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Jammin' Through January!

This week we have taken project time to practice our keyboarding skills with Dance Mat Typing. We know that skill is crucial to our effectiveness using technology! Students can practice at home -- use the link here on the blog under Academic Extensions to find the website!



Check out that awesome hand position!

In language arts, we have been combining our reading and writing skills. Second grade completed their first expository essay together!! They also continued their biography study of heroes with Helen Keller, Rosa Parks, and Lucille Ball. We will take their information forward next Tuesday for the second expository essay. Second grade has also been focusing on writing detailed and thorough 3,2,1 reflections. Third grade has continued their focus on endangered animals and nonfiction text. We've worked hard on our cursive, Homonym, and Mountain Language too. Fourth Graders are following Joe Ranz' journey to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Knowing his background is preparing us to understand how he's developed grit, persistence, and strength. Our expository essays this week focused on courage.

We shared some fantastic presentations in science this week! Not only did our scientists get to share and reflect on their own experiences, they learned from their peers' projects as well. Topics ranged from spherification of liquids to coin-powered batteries. The amount of time and effort given to these projects was apparent. Congratulations on a job well-done, scientists!





In social studies, we read Each Kindness (piggybacking on Dr. Schneider's morning messages) and applied the story's message by writing our own ideas for creating ripples of kindness at Kiker. We talked about the many opportunities we have in various settings--the classroom, at lunch, and at recess--to make a positive impact.

We tied that message to one of our great heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After reading The Colors of Us, we discussed the beauty and diversity of our outsides and the uniqueness of our insides. We ALL have value and have so much to offer!

In math this week fourth graders discussed the advantages and disadvantages of different savings options. We made a budget for a weekly allowance and discussed what the purpose of financial institutions are. We also played a game called Snack Stand that involved play money and making a profit. Third graders learned  that  credit to buy something affects the cost. We discussed how and why you should save money and how making decisions involves income, spending, saving, giving, and credit.  Second graders learned how saving and spending are different. We discussed what happens when you save money over time and how deposits and withdrawals are different. We ended the week with what it means to borrow money.

*A very important AISD survey will be coming home today if you haven't already received it. Please take a few moments to complete it (either the hardcopy or online). We appreciate you providing your feedback!

Enjoy the long weekend...Happy Birthday, Dr. King, and thank you for your legacy!
SBLC Trio


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