Happy Saturday!

Here are some pictures, updates and news for you to ponder this weekend!

Our Valentine holders are looking great! Some students have finished, others are not. If your child has taken his/her card holder home it is because he/she wanted to add to it. There are a few students who wanted to make the holder at home only and chose to work on unfinished work at school! The Valentine holders are a Maker project. There are two criteria: The finished product must 1) Have your name on it and 2) Have an opening for cards! Even though these were individual Maker projects we still used the 4 Cs. I love how this group of kids can communicate, collaborate, think critically and is so creative. The process we take as Makers has become so natural to us and the final products are amazing!

Updates:

-Ask me… for this weekend: to show me something you are working on, have learned or planning to do for your heritage/family tree project. This can be done as a sketch, or through writing. It’s up to you. The question this week is meant to give you time to work on the heritage/family tree project, or at least talk about what you are going to do. I have 3 projects completed…all are completely different from each other. This is exactly what I was hoping for. We will start presenting these projects this week at school. *IF you are one of the students who have finished your project: you can write something you learned about your family or about why you chose to present the way you did as your Ask me… this week

-Reminder: We are plastering on Monday. Please dress appropriately for doing artwork!

-#MentalMathMonday’s focus will be on subtraction facts. If you are not feeling confident with your subtraction…take some time to work on facts such as:

11-4, 15-9, 16-8, 19-8, 13-7, 12-5, 10-8, 20-15, etc.

*Remember to use the strategies you already know to help you!

Example: If you know that 4+7=11, then 11-4=7! (Using addition to think subtraction)

Example:  If you know that 15-10=5, then 15-9=6 (-10 and +1 to do the “9” facts)

Example: If you know that 9+9=18, then 18-9=9 (Doubles)

Example: If you know that 6+7=13, then 13-7=6 (Near doubles)

Example: If you know that 7+5=12, then 12-5=7 (Doubles +/-2)

Example: If you know that 2+8=10, then 10-8=2 (Compatible numbers to 10)

Example: If you know that 5+15=20, then 20-15=5 (Compatible numbers to 20)

News:

-I have learned how to update the Need Extras tab! So if you click on that tab at the top of the blog you will find 3 things so far!

1. Extra copies of the Home Reading and Ask Me pages if you ever need to print one off
2. The I Love To Read Project outline in case you want a head start! (the hard copy will arrive from the printshop soon, so kids who have already finished reading can start. No worries if your child is still reading the chapter book they have chosen. There is still lots of time!)
3. A copy of a note going home on Monday about Room 123’s new Instagram account! I’ve decided that this can be a place where we’d post photos of kids and things in the class that we might not blog about. At this time I do not feel comfortable posting faces on the blog since it is open for the world to see, but can control who sees us on the Instagram account. The account is private, and only families from 123 will be able to follow us. You would need to request permission to follow us. I also think it is something that the class can help with. It will be easy to teach them how to post a picture (it will be approved by me of course). I hope you will be excited about this idea and support us. Please let me know if you have any questions 🙂

-I have also figured out the proper settings for you to comment. Sorry about any confusion before. Being a learner is quite the process!!

Until next time!

Danielle