November 3 Make Up PE
November 7 Library Visit
November 8 Scholastic book orders due by 4pm
November 10 Laura at science teachers conference - Carol will sub!
November 11 No School
November 18 All School Meeting and Spirit Day
November 21 - 25 No School (Thanksgiving Break)
Homework Due by Thursday, November 3rd
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 on Typing.com (remember, you can log in with your FGCS Google account!)
4. Optional: Compete Opinion Paragraph of the Week assignment on Google Classroom. Prompt: Should parents be allowed to eat the candy their kids bring home from Trick-or-Treating?
Opinion Paragraph of the Week
Plovers can now earn bonus pay for completing extra writing practice at home! Every week, I will post a new opinion writing prompt on our Google Classroom page and in the newsletter. Responding to these prompts will support the essay writing we are currently working on in the classrooms, but this extra homework assignment is optional. If your student would prefer to write their essay instead of typing it in Google Classroom, they may turn in a hard copy to me any time during the week.
Expectations for Opinion Paragraph of the Week:
- Topic sentence shares the author's point of view and is a complete sentence.
- Response includes at least 3 different reasons to support the opinion.
- Each reason is followed by an explanation, elaboration or example.
- Sentences have correct capitalization and punctuation.
Upcoming Out and Abouts
This Wednesday, we will use our Out & About time for a science lab! Level 2 students will be exploring electricity and magnets through lots of hands-on activities and experiments. We will also be discussing our ideas for a classroom business, using some of the ideas we've learned from our Out & Abouts and projects so far this year!
Volunteer Opportunities
Breakfast Donations - Fruit needed this Friday.
Mystery Readers - 3 spaces available this week and next week!
Library Chaperones - 2-3 chaperones needed for our next library trip, Monday 11/7
Weekly Review
Last week was a very short week due to goal setting conferences. Students worked in the computer lab with Level 3 buddies to make a sign for their pumpkin book project that included their thesis statement. Plovers also set a literacy goal and a citizenship/stewardship/scholarship goal for themselves, and choose a Tower of Books reading challenge to complete at home. If you attended conferences on Friday, you were able to hear about your students' goals and take home a folder with materials to support your Plover at home. Unfortunately, I was unable to meet with more than half the class because I was sick on Thursday. For students whose conferences were canceled, I will be meeting with them individually over the next several days and sending home their goal sheets as soon as possible so you can have a mini-goal setting conference at home!
Another part of the goal setting process was brainstorming ideas and questions for our weekly Academic Choice time (also called Genius Hour). Academic Choice is an opportunity for students to work on personal projects or pursue their own interests in the classroom. Plovers must complete their homework by Thursday morning to be able to participate in Academic Choice. So far this year, students have enjoyed activities like building a model of the Once-ler's house from the Lorax, working with Snap Circuits, learning about programming on Code.org, and creating their own skits! Last week I introduced some new expectations for Academic Choice that will require a longer commitment from students (2-6 weeks, depending on the project) and provide them with opportunities to learn something new! This week, we will try to narrow down their topics and students will need to come up with a plan for exploring their chosen topic. Here are some of their creative, intriguing questions from the first brainstorming session last week:
How do people build buildings?
What did the Plover class look like years ago?
How do you make a moving car from LEGOs and snap circuits?
What does a steam punk house, neighborhood or bus look like?
What is it like to be old?
How do you make a video game?
How hard is it to be an inventor?
How can we make a motor fly?
How do you rip a piece of paper into thinner pieces?
How big is a dog’s brain? How big is a worm’s brain?
How does a bike work?
Is it possible to make a comfy blanket out of LEGOs?
How can we reduce the number of trees and animal habitats being destroyed?
What happens when you leave a violin in a hot car?
Can you make a boat out of paper and sail in it?
How does a lock work and how can you pick a lock?
How does acid fit in a battery? How does it get in there?
Why are monkeys so flexible?
How does a clock know what time it is?
Why don’t we have swings and a slide on the play yard?
What would it be like to go back in time?
How does electricity appear places?
What would it be like to be born as a Native American?
Can we make a habitat that has an adjustable temperature?
What different sounds can a wind chime make?
Why does there have to be sound?
How do you make the best biscuit?
Could we make a grape dispenser for kids who forget their snack?
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.