October 25th, 2016

In Math today, we learned a new game to add to our Math Centers. Today we learned how to play "The Spiral Game." To play this game students need a deck of cards, a dice, and game pieces. Students use the cards to build a spiral shape. The goal of the game is to move your game piece from inside the spiral to the outside or vice versa. Students begin by rolling the dice. Students then multiply the card they land on by the number they rolled. If they get it right, they get to stay. If they get it wrong, they have to go all the way back to the start. This is a great game because it has students practicing multiple times tables at one time. 

In Language Arts today, we continued to look at verbs. Today students were introduced to some games that they can use to practice identifying and classifying verbs. These games are from TurtleDiary and can be found on our "Grammar" page. We also learned a new reading strategy today - inferring. Inferring is very similar to the strategy that we have currently been working on; making predictions. However, there are some small differences: 

Predicting
- part of inferring
- can check your accuracy as you read
- can find if you were right or wrong

Inferring
- more precise
- reading between the lines
- filling in (in your head) what's not written on the page
- comes from you

Think about it this way, when you infer you use evidence directly obtained from the text. You use what the book tells you. You are like a detective looking for clues. When you see a clue, you can infer what has happened. We can infer feelings, why things happened, where characters are, what is happening, etc. 

We also received letters from our Pen Pals in Manitoba today. It was so nice to finally receive them and to learn a little bit about them. They also sent us pictures of themselves that they drew as well as a pin from Manitoba. We began working on part of our reply right away. Since they are also reading "The BFG" by Roald Dahl right now, we are sending them a dream jar. In "The BFG" the BFG collects dreams and stores them in jars. We drew a dream that we have had or that we would like to have for our buddies inside a printout of a jar. We are going to include these dreams with our next letter. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes

Math:
- Review 12x tables

Health:
- PEAK Basketball (tomorrow)

Halloween Family Dance - Thursday (6:00-8:00 pm)
Classroom Halloween Celebration - Monday (see email)
Spirit Week for United Way - Wednesday is Cowboy/girl Day (bring $1)
Snack Shack Sale for United Way - Thursday ($1 for yogurt tubes)
Picture Retakes - November 16th
Poinsettia Orders - due November 25th
Tech & Trades Academy - Mondays (3:00-4:00 pm)
Volleyball - Mondays and Wednesdays (2:45-3:45 pm)
Guitar Club - Thursdays (2:45-3:45 pm)
Recycling Leaders - Thursdays (lunch recess)