Poetry Month: Day Two (by Joley)

I chose "Hurray" because my birthday is tomorrow [my birthday is 3rd of May] And I thought of having a fun one and a lively one!!! Also i was inspired by Shel Silverstein.


Hurray
"Hurray" I say with joy in my heart and soul.

"Hurray" I say with a jump and a leap.

"Hurray" I say with a toy kangaroo in my hand and a pizza slice in the other.

"Hurray" I say running down and up the curly stairs with a pencil in one hand and a jacket in the other what I need to bring down stairs today.


"Goodnight" I say with a pillow and a cuddly toy and I head to my moms and dads room.

"My birthday is tomorrow"I say z
                                                        z
                                                           z

"Hurray" I say
                       z
                         z

                       z
With a cuddly toy and me in the middle dad on the left mom on the right.

"HURRAY" We all say !!!!

Poetry Month: Day One (by Imani)

I chose "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein because I love how the tree was always loyal to the boy as he grew up. Even though the boy  forgot about the tree. The tree gave him every thing he needed in life. Again even though the boy forgot the tree the tree was very kind.


The Giving Tree (an excerpt)

Then one day the boy came to the tree

and the tree said, “Come, Boy, come and climb

up my trunk and swing from my branches

and eat apples and play in my shade

and be happy.”

“I am too big to climb and play,” said the boy.

“I want to buy things and have fun.

I want some money.

Can you give me some money?”

“I’m sorry,” said the tree, “but I have no money.

I have only leaves and apples.

Take my apples, Boy, and sell them

in the city. Then you will have money

and you will be happy.”

-by Shel Silverstein 

Poetry Month is Here!

Our school celebrates Poetry Month in May, and this month, we'll be celebrating each day by sharing our favorite poems with you. Each student in the class will have the chance to choose a favorite poem and publish it on the blog, accompanied by a description of why they choose the poem. Check back each day to read another poem. Please leave comments on our poems! Let us know what you think about our selections!

Stamp Act Simulation

Today, we participated in a simulation of the Stamp Act. Each student went home with the following letter:

Dear 4-324 Student,

Today you learned about the new PS 321 Paper Tax. With this tax, each piece of paper you use at school will be taxed five cents to pay for necessary school expenses. I just want to let you know that this tax is not real. You will not be charged for each piece of paper you use.

However, the experience you went through today and the very really feelings you felt when the tax was announced are very real and have happened several times throughout America’s history.

In 1765, a very similar event occurred in the Thirteen Colonies. Remember that at this time, the French and Indian Wars had recently ended. Can you imagine how expensive those wars might have been? The British government needed more money to pay for them, and they expected the Americans to pay. King George III, the British King, passed a tax called the Stamp Act. This act said that nearly every piece of paper bought in the colonies was going to be taxed. Each piece of paper would need to have a stamp placed on it to prove the tax had been paid. And this tax, just like the tax we experienced today, was placed on the American colonists without discussing it with them or hearing their opinions.

Tonight, spend some time thinking about why King George III would need to put the Stamp Act into place and how he and the American colonists might feel about it. Then, write a journal entry from the perspective of either King George III or an American colonist describing how you feel about the Stamp Act and some reasons why. You can write on any paper you have. Be specific, and keep what you know about the time period in mind as you write.

Tomorrow, we’ll have a chance to talk about the Stamp Act and how different colonists reacted. Until then, be very glad you do not have to pay a tax on paper!

Yours,

PS 321

How did you feel about the tax? Share your thoughts here!

Math Short Responses

On the state math test, we'll have two days of multiple choice questions and one day of short-response questions. Here are some of the strategies we've been using on the short-response questions:

• Read the question carefully. Underline important information in the question. 
• Circle key vocabulary words. Define them, writing the definition right next to the word. For example, if you circle equation, write variable next to it. 
• Show all your work, using equations or models (sometimes the problem will ask you to use a specific method to show your work). 
• Reread the problem to make sure you answered the correct problem. 
• Check your work using another strategy to be sure it's correct. 
• Fill in the answer in the answer blank. 

Are there other strategies you use to solve short-response questions? If so, share them here!

Fractions

During math this week and next week, we'll be continuing our explorations of fractions! Earlier this year, I sent out a packet of information about different strategies students might use to solve problems with fractions and different models that might be helpful. You can find that packet electronically HERE.

ELA Reading Strategies

In class, we've been working on many strategies to help us read ELA passages and respond to questions. 

Here are some strategies we’re learning in class:

Before reading the passage:

·      Read the directions carefully. Figure out what kind of passage you’re reading (story, article, fable), and ask, “What is everything I know about this genre?” For example, a fiction story will include characters with traits, a problem and a solution, a setting, and will often include a lesson or moral.

When you’re reading the passage:

·      Read through the passage carefully. If you’re reading on your own, stop and think along the way, based on what you know about the genre. If you’re reading with a partner, stop and talk along the way.

After reading the passage:

·      Read the question. Cover the answer choices with your hand.
·      Think about what answer makes sense. You will probably need to re-read part of the passage to figure it out. Say what you think the answer is in a simple sentence.
·      Look at ALL the answer choices before making a decision. Think, “Is there an answer choice that matches what I thought the answer was? Is there another answer choice that makes more sense?”
·      You might need to eliminate answer choices that don’t make sense to narrow down your options.
·      Choose the best option, and circle it!