~ FANTASTIC FRIDAY ~
Mark it on the Calendar!
Tuesday, October 15th: End of 1st Quarter
Thursday, October 24th: Yost Blood Drive
1:30 - 7pm
Thursday, October 24th: Report Card Posted
at 3pm
Friday, October 25th: No School - Fall Recess
Thursday, October 31st: Happy Halloween
This week the students were introduced to a secret language. Before, they could learn the secret language we had to review what they knew about vowels and consonants. This introduced to them that each word has at least one vowel sound. We also discussed that the number of vowel sounds we hear should match the number of syllables in a word. Next, it was onto our secret language. The students were introduced to the rules of speaking Pig Latin. In past years, this has always been a favorite with my first graders. We completed a few practice activities to become familiar with the rules to our secret language.
This week we came in and discussed the idea of writing an opinion about a given topic. As a class we brainstormed topic ideas and came up with 5 ideas:
The children quickly saw how fast you could debate these topics! They students selected the topic they felt they had the strongest opinion. Then, they completed a web to see if they had 3 ideas to write about. Some students had to switch topics when they saw they only had two ideas come to mind.
Next, they switched to their hamburger model structure. This is where the students took their web of ideas and started to form their sentences. Some students were ready to turn the hamburger structure into their sloppy copy or rough draft.
This week the students took their brain storming and utilized the hamburger model to begin forming their paragraph. The hamburger model is a tool we use to help us practice making paragraphs with 5 sentences. It also helps the students follow the framework of a topic sentence, 3 supporting details and a conclusion sentence. Next, they turned their model into their sloppy copy or rough draft.
This week it was all about the students using their creativity as they became inventors in the room. They were allowed to choose from 11 stations with a goal of completing six of the stations. Each station has a different task for them to complete. There are various tasks that make them think like inventors. When they are inventing most of these tasks challenge them to CHANGE something to make it better or create a new purpose. This let them see how we as people have the ability to make the change happen all around us. Other task cards would have them respond to certain questions like picking their favorite month, but defend why it is the best or compare and contrast different items.
This week the students first had to count out same items into sets of 50 items. We utilized a mat to help us count out our items. Then, the students ran into a problem the third item didn't fit onto the map. We came up with the strategy of grouping them into sets of 5 or 10 and then skip counting to 50.
Then, the students were introduced to 2 new terms: heaviest and lightest. We discussed that these terms are utilized when we compare the weights of 3 or more items. To end the week the students completed a worksheet where they compared the weight of three bags and wrote about what they saw.
This week the students completed a worksheet creating different triangle combinations. They were given 2 of the same sets of 6 triangles each marked with a letter. They had to create 6 new shapes with the main rule being they could only use the same triangle from each set.
They were challenged to design a triangle, rectangle, square and a parallelogram. Together, we looked at the definition of a parallelogram before completing the assignment. Some students were frustrated when creating the square. This was because this one only had one possible solution while the others had two to three solutions. It took a little more time and trial and error to find the correct combination to create the square. Eventually, they were able to find it.
This week it was time to wrap up our lesson. This meant only one thing - it was time for another Think Deeply! This one continued on with the same function the students discovered from the lesson. It asked them to look for the number of fish that could fit at 23 tables. Then, they had to explain how they found their answer. As a class we discussed the two functions we created and why they work. Then we worked together on an introductory sentence.
Since the students prefer different strategies, I let them complete the next step of explaining their preferred function on their own. I was able to conference with the students individually to show them areas they were on the right track or where they needed to add on a little more information. For their first think deeply on their own, they did a great job! To end the week, we looked at our think beyond cards. These are additional challenges that let us take the lesson further with quick questions for them to think about or solve.
This week it was all about Triple Play! This was a shape card game that challenges the students to find sets of three quadrilaterals with a given amount of cards. Different sets have different values. This introduced the idea of strategies to make sure you look for the more challenging quadrilaterals first to score more points. Then, it was time for our Think Deeply. The students were given a set of cards and asked which combination would make the best set for the game Triple Play. They quickly were able to discuss that they needed to make rectangles because that was the highest point total that could be created with the given set of cards. It made them remember that a square could be grouped with a rectangle to make this set. However, these guys were really thinking today and said they wish they knew the shapes of the parallelograms from the question. They said depending on the shape of the parallelogram it could have been a square, rhombus or another rectangle. I loved this idea and told them to explain it further in the think deeply.
Thursday, October 24th: Yost Blood Drive
1:30 - 7pm
Thursday, October 24th: Report Card Posted
at 3pm
Friday, October 25th: No School - Fall Recess
Thursday, October 31st: Happy Halloween
NEWS AROUND DUNELAND:
Chesterton High School Student Government Presents:
HALLoween Trick or Treat
When: October 30th, 5-6:30 pm
Where: Chesterton High School
Enter through Door 1
Who: All kids through 4th Grade
Admission is $5.00 per family.
A portion of the proceeds will go to Riley's Children's Hospital.
Snacks and refreshments will be available for an additional $1.00 per item.
1st Grade: SECRET LANGUAGE:
This week the students were introduced to a secret language. Before, they could learn the secret language we had to review what they knew about vowels and consonants. This introduced to them that each word has at least one vowel sound. We also discussed that the number of vowel sounds we hear should match the number of syllables in a word. Next, it was onto our secret language. The students were introduced to the rules of speaking Pig Latin. In past years, this has always been a favorite with my first graders. We completed a few practice activities to become familiar with the rules to our secret language.
We will continue with this lesson next week.
2nd Grade: PERSUASIVE WRITING:
This week we came in and discussed the idea of writing an opinion about a given topic. As a class we brainstormed topic ideas and came up with 5 ideas:
Should we have homework?
Should second graders have cell phones?
Should we have brain breaks?
Should we have a second recess?
Should parents limit your screen time?
The children quickly saw how fast you could debate these topics! They students selected the topic they felt they had the strongest opinion. Then, they completed a web to see if they had 3 ideas to write about. Some students had to switch topics when they saw they only had two ideas come to mind. 
Next, they switched to their hamburger model structure. This is where the students took their web of ideas and started to form their sentences. Some students were ready to turn the hamburger structure into their sloppy copy or rough draft.
We will wrap up our persuasion writing next week.
3rd Grade: CHARACTER TRAITS IN INTERACTIONS:
This week the students took their brain storming and utilized the hamburger model to begin forming their paragraph. The hamburger model is a tool we use to help us practice making paragraphs with 5 sentences. It also helps the students follow the framework of a topic sentence, 3 supporting details and a conclusion sentence. Next, they turned their model into their sloppy copy or rough draft.
We will continue with this lesson next week.
4th Grade: INVENTOR STATIONS:
This week it was all about the students using their creativity as they became inventors in the room. They were allowed to choose from 11 stations with a goal of completing six of the stations. Each station has a different task for them to complete. There are various tasks that make them think like inventors. When they are inventing most of these tasks challenge them to CHANGE something to make it better or create a new purpose. This let them see how we as people have the ability to make the change happen all around us. Other task cards would have them respond to certain questions like picking their favorite month, but defend why it is the best or compare and contrast different items.
We will continue with this project next week.
1st Grade: 50 ITEMS:
This week the students first had to count out same items into sets of 50 items. We utilized a mat to help us count out our items. Then, the students ran into a problem the third item didn't fit onto the map. We came up with the strategy of grouping them into sets of 5 or 10 and then skip counting to 50. 
Then, the students were introduced to 2 new terms: heaviest and lightest. We discussed that these terms are utilized when we compare the weights of 3 or more items. To end the week the students completed a worksheet where they compared the weight of three bags and wrote about what they saw.
Next week, we will continue working with weight.
2nd Grade: TRIANGLE COMBINATIONS:
This week the students completed a worksheet creating different triangle combinations. They were given 2 of the same sets of 6 triangles each marked with a letter. They had to create 6 new shapes with the main rule being they could only use the same triangle from each set. 
They were challenged to design a triangle, rectangle, square and a parallelogram. Together, we looked at the definition of a parallelogram before completing the assignment. Some students were frustrated when creating the square. This was because this one only had one possible solution while the others had two to three solutions. It took a little more time and trial and error to find the correct combination to create the square. Eventually, they were able to find it.
Next week, we will wrap up this lesson.
3rd Grade: THINK DEEPLY:
This week it was time to wrap up our lesson. This meant only one thing - it was time for another Think Deeply! This one continued on with the same function the students discovered from the lesson. It asked them to look for the number of fish that could fit at 23 tables. Then, they had to explain how they found their answer. As a class we discussed the two functions we created and why they work. Then we worked together on an introductory sentence. 
Since the students prefer different strategies, I let them complete the next step of explaining their preferred function on their own. I was able to conference with the students individually to show them areas they were on the right track or where they needed to add on a little more information. For their first think deeply on their own, they did a great job! To end the week, we looked at our think beyond cards. These are additional challenges that let us take the lesson further with quick questions for them to think about or solve.
We will start a new lesson next week.
4th Grade: TRIPLE PLAY:
This week it was all about Triple Play! This was a shape card game that challenges the students to find sets of three quadrilaterals with a given amount of cards. Different sets have different values. This introduced the idea of strategies to make sure you look for the more challenging quadrilaterals first to score more points. Then, it was time for our Think Deeply. The students were given a set of cards and asked which combination would make the best set for the game Triple Play. They quickly were able to discuss that they needed to make rectangles because that was the highest point total that could be created with the given set of cards. It made them remember that a square could be grouped with a rectangle to make this set. However, these guys were really thinking today and said they wish they knew the shapes of the parallelograms from the question. They said depending on the shape of the parallelogram it could have been a square, rhombus or another rectangle. I loved this idea and told them to explain it further in the think deeply.
We will begin a new lesson next week.
Ms. Losinski
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