Thank you to the families that donated Lego kits! Wow! You should have seen their faces. It seems like the class has now organized themselves into three groups - independently - to build and organize Lego creations. It's a good thing we have this large room for the year! ;) The best part is that we found they were all connected. The big idea they generated is that they are building a city! So cool thanks to you! There is the set of townhouses, the set of the fire station, and the set of the bus station. They said, "Now we just need a police station!". Amazing! Without knowing it, the selections generously donated to our class are now adding even more learning and connect so well to our social studies focus on "building a community". Now they are doing it figuratively and literally! They've now decided we need Lego tables or large green Lego bases. ??? (Help needed here as my background knowledge in Legos has not been capitalized while living in the land of dress up and Disney. :) ) If you have any laying around, then feel free to send them in to the eager construction crew. ;)

To the left of this post there are links to three sites I selected to enrich our big idea of how traveling through time changes our perspective. The first batch of books by William Joyce focus on his dinosaur books as we travel into prehistoric time to analyze the "past, present, future" (iconic language). If you read this on a smartphone, then the side panels do not show up. Whenever the sides are changed, it is noted in the post.

The "Collaborative Families" tab and link to the growing collection of links/videos/websites has grown. There are a few new things to view if anyone is interested. The Ma and Pa Kettle Do Math video was added which is when the other additions were noticed. What a fabulous bit of parental input and ideas! Thank you! Please add anything you think the families would enjoy or benefit from watching/checking out. :) We can all learn together!

Latest focus areas during "Newscaster of the Day":
- nouns, pronouns, and proper nouns
- verbs (action)
- adjectives
- beginning all sentences with introductory phrases telling when or where
- rereading to revise: adding more specific details using a caret; adding adjectives to describe and help the reader "visualize"
- adding quotes
- using parentheses to show a phrase to be whispered (a side comment) - They love this right now.

iPad growth:
Did your child teach you how to "trim" a video today?
Your child has spent two days making movies of friends in our class in the role of the director. Today, your child was the editor. Your child learned how to . . .
-  locate and select a specific video he/she made
-  touch the top to activate the "trim" option
-  trim the beginning, middle, or end of the chosen video
-  email or save the trimmed video (my email ;) )
-  save both the original and the trimmed video clip
-  why people trim videos:  1) too big to email    2) someone or something got in the way of the video    3) revise a section     4) a part was not as good as it could have been or is not needed
Connections to "Newscaster of the Day" and writing:
-  revise, revise, revise
-  quality is more important than quantity or length
-  commercials they see on tv for movies are made the same way they just experienced - putting clips together
-  want a solid beginning, middle, and end to the video
-  language of the discipline: revise, edit, trim, organize

I was at school until 7:00 tonight getting new apps on our iPads. We are ready for our next steps as we continue to move up Bloom's Taxonomy to minimize knowledge (computers do that) and maximize creation. :)


When doing homework for the first time this week, please use the above list to form your expectations. All children should be able to start a sentence with a when or where phrase. (Ex: Last night, . . . / At the park, . . . / Last weekend at the beach, . . . ) Before your child thinks he/she is finished writing, please maintain the accountability of rereading to make sure all words are included, add details, and make sure it makes sense. Quality is far more important than quantity. One well-written sentence shows more learning and thinking than a series of patterned sentences (A dinosaur. . . It has . . . It can . . . It was . . .). The quality sentence can be developed whereas the stilted list style cannot. :)

Homework suggestions, ideas, and clarifications:

- - - Enjoy discovering the new "homework". It's the process not the product, so please do not focus on what it will "look like" or "sound like". Instead, please focus on what your child is learning. This will show during discussions and give your child the opportunity to contribute to discussions, make connections, and think with the higher level of depth and complexity.
- - - These first few weeks are a learning process for everyone in your family, so please know this is expected and understood. :) Effort and enjoyment are the priority.
- - - The bottom of the cover page is far more important than any other piece.
- - - Set aside a time and place whenever possible. Let your child choose materials and decorate the homework space to be motivating.
MONDAY- - - Although the Inquiry question is on Monday, it is not expected to be done by Tuesday. Your child may gather ideas for a few days. The purpose in putting in on "Monday" is to maximize the weekly time for thinking and planning. We will begin discussing it on Tuesday even though there may not be anyone ready to share their learning. This is expected, so do not feel a deadline pressure. It's not a competition to see who is first or best - simply a learning process of adding on to what was already learned and linking known to unknown or new learning.
TUESDAY- - - The Flipped Classroom expectation for all is to watch the videos and be prepared to join in a discussion. Beyond that is your choice. Just a reminder that the icons at the top of the (optional) writing paper for this night mean: Big Idea (overall theme, lesson, or message to be learned) and Details (specific bits of important learning that support the Big Idea)
WEDNESDAY- - - Time for Kids has not arrived yet, so your child will be bringing home Disneyland's brand new newspaper instead. Please emphasize the various writing styles. No quiz. Simply rereading together and discussing the type of writing, author's purpose for the article, and overall design of the newspaper.
THURSDAY- - - The Spelling Menu is MONTHLY. The top of the page says that your child should complete a total number of selections equal to his/her age. :) (Ex: 6 years old = 6 squares colored, filled in with happy faces, or crossed out by the end of 4 weeks). Any creations for this can be turned in weekly. The same form will be removed and reattached to next week's homework.
- - - No folder. It's wasteful and one more thing for your child to carry back and forth. The Daily Folder can effectively bring the homework back and forth on Fridays. :)
- - - As mentioned at BTSN, homework will come home on Fridays to allow for weekend previews and head starts (I would certainly need it!). :) Submitted homework will be reviewed over the weekend and returned the following school day. The assumption is that you have reviewed it prior to being submitted. Notes will be added if classroom expectations are not met (leave that for me and save any chance of meltdowns :) ).
- - - Reminder of philosophy - If I do a good enough job of teaching your child during the day, then minimal homework is necessary. Your child will be tired, so the emphasis should be on all elements of communication: language, sharing ideas, reading, and writing. Family time, physical activities, and other hands-on activities are equally or perhaps more important.
- - - Recess will never be taken from your child. Punishment does not improve motivation or learning. Socialization for your child is very important to happiness and health. Being placed on a line in front of peers and others does not teach any positive lesson. The goal is intrinsic motivation to do the homework with maximized effort, be responsible for turning it in, and organize it while at home.
- - - Where's the math? :) Did that enter your mind? Don't worry. Master this new style of homework and you'll find it takes fewer than 15 minutes per nightly activity. ST Math/Fluency (Jiji) should be a part of the nightly homework and math practice worksheets will be added to homework packets next week. This week is to establish a bit of a routine, organize time and materials, and overcome any fear of the new approaches/activities. Within a few weeks,  you'll have this all mastered, find it easy and meaningful, and find that you can actually enjoy homework as a family as you learn and share ideas together.
- - - The intent in the design and implementation is to scaffold (give baby steps) the experience for your entire family to build success and enjoyment. That is why you experienced an Inquiry question on Day 1 and the Flipped Classroom videos on philosophy. : )
- - - If there are any questions along the way, feel free to text. Please remember that the response may be a simple phrase (no text message editing ;) ).  It may also be sent via Siri who tends to change words occasionally. :0 If you text between 4:30-6, I might get "caught" and a response may not be sent until after 6. :) Life is like a split shift. Your children until 4:30, mine until bedtime (@9:30 - nocturnal), then back to your children until @ midnight.

FYI - The text number is a customized app that accepts only text messages. Any voicemails begin left go to the land of the unknown. Only texts can be received and sent. :) Like Twitter, they are limited by character count. Feel free to use words or phrases only. ;)
(EX: missing pink jacket???; sending cups tomorrow - pls get out of backpack; thx :) ; after school lang class start tom? _____ is out sick today due to _____; pls watch for coughing; ) ;)

Reminder - very accessible via text with instant feedback in most cases. Please do not email and expect a response. :) Voicemail at school is never used and emails are rarely sent anymore. Notes in your child's folder are also welcome. :)

Short posts coming soon. :-)