High Ability Update

Solving word ladder puzzles is a fun and challenging way to focus on spelling and meaning. The students are challenged and fascinated by changing one letter in a word to completely change the meaning. Although most students have changed a letter to change a word before, they hadn't previously been given such difficult clues. They were up for the challenge:)

Our study of geometric attributes continues. This week we moved on to two loop classification.

While emphasizing comprehension, we completed a few fun activities to officially wrap up our study of The Tale of Despereaux. The students are bummed to be saying goodbye to Despereaux, but they're sure to enjoy the last half of the year in HALA.

We continue using relational thinking to solve subtraction problems that would otherwise require borrowing. Practice, practice, practice:) For example: 32 - 29 would require borrowing. If we change the problem to 33 - 30, we don't have to borrow. 32 - 29 = 33 - 30

While watching more of the documentary on the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck, students completed their drawings of the fateful ship. Students also added legend to their folklore posters while we had a brief discussion on the difference between legend and myth.

Students designed snowglobes based on a series of math problems.

Students continued reading about the subjects of their biography projects. They are reading with a purpose. They are looking for what made him/her a change maker. The students have a few initial questions to answer. They are also beginning to take notes, so we discussed what noteworthy means.

After our little detour, we are back to algebra. After a refresher, students worked in pairs/small groups to solve some equations. By the end of class, they all felt comfortable. I'm impressed they weren't more rusty:)

Email: kapeterson@duneland.k12.in.us
Location: Jackson Elementary School, North 400 East, Valparaiso, IN, USA
Phone: 219-983-3680