Newsletter: November 3rd

Dear Families,

It's hard to believe we've already hit the quarter point of this school year. The kids have been working hard on many inquiries and projects over the past couple weeks. They've also been having lots of fun (and getting lots of exercise) outside. Here is a photo dump from our most recent engagements.

We recently finished a focused study of multiplication. The kids worked
with blocks find different arrays for various products (such as 1x12, 
2x6 and 3x4 for 12).

They also worked with 100 Charts to plot multiples of each number
while looking for patterns (such as: the twos always land on an even number).

Plotting the 6s. 

Games are always an important part of our mathematical inquiries.
One game we learned to play during our study of multiplication was called
How Long, How Many? To win, the kids had to create different sizes of arrays,
select where to place them on 10x10 graph paper, and try to fill in as many spaces
as possible before they became stuck (having an array that is too large to fit anywhere).

As always, manipulatives such as blocks help us to 
better understand complex concepts.

Another engagement called on the kids to find different shapes
for a 12-square chocolate bar and then recommend the one they thought 
would be the best choice.

After weeks spent researching and writing, we are not sharing 
our Expert Project books with the whole class.

Four kids each day read their books to us and then welcome appreciations, 
questions and suggestions from their friends.

The kids worked so incredibly hard on these projects. I know they're
excited to share them out with the class. Next week we'll be sharing 
them with other classes around the school as well.

In social studies we've been reading books about people who take action
to make their communities a better place for all. One of our big takeaways has
been that although we can pinpoint one person (or a small group of people)
who acted to create change, EVERYONE has the power to do this work. Over the second
half of the year we'll be thinking about what issues are important to us, both collectively
and individually, and create plans for trying to bring about change.

In reading the kids are currently rehearsing Reader's Theater skits.

Readers Theater is not only super fun but a wonderful opportunity
to think a little harder about how we want our reading to sound.

They've been practicing their parts and will soon begin thinking
about costumes or props.

They'll perform these on Friday in class.

In this pic the kids are telling me 50 degrees is way too cold
to be playing outside. One even informed me, "I don't think
my mom lets me play outside in this weather." Ha, only in SC!

Finally, here are some pics from our Fall Festival last week. We had so
much fun -even if the rain and chilly temps cut us a little short.