Hello, 206 families and friends!

Room 206 is busy!

In Everyday Math, we explored multi-digit multiplication and learned three different strategies for solving these problems. Students had the opportunity to choose the method that felt most comfortable for them. We also worked on word problems involving unit conversions. Students also solved problems using drawings to represent fractions, strengthening their visual understanding of the concept. Additionally, we added a new math game to our collection—How Much More. Students also played various versions of Top-It.

We also celebrated Pi Day!  To deepen our understanding of circles, students participated in the 30 Circle Challenge, where they brainstormed and sketched as many objects as they could think of that are shaped like a circle. They came up with so many creative ideas—ask your student what they thought of!

Afterward, we practiced using a compass to draw circles, exploring how adjusting the radius affects the diameter. This hands-on activity helped reinforce key mathematical concepts while allowing students to experiment with precision and design.

We watched a short video on the concept of pi, and discussed its meaning. In partnerships, students measured the circumference and diameter of various circles to see if the ratio was close to 3.14. A special highlight—Loki impressed us all by reciting many digits of pi! Check out the picture!

In reading and writing, our War Horse and Soldier Dog mural is officially complete! Students also wrote a flash opinion draft on whether dogs should be used in wartime. Earlier in the exploration unit we created a classroom list of pros and cons of using dogs in wartime, which students referenced while crafting their arguments. Everyone had strong opinions on the topic—ask your student how they feel about it!

In word work, we introduced the prefixes mis-, dis-, and fore-. Students had the chance to illustrate and label words of their choice, creatively bringing meaning to words like foresight and discover. This led to a discussion about how every picture tells a story or conveys a feeling to the viewer. Naturally, this brought us to the topic of emojis! We explored how emojis can represent objects, emotions, or even entire stories. Inspired by this, students designed emojis that don’t yet exist but should. Their creative new emoji designs are now hanging on our classroom door—who knows, maybe one of them will become an official emoji one day!

Finally, students practiced creating Google Slides in preparation for a project we will begin after the break. This gave them a chance to explore formatting, design, and presentation skills that will help them showcase their learning in an engaging way.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hello, 206 families and friends!

I can’t believe it is already March!

We have been incredibly busy in Room 206.  

This week in Everyday Math, we explored the use of decimals in centimeters and millimeters, discussing when more precise measurements are needed. We also practiced calculating the area of rectilinear shapes. In partnerships, students played math games like Rugs and Fences and Top It to deepen their understanding of the concepts we’ve been working on.

In reading, we finished War Horse! The ending was bittersweet—while Albert was reunited with Joey, he also suffered the loss of his best friend, David, and we learned that Emilie had passed away.

Emilie’s grandpapa kept his promise to find and care for Joey after the war. However, upon seeing Albert’s deep bond with the horse, he chose to sell Joey to him for just one English penny. This moment was both heartbreaking and heartwarming, reminding us that even after the devastation of war, kindness and goodness still exist in the world.

The class especially connected with this powerful quote from the novel: “Where there is life, there is hope.”

In writing, we began by creating a class poem about Joey from War Horse. Together, students came up with beautiful descriptions of Joey and highlighted the most important events from the novel. Afterward, students applied their creativity to their own writing, crafting individual poems inspired by their Soldier Dog books. Their poems reflect deep understanding and thoughtful expression of the stories they’ve been reading.

Our mural is almost complete! It’s always exciting to watch it take shape—you never quite know how it will turn out until students begin adding their ideas.

To start, students painted the background based on the settings of their books, all of which take place during WWII. These locations included France, Belgium, Pearl Harbor, and more. They then drew and painted their soldier dogs, carefully depicting each breed, and added their poems to bring their work to life.

With just a few finishing touches left, the mural will soon be complete! It has been such a fun and creative project, and you can see it displayed along the wall leading to our classroom.

Enjoy the weekend!

Hello, 206 families and friends!

Time is flying by!

This week in Everyday Math, we expanded our understanding of fractions by exploring decimals, comparing and ordering them. We used base 10 blocks to model decimals and practiced converting them into fractions. To deepen our understanding, we used number lines to represent decimal intervals between whole numbers.

Additionally, we focused on distinguishing between perimeter and area. We developed multiple strategies for finding the area of rectangles and applied these concepts to determine the areas of more complex rectilinear shapes.

This week in writing, we wrapped up our opinion essays about traveling to space—so some of you might be packing your bags! We also finished publishing our Haiku and are now preparing to illustrate them before displaying them in the hallway outside our classroom.

In word work, we’ve been exploring how adding -ing to words can change the spelling of their base forms. Students are sorting words based on this rule and using them to create fun short stories. Since winter break, we have practiced working with compound words and words with the prefixes re- and un-. As we read our class novel and independent books, we’re discovering so many words that follow these patterns—who knew there were so many compound words!

In War Horse, we are nearing the conclusion. We were heartbroken when Joey lost his best friend, Topthorn, but relieved when he finally made it back to the Allies. The scene in no-man’s land was especially tense! Ask your student how the Welsh and German soldiers decided who would take Joey back to their regiment—we discussed how talking through a problem and making a plan is often the best way to resolve differences.

Students are also wrapping up their partner books, identifying major events, and pinpointing the critical moment in their stories—just as we are doing with our class novel.

Meanwhile, our exploration class mural is underway, and I can’t wait to see it all come together!

We also had the pleasure of watching Ms. Lisa’s class perform a readers’ theater adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Fox. They did a fantastic job!

Enjoy the weekend and hope for warmer weather!

A short but busy week! 

This week in Math, we continued our work with fractions and introduced decimals. We explored when decimals are more useful and discussed real-world applications outside the classroom.

To reinforce our learning, we played a fun, team-building math game! Students worked in teams of four to solve various math problems. Ask your student what happened when they got an answer correct!

This week in writing, we focused on publishing our opinion essays about traveling to space. Students worked on organizing their ideas into clear paragraphs that support their thesis statements. Many are also beginning to compose directly on the computer as they type their drafts.

We also launched our poetry unit! We watched short videos of Kwame Alexander, a renowned poet and educator, discussing his poetry techniques, including the three R’s—rhyme, repetition, and rhythm. Afterward, we brainstormed additional elements of poetry, creating a classroom list that includes emotion, descriptive language, stanzas, onomatopoeia, and mood/tone. This list will continue to grow as we explore poetry further.

To start, students wrote haikus. They chose a topic, brainstormed related words, and then composed a haiku without stating the topic. Next week, each student will read their haiku aloud, and the class will try to guess the subject—a fun way to engage with poetry!

In War Horse, we continue to follow Joey’s journey as he and his friend Topthorn are captured by the Germans. Meanwhile, students are nearing the end of their partner books and are practicing drawing their soldier dogs.

Next week, we will begin brainstorming ideas for our classroom mural, incorporating themes from both War Horse and the Soldier Dogs series. I’m especially excited for this project, as the students have formed a strong connection to their soldier dogs!

We had a wonderful time celebrating Valentine’s Day! Students filled each other’s bags with cards and enjoyed a special heart-shaped pizza lunch sponsored by the PTO.

We didn’t get as many photos this week, but I’ll be sure to make up for it next week. Enjoy the long weekend!

Hello, 206 families and friends!

Another busy week in Room 206!

In Math, we explored comparing fractions and practiced demonstrating our reasoning using visual representations. We also tackled word problems involving fractional comparisons.

In writing, we completed the first draft of our opinion essays, “Would You Take a Trip to Space?”, and typed them in Google Classroom. Students are now revising their essays, focusing on elaborating their  examples to support each reason. Our class is definitely divided—some are eager for a space adventure, while others prefer to stay firmly on the ground!

On Friday, we welcomed Ms. Lisa’s class for lunch and celebrated our collaborative Confetti Heart by decorating heart-shaped cookies (baked with love by Ms. Lisa!) with colorful sprinkles. Students also decorated the tables with heart-shaped cutouts featuring sweet messages. Another fun, creative and community building experience.

The second floor classrooms hosted our Mars Open House inviting first-floor classes to explore our students’ innovative models of futuristic schools on Mars. Each student group designed and built imaginative representations, thoughtfully considering the challenges and possibilities of life on the Red Planet. They had a great time showcasing their models and answering questions. Our class also created posters highlighting key features of Mars, which were on display for the visiting classrooms.

Students also got to vote in two categories: Most Creative Design and Most Likely to Survive on Mars!

In reading, we are continuing our class novel, War Horse, told from the perspective of the horse, Joey, along with partner books from the Soldier Dogs series. Inspired by these stories, we are beginning to plan a mural that reflects their themes and subject matter.

Finally we had a fantastic time at the Windy City Bulls game!

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Hello, 206 families and friends!

We have been so busy these past two weeks!

In Math, we focused on comparing fractions using benchmarks, mathematical reasoning, and models. We also revisited area and perimeter by playing the Everyday Math game, Rugs and Fences. Students practiced their basic math facts while playing Multiplication top-it.  This week we completed the Pizza Math Challenge, where students designed pizzas dividing them into different fractional parts, each with unique toppings. This project concluded with a pizza lunch, celebrating their hard work. The students’ creative designs, illustrating how the fractional parts equal a whole pizza, are now displayed in our classroom.

In writing, we began working on composing opinion essays. To kickstart this, students read the debate article “Would You Take a Trip to Space?” and identified the pros and cons of each side. We discussed how an opinion essay involves stating a viewpoint and using evidence to persuade the reader. Students first listed reasons supporting both perspectives before choosing their position. They then determined their stance on the issue—whether they would take a trip to space. We explored strategies for crafting engaging introductions to capture the reader’s attention and worked on constructing clear thesis statements. Next, students identified their reasons as evidence supporting their opinion and are now writing their arguments with strong examples. We plan to complete our first drafts next week.

This week, we collaborated with Ms. Lisa’s class on a Jim Dine Pop Art project!

Jim Dine, an American artist and poet, is known for his pop art featuring everyday objects, including his signature heart shape. We watched a short video about his work, exploring how he uses color, texture, and composition to express emotions. One of his most famous pieces is a black heart outline layered over vibrant colors and shapes—resembling a confetti heart.

Inspired by Dine, our classes worked together to create a Confetti Heart artwork. Using a large canvas, we filled the background with colorful strokes and shapes, symbolizing love, kindness, and joy. Just like tossing confetti in the air, small acts of kindness can spread happiness and make the world a better place!

We then asked: What will be your confetti? How will you spread love, kindness, and joy to those around you? Students wrote their ideas on long, colorful paper strips, which we placed around our painting.

This was a fun, creative, and community-building activity. Our finished Confetti Heart is temporarily displayed in the front hall—come check it out!

In reading, we watched kid-friendly excerpts from documentaries about dogs in wartime. Afterward, we engaged in a discussion on whether it is fair to use animals in warfare.  Students offered thoughtful comments, recognizing that there isn’t a single right answer. We created a poster listing the pros and cons, which we will continue to add to as we read War Horse and the Soldier Dogs series.

To further explore this topic, we read Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle, which tells the story of Nubs, an Iraqi dog who formed a deep bond with Marine Major Brian Dennis during the Iraq War. We also watched an interview featuring Major Dennis with Nubs by his side, providing additional insight into their remarkable friendship.

This week, the second-floor classrooms continued their collaborative School on Mars project. The models are looking amazing, each showcasing wonderful creativity while considering the unique conditions, limitations, and needs on Mars. We plan to finish them next week, after which students will have the opportunity to view each model.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hello, 206 families and friends!

The weeks are flying by!

This week, our class had the opportunity to share our love of words with Ms. Lisa’s class. We began by discussing the words we chose for our One Word for Kids project and explaining why they are personally meaningful. Then, we partnered with a first-grade student to help them choose, write, and decorate their own word. Finally, we added their creations to the word display in the hallway outside our classroom, making it even more inspiring!

This week, we met several times with the second-floor classrooms to collaborate on our School on Mars project, and students are coming up with some amazingly creative ideas. Next week, we will begin building models of their schools. Please remind your student to bring in any additional materials they’d like to use to enhance their designs. We can’t wait to see the final projects come to life!

In reading, we began our partner books, with each partnership reading a book from the Soldier Dogs series. These books are inspired by real-life stories of courageous dogs who served during World War I or World War II, tying in beautifully with our class novel, War Horse by Michael Morpurgo.  Speaking of War Horse, we’re already forming a connection with Joey and deeply feeling Albert’s pain as Joey is sold to the British Cavalry.

Each student has a reading journal where they record the events from their partner book, reflect on their thoughts about both the class novel and their partner book, and answer related questions. Students also had the opportunity to creatively design the cover of their reading journal.

As part of this overall exploration, students will reflect on big questions that encourage critical thinking about history, ethics, and the bond between humans and animals:

• How were dogs and horses used during wartime, and what unique roles did they play?
• Why did humans rely on animals like dogs and horses in times of war?
• What special skills or traits made dogs and horses valuable during war?
• How do their abilities help in situations where humans might struggle?
• Is it fair to use animals in warfare? Why or why not?
• Most importantly: How do stories of animals in war help us understand the bond between humans and animals?

These thought-provoking questions will guide our discussions and deepen our understanding of these themes.

In Math, we worked on multi-digit multiplication using the area model and expanded notation. We also delved into equivalent fractions using mathematical models to show why the multiplication rule makes sense.  We also revisited word problems and drawing visual representations to help solve the problems. We are focusing on using drawings and mathematical models to explain our thinking. This approach helps students visualize concepts and ensure their answers make sense.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ms. Beth

Hello, 206 families and friends!

Happy New Year! We are back and off to a busy start!

We began the week by setting two academic goals and two personal goals, which we wrote and displayed in the classroom. Next, we completed the One-Word Project. After reading the illustrated book, One Word for kids, we brainstormed meaningful words that resonate with us. Each student selected a word that inspired them and stood out as significant. We discussed how this chosen word can serve as a guide and motivation to help them strive toward becoming the best version of themselves. Students then wrote their chosen word in different and creative fonts on large index cards. We displayed these words in the hallway leading to our classroom, inviting others to reflect on and consider their own “one word.” Ask your student about their “one word”.

In reading, we are about to begin our class novel, War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, which tells the story of Joey, a horse sold to the British Army during World War I. The novel delves into themes of loyalty, courage, and the profound impact of war on both people and animals.

To set the stage, we read a Scholastic article, The Pigeon Hero of World War I, which recounts the incredible true story of Cher Ami, the bird that saved nearly 200 American soldiers. Students engaged in discussions and wrote thoughtful responses about the use of pigeons during the war and how the limited technology of the time made carrier pigeons so essential. We also watched a short video of actual footage of Cher Ami and her role in saving the American soldiers. We then watched a kid-friendly video about the causes and key facts of World War I.

Before starting the novel next week, we’ll watch additional kid-friendly videos about the roles horses and dogs played on the battlefield. I’ve also gathered library books about horses and dogs to provide additional context to enrich our discussions.

In Everyday Math, we explored symmetry in images and polygons. Students practiced multi-digit multiplication and worked on “What’s My Rule?” activities. They also reviewed area and perimeter by designing robots with specified dimensions. Each part of the robot had to meet given area and perimeter requirements, resulting in some creative and impressive designs now displayed in our classroom!

This week, we launched our exciting 2nd-floor collaborative project: Designing a School on Mars! To prepare, our class watched educational videos about Mars and shared fascinating facts. We compared Mars and Earth, discussing their similarities and differences, and explored why scientists believe life may have once existed on Mars.

In multi-class groups, with Ms. Ellen’s and Mr. Patrick’s classes, students chose group names and read various articles about Mars’ unique features and attributes. The challenge of the project is to design and build a model school for a future city. Students are tasked with ensuring the school keeps people safe while making learning fun and engaging. They must consider Mars’ physical characteristics, such as air pressure, gravity, atmosphere, surface features, temperature, and weather.

Students are already brainstorming creative and innovative ideas, and we’re excited to see their plans take shape!

Fun Fact: Many students still have their personalized pencil! 

Hello, 206 families and friends!

It’s already December and we are busy in Room 206!

In reading, we recently finished our class read-aloud, No Talking, which sparked plenty of lively discussions about the idea of staying silent! The story began as a contest between the 5th-grade boys and girls but grew into a lesson about standing up for what you believe in and finding new ways to communicate. The ending had us on the edge of our seats, wondering whether the boys or girls would win—we found ourselves rooting for both Dave and Lynsey! Be sure to ask your student how it ended.

Next week, we’ll work in partnerships to create character analyses to share with the class. We’ll also explore how different species communicate, building on what we’ve already learned about how trees “talk.”

No Talking is one of two selections for the Battle of the Books competition on December 19. To prepare, students are practicing writing multiple-choice questions that focus on key details from the story and sharing them with classmates. This activity helps them hone their skills in writing clear and thoughtful sentences while recalling specific details from the book.

In Everyday Math, we explored a variety of concepts, including time conversions and calculating elapsed time, applying the order of operations, investigating Goldbach’s conjecture, solving for unknowns, and graphing and interpreting data.

In science, we completed the Pencil Bouncers activity, investigating how high a pencil bounces off the floor. In groups, students dropped pencils from various heights, recorded the data, and represented it using graphs. This activity helped them understand the importance of controls, variables, and careful data observation. Ask your student what they noticed during the experiment!

This activity ties in beautifully with our ongoing discussion of resources, like pencils. Students observed that the eraser significantly affected the bounce and discussed how different pencils and types of erasers might impact the results. This connected to an earlier experiment where we tested the performance of various erasers—an idea that came full circle during this activity!

Enjoy the beautiful sunshine!

Ms. Beth

Hello, 206 families and friends!

We have been incredibly busy in Room 206!

In reading, we’ve started the class novel, No Talking by Andrew Clements. This entertaining book follows a group of 5th-grade boys and girls at a fictional elementary school and explores the themes of language, thought, and the power of words. We are just a few chapters in, and the no talking contest is officially on—who can use the fewest words over two days? The class is loving the story, and the characters are starting to come to life.

This book is also one of the two Battle of the Books selections. Since this is the students’ first time participating in the Battle, we’re reading and discussing the book together. The students will work in teams to answer questions about the book during the battle. Stay tuned for more details about the event!

In Mindset Math, we explored the “It’s All in the Axes” activity, where students first viewed an animal graph with limited information. This activity encouraged them to make observations and predictions about relationships within and beyond the graph. We looked closely at the animal graph, discussing what information it provided, what each axis represented, and the questions it raised.

In small groups, students created their own poster graphs, selecting a topic and deciding what each axis would represent. Their topics explored how one attribute might affect another, leading to creative ideas like comparing the size of sea animals to their speed, the weight of vehicles to their speed, muscle strength to height, activities to heart rate, and the rolling distance of sports balls to their size.

We displayed the graphs around the classroom, giving students the chance to study each one and draw conclusions about the data. This sparked interesting discussions, such as whether the type of transportation—air, land, or water—affects a vehicle’s speed, or why some of the heaviest sea animals move as quickly as much smaller ones.

The activity challenged students to think critically, figure out how to research the necessary information or set up experiments to gather data, and then decide how best to present their findings. The results showcased their creativity, problem-solving skills, and growing ability to analyze relationships in data.

In Everyday Math, we focused on identifying number patterns (what’s the rule?), calculating perimeters, and exploring factor pairs and multiples. We’ve also added two new games to our repertoire: Factor Captor and Multi-Digit Addition Scoot.

In Mystery Science, we watched a video about how trees communicate underground—something we had read about earlier in the year. This inspired us to come up with a plan to study this in our classroom—more updates on that soon! This lesson also connects with our upcoming service project, where we’ll be raising money to plant trees in areas that need them.

We also watched a video on how pencils are made and learned how many trees are cut down each year to produce pencils, as well as the annual pencil consumption in the U.S. This led to a discussion on how many pencils we use in our own classroom. Each student then received a personalized pencil with their name on it, with the goal of using it as long as possible until it’s no longer usable.

For our class service project, we created posters highlighting the importance of trees and the value of conserving resources like pencils since they come from trees to share with the school. We’ve officially designated this the “Year of the Pencil”! Our goal is to raise awareness about the vital role trees play and to collect funds to support an organization that plants trees in areas that need them. We’re excited to make a meaningful impact through this project!

We also read the illustrated book The Girl Who Planted Trees by Caryl Hart, with illustrations by Anastasia Suvorova. It tells the story of a young girl whose dream inspires an entire village to come together and plant trees in an area devastated by drought and storms that used to be a beautiful forest filled with animals.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Ms. Beth