This blog post is for last week and our short week this week! I hope everyone enjoyed their Mid-Winter Break! My family had the pleasure of driving to Brighton and back in Sunday’s snowstorm! The good news is they won and will advance to the next round of the playoffs!
Math ~ We finished up Unit 4 and have started Unit 5. Unit 5 is all about measurement. We reviewed the Metric units of measurement that students learned last year and practiced doing some conversions, we also made a conversion chart to help us out. Today we will be reviewing time and working on elapsed time. A great way to help your child with this difficult concept is to ask them questions about your daily schedule. An example is: School starts at 8:45 am. Students go out for lunch at 12:05pm. How much time has elapsed? 3hrs. 20 min. Ask these types of questions frequently!
Writing ~ We learned how to write introductions for our informational books. We tried two different types, setting the scene and making a comparison. Students then chose what they thought was their best introduction to add to their books. We also worked on writing conclusions. We talked about how conclusions revisit the most important information in the book and leave the reader with a lasting thought or a call to action. Students wrote two different conclusions and again chose the best one to add to their books.
Reading ~ We learned a little Latin this week! We looked at an old map called the Carta Marina and found that it had the words “Hic Sunt Dracones” (Here Be Dragons) on it and pictures of dragons and sea monsters! We learned that ancient cartographers (map makers) used that as a warning to tell sailors that it was a dangerous place. We then discussed how characters in the books we read have metaphorical dragons inside of them that haunt them and color the way they react to different situations. We also learned that everyone has metaphorical dragons to deal with.
Social Studies ~ We are continuing our Black History Month studies. We have learned about slavery, a little about the Civil War, the Civil Rights movement and important people from these time periods, for example, Ruby Bridges, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks and Fedrick Douglass to name a few. Students are creating quilt squares to showcase some of what they have learned. These will be displayed in the hallway.
Science ~ Last week Friday we completed an Owl Pellet Dissection lab. Students had a great time trying to discover what animal(s) their owl had eaten! Enjoy the slideshow of our lab!
Dates to Remember:
February 13th Last day for chocolate sale.
March 3 No School ~ Teacher Inservice
March 9 Full Day of school.
Reminder: Jonas Saunders Writing Contest Deadline is Monday!
2015 Jonas C. Saunders Literary Award
The Saunders Family and the Spring Lake Schools Foundation are proud sponsors of the Jonas C. Saunders Literary Award. The award annually recognizes outstanding young writers in Spring Lake Public Schools in memory of Jonas C. Saunders, former President of the Spring Lake Schools Foundation and Spring Lake alum. Mr. Saunders was the chair of the foundation’s Ladders to Literacy campaign. As an English major graduate from the University of Michigan, he had a passion and flair for writing as well as promoting the youth in our community. He was also a talented attorney, devoted father of four, husband, and community leader.
Guidelines
- One literary award will be presented in each of the three age groups: 1st grade through 4th; 5th through 8th; and 9th through 12th. Each winner will have two copies of his or her book published by the Spring Lake Schools Foundation. One copy will be presented to the author and one will be gifted to the author’s school library. Copyrights will be retained by the writer.
- Each entry must be an original and unpublished work of the entrant. The work must be completed solely by the author, without editing or writing assistance from anyone else.
- Literary works may be fiction or non-fiction.
- Please limit your entries to no more than the following word counts:
- 1,000 words maximum for grades 1 through 4
- 2,500 words maximum for grades 5 through 8
- 5,000 words maximum for grades 9 through 12
- Entries must be typed on 8½ by 11-inch paper and double-spaced.
- Authors must be students of Spring Lake Public Schools.
- The name, address and phone number of the young writer must not appear on the entry. Entrants must type his or her name, address, phone number, school, grade and the title of their submission as well as the first 12 words of his or her entry on a separate 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper.
- The entry may be illustrated but the judging of the entries will be based on literary merit only.
- A scholarship totaling $500 will be given to the winner of the high school division.
How to Enter
Please mail or deliver 3 complete copies in a sealed envelope to:
Spring Lake Schools Foundation
2014 Jonas C. Saunders Literary Award
345 Hammond Street
Spring Lake, MI 49456
Due Date: Monday, February 9, 2015
Students may use a piece that was written for school.