Hard to believe that it is time to start planning activities for the last month of school! Our last STEM engineering challenge will be in May. I had to shuffle dates around to fit in field trips and book fairs and volunteer appreciation so the sign-up will look a little different if you are willing to help. Please check your email for a message from Sign-up Genius so that you can help. We have had help the last three times from Fossil Ridge seniors but they will be busy in May so please consider if your schedule will allow you to come have fun with us! Needs are 2 adults for each of these times: 4th grade - Wednesday, May 4, and Friday, May 6, at 8:50-9:50am 5th grade - Wednesday, May 4 ONLY at 10:30-11:30am 3rd grade - Wednesday, May 3, and Friday May 6, at 1:30-2:30pm I haven't had a chance to update language arts/creativity families about what we are up to lately so here goes. Fifth graders are reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Although a short book, I love using this book to teach the students how to participate in Socratic Seminars. We have talked about who Socrates was and how he would many times not provide answers to questions but simply question more. The Socratic method looks a little like a debate but the purpose is not to convince someone that you are right but question your neighbor to think differently. The goal of a Socratic Seminar discussion is to question your peers to increase their their critical thinking. The fifth graders are suppose to be finishing reading the book by Tuesday and filling out their claims/counterclaims/evidence note taking so that we can participate in our Socratic Seminars on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. We are focusing on social issues that the book delves into. Ask your child what the questions for consideration are and have a chat about your position on these controversial topics. Third grade time is a little more light-hearted. We are reading four different fantasy books and continuing to learn how to participate and lead a novel study group. I love being able to sit in and join their conversations about important characters, changing events, and plot twists. All of the books have an element of fantasy and magic - some imaginative creatures like a Whangdoodle while others are reading about personified rats and cockroaches! Next week will be a challenge for the third graders. Because our time is quickly approaching the end, we will need to have two literature circles in one week (one on Monday and one on Thursday) in order to finish these books in time. This may require extra reading so please check in with your child to make sure they have their materials when you leave school and make a plan for how to keep up with the work. And finally, I received a thank you note from the Peyback Foundation for the 5th grade donation to Peyton Mannings' foundation after our Superbowl challenge with the River Gate Elementary 5th graders. Below is the note that came this week...
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Tracey BeanWerner Elementary Archives
May 2018
Sign-up for updates: |
Knowledge Peak | Blog |