Holiday Thank you and Break Information

Thank you parents and students for all your hard work. Students created Non Fiction books through many hours of revising and editing.  They also did a stellar job singing and performing. Parents, thank you for all your dedication and help setting up the class, providing delicious food, giving donations and gifts. I can’t express how appreciative I am to work with your students. Their smiling faces and eagerness to always be challenged makes me love coming to work every day and provide new ways to help them grow.

Vacation Reading
Everyone deserves a long and relaxing vacation. Even with the prospect of resting on a beach students were excited about choosing books to read over the break. Some of these are very challenging so feel free to take reading habits into consideration before pursuing any of the book titles. Below is a list of students that expressed interest on the class survey of reading particular books.

Island of the Blue Dolphin
Charlotte
Jojo
Gabi F.
Gabi C
Luna
Gigi

Red Pyramid
Ben
Isabela
Charlotte

Buddy
Joao
Andre
Antonio S
Gabi C
Mimi
Gabi F
Antonia
Ben
Nick

The BFG
Nick
Antonio S.
Andre
Alex
Ben
Antonia
Gabi C
Gabi F

The Throne of Fire
Jiho
Luna

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Joao
Charlotte
Isabela
Luna
Bella
Ben
Gabi C
Antonio S
Mimi
Gabi F
Andre
Jojo
Gigi

Math
When students return we will begin Chapter 6, Geometry. I’ve included links to games students are welcome to play over the break to help them familiarize themselves with the content.

Vocabulary students will need to understand include: Line Segments, Rays, Lines, Triangles, Polygons, Symmetry

Math Videos-
Khan Academy intro to Geometry
Basic geometry: language and labels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcqCf762y9w

Intro to lines, line segments and rays
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcqCf762y9w&t=56s&index=3&list=PL26812DF9846578C3

Math Games
Angles
http://www.math-play.com/Tic-Tac-Toe-Game-Classifying-Angles/Tic-Tac-Toe-Game-Classifying-Angles.html
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/geometry/shapeshoot/triangles_shoot.htm
line, line segment, rays
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/geometry/shapeshoot/line_shoot.htm
Triangles
http://www.math-play.com/classifying-triangles/Triangles-Drag-and-Drop-Game.html
Polygon or Not?
http://www.math-play.com/polygon-or-not/polygon-or-not.html
Symmetry through Silk
http://weavesilk.com/


Culture Unit/ Reading/Writing
When we return in January our upcoming unit of study is based on Culture. Students will learn how children around the world are similar and different in a variety of ways. In Reading we will be learning about culture through their fairy tales and fables. In writing we will be adapting our own Fairy Tales. If you or your child have any fairy tale books you would like to share or read with the class, please let me know. Parents are welcome to share a fairy tale during reading time from 8:05-8:55 every morning.

Holiday Photo Album
Many students like sharing their Holiday stories over the first several days back at school. This makes for a soft transition back into the writing process using topics students are excited and knowledgable about.  If you take photos, videos or have adventures please free to include them in their “Holiday Photo Album” Slide presentation.


Hour of Code Photos
http://gr2026.blogspot.com.br/2016/12/hour-of-code-photos.html
1st Grade Wax Museum Photos
http://gr2026.blogspot.com.br/2016/12/1st-grade-wax-museum.html

See everyone back on January 30th,
Steven Barkdoll