SIskinite’s Weekly Post
May 20, 2016
Thank you for attending Open House!
Robotic Bugs may be the next greatest modern artists!
Siskinites may be the next generation of engineers!
Siskinites love to create!
Not one bug moves or looks like another, yet they are all constructed from
the same set of materials!
Standing after a long morning of sitting and testing, inventors enjoy an
engineering break!!
Farmers have taught the hens to keyboard, why not engineering!
Of course this engineer wants to look like her robotic bug!
Prideful engineers!
Room 11 Headlines
Guess What!?
School is not over yet! I am so excited to get back into the daily
GROOVE of teaching and learning with students again! ! That said, I think
that during the past few weeks of rigorous assessment, students have
learned a tremendous amount about themselves as learners, test-taking,
technology, responsibility, perseverance, flexibility, and much, much more!
The Smarter Balanced Assessment is most challenging for third graders!
This is the first time they have ever taken an assessment of this
magnitude and complexity! Many of you peered over your child's
shoulder or took the practice tests yourself, so you know what a big task
this was for your kids to tackle! TOUCHDOWN! I am so proud of each and
every student! Siskinites put forth their personal best, and took the
assessments with a smile! Although we all missed our daily routines and
structure of teaching and learning, I squeezed as much of that in as well,
because after all, learning something brand-new every day is what is most
important! What Siskinites have learned about themselves as learners will
serve them well moving forward into the future!
So, what is next!?
We will return to our daily teaching and learning schedule along with some
special end–of–the-year activities and events! We hope you can be a part
of at least some of them!
Friday May 27: Music Performance 1:00-3:00 in the MPR
Friday June 3rd : Class/Family Party at the Donovan's House; After
School (more details to come)
Tuesday June 7th : Sausalito Historical Society Awards Ceremony in the
MPR 1:30 to 2:20
Thursday June 9th : Third Grade Beach Party at Schoonmaker Beach !
Leave school at 10:00, Lunch at 12 ( sack lunches) , Return by 2:20
Thursday June 9th : Poet's Cafe at Drivers Market 6:30-7:30 ..an
evening of poetry and fun! Arrive at 6:00 for dinner at the community
table!
We are hoping to visit the Sausalito Fire Department for a homework
promotion celebration! Date to be announced!!)
Field trips and special school and classroom events
Field Trips
May Field Trips
Farmers Market
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Leave School: 8:30
Return school: 12:30
Ocean Beach Kids Coastal Clean-up
Tuesday, May 23
Leave school: 9:00
Return: 2:00
Chartered Bus
Need chaperones!
Please return field trip slip!
SAVE THE DATES!
Spring Concert
Friday, May​
27
1:30-3 PM.
S​
pring concert dates. Save the dates! The annual Spring Music Extravaganza is
coming in May. K-2: rehearsal is Thursday, May 12 from 1-3pm; the show is Friday,
May 13 from 12pm. Gr. 3-5: rehearsal is Thursday, May 26 from 1-3pm; the show is
Friday, May 27 from 1:30-3. All will be in the MPR. We will have picnic-style lunches
that day, so maybe you’ll want to schedule something fun and special with your class
those days.
Siskinite’s Poet’s Cafe
Potential Date: June 2
Driver’s Market for dinner and a Siskinite poetry reading
Homework Assignments
• Please have your child write in complete sentences including
responses to Time for Kids activities
• Encourage capitalization and end of sentence punctuation!
Have your child read their written work aloud to loo listen for clarity
and completeness work.
Mandatory Homework Assignments
Family Project: ​
TFK and Assignment
Conscious kitchen Recipe. ​
Due: Wednesday 5/25
Reading Log and Assignment: ​
Read fables and fairy tales! There are many on
Bookflix! Get an idea for writing next week! You will write an original or fractured
story.
Math Problem of the Week: ​
Practice math facts on online on Xtramath or in another
way!
Cursive: ​
tow-truck letters and letter m
Other: Paragraph of the Week:“ ​
Complete Biographical your poem by Monday!
5/23/16 ( you have had enough class time!)
Optional Assignments
Spelling:
Math:
Prodigy
https://prodigygame.com/Play/
XtraMath
https://xtramath.org
Reading K-3rd grade:
Bookflix
http://auth.grolier.com/login/bookflix/login.php
Password: wcacademy
Username: wcacademy
Reading 3rd-8th grade:
Trueflix
http://trueflix.scholastic.com
Password: wcacademy
Username: wcacademy
Keyboard skills:
Dance Mat Typing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr
MATH WORKSHOP
What are students doing and learning?
• fraction concepts and integrated geometry concepts
• fractions on a number line
• equivalent fractions
• attributes of quadrilaterals
• playing quadrilateral BUMP
• division concepts
• acute, obtuse, and 90° angles
• reading numbers through the millions
• lattice multiplication
• alternative long division strategies
• reasoning with shapes and their attributes
• division strategies: repeated subtraction, models, base 10 blocks, open number line
• Inverse operations
• writing and solving story problems
• hexagon multiplication project
• array cards
• polygon function charts
• multiple Mandalas
• multiplication and division facts
• posing multiplication word problems to solve
• decomposing factors to make simpler equations
• learning multiplication vocabulary such as factor, multiple, product
• skip counting by multiples of 2-10 using both positive and negative numbers
• collection data and exploring probability
• exploring multiplication concepts as array models, area models, and repeated
•addition
• representing multiplication equations using repeated addition or factors pairs
•exploring multiples of number and common multiplies between numbers by
skip-counting
WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Doing and learning?
•posing interview questions based on biographies
•exploring the structure and elements of fairy tales, fables, and other folktales, both
classic and fractured to prepare to write their own
• opinion pieces about animals
• writing animal party personification poems
• “speed writing” revision strategy
•writing bio poems
•exploring literal and nonliteral language through poetry
•writing poetry using different poetic forms
• adding descriptive language and details to sentences which help elaborate thoughts
and ideas: adjectives, vivid verbs, adverbs, prepositional phrases, proper and specific
nouns
• learning punctuation and capitalization rules to edit
• identifying and writing topic sentences
• writing paragraphs
•prewriting using five-finger and hamburger graphic organizers
• note-taking
•Chicken Scratch Literacy Project: using anthropomorphism and dialogue strategies
to write letters, journal entries, and narratives through the voices of our favorite hens.
Their work is featured in Barbara's"Beyond Wonderful" Kids Garden website:​
•
http://beyondwonderfulkidscook.com/garden-journal/
READER’S WORKSHOP
What are students doing and learning:
•reading test preparation
•reading fairy tales with the goal of identifying character traits and citing evidence of
those traits
• comparing different versions of the same fairy tales
•reading fairy tales, fables, and other folktales with reading partners and in groups
with a focus on analytical thinking about setting, characters, plot, and
theme/lesson/message
• nonfiction history research
• reading narratives and biographies
• close reading of biographies: asking questions, making connections, forming
opinions
• reading and discussing story elements in the Dr. Seuss Book, Sneetches in Drama
• reading mysteries and making predictions and inferences about the plot and
characters
• asking questions, making connections while reading novels in book clubs
• using comprehension tools and strategies
• identifying story elements: setting, character, plot, problem, solution, message in
independent reading books
•​
learning​
research and note-taking strategies through biography projects
​
• identifying main idea and supporting details in nonfiction and fiction text
SCIENCE
What are students doing and learning?
•exploring force and motion
•egg incubation project
•exploring the engineering process and electric circuits
•exploring form and function of the human skeletal system:
•life cycle study and the impact of climate change
Lesson #3: upper extremities: metacarpals
• reading the Story of Life which explores the Evolution of life forms on Earth in very
simple terms!
• learning that ​
animals have structures that help them survive
Farm to Table With Barbara
Chicken Scratch Life Cycle Project
SOCIAL STUDIES
What are students doing and learning?
● PBL: Timecast
● Driving Question:​
Whose voices from Sausalito and Marin City’s
past should be heard again?
● Trace why their community was established, how individuals and
families contributed to its founding and development, and how the
community has changed over time, drawing on maps, photographs,
oral histories, letters, newspapers, and other primary sources.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ROUTINES
What are students doing and learning?
“Speed writing” revision activity
Daily Edit: define, identify and use pronouns, antonyms, synonyms,
plurals, prefixes, suffixes, base words
Sentence of the Day: magnify the moment Keyboarding
Word Study: suffix “ed”
MATH ROUTINES
What are students doing and learning?
•Multiplication table
•Number of the Day: a spiral review of all skills and concepts learned
•Math Fact Sprints: math facts
•Versatile: differentiated skill builders
LIFE SKILL TOOL OF THE MONTH
​
What are students doing and learning?​
CARES Tool of Responsibility
SISKINITES are being responsible test takers!
Sneak Preview of Next Wee​
k
What will students be doing and learning?
Siskinites will focus on their Timecast Project and return to the curriculum
we set aside to practice and to take the Smarter Balanced Assessment!
Math: ​
adding and subtracting fractions, fraction concepts, quadrilateral​
Geobots,
​
relating division to multiplication; math fact memorization and fluency
assessments; division concepts and strategies; reading, writing, and solving
mathematical stories and story problems with multiple operations and a focus on
defining, understanding, and using key mathematical terms that create action!
Writing:​
biographical poems, essay structure, fractured fairy tales and fables,
writing opinion pieces; haiku structure, narrative prompts, fractured fairy tales;
citing evidence from text and elaborating to support an opinion
Reading:​
29 Stories, ​
​
fairy tales, fables, other folktales; character traits and
supporting evidence; strategies for research: nonfiction text feature hunt, fact
collecting and note-taking using a variety of Sausalito history resources
Social studies:​
Timecast Interviews and iMovie, continue the study of Sausalito’s
history using historical photos and keywords to begin to identify and group
Sausalito residents; create a history timeline of landmark dates
Science:​
Build a Better Bug,Force and Motion; Life Cycle/ Heredity Egg Incubation
Project, Worm Farming, Dr. Bonyfile: carpals and Latin roots; life cycle study, stem
projects