Welcome to Quarter 2!
Thank you, families, for attending conferences. I appreciate the chance to talk about your kiddos face-to-face!
As always, I am available for kids to work in my room after school most days, except Tuesdays. Many mornings I am also available, but students need to check with me first, as I often have meetings before school.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wednesday 11/11 = No school due to Veterans' Day*
Friday 11/13 = Picture re-takes (forms are in the office)
Saturday 11/14 = Beaumont Foundation Happy Hour, 6 - 9 pm (email beaumontfoundation@gmail.com for info)
Thursday 11/19 = Fall Band Concert, 6:30 pm
Friday 11/20 = Girls' Night Out (forms are in the office)
Thursday 11/26 - Friday 11/27 = No school due to Thanksgiving holiday
Tuesday 12/8 = Mid-terms due
*Beaumont marching band will be in the Veterans' Day Parade on NE Sandy Blvd.
FIELD TRIPS
Families, I need some help! I am planning on taking my Core classes on the Courthouse Experience tour, offered through Classroom Law Project. I cannot make these trips happen without adult chaperones:
I need 4 adults to come with my pm Core class on Wednesday, December 9.
I need 3 adults to come with my am Core class on Thursday, December 17.
If you are able to join us for either date, please email me at vturner@pps.net for details. Thank you in advance!
IN CLASS
Language Arts
We are almost done reading the historic fiction novel Chains. Students are working on Literary Elements packets in-class, enhancing the notes, conversations, and mini-lessons we've been working on in class.
Weekly spelling/vocabulary assignments plus quizzes are continuing, as usual. Check Synergy for details.
Up next: students will read a novel of their own choosing, in preparation for the "Indie Novel Project" and "Booktalk", both of which will be due the week before Winter Break. Details and "backwards-planning" will be given in class on Thursday, November 12. Check your student's planner after that date to see how we broke a large task into smaller chunks.
U.S. History
Rebellion! Revolution! The American colonies are about to gain freedom from the British, and your students are learning about it through two different textbooks, class lessons, and a History Channel film. Time Book # 2, the First Colonies, is due the first week of November. Time Book #3, Revolt and Rebellion, is due the third week of November. We will begin our unit on the U.S. Constitution right around Thanksgiving, leading to Time Book #4 being due the week before Winter Break. The Courthouse Experience field trip will show students how the Bill of Rights applies to our modern court system.
Up next: students will be asked to find a "breakup song" that parallels the Declaration of Independence. They will need to defend their choice to the class visually and verbally, using specific connections between the song lyrics and the text of the Declaration.
Coming soon, likely early December: students will be asked to memorize the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, which is a challenge I am certain they can achieve.
