Sparkles

I have to start out this week with some quotes from your kids.  We read a story about the Conceited Apple Blossom, who thought it was better than all other flowers, especially the dandelions in the field.  At the end of the story I asked the kids to turn and talk to each other at their tables, and come up with what they thought was the lesson of the story.  Here is what they came up with:

"There are sparkles in all of us."  "Everyone is beautiful in their own way."  "You make you who you are."  "It doesn't matter if you are beautiful, it matters who you are."

So profoundly true.


We had a wonderful week watching our critters change!  Our ladybugs turned into adults this week, and we are going to release them into the school's greenhouse on Monday.   The kids also excitedly journaled about their caterpillars turning into Chrysalides!  The students noticed that some of them began shaking as we were hanging them in the butterfly house!  They were so curious as to why they were doing this, and I love that one of them brought me my computer and said, "Let's look it up!"  So we did... and found that when chrysalides feel movement around them they sometimes begin to shake as a defense against predators!  I tell you, I learn something every day, right along with my students!

We had another super cute visit from one of our classmate's pets!  Alianna earned the Pet Shop card, and so she brought in her Aunt's puppy to show the class.  Thank you Ali!  She was adorable!

I am so thrilled with the class's progress in writing this year!  We are still working on the District's curriculum, The 6 Traits of Writing.  This week we had fun making play-doh (using math to double the recipe together) and then using our play-doh to come up with great Ideas to write about.  The stories were all so unique and creative, from starfish, to talking hot dogs, to Moon Queens!  

Another of the Six Traits we focused on this week was Organization.  First the kids made their own PB&J's (or PB's or just J's, as the case may be...), and then they wrote a How To piece on the steps needed to make a sandwich.  The did a wonderful job and had a delicious treat after their stories were done!

Next Friday we have a wonderful opportunity to go to Mt. Fairplay to celebrate the return of migratory birds to Alaska!  We are going with Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge and our 5th Grade Book Buddies to fly kites and HOPEFULLY see some cranes flying overhead! Parents and family are more than welcome to come along, just let me know so that I can grab you a picnic lunch.  This week, in preparation for our Kites and Cranes Day, we and our Book Buddies will be reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, and doing some studies of Haiku poetry, Japanese culture, and paper folding!  

Have a great week, and remember, "There are sparkles in everyone!"  Don't lose your sparkles!