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Today was our Mexican Fiesta! We started by making farolitos (little lanterns) out of paper and reading a book called The Night of Las Posadas, a story about a Las Posadas procession in New Mexico that tells the story of Mary and Joseph looking for shelter.

We then started our own Los Posadas. We went to the cafeteria and the office, and they wouldn’t let us in for shelter, but Mrs. Tritten finally let us in to the library and we started our fiesta! We sang Noche de Paz (Silent Night) and Cascabel (Jingle Bells). We then went outside for sparklers!

We came back in to take a wack at the piñata (thanks, Ryan, for smashing its head off on the first wack!). After tying the rope around its waist, we had a few more swings, pummeling it pretty good, until Jacob finished the job! Then we headed back to the room to eat. The menu included:

• Mexican-style tacos on corn tostada shells;
• Spicy shredded chicken eaten with torn flour tortillas;
• Nopalitos (prickly pear cactus!);
• Pepinos (cucumbers with lemon juice and salt);
• Homemade tortilla shells with mole (chicken in a spicy chocolate sauce!) made by Abel’s family;
• Mexican hot chocolate (hot chocolate with cinnamon); and,
• Buñelos (fried flour tortillas with cinnamon and sugar).

Later, we played “Toma Todo,” a Mexican top game much like the Jewish dreidel. Students start with ten beans, then take or put in beans as the top says. The winning amount of beans could select a Mexican pop.

We ended with the McGrath Holiday Sing-Along. Our class sang “Joy to the World” and taught the school how to sign it.

A grande-sized thanks to the parents who helped prepare and serve food today at the fiesta, and for all the generous donations–we had more than enough food and everyone had their fill!

Feliz Navidad!

Spelling:  We practiced adding prefixes to base words and remembered that adding prefixes onto words does not change the spelling of the base word.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 51-53 are available and due on Monday.

Reading: The remaining students performed their monologues,  reading their selection with good tone, speed and volume.

Writing: Students worked on publishing today. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, December 18. Students should be editing or publishing by now.

Math: None today due to a concert by the Neithercut Honors Choir.

Science: Students completed an experiment to test different metals to see which ones were magnetic. Students discovered that magnets are attracted to iron, steel, nickel and cobalt.

Social Studies: Students completed a test over these ideas:

• The automobile industry;
• Unions and the Sit Down Strike
• Assembly lines
• Protecting our natural resources
• Timelines

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 6

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta party is Friday, December 18. Family members are needed to help with food preparations, set up, cleanup, and with the piñata. We also need help with food donations. Click here to see our volunteer list and add your name to the bottom if you are attending.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  We learned common spelling patterns for the /j/ sound: j, gy, gi, ge, dge.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 51-53 are available and due on Monday.

Reading: Half of the class performed their monologues,  reading their selection with good tone, speed and volume. The rest of the class will present tomorrow.

Writing: We looked at a few examples of snapshot leads, which are leads that begin a story by describing what a character or setting looks like.

Students also continued to edit or publish today. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, December 18. Students should be editing or publishing by now.

Math: None today due to Student Council officer election speeches and voting.

Science: None today due to library.

Social Studies: We played a game to review for a Social Studies test tomorrow. The test will be over these ideas:

• The automobile industry;
• Unions and the Sit Down Strike
• Assembly lines
• Protecting our natural resources
• Timelines

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 6

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta party is Friday, December 18. Family members are needed to help with food preparations, set up, cleanup, and with the piñata. We also need help with food donations. Click here to see our volunteer list and add your name to the bottom if you are attending.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  We learned that some vowels sounds can be made by different spelling patterns (for the short e sound: e in yes, ea in ready)

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 51-53 are available and due on Monday.

Reading: Students continued to practice for their monologue,  reading their selection with good tone, speed and volume. The monologues will be presented on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Writing: We talked about writing a “waterfall lead.” Comparing a story to a river, a lead should begin a little “upstream” from the beginning of the action. If a writer starts writing too close to the action (the waterfall), the reader may be confused. If the lead begins too far “upstream,” the reader may get bored waiting for the important action to begin.

Students also started an editing conference today. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, December 18. Students should be editing by now.

Math: We practiced solving number stories today, learning these strategies:

1. Understand the number story;
2. Make a plan (make a drawing, a table, a list);
3. Follow your plan;
4. Check if the answer makes sense.

Homework is to complete Journal pp. 62-64.

Science: We reviewed yesterday’s magnet experiment and learned that the force of magnet decreases over distance.

Social Studies: Students wrote fictional personal narratives from the point of view of a Flint Sit Down striker from the 1930s.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 3
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 6

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta party is Friday, December 18. Family members are needed to help with food preparations, set up, cleanup, and with the piñata. We also need help with food donations. Click here to see our volunteer list and add your name to the bottom if you are attending.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  None today due to a vocabulary lesson with Mrs. Houser.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 51-53 are available and due on Monday.

Reading: We started a small fluency project this week. Each student will deliver a monologue to the class by selecting and reading a short passage from their Literature Circles book. We watched part of a StoryLine Online presentation of Polar Express being read by Lou Diamond Phillips and noticed that he read with an interesting tone, good speed and a suitable volume. Each student practiced reading their selection with good tone, speed and volume. The monologues will be presented on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Writing: We talked about writing a lively lead at the beginning of the story that makes the reader want to continue reading.

Students also continued working on revising. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, December 18. Students should be revising by now.

Math: We reviewed true, false or unknown number sentences. We also wrapped the gifts brought in for the six-year old boy that our class is sponsoring. Thanks to all the families that generously donated gifts!

Science: We completed an experiment to test how the force of a magnet changes over distance.

Social Studies: Students made a timeline of important Michigan history events since 1930.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 3
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 3

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta party is Friday, December 18. Family members are needed to help with food preparations, set up, cleanup, and with the piñata. We also need help with food donations. Click here to see our volunteer list and add your name to the bottom if you are attending.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.