Our Classroom Blog

Friday, September 28, 2007 by Meghan W, Caitlin C, & Justin G

This week started out with a bang. During the first two days we did a lot. On Monday we had a spelling pretest. The challenge words were very hard, including words such as delicatessen, delicious, and tapioca!

In grammar we are learning about simple and complete subjects and predicates. On Wednesday we took part 2 of reading test and we still review all 4 types of sentences. Mr. Andresen is doing great at teaching both spelling and grammar. Also, we are learning about cause and effect. Cause and effect can keep going on forever and ever. Some ‘signal words’ we learned are “because, so, and since”. These are clues that a cause or effect might be happening.

The Book Fair is coming up in a few weeks. We learned a new Sparkle game. Mr. Andersen learned it from Mr. Walls and adapted it to our class. This is how it is played: A person says a word and calls on another person. That person spells the word. If they spell it right they say four corners and says corners 1, 2, 3 or 4. The corner that they pick the people in is the corner play a quick round of sparkle. Also we had an art lesson on optical illusions.

In Social Studies we are learning about how the Middle Atlantic States grew and changed. Some states grew similar and others grew differently. A lot of the immigrants that came to the Middle Atlantic States changed them by starting new industries or just living there. Some other problems that they had included to many people, traffic, and providing services for so many people.

In reading we are reading a book called “The Baker’s Neighbor”. It is about a baker named Manual that that bakes really good pastries. A man named Pablo likes to smell them and Manual gets really mad. He wants to start charging people for smelling his pies. Everyone gets really mad about that. Meanwhile, Manual wants to bring Pablo to court. At the end of hearing, Pablo wins and Manual has to start giving out his pastries for free. This book is a play and we all had a very good time acting it out!

In Science we are learning about simple machines. There are six types of Simple Machines: Lever, Pulley, Wheel & Axle, Screw, Inclined Pane, and Wedge

Mrs. Morton, the school counselor, comes in our class room to talk to us on every “Day 1”. Today she is talking to us about “I Letters”.  These are letters where you state how you feel. Here is an example: “I felt sad when you hit me earlier because that is not nice.  I need an apology and for you not to do that anymore.”

Mrs. Morton is very nice.

Each Morning, we usually begin with something called Deducibles. Deducilbes are a logic puzzle where we have to figure out vocabulary words by using clues to solve each one.

We all are missing our secretary Ms. Connie. She is she recovering from an illness.

Also we are having a canned food drive for the food pantry. Just a heads up we are having our annual PTA craft fair plus desserts sponsored by Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Village Inn

SO THAT’S THE FIREBIRD!!!