2008 Has Been Busy so Far...

Hello, Families!

We hope that your 2008 has gotten off to a great start. We have all been very busy in the room since school resumed just a couple of weeks ago. Here's the latest...

ROPES
Many of you went to the ROPES informational meeting on last Thursday. If you didn't,no worries, there is plenty of information in the packets, from the educators, and from the plethora of ROPES veterans at the CLC. Those who have read/seen information regarding ROPES probably noticed that it dovetails nicely with the philosophy behind the Personalized Learning Projects (PLP). The packets are very informative. One of the few changes we impose is that we ask that learners do not work with partners in the fourth grade; their first year attempting ROPES. In many projects in class, learners have opportunities to work with others, so that isn't an experience from which they are lacking. Learners can pick similar ROPES and work together if activities happen to coincide, but the projects should ultimately be solo. In order to save paper, we will be sending home packets with learners who tell us they do not have one. If you do not see a ROPES packet by the end of the week, and do not already have one at home, please let us know. The ROPES takes the place of the annual Personalized Learning Project (PLP). If your child (or family) decides that he/she (they) will not participating in the district ROPES project, we can have a discussion about how to do an alternate PLP that is based on the ROPES, yet modified as needed. Please note that you are responsible for turning in a form to participate in ROPES. The form is in the ROPES packet. It is due to the district office on February 15. We will be turning in all forms to the district as a group, so please put your form in Elysha's family folder once you have completed it. There will be an envelope inside the folder to put it in. We will send out more information about ROPES shortly. Spending some time looking over the packet with your child and having them brainstorm some of their personal interests would be a good idea this week.


Instructional Assistant

As you know, Emma made the decision to focus on her role as a librarian and her graduate work earlier in the school year. We have finally found a new Instructional Assistant who can fulfill the twenty hours of aiding allotted for the fourth grade classroom. Christina Harris, our new IA, will be introducing herself to the classroom and it's routines this week. She's a recent Sociology graduate from San Jose State with a strong interest in working with children, and experience as a volunteer student aide and peer mentor. She will be working in our classrooms in the mornings and in Educare some afternoons. Luckily, the learners will still have the opportunity to connect with Emma during our regularly scheduled library hours, and the many fun library events Emma schedules.

Reader's Workshop
We have begun a new round of literature circles based on the genre of Historical Fiction The books all take place in California during the 1800's and connect with what we're focusing on in Social Studies. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Patty Reed's Doll , and The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung are the books that the learners chose from. They are being facilitated by some wonderful volunteers: Emma Moore, Patti Miller, Jacqui Inglis, Laurel Skillman, and Sandee Althouse. Some of the children are learning about the Gold Rush through the eyes of a girl from the East Coast and a boy from China. Some are learning more about Native American life through a book based on a true survival story that took place during that time. Lastly, some are learning about the fateful Donner Party (rated G version) and westward expansion from the eyes of well, a wooden doll. You may see them carrying their book home if they haven't finished it during the Reader's Workshop times we have scheduled almost daily. Ask your child about what they're reading!

Writer's Workshop
We're finally publishing our personal narratives. Learners had conferences during the writing process and continue to refine their essays, even in the publishing stage. Mini-lessons on items like correct punctuation of quotation marks, using juicier words than "said" in dialogue, and indenting and spacing of dialogue are examples of skills and techniques being reviewed and taught while working on the final piece. We are looking forward to sharing them with the K/1 buddies. If you are looking for home hours and would like to format the already typed pieces of the learners so that they can make a small picture book, please let me (Lale) know.

FAB
Art, Drama, and the extra Library Research groups running on Wednesdays ended today! Irene reported that she loved hearing the conversations about color as they explored color in various ways this session. Drama has been filled with lots of laughter and some silly plays. The library research project has given the learners some new exposure and skills for researching. Thanks to Irene for teaching Art, Sharon Collier for teaching Drama, and Emma for teaching Library Research Skills. We'll let you know about our next exciting round of FAB soon!

Math
The last couple weeks have been filled with review. We reviewed addition and subtraction as well as multiplication of larger numbers. Before the break we looked at decimals and percents and their relationships to one another. We will now take that a step further and start to look at fractions. Last week learners divided crazy cakes into two halves and then had to prove that their cake was divided fairly. In the upcoming weeks we will use geoboards to look at fourths, eigths, etc. We will also begin to compare and order fractions. One thing you can do at home is cook together. What if you double the recipe or cut it in half? How does this change the fractional parts?

Social Studies
We are almost finished with our mission brochures and all of our mission drawings are finished. I have attached some photos below. They have really turned out great. The mission brochures will be available shortly.
One of the groups of settlers we'll be studying in class are the Russians. If you would like to be a part of providing some cultural experiences from the day. (ie cooking, art, dance, storytelling) please let Lale know. She has lots of resources and ideas if you're interested. She's hoping these will happen sometime in early February. We are also beginning to look at the California Ranchos. We recently read about the closing of the missions and what happened to the land in California. We made diseno's (handmade maps that were created for land grants). We will continue to learn about ranchos, and will participate in a variety of hands on activities at our next field trip to the Adobe House on Feb 1.