Happy New Year! I hope your families are refreshed and ready to roll in 2010...

Math: We had a great review this morning of equivalency and simplifying/reducing fractions. I was pleasantly surprised by how much they remembered...but did have to remind some that the reason we show our work in our journals is to help us when we need a reminder about how to solve a problem. Tonight for homework they need to complete p.388 1-31 odd only. I expect them to simplify the sums where necessary.

Language Arts: We continued our discussion of theme by focusing on how we feel during the reading. Theme is often not explicitly there in the text and usually depends on the emotion created through the story. We also discussed verb tenses before jumping into helping verbs tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow - we will begin our research project with Mrs. Rose in the media center. This will be a culmination of our informational writing lessons, questioning strategies, and applying our note-taking methods in a practical way. This is NOT an at-home project. But you will see the finished brochure towards the end of the month.

JGB - We will have our shared inquiry discussion tomorrow.

Adventures of Spider - Explain how Spider got a thin waist. (Think about what caused him to be in the situation it the first place!)

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters - Describe how the story made you feel.