Peek of the Week
Mrs. Cousins' and Ms. Welker's Class
Language Arts
We are learning about the last element to retelling a story. We are learning about the plot of the story. The plot of the story is the events that happened from the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Don't forget to tell who the characters are and the setting of the story while telling the plot of the story.
- Phonics/Word Study
Identifying Nouns
Review of high frequency words
Writing sentences
- Writer's Workshop
We are writing fun Christmas activities. We are also learning how to add details in our writing.
**GT Cluster Class-- We are working on our research paper about explorers. Ask your child what explorer they are researching.
Social Studies
It's December and we began our adventure around the world studying holiday traditions from different countries. We will discuss the various traditions and customs that different countries celebrate during the holiday season, and compare them to American traditions. Each country that we visit, students will create a little souvenir and add it to their traveling suitcase.
Home Challenge:
* create a new suit for Santa
* send holiday greetings to friends and family
Winter Family Fun
*Make Gingerbread cookies and a Gingerbread House
* Moody Gardens festival of lights, Ice Palace, Polar Express, Nutcracker Ballet
* Houston's Zoo lights
* Ice Skating
* Caroling
Santa's New Suit app preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIQ4zhZHnt4
Holidays around the World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux2QpVYPM1s
Sesame Street Holiday videos with Jennifer Hudson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SynQhWGWadU&list=PL8TioFHubWFtahrzBCr39Z2xNDDX3zyck
The Berenstain Bears Christmas Tree
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMUq3_3bedY
Twas the Night Before Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf1ozCbTF_4
12 Days of Christmas
Math
In our math class, we reviewed how to compare and order numbers 0 to 99. We made a "greater gator" to help students use the greater than and less than symbol, as well as the equal sign. We had students act out math problems and be the "greater gator". We went on a scavenger hunts around the room looking for numbers in picture form (tens and ones) and then compared them using the correct symbols.
Next week, we will review many of the math skills that we have been learning and getting ready for our very first math district test. Because of the math CBA, students will not have any Astros homework. Instead, students can practice their math skills while making science connections. I will send home a page that has some math questions that are tailored around what we have been learning about in science. The math test is important and we want our students to do their best, but we do not want to stress them out over it either. The new homework page is not for a grade, just for fun and review.
Science
This week, we studied how heat energy is used and transferred. Students got to hear and sing to a new song about heat energy. We used students and made heat waves and discovered that heat travels through waves. We also discovered that objects change as heat is added or taken away from it. We added heat to crayons using a hair dryer and saw that it melted and turned into a liquid. When heat was taken away from the crayons, the wax cooled and became a solid again. We also made a pretty cool art piece! Ask your student about our wet blanket/towel experiment!
Next week, we will learn how sound energy is used and transferred. We are going to be rocking this wilder town in wolf style!
Sadie and the Snowman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYSg3EeBK-Y
Energy Songs/links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyVF6R9e6xE
Saving Energy-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-g73ty9v04
Heat-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khZrs-UBq28
Frozen "In summer" song with Olaf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnEB2F_v_cE
Brainpop-heat-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgOlB4TmbBY
Brainpop light-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dolr6JyMcZk
Brainpop-sound-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgDh0xQ6DVY
Magic School Bus-sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0eg2Goiubc
Magic School Bus-light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugX1qbBhJEU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsuNTxGXqzU
Magic School Bus-heat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBJSsl8Y1w
Adding heat/taking heat away Game:
http://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/SolidsandLiquids/activities/changeit.html
Home Challenge:
* cozy up to a warm fireside and make smores or roast marshmallows (read a holiday story)
* make hot chocolate and watch the marshmallows melt from the heat
* use old crayons and melt into models to make new ones
*make a list of all of the ways your family uses heat energy
Notes and Reminders
Toys for Tots toy drive at wilder
Yearbooks are on sale online
Dec. 8-12 Scholastic Book Fair Week
Dec. 10- Boosterthon Fun Run. Math CBA
Dec. 11- Reading CBA
Dec. 16- Holiday Family Night 5:30-7:00
Dec. 18- Holiday Party from 11:00-12:00
Dec. 19- Early Release Day (12:30), Polar Express Day (wear pjs to school)