Also, I will be packing up the classroom, as I am changing classrooms. I do not yet have a destination classroom, but I will be in the building. If you are available on either May 24 or 29 and just love to pack boxes of books, I'd love packing help. Just drop me a note at llecours@ucityschools.org with the time you are available.
Supplies for 2012 - 2013
1 – Binder 1.5” (Hard sided only) - Many of the binders are looking very warn, please replace if necessary.
1 – Set of Dividers if needed
1 - Package of Wide Ruled binder paper
1 - Box of Tissues - Grades 1 & 2
2 - dozen pencils - Grades 3, 4 & 5
Access to a flash drive – DO NOT Bring
this to school until requested.
Prior students are welcome to reuse last year’s binder if it
meets the guidelines above.
Kindergarten - This week we made the word animals and found many smaller words using the letters of animals. The students also created and then explained an invention for getting Sybil the Scientist across Crystal Pond. The children had some wonderful ideas. They should have brought this home for you to see. We'll continue "Making Words" for the next two weeks. We'll also continue with Isabel the Inventor lessons. In addition I will introduce some problem solving games and activities that use the different thinking skills taught through the PETS program.
First Grade - Last week we finished the PETS first book. So, this week we reviewed everything we've learned. I also introduced a new word to the children - meta-cognition or thinking about thinking. I then had them work a thinking problem that required them to create shapes using just five 1-inch squares. The requirement was that he squares must touch at least one full side of another square. There were 12 possible answers. I happy to say ALL of the students were successful without any help from me. Some students figured out mid-way through that they were making the shapes of the Pentominoe set we use in other activities. Next week, we'll look forward to what we might do next year. I will present the possibilities to the children and let them vote on our work. Each year I try to include units that involve math and language arts. I also hope to include a science unit. These units will tie to a topic expected to be covered in Second Grade.
Second Grade - Don't forget, Thursday, May 10 is the Celebration of Learning at Brittany Woods Middle School. It's not too late to sign up to help demonstrate Hands-on Equations. This week's Hands-on Equations lesson was very difficult. We did the lessons for the week as a whole group. I did not make the children do the review problems this week. We will continue through Lesson 16 before our year ends. I have many visual / spatial thinking activities and I shared just a few of those with the children this week. I will show them some word games next week. On our last week, after we finish lesson 16 of Hands-On Equations, I will let the children choose the thinking activity of their choice rather than me assigning certain games.
Third Grade - This week the students learned the last Math Around the World game. We played, tried to strategize and then had a tournament. Isaac Braeske was the hands down winner of this activity. He won seven games during the tournament (which was a best 2 out of 3) and then beat Abby Grunzinger in the final playoff. Next week, we'll have Math Around the World Day, when we will revisit ALL the wonderful games we've learned over the course of this unit. Th students will circulate and play them all again. For our last class the children will get to choose a thinking game to play. We'll have over 15 games available.
Fourth Grade - Due to our rearranged schedule we had a little less time than normal. Since we just finished The Lewis and Clark unit last week, I introduced the children to six visual / spatial thinking activities. I think I heard, "this is hard," more times than I can count. Mereya showed us just how strong a visual thinker she is when she completed two magic square game when NO ONE else was able to finish any of them, including me.
Fifth Grade - Fifth graders are busy constructing bridges for our final project. Most bridges are partially built. We'll meet Tuesday, May 8 to finish the build. Tuesday, May 8 at 6:00 pm is our Gate Showcase at Barbara Jordan School. Even if you can't come for the entire time, please stop by. The bridges will be on display was will some of the inventions, and our SuperHumans. For our final class the children will get to pick their own activity from my many thinking games.
