Practice, Practice, Practice

Double digit multiplication is the name of the game. The only way to win this game is practice, practice, practice!!! We are working really hard but everyone needs to be practicing at home too! This week we moved into multiplying money. We are practicing remembering how to move the decimal point over and to include the dollar sign!

Our journal writing is in full swing and I am enjoying hearing what they have to say. Some days the topics are really hard for some, but then the next day they can't stop writing. I LOVE it! My favorite topic this week was, "What is your favorite dinner to eat and why?" The range of answers was amazing. I really hope to foster a love of writing.

We spent a lot of time this week talking about Martin Luther King, Jr and his legacy. We talked extensively about his dream and how much of it has come to fruition and what we can still work on. We did a project but I will wait to let you see them at Open House next weekend.

Today we spent most of the day in downtown San Jose seeing the Symphony Silicon Valley and San Jose Taiko. Students were most excited to ride the bus which was really fun. The symphony was really great and such a good learning experience for the kids. The conductor spent a lot of time talking about time in music and how fractions come into play. The one small problem was it was really warm in there and so we were all struggling to stay awake! It is really hard to tell the children to, "Sit up!" when you are falling asleep yourself.

After the symphony we walked over to the Center for the Performing Arts to see San Jose Taiko. This group is really cool. If you have never gotten to see them before I suggest you look them up and see them! Everyone seemed to enjoy this part much more. I am hoping we can have them come play to our whole school at some point.

We have a field trip coming up next month to the Oakland Museum. Permission slips will come out next week and we will need drivers/chaperones for this trip. YOU MUST BE FINGERPRINTED IN ORDER TO CHAPERONE!!! It is a simple process and the school will pay for you to have it done. Please stop in the office and find out how to get it done. If you are going to plan to volunteer in the classroom at all the rest of the year, you will need to be fingerprinted.  Thanks!