Productive Week

First Grade Language Arts

We had perfect attendance in our group this week:) It was so nice to be back together!  I introduced the students to a constrained form of writing in which the use of certain letters is prohibited, lipograms.  We used higher-level thinking skills to replace words with words that have similar meaning and do not use the forbidden letter(s).  For example, the word fetch can be replaced with the word grab to avoid using the letter e.  It is not easy, but the students persevered.  I'm proud of them for hanging in there! We will continue with our study of lipograms next week.

Second Grade Language Arts

I began by showing the students a classic educational video.  They seemed to enjoy watching the Grammar Rock video on prepositions.  I believe this was the students' first introduction to prepositions.  We went on to list/review/briefly discuss the other parts of speech.  A four-level sentence analysis is a nice stepping stone to diagramming sentences. While completing a four-level analysis on one sentence, we discussed parts of speech, subject/predicate, and prepositional phrases.  Using 4 different Patricia Polacco books, our exploration of author's style began.  We will be learning about author's style next week.

Third Grade Language Arts

With almost everyone back this week, we moved on to fables in our study of folklore.  "The Ants and the Grasshopper" was our introductory fable.  Working in small groups, the students read and answered several profound questions.  Students were able to refer to our Change Generalizations poster for reference.  Using dictionaries, the students worked together to fill out a vocabulary map for fables.  Over the next couple weeks, we will continue our study of fables.

Fourth Grade Language Arts

Divide and conquer.  That's how our 4th graders progressed beautifully on their Anne Frank biography project.  Half the students put the finishing touches on the Anne Frank timeline poster.  Half the students began putting together a Google Slides presentation.  All the students will be working on the Google Slides presentation next week.

First Grade Math

As our study of geometric attributes progresses, our lessons require an increased level of critical thinking.  Students worked in pairs/small groups to evaluate two attributes simultaneously.  While looking at two attributes, the students had to decipher if shapes had one or both of the attributes.  Students were not simply sorting shapes, they also had to draw shapes that had one or both of the attributes.  Our HA curriculum calls this a two-loop puzzle.  The graphic organizer used is also known as a Venn diagram.  Working on this activity in pairs required the students to focus and stay on task.  You might ask your child if they did their best work with their partner.  

Second Grade Math

As you may recall from last week's blog, we moved on to 3D shapes.  To compare/contrast 2D and 3D shapes, we worked together and analyzed the differences between a cube and a square.  Both 2D and 3D shapes have vertices.  2D shapes have sides, but 3D shapes have faces and edges.  I apologize for not getting any pictures of your math students.  We had a couple students arrive late due to a special video project they were working on in the studio.  Once we were able to start class, we used every second to do our work.  

Third Grade Math

Using an array for reference, we examined order, structure, numerical patterns, visual patterns, operations, and inverse operations.  "Arrow math" uses arrows to point students in a particular direction on an array.  The students figured out what the mathematical rule is for each arrow (there are 8 types of arrows: straight up, straight down, straight to the left, straight to the right, up to the left, up to the right, down to the left, and down to the right).  They also had to follow a combination of arrows.  Arrow math will continue into next week.

Fourth Grade Math

This week's lesson was a continuation of last week's lesson.  As you may recall, students were given word problems that lend themselves to being solved algebraically.  After analyzing what they know and need to know from the word problems, students were instructed to approach the problems as puzzles and use logical reasoning and problem-solving strategies.  Instead of writing and solving equations, the students used the guess & test method and made an organized list.  After finding the answers, the students had to write their answers and brief explanations in sentence form.  I have included a picture of a student's work below as an example.

Happy New Year!

 FIRST GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

Due to the holiday, we had one language arts class this week instead of two.  With more than half the HA students absent, I improvised.  We spent our time reconnecting.  Students were given the opportunity to share three topics of their choice.  After the students shared, we made connections to their topics where applicable.  It was really nice to reconnect:)

SECOND GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

As you may recall, we finished our novel study and watched the movie right before break.  Instead of diving right in, I decided to give the students an "all about me" opportunity.  Due to poor attendance in my first grade HA class, we spent time reconnecting.  It proved to be so nice, I wanted to give the second graders the same opportunity before we move on.  Each student was given the opportunity to share/bring up three topics of their choice.  We were good, respectful listeners.  We asked questions and made connections.  It was such a nice, peaceful time together.  We really enjoyed reconnecting.

THIRD GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

As you may be aware, I was absent the last two weeks.  Due to the holiday, we met once this week instead of twice.  Also, nearly half our HA students were absent Tuesday.  Given the combination of circumstances, I decided not to move on to our next genre of folklore.  I started class by giving students a few things to take home from before our winter break.  We reflected back on what the topics/lessons were pertaining to the items they were taking home.  Some of the students took home an item or two that are incomplete.  As much as I do not want to leave anything incomplete, I believe moving on to the next genre of folklore is the best choice for the students.  Some students expressed wanting to learn more about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald and finish watching the documentary I had on while they were working on their drawings in December.  I told them the documentary link and another link on topic are in a previous blog post.  If your student asks you about it, you can find the links in the blog post from December 17.  That blog post begins with "Happy Holidays, HA families!"  The students and I also had some time to reconnect.  We had missed each other, so it was great to be reunited.  I look forward to seeing the absent students return:)

FOURTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

The students continued working on the timeline poster for the Anne Frank biography project.  They decided to use five year intervals with the first one at 1930 and the last one at 1950.  During our next lesson, the students will plot the ten highlights of Anne Frank's life.  They will also add pictures to the timeline.  After that, they will move on to creating the Google Slides presentation of the project.  

FIRST GRADE MATH

We focused on attributes this week.  Our first lesson involved sorting shapes by their attributes.  The students chose one of several attributes and drew three shapes inside a loop that have that attribute.  They drew two shapes outside the loop that do not have that attribute.  During our study of geometry, we have focused on standard geometric attributes.  Our second lesson had us thinking outside the box.  All the students completed their homework by bringing a stuffed animal to class:) After quickly introducing their animals, telling us why they chose them, where they got them, whether or not they have names, and how long they've had them, we moved on to their attributes.  I encourage you to discuss the pictures below with your student.  Your student can tell you what stuffed animal attributes we discussed.  It was a great lesson in discovering attributes versus being told what attributes to focus on! 

SECOND GRADE MATH

If you look closely at the picture below, you will see we worked with 3D shapes this week.  The 3D shapes we discussed are: cube, rectangular prism, triangular prism, square pyramid, and triangular pyramid.  The students analyzed the number and shapes of the sides.  By definition, a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not a square.  That fact comes up repeatedly in geometry.  In our class, we repeatedly discuss the meaning of that.  I am encouraging the students to memorize it by having them repeat it often.  We also had a little time to start a Marcy Cook 100's chart puzzle.  The students took home two puzzles they may complete for fun.

THIRD GRADE MATH

As you may recall, the students created their own 300's chart puzzles before winter break.  This week, the students created answer keys for the puzzles they created.  Each student was given a packet of the puzzles created by their classmates.  The students began solving the puzzles.  As the students began solving the puzzles, they found that some of the puzzles contain errors.  I encouraged the students to solve the best they can. The students took their packets home.  The students may choose to complete the packet and return to me for a vinyl sticker reward.  It is not homework.

FOURTH GRADE MATH

Given word problems that lend themselves to algebra, students were instructed to not solve algebraically.  Students began by analyzing what they know and need to know from the word problems. Instead of solving algebraically, students practiced using the guess-and-test method and making an organized list.  Rather than focus on writing equations, the students approached the problems as a puzzle and used logical reasoning and problem-solving strategies to figure out the solutions.  Once they found the answers, the students had to explain themselves in written words.  As I've mentioned before, writing in math is a skill we work on in HA. 

Happy Holidays, HA families!!!

 FIRST GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

We continued with anagrams this week.  Most of the students were greatly challenged by this.  I encouraged the students to persevere.  After our talk about the importance of perseverance, the students put forth great effort:) The students worked individually, in pairs, and in small groups.  They had letter tiles available to them to help manipulate the letters into different words. 

SECOND GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

 While watching The Tale of Despereaux, the students continued working on their character trait activities.  We discussed how the movie varied greatly from the book.  For the character trait assignment, students solely referenced the character as he was in the book.  We finished the movie, and the students finished their character trait activity!  We had a fun and productive time together this week:)

THIRD GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

  Up until this week, all of our examples of folklore have been very old stories.  On November 10, 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior.  With the tragic loss of 29 crew members, a modern legend was born.  I read a poem to the students, we listened to a song by Gordon Lightfoot, and we watched part of a documentary on the Edmund Fitzgerald.  After a discussion on color, mood, and tone, the students created interpretive drawings of the modern legend.  You may click here for the documentary SS Edmund Fitzgerald Documentary  Here's another link that may interest  you/your student https://www.shipwreckmuseum.com/edmund-fitzgerald/

FOURTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

We continued the timeline portion of our biography project.  As I mentioned last week, the timeline requires a lot of organization and collaboration.  The students continue to make me proud.  They worked together to edit the timeline.  Once they completed that, they started transferring the timeline onto large butcher paper.  This step of the timeline requires planning, organization, and collaboration.  It also requires patience, because some students may not be able to do their portions until after other students have completed their parts.  I'm very pleased with their attitudes toward each other and the project.

FIRST GRADE MATH

Making observations and sorting objects based on their properties forms the basis of much of math.  It is especially important in geometry.  Recognizing and understanding properties of shapes is more important than learning names for them.  Our lesson this week involved sorting by attributes.  We sorted people and shapes by their attributes.  In the first picture, the two students in the ‘circle’ are both in Miss Plinovich’s class.  In the second picture, all the students are first graders in HA math.  In the third picture, the two students both have on green shirts.  In the last picture, both the students are boys.  I did not get pictures of them sorting shapes by their attributes.  At first, they worked in pairs to sort shapes by their attributes.  At the end of class, we worked as a whole group taking turns sorting shapes by their attributes.  

SECOND GRADE MATH

Is a square a rectangle? Yes!  Is a rectangle a square? No! Vertices, angles, polygons, parallelograms, and closed plane figures, oh my! As you might guess, we discussed plane shape attributes and definitions.  I emphasized the shape attributes versus just visually knowing a shape's name by sight.  After the plane shapes review, I introduced prisms.  The students enjoyed working in pairs to build prisms out of straws and pipe cleaners.  It was quite challenging and required teamwork.  While the students were working, we discussed some similarities and differences between plane shapes and prisms.  It was a nice introduction to prisms.  

THIRD GRADE MATH

As you may recall, the students recently worked with a 700's chart to explore arrays and find mathematical patterns.  This week, the students created puzzles for a 300's chart.  They had creative and mathematical freedom.  Some students chose to create their puzzles solely based on mathematical patterns.  Some students created their puzzles based on visual design.  Regardless of their inspiration, creating the puzzles required a good sense of mathematical patterns.  Each student will be given a copy of all the puzzles to solve.  A couple of students made their keys (solutions) already.  The student mathematicians are enjoying being teachers by creating worksheets for their HA classmates.

FOURTH GRADE MATH

We took a little break from algebra this week.  We strained our brains with a logic puzzle.  It is said that logic puzzles exercise parts of the brain that may not be stimulated otherwise.  Logic puzzles boost brain activity and require systematic, critical thinking.  The students and I definitely felt the burn of a good workout.  I apologize for not getting a pic this week.