January 26 - February 2

We are officially half way through the year. I can't believe how quickly time is going! Report cards went home on Tuesday. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's progress.

Curricular Update for the Week:

Writing Workshop

This week the students completed their "Life in a Snow Globe" writing. The focus of the writing was to use vivid verbs and varying our sentence starters. The students used the chrome books to insert a snow globe template. They were then asked to draw their illustrations to go along with their writing.

The students continue to focus on their week spelling patterns.

They also practice five new word wall words each week by using them in "rainbow" sentences.

During Reading Workshop the students we given the opportunity to read a few books on Bookflix.

Math

This week we focused on subtracting double digit numbers with regrouping using expanded form, ones and tens tables, and base ten models.

The students also continue to challenge themselves with our "How Many Ways" activity by making as many equations as they can with the random number chosen.

Science

We began our Survivor Building Challenge as part of our "Testing Materials" and "Building with a Variety of Materials" units in science.  On the way to Tunisia our flight had to make an emergency landing on a deserted island. Our class will participate in a variety of building challenges while trying to "survive" on the island.  The students have been placed in tribes and will work together through the various challenges.  

We were only able to take pictures of two tribes due to students being absent. More pictures to following next week.

The students made a title page for "Survivor Building Challenge" booklet.

They were so excited to complete their first Survivor challenge this week.

Challenge 1:  We have landed safely near shore and made our way to the closest beach. Ahead of us is a dense jungle and we see a huge storm heading our way, so we decide to seek shelter. As we reach the edge of the forest, we notice a large crack in the Earth. Alex takes a step forward to take a closer look. It is very deep and looks like it may have been caused by an earthquake. He tells us that he can not even see the bottom. There is also hot lava spewing from the crack. The crack is not too wide, but we definitely can not jump over it. We will need to build something in order to cross onto the other side. We have decided to make a foot bridge out of bamboo we see nearby. We need to figure out if bending the bamboo to make a square frame or bending it into an arch will be stronger. We should remember that this structure needs to hold each classmate and teacher one by one as we step over the crack.

The students engaged in an activity that compares an arch shape to a square shape in order to see similarities and differences in the strengths and weaknesses of the design. They discovered

 that arch shaped designs are very strong and support more mass than square shapes do. The students concluded that they should bend the bamboo into an arch shape in order for their foot bridge to be strong enough to cross.

PE

This week we focused on our basketball skills.

 

Art

In art we made a "Heart Fingerprint Tree." They turned out so cute!

 

Congratulations to our Student of the Week!

We also celebrated a special birthday in 3A this week!