December 11, 2009

Literacy...
   We have been hard at work editing and evaluating our own and others' writing through peer evaluation and examination of published authors' work.  This week, our focus has been on strong beginning paragraphs.  We have researched and analyzed published work and students have written their own beginnings in the following four categories:  Setting, Makes You Ask "Why?", Circular, and Straight Facts (resource:  www.mrsbunyi.com).  The new slideshow is a glimpse in our classroom at all the fun we were having!! Students were in their writing groups and rotated among several books to discuss and determine the authors' strategies for "hooking" the reader.
   Next week, we will develop this even further through individual writing conferences and more application of our learning in our draft books and in timed (35 minutes) writing! We will also continue our ongoing quest for "Showing, not telling" in our writing through analysis of sensory images found in An Ellis Island Christmas.  This book also coorelates with where we are in our Social Studies curriculum!

Math...
   We are wrapping up our Geometry Unit this week...  We have been calculating the area for rectangles, parallelograms, triangles, and irregular shapes! We have had so much fun investigating the formulas in math groups.  In addition, we have discovered some great multimedia resources online for this unit that have been so helpful!
   We are also preparing for our 9-Week Assessment on Wednesday, December 16. 


Events to remember...

December 18, 2009 - 1/2 day for students
January 6, 2010 - Field Trip
February 2, 2010 - TCAP Writing Assessment!