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Mrs. Steinbeck’s Weekly Review

I pulled out a little notecard to make a little overview of what we did this week. At first I was thinking that we didn’t really do anything out of the ordinary, but I quickly filled up the entire notecard. So, while I want to be brief, I’ll try to give you the highlights.

Specials
Every special class was unique this week. In Spanish they are learning about things in a kitchen or a restaurant. With Veteran’s Day coming up next week they helped make a flag out of handprints in Art. The older kids will be putting names of veterans that each class provided on the flag and it will be displayed during the assembly. For PE the kids participated in the annual fitness test where they do a pacer test, reach test, push-ups, and curls. Some of the kids did amazingly well. Finally, in Music, they got to use their bodies as percussion instruments and perform for the class!

Math/Reading/Writing/SS
In Math class we are learning different strategies for adding and subtracting larger numbers. Have no fear, they are learning the “traditional” way too. True stories and the fractured fairytales have been completed. The true stories are done, meanwhile the fairytales have entered the editing phase. Our author friend came by today to help them with this part of the process. Every student is continuing to read The Chocolate Touch for reading class. Most seem to be understanding and enjoying the book. We should be done with the book in the next week or two. Students continue to learn about Native Americans in social studies, this week they learned about how they would trade with other tribes for goods and services. We played a game where they each had to trade with one another in order to get a set of required and other items. They had to do this without using language, it was fun to watch.

Environmental Education
We did not get a chance to get outside this week due some other things that were happening.

Other Things that Were Happening
On Tuesday we had a Green Assembly about using less stuff. What made this really special was that because we had been one of the classes to donate the most food to our food drive, we got to sit in regular chairs and not be on the floor. Everyone thought that that was a great reward! Then Wednesday we had a great meal prepared by our great volunteers at Farm to Table. We would love to have more kids participate in this program. The food is always good and we love encouraging kids to try new things. The fun didn’t stop there, on Friday, we got to watch a performance of the school play Annie. All of the kids in the musical did a wonderful job, but, of course, we were especially proud of the kids from our class that performed or helped out with the play.

Even More Other Things
Thank you to those who sent in whiteboard cleaner. We really appreciate it and we have enough to get us through the school year. If anyone else wants to help out with Wishlist items, we could use bird seed. I have a group that I take out every week to fill up the school’s bird feeders. The birds (and squirrels) have been eating so much of it that I’m going through it very quickly. I just found out that we will also be doing a weekly bird count for a program with Cornell Lab of Ornithology with our class. So in order to get a nice count we have to keep the feeders full. Since birdseed isn’t something the kids can carry very well, feel free to drop it off at the office or arrange a time that I can get it from you. Thanks so much.

I think that about does it for this week. I know the kids love to find out my secret facts and I’m sure I will repeat myself at some point, but I don’t think they know where I went to college. So have them come by and say “University of Wisconsin – Whitewater” (or just Whitewater) for a Hawks Ticket!

Have a great week!