They are doing so well, I can't wait for everyone to read these. Great focus despite the end of the school year jitters. They seem to be understanding the process of revision and providing more clarity to their stories. It's been really fun to watch them get into these stories and take ownership of them. When I give them options on how to clarify certain parts, they really have an opinion - they know what they want their characters to do and say.
I'm going to keep these drafts all together to use at the beginning of next year. They can see the whole process from character web to final draft.
It was so fun having everyone over here today. I'm glad the weather cooperated.
Have a great weekend!
Rachelle
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
WED/THURS, MAY 14-15
WRITING 2 - We're getting there! We are working on revisions now and making sure the stories are coherent. The focus is not on spelling and grammar as much as on plot, sequence and story line coherence. They are each finding their voice and it's very cool. I'm hoping that this will introduce them to the idea that writing is a process, it's not magical, and you can improve your story by going over it several times. It's been really fun and they are excited about getting close to the final product.
HISTORY 2 - Talked about Kublai Khan attacking Japan and being defeated by cyclones, which the Japanese called kamikaze (wind of the gods). They were happy to end the year with a battle, which had been sadly missing from the last few lessons. We reviewed a lot for the semester exam and they did well.
SCIENCE K - We listened to a story about Sally Ride, the first American woman to travel in space. We learned about what it's like to travel in the Space Shuttle - how you sleep and eat with weightlessness. I have a really good book that has photos of these activities and they asked a lot of good questions. We pretended we were in space and they showed me how they'd move from one place to another. It was fun.
Can't believe that's it for Science and History for both grades. Wow!
See everyone tomorrow!
Rachelle
HISTORY 2 - Talked about Kublai Khan attacking Japan and being defeated by cyclones, which the Japanese called kamikaze (wind of the gods). They were happy to end the year with a battle, which had been sadly missing from the last few lessons. We reviewed a lot for the semester exam and they did well.
SCIENCE K - We listened to a story about Sally Ride, the first American woman to travel in space. We learned about what it's like to travel in the Space Shuttle - how you sleep and eat with weightlessness. I have a really good book that has photos of these activities and they asked a lot of good questions. We pretended we were in space and they showed me how they'd move from one place to another. It was fun.
Can't believe that's it for Science and History for both grades. Wow!
See everyone tomorrow!
Rachelle
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Drama Class & Party
piano recital picture---aren't they sweet all dressed up :-)
Quinn & Harrison working on snake
David and Isaac working on background
Painting the tree
David and Nadia working on the sky
Ella working on the snake
Here are some pictures from Drama class the last few weeks. We had a great rehearsal on Friday and I am excited to get in some more this week. Things are really coming together and they are excited about the ice cream social and performance. Just 2 more weeks! Don't forget, the last week of May we are going to rehearse on Thurs. Rachelle, do you want to do creative writing before the play, or will you be done by then? Also, for the party, remember we are going to do kabobs. Every family needs to bring the kababs for your family so we can all use the marinades, kinds of meat we like. I was thinking everyone could bring a side dish to share too. I will provide the ice cream for the social and drinks as well as a pasta salad. Post here what you would like to bring. I also need to know how many for each family so we can be sure and have enough chairs.
Also---it is time once again for me to begin collecting pictures from through out the year. I would like to make a slide show again and year book. Please e-mail me or put on a CD any pictures you would like included. If you e-mailed them earlier in the year they are gone--Ian erased all me e-mails, so please do it again! If you could give them to me within the next few weeks that would be great!
See everyone on Tues.-----and, if it's ok with everyone, send swimming stuff again. That will work really well now that it's hot. It also gives everyone something to look forward to. Cindy--please send Nadia's black leotard on Tues. and Shaylene's drawing.
P.S. ignore my awful grammar and punctuation!
WED/THURS MAY 7 & 8
WRITING 2 - talked about finishing the stories. David and Holden have a working conclusion. we should be able to finish these and I'll type them up so that we can work on editing during the last 2 weeks of school. we should have a finished product and they all have ideas for their next books.
HISTORY 2 - talked about feudal Japan. looked at Japanese castles - they are lovely but also strong.
WE NEED TO DO THE NEXT LESSON ON OUR OWN - SAMURAI. THEN I CAN FINISH HISTORY ON WED.
SCIENCE 2 - talked about approximate life spans for different species. it was really interesting - there's a handout comparing a few. they had fun with it. we reviewed the life cycle unit and took the assessment. we also reviewed the whole semester and took the semester assessment - they did very well. Science is finished for the year.
SCIENCE K - talked more about the moon. we made a model of the moon's surface using sand, flour and chocolate powder. they had fun dropping marbles into it to make craters.
CINDY WILL FINISH HISTORY K ON WED. AND I'LL FINISH SCIENCE K ON THURS.
Happy Mother's Day everyone!
Rachelle
HISTORY 2 - talked about feudal Japan. looked at Japanese castles - they are lovely but also strong.
WE NEED TO DO THE NEXT LESSON ON OUR OWN - SAMURAI. THEN I CAN FINISH HISTORY ON WED.
SCIENCE 2 - talked about approximate life spans for different species. it was really interesting - there's a handout comparing a few. they had fun with it. we reviewed the life cycle unit and took the assessment. we also reviewed the whole semester and took the semester assessment - they did very well. Science is finished for the year.
SCIENCE K - talked more about the moon. we made a model of the moon's surface using sand, flour and chocolate powder. they had fun dropping marbles into it to make craters.
CINDY WILL FINISH HISTORY K ON WED. AND I'LL FINISH SCIENCE K ON THURS.
Happy Mother's Day everyone!
Rachelle
Sunday, May 4, 2008
WED/THURS APRIL 30 AND MAY 1
WRITING 2 - talked more about segue and dialog. showed them some examples of dialog in books. the boys are all using dialog in their stories and the transitions between scenes are getting better. I told them that we will need to think about conclusions to their stories next week since we only have 4 classes left and they all want to have class over the summer so they don't have to finish yet!
HISTORY 2 - began the unit on Japan. Japan is an archipelago - a group of islands. there are 4 main islands and thousands of small islands. few travelers went there during the middle ages. Mt. Fuji is one of the world's largest volcanoes.
SCIENCE 2 - learned about the bird life cycle. birds will not sit on their eggs to keep them warm until all the eggs in the clutch have been laid so that they'll hatch at the same time. it can take up to a day to lay one egg. Isaac was excited about sharing his bird book. we also learned about the human life cycle and how it compares to other species. we finished the life cycle cubes, so the next lessons will go quickly (thanks Suzy!). I think I might combine some lessons so we can work on writing a little more toward the end, especially if we want to have some kind of finished project before school if over....
SCIENCE K - learned about constellations and how the night sky looks different at different times of the year. Ella read the book "The Big Dipper" to the class. they really liked it (Ranae, if you haven't already, pull it out for Quinn - he got into it!) we made constellation cans using Orion, Big Dipper (Ursa Major) and Cassiopeia. they were really good and played well together - the girls got Quinn to play in Ella's room by bringing Holden's tent in there :)
Cindy - you'll do the first History K lesson this week because Ranae will do the second on Friday.
Rachelle
HISTORY 2 - began the unit on Japan. Japan is an archipelago - a group of islands. there are 4 main islands and thousands of small islands. few travelers went there during the middle ages. Mt. Fuji is one of the world's largest volcanoes.
SCIENCE 2 - learned about the bird life cycle. birds will not sit on their eggs to keep them warm until all the eggs in the clutch have been laid so that they'll hatch at the same time. it can take up to a day to lay one egg. Isaac was excited about sharing his bird book. we also learned about the human life cycle and how it compares to other species. we finished the life cycle cubes, so the next lessons will go quickly (thanks Suzy!). I think I might combine some lessons so we can work on writing a little more toward the end, especially if we want to have some kind of finished project before school if over....
SCIENCE K - learned about constellations and how the night sky looks different at different times of the year. Ella read the book "The Big Dipper" to the class. they really liked it (Ranae, if you haven't already, pull it out for Quinn - he got into it!) we made constellation cans using Orion, Big Dipper (Ursa Major) and Cassiopeia. they were really good and played well together - the girls got Quinn to play in Ella's room by bringing Holden's tent in there :)
Cindy - you'll do the first History K lesson this week because Ranae will do the second on Friday.
Rachelle
Thursday, May 1, 2008
History
Next week for History do we want to do our own History on Tuesday. Rachelle will do one on Wednesday and I will do the third on Friday.
I will not be at the rehearsal on Friday due to Dance.
Suzy
I will not be at the rehearsal on Friday due to Dance.
Suzy
ART
May 1st - K
We worked on Mother's Day cards - Introduced print making. Did a compare and contrast of Artists Henri Matisse pg. 26, Roy Deforest pg. 28, Robert Rauschenberg pg. 30. In the green art book. Their favorite painting today was on pg. 28. Nadia pointed out where the horizon line would be if we could see it. Ella found a face with a bush for hair. Quinn pointed out the bold colors and he enjoyed the brick face which Ella thought the hat was an airplane.This painting has a lot to look at - great class. I have their books and wil bring them on Wednesday.
2nd Grade
They also worked on Mother's Day cards and made 6 cubes for science. I wanted to plug in form for art and how many sides a cube has for math-(reinforcement). Any way they are having fun with print making. They had a struggle with the cubes.So I will put off on the pop up books until next year. I do want them to make them.
We worked on Mother's Day cards - Introduced print making. Did a compare and contrast of Artists Henri Matisse pg. 26, Roy Deforest pg. 28, Robert Rauschenberg pg. 30. In the green art book. Their favorite painting today was on pg. 28. Nadia pointed out where the horizon line would be if we could see it. Ella found a face with a bush for hair. Quinn pointed out the bold colors and he enjoyed the brick face which Ella thought the hat was an airplane.This painting has a lot to look at - great class. I have their books and wil bring them on Wednesday.
2nd Grade
They also worked on Mother's Day cards and made 6 cubes for science. I wanted to plug in form for art and how many sides a cube has for math-(reinforcement). Any way they are having fun with print making. They had a struggle with the cubes.So I will put off on the pop up books until next year. I do want them to make them.
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