We were greeted by a full double rainbow on Monday morning, a pot of gold to be found in the Depot, where the art show opens on Thursday night, and in the kindergarten room, where we all know the magic of the elementary years begins. Rainbows are nature’s lemonade; just when the rain is getting you down, your gaze is drawn upward by their marvelous luminosity.

We are piloting a new system in the 4/5 that you may remember from Temescal third grade – the Friday Folder. This Friday, we will send home a packet (in a folder, should they arrive in time), of your child’s work from this week – not all of it, just a selection intended to keep you informed of what we are up to and how your child is coming along. There will be a rubric on the front of it with a self-reflection, a place for them to set a goal, and a place for you to write a short few sentences of praise and feedback. We will focus on one subject each week for reflection and goal setting, but expect there to be a selection of their work – including a spelling quiz, a page of math, a writing sample, and an ongoing reading log. Sometimes we will include cultural studies and science work. The folders will come back on Monday, at which point students will add them to their cumulative portfolios. Our hope is that this will give you a better ongoing sense of how students are doing, how you can support them, and what we are currently studying.

 

Social and Emotional Life

Four square has been a hot topic of conversation lately, as it has since the craze began three or four years ago. Students make and break the rules on the four square court. They vote, they argue, they dispute, and the negotiate. Sometimes they need some teacher help to make the game inclusive, but mostly they referee their own games and succeed in making it fun for a wide range of ages, genders, and athletic abilities. The most recent rule they created is that the server only gets four serves before they have to go to the end of the line. Of course, the students that spend the most time in the server square don’t love this rule, but it gives a chance to far more children to be the leader. The other game that continues to be huge right now is jump rope–an oldie but goodie.

Gizmos

The gizmos continue to be an exciting project for students to try it, change it, and try it again. They are in various stages of completion, and it’s safe to say that each and every group has had to revise their original plan as they have come up against materials constraints or technical challenges. We hope to complete them by early next week, and we will make a video of their presentation for you to enjoy.

 

New reading buddies in Blackberry Creek

We usually change our buddy pairs halfway through each year to give students a chance to get to know more of their schoolmates. Last Wednesday, they drew some of their hopes and dreams for their time together. And they’re so cute together I couldn’t resist posting their portraits.

Homework

  • Math
    • 4th grade: worksheets due Wednesday and Friday
    • 5th grade: packet due Friday
  • Wordly Wise: Lesson 5
  • Reading: 20 minutes, book of your choice
  • Writing: 4 entries. This week, we are giving you specific entries to write about. Enjoy!
  1. Grandpa’s attic is full of old clothes and other stuff from long ago. My sisters and I like to go up there and make believe we are…
  2. Just as she settled into her favorite chair to read her book, Jessica’s phone rang. “Who would be calling this late at night?”
  3. It was just after noon when Andrew hungrily opened his Justice League lunch box. He couldn’t have been more surprised. Right next to the apple he found…
  4. If you think about it, every season has its good points and its bad points. For me, the best thing about winter is…