Diseños

Today we started Language Arts with some writing. Students had to pick something that they know how to do well and explain to somebody else exactly how to do it. Our entries ranged from “How to Ice Skate” to “How to Really Annoy Your Seat Partner!” We did manage to get to recess at the correct times, and I worked with the fourth graders during the fifth grade recess time on their diseños, the maps that Californios made to request land from the Mexican government. They drew these last month. Today we aged them with water and a tempura wash.

Fifth graders worked on their outlining and study skills using a not-terribly-interesting passage about cooperation between European settlers and native Americans. We read another chapter in The True Adventures of Charlotte Doyle and I think the class is pretty hooked on this find YA novel. We’re reviewing what we’ve learned in fractions getting ready for a test. We are pushing the whole class to master both the fourth and fifth grade skills and to get a pretty solid grasp on the sixth grade ones as well. When there’s a class that’s this smart, why not?

We are starting to work on Beauty and the Beast, this year’s musical. Today I voice tested about half the class. The rest will be tested tomorrow. We have some good singers in room 19!

Homework:  (1) Write all words twice in cursive. Write sentences for words 11-15. (2) Do the spelling crossword. (3) Do the study guide for chapter two of Charlotte Doyle. (4) Do the More Fractions 3 paper. (4) Fourth grade history:  Complete the “Mexican California” study sheet. Fifth grade history:  Finish the outline of “Cooperation."

A few students may also need to finish their fraction review packets.