Friday, April 9, 2010

April 9, 2010

Calliope Weekly Update
March 29-April 2, 2010
Week Twenty-Nine

Reading: in Mr. Bolger’s and Ms. Schoolcraft’s classes, students have been writing “responses to text” (short essays about literature they have been reading). We hope to be done by next Friday. We are using graphic organizers and have been focusing on writing effective introductory paragraphs.

Writing : both classes have been writing poetry. Mr. Bolger’s class has been studying the poet, Caleph Brown and have been writing autobiographical “I Am…” poems. In grammar studies, they have been working on quotations and on proper nouns. Ms. Schoolcraft’s class has been learning to write haikus and cinquains, rhyming couplets, limericks, and autobiographical poems including "Where I'm from" poems. We have had lots of laughs, good writing, and fun.
Spelling: Ms. Schoolcraft’s class , studying with Fundations, finished -le syllable types (unit 8) and will move on to unit 9 next week. Mr. Bolger’s class is on a tear with vocabulary words like ensure, frequent and vast; spellers have wrestled with “Is it storys or stories? Is it alleys or allies?”

Math: In Grade 3, it’s all about probability w/spinners, probability language (certain, impossible, likely, equally likely, more likely, unlikely), combinations and tree diagrams. Ask about monsters combinations! In Grade 4, students have concluded their introduction to long division. They took a test on Thursday. Next unit: fractions.


Science: dozens of fizzing Mentos later, pounds and pounds of Ooblek-on-the-floor later, quarts-of-vinegar-and-baking-soda-and balloons later, we have, sadly, come to the end of our unit on Solids, Liquids and Gases. Next unit up: a social studies unit – The Vermont Economy.

Responsive Classroom:
The two 3-4 classrooms met today and did some problem-solving around teasing and other not-very-nice behaviors. Many students shared thoughtfully about how it has felt when they have been teased, and they created a poster entitled: "What 3-4s need to be their best." Students were so engaged and gave so much to the discussion, that we needed to take an Outside break to get recharged for Math.

Ask me:
• about how far we’ve gotten towards our 1000 paper cranes,
• about who I voted for as my favorite Red-Clover book,
• about what it means to be a “Singing Leader” for our upcoming CD,
• about the chicks we will be hatching (eggs will be set in late April.)


Thanks, everyone, for the time you have taken, and the flexibility you have offered, to meet with us for Parent Conferences. It has been such a pleasure to sit down with you and see the progress your daughter or son has made.
Take care, everyone.
David and Sarah