Applying Our Knowledge in Multiple Ways!

(Agh!  I thought I had pushed PUBLISH, but I now realize this was still in draft mode!)

Hello!

Thank you so much to Abbie and her family for bringing in such a variety of succulents for the outside of our classroom.  Friends had a moment where they recounted what they had learned from the Rooftop Garden we visited at the Recycling Center field trip.  They know that succulents are drought resistant plants, so they do not need as much water as most other plants might.  A few friends volunteered to help transplant them into our pots.

If anyone else has any more succulents or drought resistant plants, we'd welcome them!

Some friends have been exploring with tempera and are noticing that finding the perfect color takes some testing.  As a class, we worked together to come up with a recipe sheet to help friends how to find certain colors.  The class reviewed the primary colors and a few of the secondary colors.  I introduced them to the term, tertiary color, which is when you mix two secondary colors or a primary color with a secondary color.  As I mixed colors the students helped me write out their recipes on this chart.  Friends are already utilizing it to find the perfect shade of brown or skin color!

I have informed the students of the upcoming Student Led Conferences.  We reviewed what it looked and felt like to share their hard work with their families, along with what goals were.  We generated the following list to remind ourselves of some possible items of discussion might be, as well as what were some possible Personal, Social, and Academic Goals.

This week, when we met up with our 8th Grade Buddies, we invited them to play one of our favorite games:  Statue.  The class was split into two groups, since 40 people would be a lot to work with, and more people would get a try to play the game.  Some friends went into the Before/After Care room with Tony, and others stayed in our class with me.  Check out how friends practiced using kind words to mold their statue into their desired positions.  Communication is so important when working with others, and using your words to express your needs can be hard for some.  Also, listening to your friends, really hearing what they are asking you to do and following through with the request takes some practice as well.  Here are some brave friends practicing these speaking and listening skills.

Love, Gaby