How Can I Make the World a Better Place?

This week we'll learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream for a better world. We'll discuss how God created all of us just right and our differences make us interesting. We'll ask the question, "how can you help others?" Our ideas will be reflected in our art project and a collaborative project with our 8th grade reading buddies.

As we study the Bible, we'll learn how John the Baptist prepared people to receive the grace Jesus was offering. Students will practice their monthly Bible verse. We are learning to sing the Doxology in Spanish. It's beautiful to praise God in every language.

We'll focus on the letter Nn in reading and writing. Students will finish a writing piece about a New Year's resolution. We'll begin to organize our thoughts by using a graphic organizer. Next, we'll write a narrative story on how we have fun in the snow. At story time, we'll identify story elements. Our texts will point out different perspectives and we'll discuss point of view. New red words are: he, has.

In math, we'll finish up our module on comparing numbers. We'll take a test and then move into solving addition and subtraction word problems to 10. As extra challenges, we often give each student an equation with a missing group. Students draw pictures to prove their answer.

Students will be building a ramp in science and using a ball to measure how forces change the distance the ball rolls. We are learning to work in pairs or small groups to solve problems.

In music we'll discuss the language of music and how we can read music. Groups of students will accompany the class with instruments as we sing songs. We'll watch some clips of children's musicals and discus how musicals combine drama, dance and song to tell a story. We'll learn these are performing arts.

On iPads this week, we'll be practicing math skills.

There's rumor of a possibility of a Bear Party.. we hope to finish the week off with popcorn and fun.

It will be cold and wintery outside, but warm and active inside our school. It will be a good week of winter fun and learning.

Mrs. Luoma