Good morning! Here is what we’ve been up to the past couple of weeks.
Writing
Students continue to explore nonfiction writing. They did a fantastic job writing their “All About Me” book. Now they are focusing on research-based writing. Students have been working with a partner for this new activity. They got to choose a topic using a book from our nonfiction library and began taking notes on what they learned. They will use these notes to develop a paragraph about their topic. Students will focus on the organization of their paragraph. They should have a topic sentence, at least three facts, and a closing sentence.
Students have also been reflecting on their handwriting. They’ve paid special attention lately to how they are using the handwriting lines and how the letters are placed whether they are upper case or lower case, tall letters or descending letters.
Science
Have you heard the news? We have chick eggs! It is a perfect ongoing activity to go alongside our current unit on birds. Students are learning about the day-by-day development of our chicks, as well as writing letters pretending to be “Fuzz E. Chick!” They are writing these letters based on what they know about the current stage of development the chicks are in.
The class learned specifically about Mourning Doves, Chickadees, and Downy Woodpeckers. They even practiced their unique chirps! We were able to incorporate musical concepts like pitch and rhythm to discuss the differences between the three. Students then listened and looked for these birds around campus. I’ve noticed Mourning Doves welcoming me when I arrive to school! Has your student noticed any of these birds at home? The bird unit has given us many opportunities to get outside – perfect for our current green challenge!
Naomi gave an exciting hands-on lesson during which students discovered new facts about feathers, nests, and bird bones! By trying out experiments with the feathers and bones, they’ve learned so much already. Ask your child about these activities – they’ll have lots to share! We also had special guests from the Chicago Audubon Society come in for a discussion about what they’ve learned and what they would like to learn. We will be seeing them again in a couple of weeks!
Earth Week!
Snow or sunshine, Earth Week is on its way! It continues to be my favorite week of the year, but I’ve especially enjoyed joining the Earth Week Committee this time around. I won’t give away too many spoilers now, but we’ve got an exciting theme that perfectly fits our room. 🙂 Has your student noticed special posters around campus?
Students will be participating in a scavenger hunt, getting environmental classroom and home challenges to complete with the class, and attending our field trip to Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve. I will be updating the website daily to share our activities!
Don’t forget to check out the gallery for photos from special events and lessons throughout the year!
Important Dates
Friday, April 15th – No School: Teacher In-Service Day
April 18th – April 22nd – Earth Week
April 19th – Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve Field Trip
April 20th – Early Release
Mrs. Buesking