Hi Room 14 Community!
We had a fantastic time on our field trip to the House of Blues. We learned about US history through the progression and influence of the blues. We all loved it. Being there made me realize that there are so many resources in Los Angeles that could help bring our classroom learning alive. At the Museum of Natural History right now, they have an exhibit about the silk road. We learned about this during our unit on exploration, and a visit there might give your child the opportunity to connect to that learning again. Also, the California Science Center has a room where they show how water is supplied to the Los Angeles basin. This exhibit, in particular, really connects to the earth science unit your kids are studying at school. This room, could also be a great starting point for a discussion about importance of water and the drought we are experiencing right now in California. In class we have been discussing the fact that it is everyone's responsibility to conserve during this difficult time. Finally, in life science we have begun learning about plants. Taking a closer look at any plant, whether it be on a hike, or in your house, would be a great learning extension for your student. The kids loved the experiment we did in class with celery and colored water where they got to see, first hand, the xylem and phloem tubes. This experiment can be easily replicated at home. All of the kids know what to do.
As a teacher, I realize that we have to spend a lot of time with pencils, paper and books. But, I also realize that hands on learning is probably the most powerful. You, as parents, can really help in that area. Especially in a city like Los Angeles, where lots of learning opportunities abound!!
Happy Learning!
:)Phyllis
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
February Begins
Hi Room 14 Families,
February is upon us...as usual, there is a lot to look forward to!
Feb. 14th is Valentines Day. We will have a small celebration to share Valentines. If you choose to have your son/daughter bring valentines, please make sure they bring one for every student in the class. We have 32 students. I will send home a class list next week just in case your child is ambitious and wants to personalize their valentines.
Our field trip to the House of Blues is February 20th. We can take a few parents, so if you are interested, please let me know.
We are finishing up our body projects in life science. We will have one more class session to work on them in school, and then what is not complete will become homework. Completed body projects will be due to me on Monday, February 10th.
We will have a small written assignment to close up our Using Your Wits unit. The students will have to write about a person who they think used or uses their wits in a creative way. This will go home the week of Feb. 10th after the science project is turned in.
Other than that, all goes well. We have been working hard in class to write responses to literature using text based evidence to support our ideas. This is a big, lofty task, and I have to say that I am really proud of the way your kids have stepped up to improve their writing. Many of us did not do this kind of writing until middle or high school, but these kids are blowing me away each and every day.
Hope all is going well in your lives.
Tally Ho!
Phyllis
February is upon us...as usual, there is a lot to look forward to!
Feb. 14th is Valentines Day. We will have a small celebration to share Valentines. If you choose to have your son/daughter bring valentines, please make sure they bring one for every student in the class. We have 32 students. I will send home a class list next week just in case your child is ambitious and wants to personalize their valentines.
Our field trip to the House of Blues is February 20th. We can take a few parents, so if you are interested, please let me know.
We are finishing up our body projects in life science. We will have one more class session to work on them in school, and then what is not complete will become homework. Completed body projects will be due to me on Monday, February 10th.
We will have a small written assignment to close up our Using Your Wits unit. The students will have to write about a person who they think used or uses their wits in a creative way. This will go home the week of Feb. 10th after the science project is turned in.
Other than that, all goes well. We have been working hard in class to write responses to literature using text based evidence to support our ideas. This is a big, lofty task, and I have to say that I am really proud of the way your kids have stepped up to improve their writing. Many of us did not do this kind of writing until middle or high school, but these kids are blowing me away each and every day.
Hope all is going well in your lives.
Tally Ho!
Phyllis
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Hello Again!
Hi All,
It has only been two weeks since we returned from Winter Break, but it seems like much longer. We have been working hard, and keeping busy with our studies.
In language arts we continue with our unit called "Using Your Wits," and it has been really interesting to discuss the different ways people and animals must use their wits to solve problems, create things, and get out of sticky situations. A great home extension would be to discuss people who you feel use their wits in some way. To culminate the unit, we will have a mini project where the kids will have to research someone who used their wits in a creative way. You might be surprised at how much your kids like to discuss this idea.
Math has been both challenging and fun. We are exploring fractions, decimals, and percents to see how they are all different ways of expressing the same idea. If you come across a time where you use decimals ($), or percents in your life, let your child know!
We have also gotten right back into our science mixing, and although social studies has slowed down a bit, we are going to be learning about colonial America next.
Our next field trip will be to the House of Blues in February for an amazing African American History presentation. We will learn about history through music. Then, our final field trip will be CIMI camp in May. Needless to say, your kids are anxiously awaiting our next sleep away extravaganza.
For enrichment, we have Art with Emily on Monday afternoons, and technology on Tuesdays. We will begin Ballroom Dancing at the beginning of March. Our next book report will be on February 12, and they will do a project in class on their award winning/classic book. They should be well into reading that book by now.
Once again, thanks for being such great parents who send students to school who are motivated and ready to learn. You, and they, make my job a pleasure!
:)Phyllis
It has only been two weeks since we returned from Winter Break, but it seems like much longer. We have been working hard, and keeping busy with our studies.
In language arts we continue with our unit called "Using Your Wits," and it has been really interesting to discuss the different ways people and animals must use their wits to solve problems, create things, and get out of sticky situations. A great home extension would be to discuss people who you feel use their wits in some way. To culminate the unit, we will have a mini project where the kids will have to research someone who used their wits in a creative way. You might be surprised at how much your kids like to discuss this idea.
Math has been both challenging and fun. We are exploring fractions, decimals, and percents to see how they are all different ways of expressing the same idea. If you come across a time where you use decimals ($), or percents in your life, let your child know!
We have also gotten right back into our science mixing, and although social studies has slowed down a bit, we are going to be learning about colonial America next.
Our next field trip will be to the House of Blues in February for an amazing African American History presentation. We will learn about history through music. Then, our final field trip will be CIMI camp in May. Needless to say, your kids are anxiously awaiting our next sleep away extravaganza.
For enrichment, we have Art with Emily on Monday afternoons, and technology on Tuesdays. We will begin Ballroom Dancing at the beginning of March. Our next book report will be on February 12, and they will do a project in class on their award winning/classic book. They should be well into reading that book by now.
Once again, thanks for being such great parents who send students to school who are motivated and ready to learn. You, and they, make my job a pleasure!
:)Phyllis
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