Week of March 30 - All Grade Levels

Next week, ALL grade levels will come to class on Wednesday, April 1st.  Below you will see your student's time as well as what they need to do to be prepared for class:

• Kindergarten:  We will have class at 9:00 am.  We will be playing a game to reinforce abstract and realistic art as well as primary and secondary colors.  Your child will enjoy the game more if they can recognize the words ABSTRACT, REALISTIC, PRIMARY, AND SECONDARY.   For review, you can go back to previous kinder blogs to see the video on primary colors and look at abstract and realistic art.  The following week, we will be moving on to learning about specific artists, and their techniques.
• 1st Grade:  We will have class at 10:00 am.  Students will be typing their work that we did on their contienents this past week.  
• 2nd  Grade:  We will have class at 12:30 pm.  Students will be typing their work that we did on their contienents this past week.  If your child was not prepared last week, they are behind.
• 3rd Grade:  We will have class at 8:00 am.  Students need to be thinking about the best way to present their information so we can begin planning.  Talk to them about what they can create to show what they've learned from their genius hour.  We will be doing as much as possible in class, but it is helpful if you discuss some ideas at home.  
• 4th Grade  We will have class at 1:30 pm.  Students who have started their genius hour products will work on those.  Students who have not started their products will be making their plans.  Ask your child what stage of the process they are in.  I'm super excited that everyone completed their research charts and is ready to get started.

As usual, please let me know if you have any questions about assignments.

Reading Enrichment Lesson Day #2

After reading about Ruby Bridges, let's look at a poem that was written on the same topic.

About Langston Hughes

Kinder Enrichment for Week of 3/23

Bunnel's Class -Thursday March  26
Todish, Arnold, Finch, & Masters - Friday, March 27

I thoroughly enjoyed our discussions about realistic and abstract art.  We will continue with this topic during the upcoming week.  We will be applying our knowledge by turning our realistic tree into an abstract drawing.

To continue reinforcing our vocabulary, please discuss the following pieces of art with your child and help them determine if they are abstract or realistic.  You can also discuss the primary and secondary colors you see in the pictures to reinforce the lesson from a few weeks ago.  Students do not need to write anything for this discussion, but a writing reflection is listed below the pictures.

Reflection Question:  
Do you like realistic or abstract art better?  Tell why.  (parents can record their child's response)

Have fun!

3rd and 4th Grade Genius Hour Projects due week of March 23

I need all students to have their research charts on their google drives completed by their class day the week of March 23rd.  Some students are almost finished, others will need to work a lot this week in order to get finished.  If your student was one of the ones that need a lot of work, I helped him or her find reliable sources and there are links copied in their research chart so all they have to do is click the links, read the articles, and type in the answers to the questions.  They shouldn't have to go to any other search engines.  Students who have trouble with internet access may ask to have their research chart and sources printed out so they can hand write at home, they may come after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays to work, and/or they may stay in during their recess time to research.  In order to finish our products, this research must be completed next week.  We will start working on the technology project and the visual in class.  They cannot do either of these pieces without their research completed.

Here is a general timeline:

At Home:  Research Complete by their class day the week of March 23rd
At School:  Work on Technology Projects - weeks of 3/23, 3/30, 4/6
At Home:  Plan for the visual project and gather supplies (more information coming next week)
At School:  Work on visuals - weeks of 4/6, 4/13, and 4/20

Please let me know if you have any questions and how I can help.

Leprechaun Traps - 4th Grade Integrated Reading and Writing Lesson

Today we are going to create a Leprechaun Trap.  What is a Leprechaun trap you ask?  Let's start off by reading a story about one.

Read About It

Discussion Questions

Do you think you can create a Leprechaun Trap? or will the Leprechaun trap you?

Make a plan for your trap and write an expository paper on how to trap a Leprechaun.  Even though your paper is expository, it doesn't have to be completely true :)

Kindergarten Home Enrichment due March 19th or March 20th

Bunnell's Class should be prepared for class on Thursday, March 19th.
Finch, Masters, Todish, and Arnold's classes should be prepared for class on Friday, March 20th.

Look at the following paintings.  Observe carefully.  With your family, write down three similarities and three differences between the two paintings.  (three observations that are alike and three observations that are different.

Read the two definitions below.  With your family discuss which of these paintings is abstract and which is realistic.  Be prepared to tell what you think.

Abstract art is a style of art that is not realistic.  Unusual lines, colors, and shapes make the subject look unrealistic.  It is often characterized by the use of geometric lines and shapes and bold, bright colors.

Realistic art shows something, such as a person or a scene, as it might really look.

I can't wait to dig deeper into abstract and realistic art in class.

1st Grade Texas Performance Standards Project

It's research time!! We will be using our background knowledge on the seven continents to begin our yearly research assignment.  The Research on the continent will come first before the end product.

Each second grade student has a page protector in their binder with a research chart and at least three internet sources to use for research. The research chart needs to be completed AT HOME the Week of March 23, 2015 before they come to class. They have each chosen ONE of the seven continents to investigate further. When researching, I would like the students to use the sources I gave them first, THEN, I would like you to help your child find at least ONE, non-internet source - a book, a magazine article, an interview, brochure, etc. Students may NOT use WIKEPEDIA as a source.

I hope this is enough information for you to guide your child at home.  Remember this is not a dissertation or thesis paper.  It is an introduction to research and independent study and I expect 1st and 2nd grade quality work, so I don’t want you stressing about the final product or the research project.  I try not to put too much “at home” work on you so as to not conflict with other homework and/or outside school activities.  It is just impossible for me to help the kids with independent research when they are all doing a different topic.

Please let me now if you have any questions.  I am here to help.  Feel free to call or email me.

I hope this is enough information for you to guide your child at home.  Remember this is not a dissertation or thesis paper.  It is an introduction to research and independent study and I expect 1st and 2nd grade quality work, so I don’t want you stressing about the final product or the research project.  I try not to put too much “at home” work on you so as to not conflict with other homework and/or outside school activities.  It is just impossible for me to help the kids with independent research when they are all doing a different topic.

For your convenience, I have also included a link to a copy of the Research chart in case you should need another one. Please let me now if you have any questions.  I am here to help.  Feel free to call or email me.

Sincerely,

Lisa Pogue
poguel@rcisd.org

Copy of Research Chart

Second Grade Performance Standards Project

It's research time!! We will be using our background knowledge on the seven continents to begin our yearly research assignment.  The Research on the continent will come first before the end product.

Each second grade student has a page protector in their binder with a research chart and at least three internet sources to use for research. The research chart needs to be completed AT HOME the Week of March 23, 2015 before they come to class. They have each chosen ONE of the seven continents to investigate further. When researching, I would like the students to use the sources I gave them first, THEN, I would like you to help your child find at least ONE, non-internet source - a book, a magazine article, an interview, brochure, etc. Students may NOT use WIKEPEDIA as a source.

Second grade students have also copied links to their sources in digital form in our class google drive account. By having these links, your student can click on links, videos, pictures, etc from their internet source. I will send out the login and password via Remind as I don't want to publish it publicly. If you do not receive my Remind messages, please email me so we can get you signed up. Each student has a folder in the drive to share their work.

I hope this is enough information for you to guide your child at home.  Remember this is not a dissertation or thesis paper.  It is an introduction to research and independent study and I expect 1st and 2nd grade quality work, so I don’t want you stressing about the final product or the research project.  I try not to put too much “at home” work on you so as to not conflict with other homework and/or outside school activities.  It is just impossible for me to help the kids with independent research when they are all doing a different topic.

Please let me now if you have any questions.  I am here to help.  Feel free to call or email me.

I hope this is enough information for you to guide your child at home.  Remember this is not a dissertation or thesis paper.  It is an introduction to research and independent study and I expect 1st and 2nd grade quality work, so I don’t want you stressing about the final product or the research project.  I try not to put too much “at home” work on you so as to not conflict with other homework and/or outside school activities.  It is just impossible for me to help the kids with independent research when they are all doing a different topic.

For your convenience, I have also included a link to a copy of the Research chart in case you should need another one. Please let me now if you have any questions.  I am here to help.  Feel free to call or email me.

Sincerely,

Lisa Pogue
poguel@rcisd.org

Copy of Research Chart

4th Grade Challenge Math: Would You Rather

Would You Rather…

Buy a fancy 5-year eco-lightbulb for $9.79?

Or pay 70 cents per lightbulb, but replace them every 5 months?

Whichever answer you choose, please justify your reasoning using mathematics using the Would You Rather Template.  Be sure to copy the template and rename it Would You Rather.Your Name.  You need to also ensure that your assignment is in the folder that is Shared with Mrs. Pogue.  If you do not have this folder set up, please let me know so I can help you.

4th Grade Classwork for March 3rd

What is Pi?

Pi Day Infographic

History of Pi

Check this out:

Miles of Pi

Why do you think they chose the Number Pi out of all the numbers in the world?

Is every possible number, no matter how big, found somewhere in the infinite digits of Pi?

How about learning Pilish?

Pilish

Try your hand at Pilish poetry