November 27 Library Visit
November 28 Book Orders Due
November 29 All Day Out & About - Chaperone Needed
December 8 All School Meeting and Spirit Day (Favorite Character)
Homework Due by Thursday, November 30th
1. Read for at least 20 minutes every night.
2. Complete at least 30 minutes of math practice
3. Complete at least 20 minutes of typing practice.
4. Optional: Compete Paragraph of the Week writing assignment.
Prompt: The weather is not always perfect. Write about an experience you had when it was raining outside.
Paragraph of the Week
Plovers can now earn bonus pay for completing extra writing practice at home! Every week, I will post a new writing prompt in the newsletter and in the classroom. Responding to these prompts will support the narrative writing we are currently working on in the classroom, but this extra homework assignment is optional. If your student would prefer to type their essay instead of writing it, they can email it to me at [email protected] or bring in a printed copy.
Expectations for Paragraph of the Week:
- Write at least 5 sentences.
- Tell about one time you did something and include details.
- Your story should have a beginning, middle and end.
- Sentences have correct capitalization and punctuation.
- Neat handwriting.
Scholastic Book Orders
Book orders are due Tuesday, November 28th. This will be the last book order before Winter Break. If you plan to give books as a gift and do not want your student to see them, I can place your order in a paper bag or set them aside for you to pick up. Please send me an email if you do not want your child to see the order. Visit our class book club page to see this month's selection, including the Holiday Gift collection.
Upcoming Out and Abouts
This week, we will visit the Portland Art Museum and Oregon Historical Society to wrap up our study of Early People of the Northwest Coast. This is an all day trip to Portland; students who ordered a school lunch will be given a sack lunch. Next week, we will jump into our next theme - fairy tales! Students will work in partners to complete an engineering activity based on a popular fairy tale.
Volunteer Opportunities
1. Out & About Chaperones - One more chaperone needed this Wednesday (11/29 8:50 - 2:00) for Art Museum and Oregon Historical Society.
2. Breakfast Donations - Fruit needed this Friday.
Weekly Review
Before Thanksgiving Break, the Plovers learned about a plan to relocate the people of their village onto a reservation. In 1854, the United States government decided to make treaties with the Northwest Coast people to legally extinguish their rights to the land and to set up reservations where the native people were forced to live. Isaac Stevens, the Territorial Governor, came into our classroom and asked to speak to the chief. Stevens read the treaty to the villagers and then demanded that the chief sign it. The village held a meeting to discuss the treaty.
Students wrote short stories from their character's perspective about their experiences with the treaty and relocation. We read several books together about Native American life after the arrival of European settlers, including A River Lost and Shin-chi's Canoe. They also watched a few small clips about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving from a PBS documentary called "We Shall Remain." For the final activity, the village held a First Salmon Ceremony. Because their community has faced so many changes, it was important for them to have the opportunity to come together and celebrate. Students held a ceremony that focused on honoring traditions, community values and generosity. We thought about the importance of the community and how people need to support one another in times of trouble. Next, we enjoyed a feast of traditional foods, including smoked salmon, berries and "blubber"! THANK YOU to all who generously donated food - it was a real feast!
Communication
Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Parents and students can e-mail me at [email protected]. You can also leave a voice message on the class phone or set up a time to meet with me before/after school.