Research time

Hello,

We got into the computer lab for the first time in quite a while to begin research on our biomes.  Students were introduced to terms like bibliography and plagiarism.  We talked about how to take notes in a way that makes it so when it is time to write your paper, you wouldn't copy the same exact wording as the resource that you found your information.  This is going to take time and practice, but I felt like they got the general gist.

We had Arts are Elementary session III this morning after math.  Artist in residence, Judy Segal, led the class in poetry writing.  The theme remained birds.  Students got to write final drafts of their work with gel pens and then accent the poems with feathers and drawings.  I was impressed with the thoughtfulness of the language of their creations. 

Our current read aloud, The Power of Un, by Nancy Etchemendy is the basis for tonight's homework.  The main character in the story, Gib Finney, is given an unner, an unusual machine that allows the user to go back in time and undo something that happened.  Will Gib go back and undo something from his past?  Or will he just go back to relive happier times?  Those questions are the ones that I posed to your children.  Tonight they are to write about their decision.  If they could go back and relive a moment or a day, would it be to enjoy an occasion over again, or to undo something that could have gone better?  I look forward to reading their thoughts.

Harry Potter meets after school tomorrow for the second movie.  Popcorn and juice will be served.  It is completely optional for members.  Current members have about two weeks to finish book three.  I don't anticipate getting to book four this year.  Maybe we'll have a fifth grade club take over where we leave off.  I purchased some large trifolds last night so we can have an actual outside wall to our common room.  Students will have to give the password to the portraits to be let in.  We'll need to figure out how to have our paintings talk, but I'm envisioning some cutouts for heads.  Any volunteers to be the Gryffindor Fat Lady?

Thanks for reading.

Mr. Shea