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Fiesta Mexicana 2017

31 new photos · Album by Christian Howd

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.  

We then started our own Las Posadas. We went to the cafeteria and the office, and they wouldn’t let us in for shelter, but the family members in our class finally gave us shelter and we started our fiesta! We sang Cascabel and El Burrito de Belen (the Little Donkey of Bethlehem).

Then we all took a whack at the piñata. It lasted long enough for everyone to take a swing! 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);
• Mexican hot chocolate (hot chocolate with cinnamon);
• Cinnamon churros, and,
• Buñelos (fried flour tortillas with cinnamon and sugar).

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

A grande-sized thanks to the family members 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: Today was a preview of upcoming spelling words.

Cursive: No cursive assignment this week.

Reading: Students completed a STAR Reading test today.

Writing: Students continued prewriting by selecting an adventure topic, then planning the main character, the problem and solution, and the places of the story.

Our next writing project is a Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook. Students will write a fiction adventure story with choices that the reader can make. Each choice can change how the story turns out. Students will publish their adventure as a website at Google Sites. See below for more details. Homework is to prewrite for 15 minutes.

This project is due Tuesday, January 23. Some ideas and resources are below:

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here.
• Here are some good student examples:
  • William’s Roanoke Adventure
  • Abel’s Aztec Terror
  • Katie’s Lost Statue hunt
  • Nancy’s Under Water Adventure!
• Look at an Underground Railroad Choose Your Own Adventure website.
• Look through the Underground Railroad Interactive History Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book).
• Look at some examples of different kinds of endings in a Choose Your Own Adventure Story.
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas.
• Play Zork, a text-based computer game. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.
• Play Oregon Trail, another text-based computer game.

Find a complete list of resources here.

Math: We practiced multiplying by using place value. For example, for 5 x 76, the problem can be split into 5 x 70 and 5 x 6. Homework is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: We reviewed common temperature benchmarks (water boiling, water freezing, room temperature, body temperature) and wrote notes in our minibooks.

Social Studies: Students completed a district social studies test about government.

Character Strength: We are learning about self-control again this week.

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta is Wednesday, December 20 from 9 am to noon. Here is our volunteer list to see what your student volunteer for or if you would like to be added to the guest list to help at the party.
• Have you helped your student plan a Daily Homework Time?
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at Jupiter Ed.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: No cursive assignment this week.

Reading: We read some example stories about our next writing project.

Writing: We started talking about our next writing project, a Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook. Students will write a fiction adventure story with choices that the reader can make. Each choice can change how the story turns out. Students will publish their adventure as a website at Google Sites. See below for more details. Homework is to prewrite ideas for an adventure story.

This project is due Tuesday, January 23. Some ideas and resources are below:

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here.
• Here are some good student examples:
  • William’s Roanoke Adventure
  • Abel’s Aztec Terror
  • Katie’s Lost Statue hunt
  • Nancy’s Under Water Adventure!
• Look at an Underground Railroad Choose Your Own Adventure website.
• Look through the Underground Railroad Interactive History Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book).
• Look at some examples of different kinds of endings in a Choose Your Own Adventure Story.
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas.
• Play Zork, a text-based computer game. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.
• Play Oregon Trail, another text-based computer game.

Find a complete list of resources here.

Math: Students worked on a STAR Math test today. Homework is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: None today due to art.

Social Studies: We learned about the Bill of Rights and our responsibilities as Americans to obey the law, vote knowledgeably, and to serve on a jury. We’re having a test about government tomorrow.

Character Strength: We are learning about self-control again this week.

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta is Wednesday, December 20 from 9 am to noon. Here is our volunteer list to see what your student volunteer for or if you would like to be added to the guest list to help at the party. Can you help?
• Have you helped your student plan a Daily Homework Time?
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at Jupiter Ed.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 39-41 are available and were due today.

Reading: None today due to the Holiday Sing-Along.

Writing: Today was a publishing day. Our next piece of writing is a fiction story due Monday, December 18. Your student should be completing their story and making it ready to be read. Homework is to work on writing for 15 minutes and to finish the writing piece if needed.

Math: We worked on the multiplication topic at Khan Academy today. Homework is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy if needed.

Science: We started an experiment to test if matter takes up space and if air is matter. We used syringes of air to learn that air is matter and air takes up space.

Social Studies: We reviewed the Power Problems and Checks and Balances note page completed on Wednesday.

Character Strength: We are learning about self-control this week.

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta is Wednesday, December 20 from 9 am to noon. Here is our volunteer list to see what your student volunteer for or if you would like to be added to the guest list to help at the party. Will still need three people that can bring shredded chicken for our meal. Can you help?
• Have you helped your student plan a Daily Homework Time?
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at Jupiter Ed.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 39-41 are available and are due Friday.

Reading: We used this time to practice for our sing along on Friday.

Writing: We used a software tool called GradeProof to edit our writing. We also had editing conferences and worked on editing today. Our next piece of writing is a fiction story due Monday, December 18. Your student should be editing for spelling, capitals, periods, paragraphs and other conventions by now. Homework is to work on writing for 15 minutes.

Math: We worked on the multiplication topic at Khan Academy today. Homework is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: We learned about common temperature benchmarks: water freezing, room temperature, body temperature, and water boiling. Homework is to finish the temperature benchmarks note page started in class.

Social Studies: We talked about checks and balances and how each branch could check the others to limit power. Homework is to finish the Power Problems and Checks and Balances note page started in class.

Character Strength: We are learning about self-control this week.

Notes:

• Our Mexican Fiesta is Wednesday, December 20 from 9 am to noon. Here is our volunteer list to see what your student volunteer for or if you would like to be added to the guest list to help at the party. Will still need three people that can bring shredded chicken for our meal. Can you help?
• Have you helped your student plan a Daily Homework Time?
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at Jupiter Ed.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.