Staying In-the-Know
w/Mr. Spires 3.12.15
Dutch Fork Elementary School The Academy of Environmental Sciences, Title I
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Argumentative Writing
This week we have been putting the finishing touches on our argumentative writing. This has been a long process for us and the students have really put their best effort into their argumentative pieces. I am extremely proud of each writer in the class and you should be as well. Be sure to ask your students what they wrote their piece on, what reasons they had, and what evidence they were able to find to support their reasons. They are sure to astound you with their brilliance.
MAP Testing
MAP testing was a wonderful celebration of all the growth our students have experienced in recent months. During the week before MAP testing we sat down as a class and walked through the process of answering multiple choice questions. I am extremely impressed with the growth that students displayed in terms of the process they utilize to work through problems.
Great Depression Unit of Study
We recently started our Great Depression Unit with a simulation of the market in 1929. The students were able to experience first hand the gratification of making a profit on a trade as well as the frustration that comes from not being able to make a profit. From their we have started looking at the causes and the impacts of the Great Depression. Everyone in our class seems captivated by the idea that money could just disappear when banks go out of business. If you have any family stories that you would like to share about the great depression, we would love to hear them.
Book Clubs
This week we started another round of book clubs, featuring books that take place during the Great Depression. All of the students are extremely excited about the book clubs. Having the opportunity to share their reading experience with other readers is the highlight of their day. I'm sure they would also be happy to share their experience with you.