Thankful for Hat Days
We have two more Hat Days scheduled for December. On December 6 and December 13, your child may wear a hat to school. The cost to participate is 50 cents. The money raised by December's Hat Days will benefit a service activity yet to be named by the school. I am so thankful for the many opportunities the children of Center Drive School have to learn about ways to be good citizens and help their community.
Thankful for Book Responses
I am thankful for the positive feedback on Book Responses! What a creative bunch of students we have! Sharing with others about the books we have read really gets us thinking about what makes a book interesting to read. It also opens up new reading ideas as we see what our friends are reading. November's Book Response choices were to make a Time Line or make a Movie Poster. Below are some photos of students sharing their Book Responses. These will be on display in the classroom.
Thankful for Personal Time Lines
As we explore different events in history, we have been able to place them on a time line. To help put time over years into perspective, students have created their own personal time lines. This was a big project, but one very much worth doing! Each student also has the opportunity to practice public speaking, as they share their time line with the class. It is so interesting learning more about our friends! I am thankful for the thoughtful work that each student has put into making their time line. Time Lines are on display in the hallway.
Thankful for Math
That's right. I said it. I am thankful for math! Through whole class discussions and small guided group work, I am able to see growth in our students every day. Each new lesson builds upon previous lessons; and it is fabulous to see those light bulbs flash above their heads when students "figure it out". We have been using what we know about math facts to help us solve "number strings" - addition equations with many addends; as well as revisiting story problems about addition and subtraction using two digit numbers. Being able to break a number into tens and ones, and looking for patterns or things we already know, is helping us to solve problems with larger numbers.
Here are some strategies that we have been using to add and subtract:
An example of a number string:
5 + 3 + 7 + 4 =
7 + 3 = 10 (combination of 10; knew it right away)
5 + 4 = 9 (a near double; think "5+5= 10, -1 = 9 ...or 4+4=8, +1 = 9)
10 + 9 = 19
There are so many things to be thankful for! Don't forget that there is no school Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29. I hope all families have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
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