Happy Movie Night - NO homework! Don't forget to fill out your reading calendars for Friday!

Math: We took a formative assessment this morning to clarify our understanding of the Unit Two content thus far. We spent considerable time reviewing each item and discussing how to solve the problems as opposed to simply stating solutions. In addition, we began using a program called "Hands-on Equations." This is a learning system that uses manipulatives, a balance, and a sequence to construct a strong foundation of algebraic concepts, specifically how to isolate variables on one side to determine its value. You'll probably hear the term, "legal moves" periodically over the next couple of months.

Language Arts: We used our background knowledge to develop a list of questions before reading a book about African Savannahs. In addition, we discussed how good readers utilize the table of contents to generate questions that could be answered in the text, too. Both of these strategies are essential to setting a purpose for reading - drawing their attention towards specific content.

Deserts - We read, identified unfamiliar vocabulary (not words we can't pronounce - words we aren't sure what they mean), and discussed what some of these words meant in group.

Forests - We used the table of contents to set our purpose for reading through questioning.

Great Rivers - Our study of the Earth's water continues! Today we independently identified difficult vocabulary terms, and used a variety of strategies (primarily blending our background knowledge, words within the word, and the context) to develop an understanding of the unfamiliar content.

What happened to the Broncos? Wow...

Math: Welcome to algebra! Today we scratched the surface of variables/unknowns in expressions. This is a process so please be patient with it... We will literally spend the next two months constructing a clear understanding of how equations are balanced through the use of inverse operations. Tonight's homework will give you a taste of how slow the process actually is.

Language Arts: We used the table of contents and our background knowledge to set a purpose for our reading today. In addition, we began our first informational writing piece this morning. Obviously, we aren't experts in room 9, but our expectation is that we build to a research component in collaboration with the media specialist later in the quarter.

JGB is now in a Water World book - we set a purpose, recorded notes on sticky notes, and grouped important details together. In each case so far, we have needed to reevaluate what details we're pulling from the text and locate an additional fact or two.

Alex Lee... - We completed a Venn Diagram on Friday to compare our lives to the life of a Chinese American. Surprisingly, we collectively struggled with two elements: how a Venn Diagram is used and the difference between "usually/typically" and "occasionally."

Social Studies: We collected observations about the geographic characteristics of Damascus.

Reading calendars are due Friday!