The Kersey Chronicles
Rockstars Choosing to Matter in Room 25
Happy Kids
This time of year is always tough for me - those dreary, grey days can be challenging! I thought I would share with you the same article I shared at the end of 2nd quarter for some reminders to help your kids stay cheery during this time of year!
If you're anything like me, more than anything else you want for your kids is simply for them to be happy. I would probably add a few other descriptors there, but most of all, I hope they discover happiness and live that joy outwardly in their lives. But sometimes I struggle with knowing how to help cultivate that in my kids.
When I came across this time.com article, I thought you might find it as helpful as I did. Don't have time to read the whole thing? Here's the summary:
- Get Happy Yourself
- Teach Them To Build Relationships
- Expect Effort, Not Perfection
- Teach Optimism
- Teach Emotional Intelligence
- Form Happiness Habits
- Teach Self-Discipline
- More Playtime
- Rig Their Environment For Happiness
- Eat Dinner Together
I especially liked #3 and 8. Enjoy!
This Week's Set List (January 16-20)
Week at a Glance/Skills for the Week:
LITERACY – We are reviewing our work from quarter two, assessing our post-assessment work, and identify areas to continue to improve. I spend a significant amount of time helping students reflect and set goals for the remainder of the year. This week, students will complete guided reading level assessments, and a self-reflection tool to determine where strengths and needs lie. Then we will use that to set new goals. Our next unit will begin Monday, January 23rd.
WRITING – We will watch Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream speech" on youtube, and will identify the elements of a speech. We will investigate how speeches are similar/different from opinion writing. Then students will choose a topic to write a compelling speech of their own!
MATH – We will have started Unit 7, which has an emphasis on building number sense through exponential notation, place value, and adding/subtracting negative integers. The test is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, February 2nd.
SPELLING – All students in our class have exhibited mastery in grade-level spelling. Therefore, we will no longer take weekly spelling tests. We will, however, continue to review spelling patterns and skills that will be helpful in authentic writing.
SCIENCE – We will begin Unit 2 in Science, which is Electricity and Heat.
SOCIAL STUDIES – We will study the causes and main events of the Civil War as we work on our researching skill and nonfiction reading/writing.
TIPS - This week in TIPS, we will work on additional reading strategies and skills.
Upcoming Events
January 16th: MLK Jr Day, No School
January 20th: Genius Hour Presentations from Q2
January 25th: Early Release Day, 2:55pm dismissal
Yoga Club
Along with Mrs. Bushong - certified yoga instructor and owner of Shine Yoga Wellness and Studio - I am offering a Yoga Club to 3rd - 5th graders. Classes begin January 17th and end February 16th, and offer students practical skills to calm and center themselves as they head into testing season. Students today experience anxiety and stress in many ways; this offers tools to help them learn to combat the pressure they face each day.
Please visit this link (https://www.smore.com/p2kbu) to sign your child up for this 10-class series. Let me know if you have questions.