It was so good to see everyone again after the break! It sounds like there was a lot of fun to be had and I loved hearing everyone's stories.
We are in the process of starting our newest storyline, beginning with some map work. We've talked about oceans and continents and the lack of a definitive answer for how many of each there are. When I was in school, there were four oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic) and 7 continents (N. and S. America, Africa, Australia, Europe, Asia and Antarctica). Now, some feel the waters around Antarctica should be called the Southern or Antarctic Ocean because the current travels differently from that of the other oceans which touch it. As far as continents go, there are between four and seven. The maps that we labeled in class have seven continents and four or five oceans (I let them choose if they wanted to include the Southern Ocean).
For homework this week, there are two math worksheets as well as some flashcards to make. It seems as though most students understand what multiplication is but are at various points on the spectrum of knowing their facts. The worksheet of multiplication facts will be fine for some students but others may need to do fewer to keep from feeling overwhelmed. I'll leave it up to you. The flashcards are a resource for practice; if you have your own, feel free to use those.
There is also a writing assignment as well as our first monthly literacy project. We talked about the project in class and they seem really excited about it. The assignment says to do a diorama or puppet show but there was a demand for a play as well; that would be fine. If the puppet show or play option is chosen, I can't emphasize enough the need to keep it concise and focused yet detailed. Let me know if you have any questions about it.
Have a great weekend and happy 2012!
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