Oh, this is my favorite time of year!
Sweaters, teas, gingerbread and giggling, singing, excited students!
November 26-30
Religion: We are blessed! We are all finished with our Reconciliation textbook! We finished up by making a "Gratitude List" as a class and discussing that we are preparing for the coming of our best friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. We will have our final review on Monday.
Reading: This week we began switching for Reading using our new program. So far, so good! The students like being with the other class and enjoy some of the new learning strategies. In my class, we read Native American fables and wrote our own folktales - each with its own important lesson.
Math: We have wrapped up Chapter 4. We worked in small groups and partners this week and did some peer support and peer teaching. I enjoy seeing them reiterate what I have taught to deepen their understanding and help others become more fluent in their addition. Great work this week mathematicians!
Science: For our STEM project, we are building "walnut dispensers" for our classroom neighbor, "Chubbs" the squirrel. We decided that he needed some food for the winter, but had to plan and build a way for him to get walnuts. We will be testing these next week!
Health: We will win over our germ invasion! Haha! We're taking extra steps to keeping our room clean from these icky winter germs.
December 3-7
Happy Advent!
Check out some great home activities to do as a family: www.catholicicing.com/advent-and-christmas-with-kid/
Religion: After our Unit 6 assessment, we will talk about the Liturgical Year, light our first Advent "candle" and think of ways that we can wait patiently for Jesus. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of our best friend. We will have a Prayer Family virtue activity and Penance Service on Thursday, December 6th. All are welcome to attend the Penance Service. We also begin our Theology of the Body unit this week by reading St. George and the Dragon and creating virtue shields!
Reading: We begin our study of the Nutcracker! Over the next two weeks, we will be reading different versions of the story, comparing and contrasting them, discussing musical patterns and testing what it's like to have the strength of a dancer! My sister dances in South Dayton Dance Theater's production of the Nutcracker. We are hoping to have her visit our classroom to perform as well! And...I don't mind doing a little advertising :)
----December 8-9---- If you have an open weekend and want to enjoy the Christmas magic, South Dayton Dance Theater's production is a beautiful one and worth the price (children $15, adults $25). Tickets are available online or at the door: www.sddt.org/tickets/
Math: We will test on Chapter 4 on Wednesday. Students will review on Monday and Tuesday. We will follow this by beginning Chapter 5 - subtraction!
Science: We will test and evaluate our STEM projects! Let's hope Chubbs is hungry!
Health: This is the tough time of year for winter germs, so please refer to the St. Christopher Student/Family Handbook policy on illness if you have concerns:
"Students who become ill at school are referred to the school office where temperatures and basic assessments are made by office personnel. Parents are consulted as needed and children are sent home if necessary. If a child has a temperature, is vomiting, or has diarrhea, parents will be notified to pick up the child. If you child has a fever, you will need to pick them up from school and they may not return for 24 hours AFTER their fever subsides."
"'Advent, this powerful liturgical season that we are beginning, invites us to pause in silence to understand a presence. It is an invitation to understand that the individual events of the day are hints that God is giving us, signs of the attention he has for each one of us.' ---Homily at First Vespers of Advent, November 28, 2009"
- Pope Benedict XVI (www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/advent/pope-benedict-xvi-spiritual-thoughts-advent-christmas.cfm)
Religion: We are blessed! We are all finished with our Reconciliation textbook! We finished up by making a "Gratitude List" as a class and discussing that we are preparing for the coming of our best friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. We will have our final review on Monday.
Reading: This week we began switching for Reading using our new program. So far, so good! The students like being with the other class and enjoy some of the new learning strategies. In my class, we read Native American fables and wrote our own folktales - each with its own important lesson.
Math: We have wrapped up Chapter 4. We worked in small groups and partners this week and did some peer support and peer teaching. I enjoy seeing them reiterate what I have taught to deepen their understanding and help others become more fluent in their addition. Great work this week mathematicians!
Science: For our STEM project, we are building "walnut dispensers" for our classroom neighbor, "Chubbs" the squirrel. We decided that he needed some food for the winter, but had to plan and build a way for him to get walnuts. We will be testing these next week!
Health: We will win over our germ invasion! Haha! We're taking extra steps to keeping our room clean from these icky winter germs.
December 3-7
Happy Advent!
Check out some great home activities to do as a family: www.catholicicing.com/advent-and-christmas-with-kid/
Religion: After our Unit 6 assessment, we will talk about the Liturgical Year, light our first Advent "candle" and think of ways that we can wait patiently for Jesus. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of our best friend. We will have a Prayer Family virtue activity and Penance Service on Thursday, December 6th. All are welcome to attend the Penance Service. We also begin our Theology of the Body unit this week by reading St. George and the Dragon and creating virtue shields!
Reading: We begin our study of the Nutcracker! Over the next two weeks, we will be reading different versions of the story, comparing and contrasting them, discussing musical patterns and testing what it's like to have the strength of a dancer! My sister dances in South Dayton Dance Theater's production of the Nutcracker. We are hoping to have her visit our classroom to perform as well! And...I don't mind doing a little advertising :)
----December 8-9---- If you have an open weekend and want to enjoy the Christmas magic, South Dayton Dance Theater's production is a beautiful one and worth the price (children $15, adults $25). Tickets are available online or at the door: www.sddt.org/tickets/
Math: We will test on Chapter 4 on Wednesday. Students will review on Monday and Tuesday. We will follow this by beginning Chapter 5 - subtraction!
Science: We will test and evaluate our STEM projects! Let's hope Chubbs is hungry!
Health: This is the tough time of year for winter germs, so please refer to the St. Christopher Student/Family Handbook policy on illness if you have concerns:
"Students who become ill at school are referred to the school office where temperatures and basic assessments are made by office personnel. Parents are consulted as needed and children are sent home if necessary. If a child has a temperature, is vomiting, or has diarrhea, parents will be notified to pick up the child. If you child has a fever, you will need to pick them up from school and they may not return for 24 hours AFTER their fever subsides."
"'Advent, this powerful liturgical season that we are beginning, invites us to pause in silence to understand a presence. It is an invitation to understand that the individual events of the day are hints that God is giving us, signs of the attention he has for each one of us.' ---Homily at First Vespers of Advent, November 28, 2009"
- Pope Benedict XVI (www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/advent/pope-benedict-xvi-spiritual-thoughts-advent-christmas.cfm)