Today, students will be working on a wonderful unit on Asian Pacific American heritage created by Scholastic.com.
Students please click on the link below and then click on the link to Angel Island.Read this selection and complete the activity I have designed for you in your packet!
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/asian-american/
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Creation!
What an exciting week we had! I am always amazed at how much the student's grow over the summer months. We started the week by jumping into the deep end and taking our MUR interim assessment pre-test. This test will give us a better understanding of where each student is at and help me fill in any gaps or holes in their learning.
This year our theme is CREATION. Students will working all year to see what they can "create." We will tie this in to each novel study we do by talking about how the characters create different things. This can be the creation of a situation, things characters build or invent, the creation of community, etc. Creation is all around us!
To get our creation theme started off right, each day we will begin with a DO NOW. Students are given two unrelated objects that exist in the world and are asked to describe their similarities. Then we talk about combining the elements. By doing this we are "creating" new objects for our world. (Or even improving on products that already exist.) I was amazed at the great ideas the kids came up with last week. They were able to use their creativity as well as expand on the ideas of others. It was great to see them working together to create new things.
5th/6th Grade MUR
This week we will begin reading Dragonwings. Students will also receive their first homework packet!
3rd and 4th Grade MUR
Students will begin the direct inquiry process by using Junior Great Books and then we will move into our first unit, Folktales. Students will also receive their first homework packet.
This year our theme is CREATION. Students will working all year to see what they can "create." We will tie this in to each novel study we do by talking about how the characters create different things. This can be the creation of a situation, things characters build or invent, the creation of community, etc. Creation is all around us!
To get our creation theme started off right, each day we will begin with a DO NOW. Students are given two unrelated objects that exist in the world and are asked to describe their similarities. Then we talk about combining the elements. By doing this we are "creating" new objects for our world. (Or even improving on products that already exist.) I was amazed at the great ideas the kids came up with last week. They were able to use their creativity as well as expand on the ideas of others. It was great to see them working together to create new things.
5th/6th Grade MUR
This week we will begin reading Dragonwings. Students will also receive their first homework packet!
3rd and 4th Grade MUR
Students will begin the direct inquiry process by using Junior Great Books and then we will move into our first unit, Folktales. Students will also receive their first homework packet.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Up, Up and Away!
Parents and Students,
Welcome to the 2012-13 school year. This year will be filled with many exciting academic adventures. I am looking forward to taking this journey with each student and diving into all the new activities that are planned. This year we will have two academically talented MUR groups; a third/fourth class and a fifth/sixth class. This format will enable me to reach more students in a more focused environment.
It is important that each student have their own gmail account. This year we will use google docs for all of our writing and power point projects. Please make sure your student has an account as well as a password they can remember. Students will also need to fill out a release form for the Galaxy Tablets. We are fortunate to have this technology available to us and use it frequently.
I look forward to seeing each of you at preconferences and as always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at jgordon@cologneacademy.org.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Gordon
Welcome to the 2012-13 school year. This year will be filled with many exciting academic adventures. I am looking forward to taking this journey with each student and diving into all the new activities that are planned. This year we will have two academically talented MUR groups; a third/fourth class and a fifth/sixth class. This format will enable me to reach more students in a more focused environment.
It is important that each student have their own gmail account. This year we will use google docs for all of our writing and power point projects. Please make sure your student has an account as well as a password they can remember. Students will also need to fill out a release form for the Galaxy Tablets. We are fortunate to have this technology available to us and use it frequently.
I look forward to seeing each of you at preconferences and as always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at jgordon@cologneacademy.org.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Gordon
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Enjoy your summer vacation!
I can't believe the school year is already over. This has been such a great year! As I write this I have been reflecting on all the wonderful things we did this year. As a teacher it is such a privilege to watch the students change and grow. Sometimes this happens slowly over a long period of time and sometimes it happens in quick powerful bursts. But, of all the accomplishments the student's have made this year, I am so proud of their writing projects. If you have not already done so, PLEASE read your student's essay. I was blown away by the maturity of writing as well as the ideas and concepts the students addressed. The children spent hours researching, writing and editing. These truly are a masterpiece!
Currently, I am at a conference for Gifted and Talented picking up lots of new ideas to use with the students in our program next year. Like the kids, each year we get better and better.
Have a wonderful summer!
Best wishes to our graduating 8th Graders! We will miss you all and wish you the best as you begin the next phase of your life.
Mrs.Gordon
Currently, I am at a conference for Gifted and Talented picking up lots of new ideas to use with the students in our program next year. Like the kids, each year we get better and better.
Have a wonderful summer!
Best wishes to our graduating 8th Graders! We will miss you all and wish you the best as you begin the next phase of your life.
Mrs.Gordon
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Race to the finish!
As we near the end of the school year there is still lots of learning left in MUR!
G & T MUR:
This week we began our final unit biographies and autobiographies. Students are working with the concepts of change and theme within life. On Monday, we read the Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown and wrote poems about our "most important" characteristics (these could be physical, emotional or a trait.) Throughout the rest of the week we read a few key chapters from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. We are discussing why this book has had a lasting impact on readers, how it is significant to our own lives and what themes are represented. We will use these two works as a guideline to create our own photobiographies which will be due the last week of school. Students will be choosing a theme in their life and then representing this theme through pictures and captions. We will share our biographies June 5th and 6th.
Advanced MUR:
We continue to read the Scarlet Pimpernel and discuss traits of each character. Students are working to develop their own questions about the reading as well as reading responses.
In writing we are working on the rough draft of our persuasive essay. Students have all chosen a topic and have had one to two writing conferences with me. We will continue to use the tablets for research purposes this week. Each student must have three experts in their field of study to back up their point of view. These quotes will be inserted into the paper and we will learn how to create footnotes and a bibliography for our work.
Word Study:
Both MUR groups are working with Wordly Wise to develop their spelling and vocabulary skills.
G & T MUR:
This week we began our final unit biographies and autobiographies. Students are working with the concepts of change and theme within life. On Monday, we read the Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown and wrote poems about our "most important" characteristics (these could be physical, emotional or a trait.) Throughout the rest of the week we read a few key chapters from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. We are discussing why this book has had a lasting impact on readers, how it is significant to our own lives and what themes are represented. We will use these two works as a guideline to create our own photobiographies which will be due the last week of school. Students will be choosing a theme in their life and then representing this theme through pictures and captions. We will share our biographies June 5th and 6th.
Advanced MUR:
We continue to read the Scarlet Pimpernel and discuss traits of each character. Students are working to develop their own questions about the reading as well as reading responses.
In writing we are working on the rough draft of our persuasive essay. Students have all chosen a topic and have had one to two writing conferences with me. We will continue to use the tablets for research purposes this week. Each student must have three experts in their field of study to back up their point of view. These quotes will be inserted into the paper and we will learn how to create footnotes and a bibliography for our work.
Word Study:
Both MUR groups are working with Wordly Wise to develop their spelling and vocabulary skills.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Scarlet Pimpernel Part 2
When you have completed the reading through chapter 12 please feel free to view this section of the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qXuFhc9i84
Please note as you watch the differences between the book and the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qXuFhc9i84
Please note as you watch the differences between the book and the movie.
Midweek update
This week our G & T class is taking the math MCA test. We will resume normal class schedule beginning Thursday, May 17, 2012. Please make sure your child is working on their spelling packet at home. We will have our normally scheduled spelling test this Friday.
Advanced MUR - Students are beginning their final writing project this week. We will be working on a persuasive writing piece that will last until the end of the month. We will use this opportunity to hone our editing and expository skills through peer and teacher lead conferencing.
***Reminder: Please make sure you are signing your child's reading log each month. Many students have not turned in their reading log for April and this missing assignment will reflect in your child's overall grade.
Infinite Campus is up and running. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding your child's progress.
Advanced MUR - Students are beginning their final writing project this week. We will be working on a persuasive writing piece that will last until the end of the month. We will use this opportunity to hone our editing and expository skills through peer and teacher lead conferencing.
***Reminder: Please make sure you are signing your child's reading log each month. Many students have not turned in their reading log for April and this missing assignment will reflect in your child's overall grade.
Infinite Campus is up and running. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding your child's progress.
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