On Fridays we meet with our Reading Buddies from Mrs. Prager's 1st/2nd Grade class.
The kids were so happy to see each other + it was Free Dress Friday so we read books in STYLE!!
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Last quarter students were tasked with writing an Expository essay describing "How To..." do an activity of their choosing. One of our students was motivated to write about "How to Make an Edible Snowman" and then we did!! On our last day before Winter Break students arrived in their pjs, relaxed while watching a movie and then our fabulous parent volunteers arrived to help with the creations. It was fun and delicious~ as you can tell by the kids' happy faces!
Edward Hopper ~ Lighthouse At Two Lights
Each day after lunch one of our students turns on all of the lamps, the overhead lights go off and I read a chapter or two of our latest Read-aloud. Currently we are listening to Blue Balliett's The Wright 3. This fictional mystery holds a connection to one of our ALP innovators, Frank Lloyd Wright. The story takes place in Hyde Park, Illinois on the campus of the University of Chicago and features the Robie House, one of FLW's architectural masterpieces.
Supersleuths Petra and Calder, along with Calder's friend Tommy, and their sixth-grade class are attempting to save the house, built in 1910 from demolition. Their efforts present some strange circumstances: voices float out from within, shadows shift behind the art-glass windows, even the roof moves. Through the ebb and flow of the three kids' friendship we learn about their hobbies, interests and collections. For instance, Calder carries a set of "pentominoes", Tommy collects fish and Petra hopes to one day be a writer. It will be interesting to see how each of their personalities contributes to saving the house.
http://interactive.wttw.com/tenbuildings/robie-house
In the book, one of the main characters, Calder, plays with a set of pentominoes. In class, each student had a chance to create their own set. Additionally, we have 6 sets of plastic pentominoes and one wooden set that is 3-dimensional. The pentominoes ("pent" meaning 5 + "dominoes" meaning a shared edge) are made up of 12 pieces (each named after a letter that it resembles). Each piece is made of 5 squares that share at least one edge. The area of a single pentomino is always 5 squares, however, the perimeter can be different depending on the piece. The total set is equal in area to 60 squares and can be assembled to form a rectangle that is 10 by 6, however, it is QUITE challenging to create.
As we continue reading The Wright 3 we also learn about The Fibonacci Sequence which are a specific pattern of numbers which also frequently appear in both art and nature. The pattern begins with zero and then to it the next ordinal number is added. Next, that sum is combined with the last number and the sequence continues. 0 + 1=1; 1 + 1=2; 1+ 2=3; 2 + 3=5; and so on…
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 and so on….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number
Living in Arizona we are very fortunate to have many examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's work in our proverbial backyard. In Scottsdale nearly everyone is familiar with the blue and green "spire" that illuminates the corners of Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. and Scottsdale Rd. A bit further east and one can visit the winter studio/residence/school at Taliesen West. Other examples include The Biltmore Hotel property and The David and Gladys Wright home.
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. WhiteEach day after lunch, one of students walks around the classroom and turns on all of the lamps and then off go the overhead lights. In this most serene setting I read a chapter of our first Read-aloud, The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. The students are mesmerized by this lesser known title by the author of Charlotte's Web, E.B.White. The story chronicles the adventures of a cygnet without a voice and how being different not only sets him apart, but how this challenge sets him up to be determined to work harder to be heard. The story takes the audience from the wilderness in Canada, to the lakes in Montana, across the country to Boston and Philadelphia and back to Montana. There are many songs and composers woven into the text and we have enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about a genre of music not as prevalent today. Below are photos of the students working in small groups on Character Analysis of Louis, Sam Beaver, The Old Cob (Louis's father) and Serena. The YouTube video of one of many examples available of "Taps" being played on trumpet. Lastly, the students thought it would be cool to include links to some of the settings mentioned in the book: MONTANA: Red Rocks Lake, Billings; BOSTON: Swan Boats, The Public Garden, The Ritz Carlton; PHILADELPHIA: Philadelphia Zoo https://www.fws.gov/refuge/red_rock_lakes/ http://ci.billings.mt.us/1776/Explore-Billings https://swanboats.com/ http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/emerald/Public_Garden.asp http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/boston http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/ http://www.audobon.org Our first ALP (Advance Learning Project) will begin this week. Students will be learning about Scientists, Inventors & Innovators. Our class will be learning about the array of careers within the STEAM field and specifically studying Benjamin Franklin together and completing a short biography on him and his scientific contributions. This will provide students the framework for completing a short biography on a scientist, inventor or innovator of their choice. We will have all needed resources, at appropriate reading levels, available in the classroom. The project will be completed in class, however, students are welcome to obtain additional research materials on their own after the topics have been chosen and approved. On Wednesday the ALP will be introduced and students will learn about the available options. The list (available below and to be distributed in class tomorrow) includes 36 men and woman who made significant advances in their fields. Some names will be very familiar, while others are less known. Please discuss the list and guide your child to making their top 3 choices. Students need to submit their choices no later than Tuesday, September 13. Students were ALL punctual about turning in their top 3 choices and everyone was assigned a Scientist, Inventor or Innovator! Books and PROJECT REQUIREMENTS will be distributed to students on Thursday. This will also include a template for TAKING NOTES, VOCABULARY & DEFINITIONS and the GRADING RUBRIC.
In class students are learning about the Scientific Method. To illustrate the steps involved, groups were given the opportunity to work on an inquiry investigation using pennies to explore the concept of water tension.
Each Friday we get together with our Reading Buddies from Mrs. Prager's Grades 1/2 class. This was our first time meeting, greeting and reading. We loved visiting and sharing the joy in finding a great book!
Our class read A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon and then we all took parts while reading an adapted script. In the story, it is the first day of school and the main character, Camilla, is afraid to let her friends know that she LOVES lima beans. A series of very strange and unexplained occurrences ensues until Camilla is ready to embrace her true self and admit that she really does love lima beans. We tried lima beans; not everyone loved them.In This Class We...Welcome to Foothills Academy Elementary Prep ~ Room 7!
During the first weeks of school students in Ms. Mishel's class are working on building a community and making connections with our classmates. Together we created five basic agreements as the foundation for establishing a welcoming and secure environment for all learners. We BELIEVE it is going to be an amazing year! |
Education National Louis University Master of Arts Teaching Archives
March 2017
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