Such options are Google Slides (similar to PowerPoint), Google Docs, Bristol board/presentation board. Class periods have and will be provided throughout each week. Students have been asked to ensure that they are following along with the timeline of dates on the project outline shared in Google Drive. I typically do not assign homework, however I am encouraging students to utilize their time at home if needed to ensure that they are keeping up with assignment expectations.
On another note, I am planning to start up Intramural Junior girls volleyball next week. This is a great opportunity for students to build upon their skills and understanding of the game. This will take place during 2 nutritional breaks each week. There will be some helpful Intermediate girls assisting to work along with small group skill building and direction.
Thank you all for your support and cooperation!!
Mrs. Sharpe 🙂