It has been a very busy time here in Portable 13 over the past month, and we haven't had much time to blog.
In Language, we did a lot of work around the concept of citizenship in literature, summarizing, and searching for big ideas in books. We also did a novel study, and presented personal book talks.
In Math, we did mini units on analysing graphs, and then characterizing angles and triangles.
In Social Studies, we have been studying citizenship, and steps to becoming citizens. We have been creating our own civilization with its own steps to citizenship, and we wrote our own oath of citizenship. We have also formed government committees, which we will work on to build our civilization.
In French, we learned the names of animals, studied the verbs etre and avoir, prepositions of place, and we looked up adjectives to describe people and animals.
Students are currently working on 3 major projects: for French, they are designing a zoo with 10 animals and 5 descriptions; for Language, students researched a famous Canadian, used several organizers to help them pre-write, and now must write up the biography. They wrote paragraphs, self-edited, and peer-edited. They must now publish a good copy of their work. In Math, they are designing our civilization, Weslandia, using the triangles they learned. They must include the 6 different triangles, and identify and measure the triangles and angles. They must also discuss the difference between the things they NEEDED in their civilization, and the things they WANTED, and why that is different. Students have rubrics and checklists and expectations, and know exactly what they have to do to be successful.
Although we worked a LOT in class on these projects, and students should have had enough time to finish, many students did not complete these projects. It is expected that these will be handed in on the first day back at school on January 9.
I wish you all a wonderful holiday, and Happy New Year! I truly enjoy teaching your children!
Ms. Bordonaro
