WRITING: We spent a lot of time in class working on our YAD stories. At this point, students students have mapped out their stories using a graphic organizer. Ideally, their stories will have an engaging opening event that introduces a problem, three middle events that move the reader to a solution, and a final, closing event that wraps everything up. Their stories should include at least one picturesque description of the main character, and one vivid description of a setting. Finally, their stories should make sense and contain no bloody violence. Most students have completed a rough draft and are working on revisions. Some have gone a step further and are editing their revised drafts to make sure there are no mistakes. Five students have finished typing their final copies. All students, minus the five who have finished typing their final copies, brought home their writing folders with their YAD stories inside. The expectation is that they will finish revising their drafts, edit them for errors, and type them in a regular Word Document over Spring Break. A letter went home with their YAD stories detailing expectations. Click here for a copy of that letter. Final electronic copies should be emailed to me by Monday the 15th. Students without internet access are asked to save their electronic copies on a thumb drive. Those without thumb drives may bring in a hardcopy of their stories on Monday. Remember...final, non-formatted copies are due the 15th. We will format final copies in class.
READING : We finished Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry. We discussed what made Gooney Bird a remarkable and fascinating story teller. We noted that her stories were personal narratives not unlike the ones we wrote a few weeks back. Her stories had vivid character descriptions, suspense, and surprise endings. Her stories also included a lot of dancing at the end, a trait we elected not to emulate in our own writing.
MATH: We began a new unit on fractions. Students learned important math terms like numerator, denominator, unit fraction, and non-unit fraction. They added unit fractions and learned how to describe a fraction of a whole using three different equations. For example, if one fifth of 25 students finished their YAD stories. 1/5 of 25 = 5 or 1/5 X 25=5 or 25 divided by 5 = 5. Students began solving comparison story problems using fractions and multiples of whole numbers. This new unit is definitely challenging and now more than ever, students need to know their times tables up to twelve. Please encourage your child to spend some time over break practicing the times tables.
SOCIAL STUDIES: We continued our study of individuals who have made a difference in the community in which they live. This week, students read about Ruby Ridges and Lois Marie Gibbs.
CHESS: Students learned about a way pawns can capture using a move called en passant.
Have a wonderful Spring Break!
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