Explorer Research

We are beginning explorer research.  Your child has selected a specific explorer and with the help of the LMC, we will spend a week researching and learning about each explorer.  They will learn about the explorer's life, motivation to explore, and their impacts on exploration and the New World.  There will be a culminating activity that will be posted here, so stay tuned!

BEAR Folders

Spring break is right around the corner!  This next March-May unit will be a student choice book.  Please help your child find a novel or nonfiction text that would interest them.  It needs to be approved (to make sure that it is a good fit book) by next Friday, so that they can start reading during their spring break.  They will have a project to complete with many different options including their own ideas.  Happy reading! 

Explorer Deep Sea Dive

This week the students dove to the bottom of the ocean to explore artifacts from a ship on the ocean floor.  They collected the artifacts and are now studying how each artifact was a motivation for European exploration.  Once we finish, we will start learning about individual explorers, their experiences and impacts on the New World.

BEAR folders

This is just a reminder that BEAR folders are due on Monday.  Most of the students have turned them in already, but if your child is still working on it, make sure that they turn it in on Monday.

BEAR folders

This is just a reminder that all BEAR folders and projects are due on Tuesday.  Due to all the snow days if your child needs a short extension, let me know.  Remember that your child should have read a historical fiction book and compared the novel to what the actual time period was like.  Was the novel realistic for the time period?

Winter Olympic Study

The students have been researching a country of their choice and are comparing their country to the United States.  They have learned about the geography, economy and government of their country.  This week we will look at the performance of their country in the winter olympics and compare it to the performance of the United States.

Variety Show

It was a fun night at Dryden last night!  The students all did a wonderful job.  Thank you to all the parents that made the performance such a success.  It is clear that there is a lot of talent at Dryden!

Valentine's Day Party- Thank You!

We had a great time at the party on Friday!  Thank you to all the parents that provided snacks and/or volunteered.  We had a wonderful time!  Here are some pictures from the event.

The Winter Olympics

Every four years we are excited to watch individual athletes participate in the Winter Olympics.  As a part of his three week competition, I am asking my students to select a specific country to track throughout the olympics (other than the United States).  Your child will be learning about the Olympics and each child will learn about their country they selected and follow the athletes throughout the olympics to see how they fare as they chase their dreams.

Native American Optional Project

Your child came home yesterday with an optional project that they can complete.  Each child researched a specific tribe and a specific area of interest (shelter, arts and crafts, and clothing).  Now your child is being given the opportunity to share this information with their peers.  They can create a poster, 3d model, power point, etc.  I sent home the facts they learned in class, but they may find that they may need to research further at home and are welcome to do so.  They need to incorporate their facts  and visuals with their project.  All projects are due on February 21st.  This project is optional and will receive extra credit.

BEAR FOLDER AND PROJECT

Your child should be working on their BEAR folders.  This cycle your child is reading a historical fiction book.  Once they finish reading, they should research the time period in which the novel was written and then determine if the story would be considered historically accurate for the time period.  For example, if the main character takes a plane, were planes even in existence?  All projects are due on Tuesday, February 25th.  Let me know if you have any questions.

A Warm Welcome!

Welcome Abbe Wienckowski!  She will be student teaching in our classroom for the next sixteen week.  She will is form the University of Illinois.  She will be sending home a letter introducing herself on Wednesday.  We are so happy she is here!

Book Order

I sent home a book order today with your child.  If you are interested in ordering books, they are due my Friday, January 23rd.  There is a coupon that your child can use for a free book if they spend ten dollars are more.  If you are not interested, please disregard.

BEAR PROJECT

Hi, everyone!  Welcome back to school (finally)!!!!!  This month your child will be reading a historical fiction book and will complete a project based upon it.  Please have your child turn in their title to me by Friday, January 10th.  Happy reading!

Diamante Poems

Today in class we made Diamante poems.  If you would like to make one at home, check out this website:

 http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/diamante-poems-30053.html