Reading
This week in reading, our essential question has been, How do animals adapt to challenges in their habitat? First, we read an expository: Informational text, "Gray Wolf! Red Fox" While reading, we worked on using the text features to comprehend the story. Students also compared and contrasted the characteristics, diet, and habitat of gray wolves and red foxes.
Writing
Have you ever really studied a wordless picture book? The illustrations are filled with incredible details intended to convey the message of the illustrator and author intended to include to convey their message.
This week the kids carefully looked at eight different wordless books. Next, they selected two of the books they were interested in narrating. Groups were then created, and the kids began independently planning their story mountain, which assists students in thinking before writing about the hook, characters and setting, problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Fundations
This week we began understanding open-syllable exceptions in unstressed or unaccented syllables. For example, a schwa is an (unexpected) unaccented vowel sound, usually a at the beginning or end of the word, as in ago, extra, and i in the middle syllable, followed by a consonant, as in compliment.
Math
This week in math, we focused on capacity and mass. We began by estimating a container's liquid volume using standard units. Then, we began estimating the mass of an object in metric units.
Science
We continued learning about force. The kids watched a tug-of-war competition between a group of kids and adults. The question posed was, how can you win against a bunch of adults? As we watched the video, the kids observed the participants' foot position to create a push and a pull with their arms. They concluded that they create a strong force when both pulling and pushing actions are at work. Also, to demonstrate an understanding of using critical thinking skills when explaining cause and effect, the kids played jacks, a new game for many, but they loved thinking about how force was a part of their actions.
Next, we focused on understanding how magnets relate to force. The kids enjoyed exploring with magnets and trying to make them float! Another experiment they completed was creating a lock for a door. They had to unlock the lock with a magnet. The planning was challenging for some, but with a few clues, they were successful.
Pack PRIDE
During Pack PRIDE, we focused on understanding what a bullied student might feel by "standing in the shoes" of that person. Next, we discussed how sometimes bullied students think it's their fault. It's important to know that it is not your fault but rather the fault of the person bullying. We all deserve to be respected and treated with kindness. Also, it is important to remember they are LOVED and strong. If they experience bullying, they need to talk to a trusted adult.