Weekly Update, Friday, September 30

Greetings,

Language Arts (Writing) - Most students created a substantial story entitled "Nothing Ever Happens At Whatcom". I introduced word choice as a second writing trait this week. The targets include:
I can use specific nouns, action verbs, and adjectives to make my writing clear and vivid.  I can choose just the right words for the right places.  We used a self-revision pages to revise drafts for ideas and word choice. On Monday, I will collect all of the students' progress so I can provide my teacher feedback.

Reading - I collected reading letters and provided my assessment using the rubric from their reading folder. Monday I will send home the first home-reading assignment, due next Friday. Again, students should be reading a minimum of 30 minutes a night, five nights per week.

Social Studies - We explored the ancient world information by viewing a short video entitled "The Birth of Civilization" and reading from our text. Our vocabulary included history, geography, prehistory, oral traditions and we continued to explore phyical features, natural resources and climate. Today, we wrestled with the question: What are the connections between geography and history? The DVD did a nice job of explaining that major rivers and natural barriers influenced the locations of civilizations.  I was learning right along with students.

Weekly Update, Thursday, September 22

Greetings,
     Reading - We are practicing tenacity in reading. Today we began writing our first reading response. Every other week, I intend to assign a letter in which the students will react to their reading. The letters will focus on reading targets. This week the targets include:
I can identify major and minor characters in a story
I can identify the major events in the plot of a story.
I can summarize the plot of a story.
In other words, we are summarizing the story elements in the book so far. I am looking for a letter in which story elements are clear in an accurate retelling. To excell a letter would refer to interactions between story elements. This is a practice letter. Letters are usually completed in class.
Reminder: Students are to read a minimum of 30 minutes a night five nights a week.

   Writing - Time for writing Nothing Ever Happens at Whatcom is nearing an end. I don't expect students to publish this piece. The purpose of the writing is to practice using self assessment in the writing process to improve on written work with a focus on Ideas. Yesterday, we used the rubric for ideas to assess two anonymous pieces from fifth graders.

   Social Studies - We have begun to explore civilizations. I read Weslandia to the class. We created folders and I shared the targets for the unit. Today and tomorrow I will introduce vocabulary of climate, natural resources and physical features. Using an atlas we will label maps of the continents in terms of climate, phsical features and natural resources.

   Thanks,

   Tim Lucy

Weekly Update from Mr. Lucy

I enjoyed meeting many parents last night. Remember, if you have questions or concerns email or call me. My email is timothy.lucy@bellinghamschools.org and my phone is 676-6460 extention is 4347.

We launched Reading and Writing Workshops this week. Yesterday we began our first writing activity, "Nothing Ever Happens at Whatcom". The targets include:
2a  I can make my topic and purpose clear to my reader.
and
2b  I can include important and interesting details.

Today, the students moved through a dozen stations throughout the building, noting fun details like smells, sounds, feelings. They have been encouraged to use them in their first writing project.

Students are assigned home reading 30 minutes per night five nights per week.

I will begin  Social Studies next week.

Extended learning is scheduled to begin on Monday. Picture day is scheduled to Friday, September 23rd. Picture packets will go home Monday.

Thanks,
Mr. Lucy