Early Dismissal Due to Snow!

Due to the snow, school dismissed early today!  This news brought much joy to the students!

We were able to continue our meeting with Mr. Ottenheimer and a young German student named Theresa Baumbach.  We discussed the information they shared and were able to begin our reading of the novel.


Homework:
Math - Benchmark on Thursday.  Chapter test on Friday.  Please study.
Reading - Read intro and first two chapters of The Upstairs Room for cafe.  Be ready with your crossword, questions for the chapter, and role on Thursday.  Benchmark is on Monday.
Spelling - Study your words.
Social Studies - Finish your scavenger hunt (exploration of maps) for Monday.
Science - Study guide for activities 1-3 due next Tuesday.

A Visit From Fritz Ottenheimer

Fritz Ottenheimer, author of Escape and Return, twice visited my classroom to speak to the children about his experience of living in his hometown of Constance, as a Jewish German citizen, during Hitler's reign.  On his second visit, my partner and I asked if he would mind us filming him so that he may continue to share his story for years to come.  He agreed, and today, more students were privileged to hear his story. 

Mr. Ottenheimer shared with Language Arts groups participating in our reading cafe.  We are beginning the novel The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss, and his life experience provides the students with great background information that will make the story come alive.  There is nothing better than a primary source to help us learn about history, and Mr. Ottenheimer's story is one we won't forget. 

Our Thursday afternoons are largely spent in Related Arts classes.  The students visited the Library for a lesson in using the internet safely and moved on to their first Technology class this year.  Group 310 enjoyed their first Music class of the semester.

Homework:
Math - packet
Reading - Read through chapter 2 in The Upstairs Room.  Complete new role, vocabulary exercise, and all related questions for next Thursday.
Spelling - Trace +2 due tomorrow
Science - Study guide for activities 1-3 due next Tuesday

Brrrrrrrr! Brrrrrrrrr!

It's a good thing that I've been among so many working brains warming the room because the temperatures outside have been bone chilling!  It's been so frigid that we've had two hour delays the last two days of school. Although our time has been limited, we've managed to make a start on our Europe/Russia unit and skill building for a new story in Reading called The Day of the Turtle. 

To kick off our Europe unit, we completed a scavenger hunt with partners using the various maps of the continent.  We had about five different types of maps at our fingertips to explore the area a bit.  In addition, we read a new and interesting Junior Scholastic magazine which included information about President Obama's Inauguration and The New Face of America.  The latter article talked about the fact that for the first time, more minorities than whites are being born in the U.S.  The students had many opportunities to interact; sharing thoughts and ideas about the articles. 

Our new skill for the coming week deals with how authors use imagery in their writing.  We searched for examples of sensory words and figurative language that help an author paint pictures in our heads as we read.  New spelling words and a new 'Family Times' paper were distributed. 

We will be having a new cafe tomorrow to kick off The Upstairs Room.  Students will hear from Mr. Fritz Ottenheimer, a very special guest!

Homework:
Math - An Ocean of Fun paper
Reading - Share Family Times
Spelling - Trace +2 due on Friday.
Science - Study guide for Activities 1-3 due Tuesday.  Test next Friday.