Spring is just around the corner. Waves of hollyhocks whisper our names. One week until March Break. Hurrah!
I have decided to hand out copies of The Breadwinner when students return from the break. We will be starting literature circles that week and we will need the book with us on that Monday. I have a hunch that many children will forget to bring them back if they take them home for the holiday. If your child REALLY wants to have it during the break, and PROMISES to bring it back on Monday, of course, I am happy to send it home. Drop a note in your child's agenda if this is the case.
Here's what I hope we can pack in this week:
Reading: Monday, we will be looking at the final role in our literature circles - the summarizer. This role is possibly the most challenging, but it is an important reading skill. I will be modeling this role and students will have the opportunity to summarize his or her library book with a partner. Read Aloud: Deborah Ellis' The Heaven Shop. We have also been reading a book about the Trojan Horse. We love mythology.
Writing: We will be working on narrative (creative) writing during the final term. This week, we will begin horror writing and will also be adding to our Poetry Portfolios.
Math: 3-D Geometry: The focus this week will be on terminology (math language) and constructing 3-D shapes using nets.
Science - Sound: Last week, students were introduced to the work of Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie. Glennie is profoundly deaf and she has a lot to say about how she hears vs. the way "hearing people" hear. Our class was fascinated by her music and ideas which have sparked some fascinating conversations about what sound is. This week, we will continue looking at Glennie's work and use the Q-chart to come up with higher-level thinking questions about this fantastic performer. We will also be looking at different musical instruments and categorizing them.
Social Studies - Introduction to Medieval Times (Grade 4), and introduction to Ancient Egypt (Grade 5). We will be contextualizing these time periods and working on mapping skills.
Art - We will be making our own version of papyrus (link to Grade 5 Social Studies). Eventually we will write hieroglyphs on our papyrus using natural dye from berries. We will be learning about Medieval Times arts in future lessons.
