Panda Path - Reflection

Today, we visited the Panda Path pre-k students at the Spring Branch Family Development Center. We brought books to read and donate. Please describe your experience with your Panda Path pre-k buddies. You may write about hat you enjoyed and what was challenging. Did you learn anything about your buddy? Would you like to return? Please write in complete sentences.

Winter Break and Holiday Traditions

It's so exciting! Winter break is near! What are your plans? What are you looking forward to most? Are you traveling or staying in Houston? If you celebrate Christmas, what are some of your family's traditions you look forward to every year? If you celebrated Hanukkah, what was your favorite moment?

Monday is your first science test. You've been learning about the metric system and nutrition. Please share four to five facts that you have learned during these units. What is your studying strategy? Be sure to write in complete sentences and  use the correct punctuation and capitalization. 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just a week away. Many of us will spend time with family and friends. This holiday gives us time to think about what we are grateful for. 
Please share some of the people and things that fill your heart with gratitude! Write at lease 3 sentences please. 

How to Steal a Dog - Reflection

In our read-aloud How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor, Georgina's family has fallen on hard times. Georgina wants to help her family have a place to live. Her family needs money. She plans to steal a dog in order to get the reward money so she can pay for apartment rent. 

Stealing is against the law. Do you think Georgina's plan is good or bad? Do you think it is ever okay to do something bad in order to do something good? Please share your thoughts on this complicated situation.

Author Visits!

We have had the privilege of meeting and listening to three fantastic authors in the last two weeks!

Katherine Applegate is a Newbery Award winner for The One and Only Ivan and Laura Vaccaro Seeger is a 2- time Caldecott Honor Winner for Green and First the Egg. We also met Ralph Fletcher, author, poet and writing teacher. Please write about two things that you learned, thought was interesting, or stood out in your mind from each author. 

Halloween!

It's the night before Halloween! Is your costume ready? What will you be for Halloween? What is your Halloween night tradition? Be safe and don't eat too much candy!

Reading Workshop Response

Questioning the Text
In reading workshop today, we practiced being active readers by asking questions as we read. We discovered that sometimes reading on helps us answer our questions. Other times, more research or conversations with others are needed. Sometimes, our questions will go unanswered.

What were some of your questions as we read The Wolf Girls? Do you think the girls were really raised by wolves? Do you think Dr. Singh made up his story? What do you think is the truth about the girls?

Themes - Big Ideas

In reading workshop, we have been learning about the difference between plot and theme. We have been discussing the themes or big ideas from our own reading books and class read-alouds. Please write about a theme you've discovered in your reading or class read-aloud and give an example. I will write one as well!

My Personal Narrative

We are working on publishing our Personal Narratives! We have learned to zoom in and tell the most important details. We've revised our drafts to include strong leads and endings. We have examined how the use of dialogue, action, and writing descriptively to provide the reader with mental images improves our writing. 

Please share your title, story lead, ending or a memorable line from your story. Give us a sneak peak and spark our interest to read your writing soon!

Native American Study

We are beginning our unit study on Native Americans. Our class focuses on 6 main regions where Native people lived. Here are the tribes our class will study:

• The Chumash - California Coastal Region

• The Hopi - Southwestern Desert Region

• The Blackfeet - Northern Plains

• The Comanche - Southern Plains

• Cherokee - Southeast (Mountains)

• Ojibwa - Eastern Woodlands / Great Lakes Area

What tribe are you studying? What is an interesting fact your have already learned? What do you still wonder about?

We love to read for fun!

Please share the book that you are reading and tell us why you like it! 

Make US want to read YOUR book!

Native American Heritage Video

Native American Heritage

We are reading The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. The main character, Ivan, is a gorilla who faces many struggles. Although he has friends at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall, he still feels alone. What personal connections do you have with Ivan? Tell about a time you have struggled or felt alone like Ivan. Has a special friend ever helped you? Please respond in complete sentences with correct punctuation!

We are in our second week of 3rd Grade! What are some of the biggest differences between second and third grade? What are some of your goals for this school year? Please respond using correct capitalization and punctuation. 

Stepping Up!
The 2nd Graders will be coming to visit our classroom next week. What have been your favorite things about 3rd grade? What projects and learning did you find most interesting? What are the biggest differences between 2nd grade and 3rd grade? Please write at least 2 sentences with correct punctuation!

Living History Museum
We visited 4th Grade's Living History Museum. Please tell us about one of the people you learned about and write two or three interesting facts about them. 

We had a wonderful day today at the Houston Heritage Society and the Julia Ideson Library! We toured historical buildings and had hands-on experiences with artifacts from the past.

Write 4 sentences reflecting on your favorite parts of the field trip. What did you enjoy most? What did you learn? What are the parts of the day you will never forget?

Pioneer Hour Reflections

I am so proud of each of you! You researched for weeks and were able to write from the perspective of a pioneer child on the trail! Your journal entries are thoughtful, historically accurate and VERY entertaining!

Please write three or more sentences about our Pioneer Hour. Which project were you the most proud to share? What was the best compliment you received? What do you think could be improved for the students next year?

Courage

In assembly last Friday, Mrs. Babine spoke about courage.
She said that one way to define courage is the ability to do something difficult even if you are afraid.

Please share a time when you have had the courage to:

• tell the truth about a mistake or bad decision you made
• stand up for a friend
• stand up for yourself

How did you feel when your were being honest? Were you nervous? Were you sorry for what you did? Have you been the ONE to stand up in a situation where the right thing was not happening? Has anyone ever stood up for you in a tough situation? Please write at least three complete sentences. 

I know you have been working hard to prepare for your science test. Please teach me some information about structures and electricity. Impress me with your knowledge! Write at least two sentences.

Travelling West

Think about your pioneer family. What are some good things that might happen to your family on the trail? What are some bad things or dangers your family may face?
Please write at least 2 good things and 2 bad things that might happen. Write in complete sentences. 

A Long Trip
The pioneers travelled 2,000 miles from Independence, Missouri to Oregon Country. The trip was slow-going and took 6 months by wagon! Think about the longest trip you have been on. How did you get to your destination (bike, car, plane)? What did you do for entertainment? How did you feel when you arrived?

Westward Expansion

The year is 1862. The President is Abraham Lincoln and you are a citizen in the Eastern region of the United States. You have never been a landowner before. You hear people talking about The Homestead Act which gives land to those willing to travel West and develop it. Will you be a pioneer and travel the Oregon Trail for 6 months to claim your land? Or, will you choose to stay put. What are your reasons for leaving on the trail or staying in your current home?

Visiting Author, Laurie Keller

Laurie Keller is coming to visit us in March! We have been reading her books and enjoying her illustrations. Please visit her website and comment on a fact you learned about her in the About Me section or comment on your favorite Laurie Keller book! What do you like about her writing and illustrations? 

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! Please give your friends and me some ideas for showing kindness and love towards others! Write about at least one act of kindness you can do tomorrow at home for someone you love (parent, sister, brother, nanny, grandma etc). 

What were your thoughts about International Fair?

This week we visited Argentina and China!
What was your favorite country and was your favorite activity?
Write one new fact you learned.

We learned so much on our two field trips to the Museum of Fine Arts! We studied different styles of painting like impressionism, fauvism, pointilism and portraits. Some of us learned about pre-Columbian art and sculpture. One group saw art made by the Hopi Indians! What is one interesting painting, vessel or sculpture you learned about? What was your favorite art that you created at the Glassell School? Why?

International Fair Countries: China and Argentina

What is something you hope to discover about China? Read your classmates' posts. Please do not repeat wonders.

Write one FACT you already know about Argentina. What is one QUESTION you hope to answer about Argentina?
Read your classmates' posts. Please do not repeat facts or questions!

New Year's Resolution

At the beginning of a new year, many people think about goals they would like to accomplish or promises they would like to keep. What is your resolution for the new year? Please explain why you would like to set and accomplish this goal.