Pretty Quiet

Wednesdays are pretty quiet, and today was no exception. We started off the day with our journals. The students had to identify two or three things in the world that they would like to change and to give reasons why those things could be changed. This is persuasive writing, and it is an important part of our transition to the new Common Core State Standards. We then read a selection in the Treasures book about Rosa Parks, and had an interesting discussion both about civil right and about the idea of the constitution. We reviewed the difference between proper and common nouns so that the students would be prepared for one of this evening’s homework assignments. Before going to recess, we corrected our math tests we took yesterday and the results – all quite good, really – are on the grade book.

Many students go to orchestra after recess, so that those of us who were here read a selection from the California Social Studies weekly to reinforce what we have learned from our regular textbook.

After lunch, We listened to another chapter from Island of the Blue Dolphins. We also worked on our music machines. We went to mixing. We finished the day with math. Since the students are doing so well with double digit multiplication, we are skipping chapter 6. What a smart group! I don’t think I have ever skipped two chapter in the book with a class before.

Homework:  (1) Write spelling words 11-15 ten times each in cursive and write a sentence for each. (2) Do the spelling crossword. (3) Write a summary of the “Brother Martin” story and do the question on page 153 of the hardcover Treasures book. (4) Do pages 186-187 in the red Language book. (5) Do the crossword and the prefixes exercise on the back of the California Weekly. (6) Do the Two Times Two 3 practice sheet. (7) Do pages 158-159 in the math book.