Week of January 23rd, 2017

We have been learning how to be an "expert learner." An expert learner is someone who is motivated, engaged, and passionate about learning. It's not about knowing everything, it's about challenging yourself, making mistakes, and understanding that learning never stops.

Here are the goals we've been working on this week:

Math

- We can use growing patterns and repeating patterns to make predictions.

Reading

- We can identify character traits and give evidence.

Writing

- We can use punctuation (end marks, quotation marks, commas).

Spelling

- We can spell using digraphs and blends.

- We can spell using suffixes.

- We can spell trick words.

- We can identify open and closed syllables.

Unit Time

- We can use coding to create programs.

- We can show what we know about how sound is made.

Other

- We can work collaboratively.

- We can make choices to challenge ourselves in learning.

- We can use strategies to stay engaged and motivated.

- We can make choices to help ourselves as learners.

- We can share how we learn best and what challenges us.

Ask:

- What is Morning Learning Choice? What do you do?

- What type of patterns are you working on?

- What is a character trait? How do you give evidence?

- What are you writing about? How do you stay motivated?

- What is "Scorekeeper?" What did you do to code it?

- What makes sound? How do you make sound effects?

- How did you challenge yourself this week?

Sound Effects

We learned about sound and sound effects this week. We know that sound is created by vibrations and that sound effects can be made to enhance a viewer/listener's experience.

We connected what we know about sound, sound effects, and writing to create our own masterpieces. Partners wrote their own descriptive sentences and added an illustration. Then they created their own sound effects.

Try reading the sentences while listening to our sound effects. Be sure to ask your child how these sound effects were made!

Week of January 17th, 2017

 "What do you do well in your new spelling group?"

Specials' Schedule

Our Specials are changing next week! Please see the updated schedule below.

Growing Patterns: Pattern Block Fish

We are exploring growing patterns. Today we worked with a partner to figure out how our pattern block fish were growing. We drew pictures, used a table, and/or used actual pattern blocks to build the fish. We really enjoyed this activity because it is never-ending! We can continue to build the pattern and find more connections and strategies to predict what the fish will look like at any stage.

We know it's important that mathematicians share their thinking so after we investigated the problem, we made recordings on Seesaw. We explained what we noticed, what stayed the same, and what changed. These are just some of the many realizations, connections, and explanations submitted.

Week of January 9th, 2017

"What happens to your character in the Night Zoo story?"

Week of January 2nd, 2017

"Tell me about the character you created in writing."