Monday, October 26. We were scientists today. We graphed the results of our microbe experiment. We found out that microbes do help germination. The seeds with just water germinated and sprouted well, but the seeds that were soaked in rubbing alcohol barely germinated. Then we learned more about ways that seeds can disperse. We went outside and dispersed some corn seeds, using various creative methods. In the afternoon, we had a meeting with the IU Biologists. We learned that microbes help break down nutrients in seeds, so the new plant gets the sugar it needs to grow. During math class, we used ratio table to solve price problems. We watched a video starring MUFFO, who has finally paid Dr. H. back all the money he borrowed. Today flew by.
Tuesday, October 27. We began our new literature circle book today, Sarah, Plain and Tall. We also learned more about text features and searched for text features in our Social Studies books. There’s a lot of new vocabulary with this standard, so we’ll make sure to spend enough time on it to nail down the various terms. When reading non-fiction at home, it would be great to point out photos, captions, table of contents, glossary, index, maps, timelines, etc. We worked briefly on comparisons with adjectives and acted out various adjectives with ER and EST endings. We also introduced the terms simile and metaphor. During Writing Workshop, we finished up our Bloomington stories and had some independent writing time. A great Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 28. Another great Writer’s Wednesday. We started the day with Math. We’re going through our multiplication facts and talking about different strategies for solving multiplication problems. In the afternoon, we learned about Native Americans in our area. We focused on the Delaware tribe. We read a Land Acknowledgement Statement on the IU website. Then we watched a DVD that compared the lives of Native Peoples. We then read parts of a book called The Delaware. We pretended we traveled back to 1700 to visit the Delaware tribe. Then we made artifacts from playdough and wrote letters about our trip. These turned out well.
Thursday, October 29. We worked hard on our literature log assignment for Sarah, Plain and Tall this morning. We used dictionaries to define the word, “prairie.” In the afternoon, we worked on illustrating a piece for our portfolios. We continued to work on using arrays to explore multiplication. Energy was high today. I wonder if a special day is coming up soon????