This week we completed our read aloud Because of Winn-Dixie. We took time during our read aloud to discuss how every book has a climax. The climax is when the character faces their biggest challenge. We discussed how during the climax Opal lost Winn-Dixie. This caused her to realize how lonely she was without her mom around. We also talked about how characters often resolve their problems using their inner strength. Opal used her courage to overcome her loneliness and forgive her mom for leaving her.
Today we read the folktale Half Chicken by Alma Flor Ada. We talked about how folktales are passed down from generation to generation through word of mouth. We also talked about how folktales explain how something came to be and/or teach the readers a lesson about life. As the weeks continue on we will be “traveling” around the world reading various folktales. In writing we talked about how in order to be successful writers, we must be avid readers of the genre we want to write. This week we read many fairy tale stories. Today we made note of the various patterns in plot (problem and solution), characters, and settings, in this genre of story writing. In the upcoming week we will continue reading various folktales and fairytales. Students will get to create a fairy tale of their own or adapt an existing fairy tale in the coming weeks. In math we have begun our geometry unit. This unit also reviews the concepts of area (the amount of space a shape takes up) and perimeter (the total length around the shape). Students should be able to explain to you the different attributes of the following polygons: quadrilaterals, rhombuses, squares, rectangles, trapezoids, and parallelograms. During morning meeting we have been talking about prefixes and suffixes. We have talked about how these word parts are added to the beginning and ending of words to make new words. By knowing the meaning of different prefixes and suffixes, we can more easily define and understand multisyllabic words. The students did great work at their concert this past Wednesday and it was so fun to watch them perform! Upcoming Dates Parent Input Forms are due→ you can access these from the attachments to the CORE, Orchard’s newsletter. I will be sending out some paper copies on Monday, May 17th 5:30-7:30 pm Spring Fling May 18th 9:00-12:00 Sprucing up the Orchard Gardens May 24th 10:00-12:00 Field Trip to Folino’s Pizza (be on the lookout for a permission slip and note about this trip on Monday) Orchard School is looking to create a Rock Garden during the 18th garden work day. Miss Susie (art teacher) will be having the students paint rocks. You can help by bringing in rocks to paint by MAY 17th. Students can bring a rock for themselves. We are looking for rocks that are smooth, round/oval, and the size of an egg. If the student wants to use a specific rock they have found, have them write their initials on the bottom of the rock. Extra rocks can be left unmarked. Thank you!
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December 2018
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