A Recipe for Learning

29 students

8 subjects

1 teacher

not enough hours in a day

Mix all ingredients together carefully. Add a dose of patience and a bushel of curiosity. Build to a slow simmer for the month of November. Yields loads of learning. 

We have been having fun with recipes in our writing program. Students are exploring this format to blend factual writing with imaginative writing. They are cooking up recipes for a tornado. We hope to finish up these pieces this week. 

Our reading program has launched as well. We have set up independent reading boxes for DEAR (drop everything and read) three times a week. We also looked at what fluent readers do and practiced with a nonfiction article. Finally, we have begun reading response notebooks which students will be using to demonstrate comprehension. 

In French, we wrapped up a very fun two week unit on Halloween. Students really enjoyed the song, C'est L'Halloween, by Matt Maxwell. We played vocabulary memory at the end of the two weeks. This week we began learning the alphabet. 

Social Studies has also begun. After consideration, I have decided to platoon with Ms. Jamal who will be teaching the grade 4's while I teach the grade 5's. This allows us to address the curriculum in greater depth at each grade level while also giving students an opportunity to be with their age level peers. We have set aside three periods a week for our studies. 

In Science, we are looking at measuring wind and air pressure this week. Students are creating a flip book about the following weather instruments: thermometers, rain gauges, anemometers, weather vanes, and barometers. Each page will have a picture, a description of how the instrument works (including the unit of measurement if applicable), and a weather fact related to that aspect of weather. I have encouraged students to print out pictures from home, if they choose, to add to these flip books. They will be completed next week.

In follow up to our goal-setting conferences, students have created a desk reminder card to keep their individual goals in mind. You should also have received a copy of the goals page and support plan. This week we will begin a new unit in Health and Career on Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. In conjunction with this unit, we are also participating in the Be Active Every Day program for the month of November. Students brought home orange wrist bands with the numbers 5-2-1-0. Ask them to explain what each of these numbers mean (fruits and veggies goal, screen time goal, physical activity goal, and sugary drinks goal). Try and send a fruit and vegetable snack and at least one item for lunch as well. 

We have some incredible art on the walls right now. Come by and check it out when you get a chance.