Math is Fun
The flea market was a huge success. Students shared a few of their objects to sell during the week in skill groups. They showed different ways to come up with the right amount/coins needed to buy the object. By Friday, most students were able to figure out the exact change needed to make their purchases. It was when they ran out of the exact change and had to give a higher value (and needed to use subtraction skills) that many needed help.
We switched five times, opening and closing “stores” so they could be both buyer / seller with different students. The final time, students decided whether they wanted to sell or shop.
Though I was helping and checking students’ transactions, it was great watching them interact. Hopefully your child shared (orally) his/her experiences with you. (If not, you’ll find out through this week’s homework.)
Another Method for Cooking Bread
Tommy brought steamed bread from China. His mom, Marcia, told the class about dim sum and the steamed buns with a variety of fillings. We did fraction math so students could get a taste of the different fillings.
There are still a couple of students that need to bring a bread to share. Send a note about the kind of bread and when it will work best for you or your child to bring it in. If you need suggestions please see me.
Three Trips in One
We are going to Acme Bakery, the Vivarium, and Acquatic Park next Tuesday. The tour at the bakery is scheduled for 10:00. We will be leaving school about 9:15.
Remember to bring a healthy bag lunch and wear closed-toed shoes.
This will be the last homework assignment for the year!
Homework:
READING
Read and record in you Reading Log.
WRITING
Write about something you bought at the flea market. Use complete sentences, Try to include the “w” question words: why, who, when, where, and what when you are writing your story. “Extend” the sentences with explanations.
MATH
Students kept the price tags on their items. Now have your child list what he bought and how much it cost. Have him/her find out the total amount spent.
One way is to have your child count out the cost of each item. Then make piles for every dollar. Count how many dollars/piles and coins left.
How much money did your child bring home in their “wallet”?
YOUR NAME
Using each letter in your first name, come up with two words that describe or
tell something about you. The words need to begin with the letter in your name.
Explain why you use that word/phrase to describe you.
Appreciations and Open House
It was great seeing so many of you for Open House. Almost everyone came and they brought the whole family. I hope you enjoyed the “delicious” poems the class recited and the smiling treat! The kids and I really want to thank YOU for all your help and support this year.
It’s hard to believe the year is already coming to an end…..there’s more to do, and yet we’ve done a lot, too. I hope your child gave you a tour of the room and showed you their work and some of the activities /centers around the room.
Geography, Traditions, and More
Margaret brought limpa bread from Sweden. She told how she helped grind seeds and knead the dough. She said it was a lot of work! Her dad, Ed, provided some information, traditions, and the recipe for limpa (attached).
At Open House he asked if the class enjoyed the bread. They certainly did and were happy to get a second piece to bring home and share (Did they?) I asked him if they made the bread often. He told me it was a “first.” Actually a few parents have told me it’s the first time making or serving the bread in the traditional ways. I think it’s great our kids are experiencing and learning all these facts and traditions. I like to believe that they’’ll remember it even better because they will also have had a taste of it.
Jake brought matzoh from Egypt.
His mom, Liz, explained the story of Passover and why the Jewish people eat matzoh. She explained how the Jewish people had to leave Egypt in such a hurry there wasn’t enough time to bake their breads. So they packed the raw dough to cook in the hot sun as they fled across the desert for Israel. It baked into a hard cracker, which is known as matzoh. The class thought the matzoh tasted great.
Then Liz explained for Passover, Jewish people can eat only unleavened foods/bread (foods that do not have yeast / baking soda/powder ). Passover last eight days, this can be a long time to just be eating matzoh, so people have developed a variety of ways to use matzoh. She showed us an apple matzoh kugle, a dessert. And then, of course, we tasted it.
Bread, Reptiles, and Picnic
We will be going to Acme Bread Company, the Vivarium, and Acquatic Park in Berkeley on Tuesday, March 25. We will need parent drivers. Our tour at the bakery starts at 10:00. We will leave school about 9:15 and return by 2:30. I’ll have the permission slip ready on Monday.
Walkathon News
YAY for room 7! Our class raised $3,293 for Joqquin Miller School! Thank you to all the kids and parents that walked and helped out for this event. A special thanks to Travis’ and Williams’s dads, Khris and Paul. for being our room coordinators for this event.
Students getting the most sponsors are:
Ariel King 112 sponsors
Ryan Schlageter 16 sponsors
Kennedy Byrd-Luddington 14 sponsors
William Boitano 14 sponsors
Our top walkers are:
Margaret Bratt 23 kilometers
Claire Teresko 23 kilometers
Travis Lynds 18 kilometers
Ryan Schlageter 16 kilometers
Homework:
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
WRITING
Have your child write a letter to a friend or relative. (We’ve written a few letters in class. The latest one being to moms for Mother’s Day) Address an envelope. (I know it’s not as fast as e-mail. Just like making bread / machines, I want them to WRITE (not type). Mail the letter by the end of the week.
For this part of the homework, just let me know who you wrote to and their relationship to you. Also write their mailing address address.
MATH
Find out the weather temperatures for at least 5 days of the week. What is the high and low temperatures are for each day/night? Your child will write the weather report (days and temperatures). Then tell the change in degrees. (We’ve been doing this kind of activity every time the star student brought in something to estimate. The “star” had to find the closest estimates and tell/prove how many more or less from the actual count.) Have your child tell how s/he got the “answer.” for how many more/less degrees. (In class we’ve used manipulatives, number charts, wrote it out in column subtraction, told how they solved it in their head, and/or other ways.) Parents or your child can write their response to how they solved the to get the difference in temperature.
Please tell what source your child used to get the weather (newspaper, radio, television, internet, etc.)
PLAY MY GAME
Hopefully your child showed you their gameboard at Open House. I had encouraged them to play with you. The first few times they played their game with classmates, some students had to add/or revise their rules. Now that they’ve played with many of their classmates, its time to bring their gameboard home to play with YOU! Have fun!
Make sure they read the directions first. They may want to add more to their gameboard or rules. (There is no written portion for this section of homework, Keep the gameboard.)
Taste of France
Ryan brought croissants from France. His mom, Cynthia, had triangles of flattened dough ready for the students to roll. (It was actually crescent roll dough, but students were able to see how croissants got their shape.) She also told them other foods that originated in France, a landmark / famous structure, a special event / bike race, and products from this European country. Ask your child something about the bread or country. Before eating our breads in class, students share something they learned.
Open House
Your child brought home an invitation earlier this week, informing you of our upcoming Open House. Hope to see you next Wednesday evening. The students will be reciting a poem at 6:40.
Star Students
This week the stars were ***Jabreel Bevel*** and ***Jake Hughes***. Next week the starts are ***Ryan Schlageter*** and Travis Lynds***
Homework:
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
MATH
We’ve been learning about solid figures./3 dimensional shapes. Look around and find five of each of the following shapes. (We found objects in the classroom that have these shapes)
Rectangular prism
Cone
Pyramid
Sphere
Cube
Column
List the objects under each heading.
WRITING
When a student is picked to be the “star student,” classmates think about an activity they did with the “star” and write about it. Students were encouraged to write positive statements about the “star” rather than how well s/he did when they played/worked with the “star.”
Now your child can shine and write all the glorious things s/he wants to tell about her/himself. Have her/him write about what a great kid s/he is! Write at least a couple of things about her/himself. Be sure to “extend” your writing by explaining each quality. Of course your child is welcome to write more than two qualities about her/himself.
SPRING CLEANING
(By making it a homework assignment, your child might do it.) Actually we are going to have a flea market on May 21st.. Help your child select old toys, books, etc. he/she no longer wants. No item can be sold for more than one dollar. Each student can bring only one large grocery bag full of items to sell.
Your child’s homework is to price and label (masking tape works well) each item. No item will be sold without a price tag!
Students need to bring their items to sell at the end of next week, May 14th. The following week in skill groups, students will be sharing a few items, finding similarities / differences, using descriptive words to write about an object, and more. Their “stuff” will be used for lessons during the week. It will also give students the opportunity to “window shop” and think about possible purchases as items are discussed.
Each student should bring $2 in coins. No more than $2 please. Students learn to make choices Have your child put his/her coins in a ziplock bag with their name on it. (A clear baggie makes it easier for adult helpers to point out/suggest coins needed to pay for the item.)
Review coins and their value at home. You can also play store at home with the items your child will be selling. Have your child be the storekeeper as well as the consumer.
The Flea Market will take place on Friday, May 21st from 12:40 to 1:40. Parents are invited to attend. I will need parents to help. Please let me know if you can help out.