Ms. (Val) Anderson took a group of students to the Milaca Pantry to help sort the donations.
So thankful we were able to help our neighbors and friends.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Food Drive
The Milaca Elementary school donated 510 items (17 milk crates worth) of food and raised over $300.
Ms. (Val) Anderson took a group of students to the Milaca Pantry to help sort the donations.
Ms. (Val) Anderson took a group of students to the Milaca Pantry to help sort the donations.
Analyze
After learning about what makes up a poem, today, we started talking about how to study and read a poem. We started analyzing poems.
First, we took notes, so we knew some of the basic questions we could ask ourselves, and what we could do.
It is fun to see how engaged and interested students are in reading poetry. The analyze step is important, because you realize that students don't always realize what they are reading. They know if they "like" the poem, or if it is humorous, but they hadn't always thought about what the author was trying to say, or what techniques the writer uses to get across their idea. We also learned that in both classes, students didn't know what a "poet" was ... Real learning and analysis happening ...
First, we took notes, so we knew some of the basic questions we could ask ourselves, and what we could do.
Then we received a graphic organizer to help us.
It is fun to see how engaged and interested students are in reading poetry. The analyze step is important, because you realize that students don't always realize what they are reading. They know if they "like" the poem, or if it is humorous, but they hadn't always thought about what the author was trying to say, or what techniques the writer uses to get across their idea. We also learned that in both classes, students didn't know what a "poet" was ... Real learning and analysis happening ...
Miles to Go
This week, we are learning more about Poetry. We talked about the elements of poetry and the forms.
After we learned about keys details of poetry, we visited the Epic app and read a book called, "Exploring Poetry".
Ms
Ms. Leom shared several examples of poetry by several authors. We listened the rhyme or free verse, the rhythm, and examples of figurative language.
The book, Exploring Poetry was so exciting!! We were able to make connections! The book has QR codes, which we are creating our own in writing. The book references Greek Mythology, which some students are reading in Reading Flex.
One of the poems Ms. Leom read was Robert Frost's, "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening", and it ends with the repeating line, "and miles to go before I sleep." We have miles to go as we continue to learn more about poetry!
After we learned about keys details of poetry, we visited the Epic app and read a book called, "Exploring Poetry".
MsMs. Leom shared several examples of poetry by several authors. We listened the rhyme or free verse, the rhythm, and examples of figurative language.
The book, Exploring Poetry was so exciting!! We were able to make connections! The book has QR codes, which we are creating our own in writing. The book references Greek Mythology, which some students are reading in Reading Flex.
Friday, March 17, 2017
Out of My Mind
Ms. Leom is reading a realistic fiction book to her homeroom class called, Out of My Mind.
The book is about eleven year old Melody who lives with Cerebral Palsy. She has a photographic memory and can remember every conversation, text, television commercial, song, going back to her first months when her brain unraveled text. When she listens to music, she visualizes colors. All this information is trapped, in her mind, because Melody has no ability to communicate. In addition, she is confined to a wheelchair and only her thumbs work perfectly.
This is a great book to appreciate the heart of every person. As we read, we will develop our Olweus, anti-bullying discussion, to include an appreciation for all people, including our community members with disabilities.
Ms. Leom's homeroom families, be sure to ask your fourth grader about Melody, her adventures and experiences.
Routines
There is a purpose to routines in a classroom ... Ms. Leom was home sick two days this week with a cold. When she returned, this view greeted her on her board:
It wasn't part of the lesson plan ... the lesson plan for the substitute said students should read Casey Jones and analyze the text for phrases, what it means, and clues and evidence in the story. Sometimes, when substitutes come in, they come in during the middle of the lesson, don't know what led up to the activity, and it is so foreign out of context that it doesn't make sense or can be confusing.
The students know the unit learning goal: I can determine the author's purpose of the text", and they knew that often when we are reading a longer genre study, we use sticky notes to share our learning and develop our discussion.
It warms my heart to know that our routines matter, that students are engaged and driving their learning, and what we do every day matters.
It wasn't part of the lesson plan ... the lesson plan for the substitute said students should read Casey Jones and analyze the text for phrases, what it means, and clues and evidence in the story. Sometimes, when substitutes come in, they come in during the middle of the lesson, don't know what led up to the activity, and it is so foreign out of context that it doesn't make sense or can be confusing.
The students know the unit learning goal: I can determine the author's purpose of the text", and they knew that often when we are reading a longer genre study, we use sticky notes to share our learning and develop our discussion.
It warms my heart to know that our routines matter, that students are engaged and driving their learning, and what we do every day matters.
Tall Tales
This week we are learning about Tall Tales in class. We read about Febold Feboldson, Mighty Joe Magarac, and Casey Jones. Ms. Leom also read stories about Davey Crockett and Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Thunder.
On Wednesday in class, we were "making connections". To start, we organized our word space, laying out all of our materials so we could be successful. We did a larger portion of our learning together as a class discussion with student participation helping shape the lesson.
We had taken notes on the features of Tall Tales in the margins previously, so it helped us when we we developed our comprehension to a deeper level.
On Wednesday in class, we were "making connections". To start, we organized our word space, laying out all of our materials so we could be successful. We did a larger portion of our learning together as a class discussion with student participation helping shape the lesson.
We had taken notes on the features of Tall Tales in the margins previously, so it helped us when we we developed our comprehension to a deeper level.
Carnival
On Friday March 10th, the Milaca PTO hosted their annual PTO Carnival. It is a free entry. Tickets can be purchased for games, food, and more.
Mr. G and his wife were helping with the walking tacos. Ms. Leom was there with her children. It was fun to see so many friendly, familiar faces!! We raised a
Mr. G and his wife were helping with the walking tacos. Ms. Leom was there with her children. It was fun to see so many friendly, familiar faces!! We raised a
Friday, March 3, 2017
The Sneetches
Dr. Seuss published the book, "The Sneetches and Other Stories" in 1961. It is about the Sneetches who have stars on their bellies and those who have bare bellies. In the beginning, the Sneetches with stars walk with their noses up, and those with bare bellies, walk with their noses down. In each situation, you miss the opportunity to look people in the eye, and see what makes each Sneetch a Sneetch. It fits into our Olweus bully-free school curriculum so perfectly, and into the daily experience of every person. For we go through great periods of "belonging" and "feeling left out". In the book and play, Sylvester McMonkey McBean provides the opportunity, for a fee, to add or remove stars, until all the Sneetches are broke and still confused about having a star or a bare belly. When we chase to belong, what are we chasing? We need to stop looking for what makes us different and focus on what makes us each ourselves.
"That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day,
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars
And whether they had one, or not, upon thars."
I wish I could bottle up the magic and awe of the moments. When we started intermission, the students near me said in complete wonder, "It is just like the tv, but the screen is so big, and it is real, playing out before our eyes!"
"That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day,
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars
And whether they had one, or not, upon thars."
I wish I could bottle up the magic and awe of the moments. When we started intermission, the students near me said in complete wonder, "It is just like the tv, but the screen is so big, and it is real, playing out before our eyes!"
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