Archive for December, 2019

Fiesta Mexicana 2019

Friday, December 20th, 2019

Fiesta Mexicana 2019

46 new photos added to shared album

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. We also played Loteria, a Mexican bingo game.

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!

Class activities for Thursday, December 19

Thursday, December 19th, 2019

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 42-44 are available and were due today.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles.

Writing: Today, students continued to prewrite their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook. Today, students used Bubbl.us to make a mind map planning their story and where choices will happen.

In this project, 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 on weekdays is to work on writing for 15 minutes. Students should be working on their Bubbl.us prewriting map.

This project is due Wednesday, January 22. Some ideas and resources are below:

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

Math: We used MobyMax Math to practice multiplication again today. Homework on weekdays is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: We modeled how a lizard sees and recognizes its prey. We talked about how the brain forms an image and then compares that image with a memory to know what choice to make.

Social Studies: We used this time to make papel picado, a Mexican punched paper decoration.

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

Notes:

  • Our Mexican Fiesta is Friday, December 20 from 9 am until noon. Family members are welcome and needed for food preparation, set up and clean up in the morning during the party. Here is our volunteer and guest list. Family members, due to the limited size of our classroom and the amount of food we have, we are not able to accommodate younger siblings.
  • Is your student doing a Daily Homework Time? Here’s a sample schedule and more ideas to get started.
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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

Class activities for Wednesday, December 18

Wednesday, December 18th, 2019

Spelling: Today was our class spelling bee. Congratulations to Jaxon and Yousef, our class representatives! The building spelling bee is on January 8.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 42-44 are available and are due tomorrow.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles.

Writing: Today, students continued to prewrite their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook. Students were prewriting a summary and a list of actions in the beginning, middle, and ending. In this project, 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 on weekdays is to work on writing for 15 minutes. Students should finish prewriting tonight.

This project is due Wednesday, January 22. Some ideas and resources are below:

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

Math: None today.

Homework on weekdays is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: We used a simulation to model how a predator might use its vision to see markings on a prey, to tell if it is safe or toxic to eat. Homework is to finish notebook pp. 52-53 if not finished in class.

Social Studies: We reviewed the Bill of Rights and learned about how citizens have responsibilities, such as following the law, paying taxes, and voting.

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

Notes:

  • Our Mexican Fiesta is Friday, December 20 from 9 am until noon. Family members are welcome and needed for food preparation, set up and clean up in the morning during the party. Here is our volunteer and guest list. Family members, due to the limited size of our classroom and the amount of food we have, we are not able to accommodate younger siblings.
  • Is your student doing a Daily Homework Time? Here’s a sample schedule and more ideas to get started.
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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

Class activities for Tuesday, December 17

Tuesday, December 17th, 2019

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 42-44 are available and are due Thursday.

Reading: None today.

Writing: Today, students continued to prewrite and select an idea for our 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 on weekdays is to work on writing for 15 minutes. Students should continue prewriting their adventure story topic, planning the character, the problem, and how it will be solved.

This project is due Wednesday, January 22. Some ideas and resources are below:

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

Math: Students worked on standard multiplication today using MobyMax Math.

Homework on weekdays is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: None today.

Social Studies: We learned more about the Bill of Rights and practiced simple ways to remember them.

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

Notes:

  • Our Mexican Fiesta is Friday, December 20 from 9 am until noon. Family members are welcome and needed for food preparation, set up and clean up in the morning during the party. Here is our volunteer and guest list. Family members, due to the limited size of our classroom and the amount of food we have, we are not able to accommodate younger siblings.
  • Is your student doing a Daily Homework Time? Here’s a sample schedule and more ideas to get started.
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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

Class activities for Monday, December 16

Monday, December 16th, 2019

Spelling: Students practiced rules for capitalizing today.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 42-44 are available and are due Thursday.

Reading: We read a fantasy story about some miniature people that live in a library and help keep it organized.

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 on weekdays is to work on writing for 15 minutes. Students should think of topic ideas for an adventure story.

This project is due Wednesday, January 22. Some ideas and resources are below:

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

Math: Students worked on two digit multiplication again today. This is still a tricky skill for many students. To help, we went back to one digit multiplication to practice regrouping again.

Homework on weekdays is to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: We read about how a crow scientist learned that crows can recognize and remember specific people. Homework is to finish notebook p. 46 if not done in class.

Social Studies: We learned more about the Bill of Rights and what they talk about.

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

Notes:

  • Our Mexican Fiesta is Friday, December 20 from 9 am until noon. Family members are welcome and needed for food preparation, set up and clean up in the morning during the party. Here is our volunteer and guest list. Family members, due to the limited size of our classroom and the amount of food we have, we are not able to accommodate younger siblings.
  • Is your student doing a Daily Homework Time? Here’s a sample schedule and more ideas to get started.
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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