Buzz Buzz!

Worky work! Busy bees!!

This week in Language Arts we have continued comparing fiction to non-fiction texts, utilizing before, during, and after reading strategies, as well as using those strategies to make predictions.
One book we practiced making predictions with is The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. This is the Caldecott Award-Winning story of Phillipe Petit - the man who walked a tight rope between the World Trade Center Towers in August of 1974. If any of you are familiar with the book or independent film Man on a Wire - this is the same guy.

I've been sharing this book with students on or around 9/11 for the past four years. I think it's a wonderful way to associate a positive memory with the towers, and it has also served as a springboard for students to ask questions about what happened on that day. There weren't any questions or connections vocalized by the students today.

Beginning next week, we will be reading The Velveteen Rabbit as a whole class. I choose to read this book with the students for multiple reasons. First, it ties in with Character Counts – showing examples of so many different pillars of character! Second, I like to start with a smaller chapter book to begin the discourse model for reading groups. This model is great to use with the Gifted and Talented program as it really harnesses the higher level comprehension and questioning skills. I will be alternating back and forth between the discourse model, and the Literature Circle model throughout the year.

Students will be expected to read one chapter per night, twice. Please do not let the students go ahead in the book – our discussion relies on all the students being at the same point in the book. Each day we will meet in our groups to discuss new vocabulary, answer any questions the students may have about the book, as well as answer questions in response to the book. These small group discussions will build up to the whole group discussion that we will have at the end of the week.
The book will be kept in the baggie with the Reading Response Journal (RRJ). The pages in the journal will be used as note taking pages, and response pages. The pages will be clearly marked as such: each chapter will have a page labeled for note taking, and a page labeled for responding. The note taking pages will be for listing unknown or interesting words, questions students have about what has happened in the story, and/or an area to prepare their responses.

I have seen such a great amount of success with this model in the past. The quality of discussion is like that of a book club – for adults!

As always, should you have any questions about this model please contact me as soon as possible. Kelly.Phelps@fcps.org

This coming week in math we will be wrapping up place value skills while continuing to practice patterns skills. We will be picking up where we left off with the Mad Minute next week, finishing up with a quiz on Friday.

Our next Social Studies Unit is a drug education program entitled "Here's Looking at You". In this unit students will be able to: identify themselves as unique individuals, discuss the qualities of good friends/friendships, describe the physiological and behavioral effects of nicotine, identify drinks that contain alcohol, describe the behavioral effects of alcohol, identify and describe the functions of the brain, heart, liver and lungs, describe the effects of nicotine and alcohol on the body, and identify drugs as "any substances except food that affects the way the mind or body works." This program was developed by teh Educational Service District No. 121 under grants from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This program extends from Kindergarten through 12th grade. The overall goal of this program is to help young people make responsible decisions concerning drugs. As always, should you have any questions about this unit please contact me as soon as possible. Kelly.Phelps@fcps.org

In the students' Home-School folders today was the permission slip for our first field trip!! We will be going to the Great Frederick Fair on Wednesday, September 22! This trip is not for rides and games, but for the agricultural and economical lessons that can be learned from a fair. Chaperones are welcome to attend. If you wish to ride the bus, please be advised that the cost is $2.00. If you wish to attend but are willing/able/would rather drive that is perfectly fine as well, without the $2.00 fee. Chaperones must be present at the school before we leave for the field trip, and follow or ride the busses to the Great Frederick Fairgrounds. SO EXCITED!!

Thank you to all of you who signed up to volunteer! I will be putting together a volunteer calendar to begin the week of October 4th. I'll be in touch - thank you again!

Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy this great, autumnal weather!

:) KM