March is here!

A Week in Review

February 25 - March 1

 

Welcome to March! We jumped back into school, after our week off, with ease and focus! We worked hard, learned lots, and had fun. Here is what we were up to this week:

 

Virtues Awards:

Elizabeth C. has earned a Virtues Award for showing the virtues of DILIGENCE and RESPONSIBILITY. Elizabeth is always focused and attentive. Her commitment to academics is impressive!

 

Jack Dev. has earned a Virtues Award for showing the virtues of CREATIVITY and JOYFULNESS. Jack worked tirelessly on his Social Studies 'character', creating one that was realistic to the colonial time period and he did it all with a smile!

 

 

 

Reading:

We used an excerpt from Peg Kehret's book Five Pages a Day: The Dog Newspaper to work on our target skill of identifying fact and opinion. Students independently read the given passage and identified facts and opinions. We used the strategies of analyzing and evaluating to make our judgements about the text.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing:Students wrote paragraphs this week on their mid-winter break, focusing on staying on topic, narrowing their topic, and adding descriptive detail. We also integrated writing in to Social Studies as student wrote character biographies about their colonial Boston person. Students brainstormed traits, hobbies, chores, and invented an "interesting life experience" in order to bring our Story Path simulation to life.

 

 

 

Math:

We started Unit 7: Multiplication and Division with Whole Numbers and Decimals this week. The units began with students multiplying two-digit by two-digit numbers. We used the "Rectangle Sections" method to build a foundation of WHY the algorithm works. Our goal is to use the algorithm, as it is more efficient and provides less opportunity for errors. We then moved into three-digit by three-digit problems. The students will definitely need to practice, practice, practice!!

 

 

Social Studies:

Episode 2 is coming to a close, as students finish creating their characters and their personal backgrounds. Students were so creative and cooperative this week as they used different materials to design a historically accurate character.

 

 

 

Science:

The UW grad students were back in our classroom this week as we investigated concentration. We started the week using Gatorade powder to mix different solutions and test their concentration. We used that learning to understand how some solutions' concentrations cannot be measured by sight (darkness) or taste (sweet versus bland) when we made salt solutions. Since our salt solutions were clear, we learned that using a balance to weigh them, allowed us to determine which one was more concentrated.

 

 

 

Computer Lab:

Once again we are coordinating with the fabulous Ms. Benay to integrate technology into our learning! In Lab this week, student began designing a "background" using the program Pixie. The background the students chose to design had to be from the Colonial Boston time period and from somewhere their character might be (a place in their house, their business, on the docks, etc). Ms. Benay will then snap a photograph of each student in front of the green screen, insert the background, and use sepia tone to make the photograph look dated. Students will then use information from our Social Studies unit to narrate an interesting fact that they have learned. Our end product will be a class slide show of our Colonial Boston characters with a narration of our learning throughout this unit.

 

Heritage Project:

Our Heritage Project deadline is fast approaching! The students have worked diligently on their writing and reading their stories has been fascinating! We worked today on the rough drafts of our Coat of Arms. We used the website http://www.fleurdelis.com/meanings.htm to give us a starting point for what colors, symbols, and images to use. Students will be finishing these individual Coat of Arms at home. This one is for their BOOK. For the display board, students need to find a family crest or use a flag from a country of origin. We spent a lot of time going over the difference between the two.

 

Here are some important items in regards to the Heritage Project:

• ALL items for the BOOK are due MARCH 7 the book does not have to be put together at this point
• We will have a  "book making party" on March 11 and 12
• Any books not finished in class will need to be completed OUTSIDE of CLASS
• The final BOOK and DISPLAY BOARD are DUE THURSDAY, MARCH 14th

 

Thanks for another great week!

 

Have a wonderful weekend,

 

~Mrs. Hatlestad

 

Upcoming Events:

01-March - Spelling Club begins

02-March - Seattle Metro Regional Destination Imagination Tournament at Pacific Cascade Middle School, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

05-March - Beecher's Cheese Presentation (8:10-10:25)

08-March - Chinook Teachers visit Medina for 6th grade registration

11-March-6th Grade (IMT2) Math test (given in class)

15-March- NO SCHOOL - Elementary Professional Day

18-22-March - Science Week

23-March - Queen's Quest Chess Tournament

25-30 March - Missoula Children's Theater

03-April - Heritage Project Family Night 6-8:30, gym