February
Hello Wonderful Families!
Here’s an update for what we’ve been working on:
We started off the New Year learning about the depth and complexity icons for important details and BIG ideas. Important details are essential and support the BIG ideas. Big ideas are interesting and can be a generalization, opinion or summary. We used this framework to learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Throughout the year your students will have the opportunity to research other important historical/modern heroes and share their learning with the class. One website we will occasionally use is the encyclopedia britannica found on the district’s website: https://school-eb-com.content.elibrarymn.org/levels/elementary
Behavior goals: Here are the 4 main behavior goals we are working on 1. Following Directions, 2. Producing quality work 3. Focusing 4. Raising hands. Students are doing self-assessments to rate themselves on these goals. I will check in with families when we have consistent challenges that cannot be addressed in the classroom. Thank you for your support with this!
Upcoming units:
3rd graders: We will do a class project on evolving adaptations. Here is a description of the project: Living things adapt or change over time to survive and reproduce.
Structural adaptations are special body parts or physical features of an organism. Living organism structures (like size, shape and color) reveal a lot about how the environment may have changed over time. But who first discovered this? And what clues do animals’ current adaptations give us to the past? Explore this amazing project that asks you to think like an evolutionary biologist!
4th graders: Poetry/Harlem Renaissance: We will be reading poetry by Langston Hughes and learning about the Harlem Renaissance. Students will have the opportunity to explore the lives of poets.
5th graders: Our theme for this year is Autobiographies and Memoirs. Students will be writing “What’s important about me” poems and discussing change in their own lives.
Conferences: I will be at Sullivan on 2/13 from 3:00-5:00. Feel free to pop by if you want to check in. I am also available by email or google meet if that is easier for you. As always, please reach out if you want to connect about your student. I am part-time at Sullivan so I will get back to you as soon as I am able.
I know there is a lot going on in our world right now that can be confusing/worrisome for our kids. I noticed last week there were more students discussing things that worried them. Many of these things are not in their control and I think that can be very hard for them. I will be reminding them that their grown ups/teachers are in charge and we will take care of them. I care about all my students and strive every day to create a safe and welcoming space for them.
Thank you for your support! Take care and I’ll be in touch in March!
Nellie