Week of October 15

Happy Friday,

We hope everyone made it through this week's storm safely.  

Our fall goal setting conferences have been launched.  The students set goals with us today in class that they will share with you during conferences.

A Night Divided mid-book discussions took place after the late start Thursday.  Small groups of students from all of the grades met and had7m discussions.  Some groups shared a one word whip where they shared one word that they chose to describe the book.  Other discussion prompts include: Are walls always bad?  Did you agree with Gerta's decision to steal the pulley? How would you deal with Frau Everheart?

Uganda pen pals -

Charlie Rosco came in to share slides with us about our pen pals from the St. Bakhita School in Uganda. This is a middle school tradition that continues our partnership/friendship with the students and staff there.  It's so wonderful for the kids to see and learn about a different culture.  Mr. Rosco will bring back letters for us from our new pen pals. He will also visit us again in school to share more pictures and tell us about his trip. He takes pictures of the students there as they read our letters that we have written to them. That's fun to see. We are writing them in class this Monday as he leaves on Wednesday.  

In language arts we have been practicing different writing skills in preparation for our fall writing narrative piece. This week we wrote similes and metaphors in our daily prompts.

Charlie Roscoe and Mrs. Vicenzi sharing about our pen pals from Uganda

Our Friday poem  - we used describing words, alliteration, and we tried rhyming.

Traditional multiplication! In math this week we learned how to multiply using the traditional method.  This is the way we were all taught.  The partial products method they have been using really helps them cement their understanding of place value.  Now we can apply that knowledge to the traditional algorithm.  Moving to the algorithm is a little stressful for many kids, at first.  Initially we compare how the partial products algorithm relates to the traditional method.  So far, so good.  The groups have learned how to do a 3 digit by 1 digit problem.  Soon we will do a 2 digit by 2 digit problem where we will apply what we have learned about extended math facts.  An extended math fact is when you know 2 X 4 = 8, then you know 20 X 4 = 80.  With this lesson kids quickly realize how important it is to know their facts!  Encourage your child to keep going with this method.  It can be confusing at first, but is often much more efficient than the partial products method they are used to.

In science we are finishing up the first half of our magnets and motors unit.  We have successfully built a straw compass and have learned why a compass seeks north.  We will review the concepts from our magnets portion before moving on to motors.  We will build an electromagnet next and devise a controlled experiment to see if we can make our electromagnet stronger.  

    

Conversation starters:

He has butterflies in his stomach.

Flapjack Flip
Traditional method
Think about it Thursdays
Turtles in bathing suits