Fourth Nine Weeks, Week 2

Spring Break is certainly in the air!  Just a few more days of busy learning in the classroom before a well-deserved break for all!

Reading: Students are finishing their book club books this week and writing character descriptions about one of the main characters.

Language: We will begin working on a book that we will write as a class about things that the students have learned this year.

Math: Unfortunately, testing is just around the corner, and especially in math, there is still a lot that needs to be taught!  Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be spending a lot of time on geometry, especially lines and angles, to ensure that students feel comfortable with the terminology.

Alabama History:  Why did the South secede?  Why did the North win the Civil War?  These are questions we'll be delving into this week and next.

Fourth Nine Weeks, Week 1

Reading - The students will be choosing their new, and final reading goals this week.  They are also continuing book club groups!

Read Aloud - We are reading an exciting historical fiction book about a young girl who helps her aunt (a detective) in Chicago during Civil War times.  Ask your child to tell you more about the adventures of Nell in The Detective's Assistant.

Language - This week, the students will be writing St. Patrick's Day themed stories!  Watch out for leprechauns!

Math - The students are now focusing on decimals.  Our goal is for students to be able to change fractions with denominators of 10 or 100 into decimals and vice versa.  This week, we will focus on comparing and ordering decimals as well as adding and subtracting decimals.

Alabama History - Alabama has now become a state.  What is life like in early Alabama?  We'll be discussing plantations, slavery, transportation and commerce of antebellum times as we prepare for our discussion of the Civil War.

Science - We will discuss electric currents this week and will then have the electricity test on Thursday.  There is a Study Stack to help the students prepare.

Switches

These intelligent, creative engineers made light switches today!  With VERY little direction, the students figured out ways to make a light switch by adding something to their circuit that could be connected and disconnected.  Check out some of their amazing inventions: switches.

Third Nine Weeks, Final Week

What a busy week we have at Shades Cahaba!  Tuesday night is Bring Your Parent to School Night, Wednesday is Write-On Shades Cahaba and Thursday is the 2nd Grade Musical.

Reading: The students will continue their book club books and discussions this week.

Language: The students are putting the final touches on their hero essays as well as working on writing a page for a school-wide book about what makes us a Blue Ribbon School.

Math: The students have done an excellent job on fractions!  We will now begin combining our knowledge of fractions with an understanding of decimals.

Science: The students will be working on parallel and series circuits, as well as making switches this week.

Alabama History: Our discussion of the Civil War begins this week!

Makey Makey

Today, the students used their knowledge of electric circuits and conductors to play games on the computer.  What?  Yes, I know that sounds odd.  Thanks to a very creative invention called "Makey Makey" students were able to override their computer keyboard to control games such as PacMan, a piano and bongo drums with conductors like coins, pencil drawings, play dough and gummy bears.  Check out some of their creations: videos of Makey Makey.