Kiker's Strength-Based Learning Cohort

Prioritization was the theme of the week. We worked on making time for "big rocks" and letting the littler things come later. This week in ELA, we've been focusing on important review, as well as our novels. In Some Kind of Courage , we learned about how writers use the climax of a story, and how the resolution of the character's struggle then influences the remainder of the book. We cried together as Joseph finally found a home too -- happy endings are always good!  Fourth Grade actually invented a new Mnemonic for us...C SECRET -- Character -- Setting, Experience, Climax, Resolution, Evolution (character change), and Theme. AWESOME! We are so excited to know the complexities in writing, and how we can analyze it with such detail. We've all been finishing our final drafts, preparing for publishing next week. Math has also been about review of many topics and vocabulary this week.  It's been exciting for 4th grade to remember where they were at the beginni...

This week we've looked for OPPORTUNITY -- ways we can actively help others, stretch ourselves, and reflect on mistakes. It's been great taking responsibility of our choices, being aware of times when we can step up, and how we can be intentional about what we do when we recognize the opportunities we have. In ELA, we have been moving through our novels and finishing our writing pieces. 3rd and 4th have been using the Benchmark Test as a teaching tool -- an opportunity to practice with lots of teacher feedback. We were given the option to give it on one day or to space it out over a few, and we chose to take a few days as to really go deep with reflecting on our work when go over it. We ended the week with the 3rd Grade Vocabulary Parade -- fabulous words and representations!! 2nd and 3rd grade mathematicians explored more measurement this week, We discussed the importance of estimation and then put our estimating skills to work with length, area, capacity, and weight sta...

You will begin by watching the following video: As you watch, think about ways you have or you want to revise your piece. Revising your pieces When you are finished with the video, work on your Final Draft of your "Time I was excited" (block 1), "Your character overcoming challenge" (Block 2), or "A time I overcame a challenge" (block 4) piece. Finish drafting so you can meet with Mrs. Forrest on Friday. FOURTH GRADE: You have not gotten as far on your piece...work to finish first or second draft. It should not be a time to meet with a partner, as many of you need to write. After you finish your draft, watch the videos below. Some are books, some are information about Earth Day. For your exit ticket today, write one thing you learned about Earth Day. Earth Day - trash Earth Day - Hooray! Time for Kids Tips to Help If you have extra time, you may independently read.

This week our focus was independence. We looked for opportunities to take initiative to do and figure things ON OUR OWN. It presented us with a chance to GROW. We took risks, failed, tried again, and had the satisfaction of working hard and accomplishment. In reading and language arts we continue to synthesize the events of our novels to find the single struggle our character is facing. We laughed together, gasped together, and even shared tears (mostly Mrs. Forrest) in specific scenes. Our written pieces have entered the critique and editing stages, and we used a new technique called "Express Check Out" to help our partners with their publications. In math, 2nd and 3rd graders explored distance measurement with centimeters and inches.  Then they put their measurement skills to work with area and perimeter.  We used a slice of bread to help us conceptualize that area is the space inside a shape and that perimeter means the distance around. A few pics of hungry mathematic...

We began our theme this week focusing on kindness, and looking at how our actions lift others up. During this week, as a No Place For Hate school, Kiker celebrated by having a "chalk week." Teachers organized their classes to put positive messages around school emphasizing how we represent No Place For Hate. Our kiddos, with their positive, growth mindset, turned it around and created a word web in Team Meeting with the phrase: "We ARE a Place For..." Look below for all these fabulous, kid-generated words. The SBLC Team really embraces what it means to represent and to affect this world for GOOD. In reading and writing, our study of each of our novels continue. We have examined literature in our responses, from context clues to summarizing. We are using our mentor texts to help us draft our own pieces. Seeing how good writers focus on important details and events that reveal our character's struggle rather than just adding things in sequ...