Tuesday, February 16, 2010

February 16 "The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds and swells the leaves within." William Cullen Bryant

Winter break--what a perfect way to end a topic that could most certainly go on forever... We, too, have been on a journey as we've learned about the [often infamous] people who made their mark during the Age of Discovery. It has been my intent to go beyond passive memorization of facts and engage the students in learning that is insightful and transferable. When students learn to interact critically with the content, question the facts, search for broader implications, and connect new information with prior knowledge and experiences, they develop a genuine understanding of the concepts and skills.

Anyway, the culminating activity for this unit, the "Explorers Notebook", is due before vacation. We'll begin a new unit upon their return in March!

Remember, there is no Grammar, Spelling, or Vocabulary packets this week since we'll be gone to the Flynn on Thursday and Friday is, well, the day before vacation... Language Arts is also being taken up by the associated writing activities for the notebook. It's been quite a busy place around here!

Reminder: We're planning to have a "Friendship Party" on Friday afternoon. It'll be a great way to kick back and celebrate the completion of a lot of hard work, too.

I sure do appreciate all your support. Have a great evening!
Teri