**Check back later in the week for additional homework related to in class discussions and activities
To close out our week, we participated in TASOK’s first Elementary Condor Retreat. The purpose of this event was to:
To accomplish these goals, students engaged in community painting, team-building activities, and an outdoor obstacle course.
We were especially excited to have the opportunity to get to know our first grade buddies a little better.
To end the day, we enjoyed some popcorn and apples… a special treat for which we were grateful.
As readers, we rely on writers’ words to paint vivid pictures in our minds. Revered writers tap into the five senses to transfer images from their imaginations to those of their readers. As writers, it is our responsibility to use sensory details to make the invisible VISIBLE, to allow silent pages to SOUND, to enable fingers to FEEL something other than flat pages, to cause our TASTEbuds to tingle, and to stimulate the sense of SCENT.
Today, we took time to examine excerpts from mentor texts, looking for sensory words and phrases. As we continue our study, we will seek to examine our own work, identify descriptions that could be revised, and transform the plain into the picturesque.
Thank you to those who were able to attend TASOK’s Open School Night on Wednesday.
For those unable to attend, you can view the presentation by clicking on the link below.
Also, if you are interested in volunteering to be a PTC Grade Level Representative, please email me with your contact information.
Finally, if you are in need of a ballot to vote on the proposed constitutional changes, please let me know, and I will send one home with your child.
If you have any questions, please contact me via email.
Today was the day for… a tri-lingual celebration! As Imogen’s dad lit the candles donning the homemade birthday cake… scholars broke out in song… and kept on singing. What a wonderful way to celebrate a special young lady.
Having already celebrated six birthdays this year, we have had the opportunity to enjoy some delightfully delicious delicacies. If your tasty treats are not top secret, please share your recipes using the form below. We will assemble all contributions into a book of birthday bounty. Mmmm…
On Tuesday, we had the chance to venture over to Ms. Shortridge’s first grade classroom to meet our buddies. She and her students welcomed us warmly with all kinds of community building activities… blocks, LEGO, games, and more. We were grateful for their hospitality and creativity.
What was also a-peel-ing was the new song we learned to help us regroup – “Bananas Unite!”
We look forward to our next visit with our buddies as we grow in relationship with one another.
**Check back later in the week for additional homework related to in class discussions and activities
TASOK Open School Night: September 20, 2017
Purpose: Open School Night will serve as an opportunity for teachers to introduce themselves to parents and to help parents understand what learning looks like in your classroom along with procedures and expectations for the year. It is good to keep in mind that parents come to an open house to get an impression of the school. However, Open School Night is not an optimal time for parent conferences. Should parents desire a parent conference with you, invite them to meet with you at another time that is convenient for both you and the parent.
Structure: TASOK’s Preschool to Grade 12 community will start in the CAC for a security briefing at 5:00 p.m. followed by a special board meeting at 5:30 where all parents are encouraged to attend. The opening address will be given at 6:00 p.m. Middle and High School Parents will follow the schedule they picked up from Student Ambassadors in the CAC. Elementary parents will follow the schedule given to them by their child’s homeroom teacher. ES specialist teachers are available on a drop-in basis. All parents will start their classroom visits at 6:35 pm.
ES Schedule
ES homeroom teachers will be giving two separate presentations: one at 6:35 and one at 7:20
MS/HS Bell Schedule 6:30 – 6:35 Passing time 6:35 -6:45 Block 1 class 6:45 – 6:50 Passing time 6:50 – 7:00 Block 2 class 7:00 – 7:05 Passing time 7:05 -7:15 Block 3 class 7:15 – 7:20 Passing time 7:20 – 7:30 Block 4 class 7:30 – 7:35 Passing time 7:35 -7:45 Block 5 class 7:45 – 7:50 Passing time 7:50 – 8:00 Block 6 class 8:00 – 8:05 Passing time 8:05 -8:15 Block 7 class 8:15 – 8:20 Passing time 8:20 – 8:30 Block 8 class
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Each year, on (or around) September 15, the world celebrates… dots. Well, not just any old dots, The Dot.
This year… we, the scholars of fourth grade, celebrated, too.
We began by reading The Dot. Actually, we watched and listened to a reading of the by the author, Peter Reynolds. This prompted a brief, but thoughtful discussion of the text. Using a plot diagram, we tracked Vashti’s feelings as she went from thinking she couldn’t draw (sad, discouraged, sore hearted) to anger in response to being prompted to, “Just make a mark.” After her teacher framed her mark, a simple dot, Vashti demonstrated that she had a growth mindset by stating, “I can make a better dot that THAT!” As she experimented with various sizes, shapes, and colors, Vashti became more creative, joyful, and confident. In the end, she was able to passed on her learnings and encouragement to someone who started out in the same sore-hearted place.
One interesting observation that was made in our discussion was related to the size of the dots. At the beginning, Vashti made a tiny speck on her paper. Gradually, he dots grew and grew until they filled large spaces. Seemingly, the size of the dots symbolized the size of Vashti’s confidence and joy. We wondered if this was intentional and wished we could have asked the author. Perhaps… we will.
To wrap up our discussion, we talked about the multiple meanings of the phrase “make your mark.” Of course, making a physical mark on a page is one option, but… was there a deeper meaning? Is there a meaning we can apply to our own lives. Indeed, there is… when someone asks, “How are going to make your mark?” they are really asking,…
“How are you going to change something?”
This big idea lead perfectly into our student council speeches. We had 11 candidates prepare and present speeches with the hopes of being selected to “make their mark” at TASOK by serving on the student council. The speeches were thoughtfully prepared and confidently delivered. It was quite wonderful to hear so many share about what they have to offer our classroom and greater TASOK community – kindness, caring, problem solving, listening, encouragement, communication, support, and organization. After we listened to each candidate share, we listed their qualities and discussed by they were important. Through our discussion, it became clear that each individual sought to promote and model TASOK’s beliefs of Excellence, Integrity, and Inclusivity. Powerful!
With so many qualified candidates, it made the decision difficult. But, voters, too, had a chance to “make their marks.” In the end (after a run off to break a three-way tie), voters chose three representatives who will serve them well. While some may have been disappointed, everyone handled the results with grace and maturity, which was a true testament to their character and their qualifications. We are grateful that ALL, whether on the student council or not, will continue to exemplify Excellence, Integrity, and Inclusivity.
We ended the day by reading another book by Peter Reynolds – Ish! This allowed us to engage in another thoughtful discussion, this time adding a layer of comparison and contrast.
To learn more about International Dot Day and how other people celebrated, check out the official webpage:
Listen to a presentation of Dot Day 2016 featuring author Peter Reynolds and the teacher who started Dot Day.
Think about how you can “make your mark.” Add your ideas to the Padlet.
ROALD DAHL DAY!
Today would have been Roald Dahl’s 101st birthday.
To celebrate, we read an excerpt from The BFG and examined all the wonderfully wacky words “scribblitten” on the page. As secret agents, we were able to decipher whether the words had a positive or negative connotation. In addition, we were able to identify the parts of speech.
You can continue celebrating at home by checking out the Roald Dahl website.