I Have A Dream...

A Week in Review

January 14 - 18

 

 

 

Reading:

We finished our class read aloud, I Have a Dream, a biography about Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. Today, students used a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast our read aloud with My Brother Martin. Read alouds allow Mrs. Bethel and I intentional opportunities for teachable moments. We often model our thinking for students, demonstrate reading strategies, and pose higher level thinking questions to students. It is one of my most favorite times during the day.
 

Writing:

Students were introduced to an new graphic organizer this week as they began brainstorming and writing a rough draft to an expository prompt. This series of expository writing lessons are intended to review the concept with students and solidify the foundation they need for writing strong persuasive essays.

Social Studies:

Chapter 8 has proved to be emotional, challenging and difficult to feel settled with; as students are learning about Slavery from the perspective of West Africans.  Students met in small groups to discuss three major dilemmas that enslaved Africans dealt with.  Together, as a large group we debriefed and discussed all the possible scenarios of what choices we might make, how we would react, respond and deal with these atrocities. 

 

Math:
We are currently underway with our “mini” unit of Capacity, Volume and Weight.  In this unit, students develop some important relationship in measurement. They begin by using what they know about length and area to develop a formula for volume. Then students change the length or the area of a figure and predict how the volume will change. Students compared volume and capacity, and mass and weight. We looked at the Metric system as well as our Customary Units of Measurement (gallons, quarts, pints, and cups).

Science

What is the difference between a mixture and a solution?  What types of mixtures can you separate with a screen?  How about a coffee filter?  How would you separate salt and water as a mixture?  These are all driving questions for our students this week in Science.  5^th Graders worked together this week to determine that Evaporation was one way to separate a mixture!  This unit is tying in quite nicely to integrate with Math!  Keep thinking in terms of measurement kids! 

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all that he accomplished and sacrificed for us…enjoy this 3 day weekend (I’ll see you bright and early Tuesday morning). 

 ~Mrs. Hatlestad

Upcoming Events:
Monday, January 21^st:  No School in honor of MLK Day
Thursday, January 24^th:  Heritage Project Part 3 (Essay about Grandparent)
Thursday, January 24^th:  Poetry in Motion Assembly 8:30-9:30AM
Saturday, February 9:   Medina Auction
Thursday, February 14^th:  Valentine’s Day
Monday, February 18^th – Friday, February 22^nd Mid-Winter Break