We finally got ready to start reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Thanks to some help from my special sorting hat (courtesy of Mrs. Mattingly!) we started our adventure by being sorted into Hogwarts Houses. Kids will work cooperatively in their Houses for some (but not ALL!) projects and activities in class and will have the opportunity to earn points for their House by doing great things - handing in their homework, acing tests, improving their scores, or just generally being really nice. Sadly, they can also lose points for their house by doing less-than-stellar things - forgetting to hand in homework, disrespecting school policies, and being Cardinals fans just to name a few. (ESPECIALLY being Cardinals fans....you know who you are!!)
This concept of houses is based loosely on a theory called Tribes Learning Communities which you can read about here. It's not exactly the same, but it'll give you an idea of the theories behind this 'project' and why I like to set up class this way. We'll sort ourselves into Greek god cabins for our novel study of The Lightning Thief and align ourselves with different heirs for The Westing Game in the spring.
Here's a glance at PROBABLE homework for the week - unless something mysterious happens and we have to scrap it all, plan on these assignments:
Monday:
Social Studies: Lesson 2 WS
Spelling- study for the test on Friday
Reading: Weekly vocab quizzes start!
Science: Bell Work Packet (due the following Monday)
Math: Review/Preview
Tuesday:
Language: Complex Sentences WS (#6-10)
Social Studies: Hammurabi's Code (possible follow up to yesterday's WS)
Reading: Chapter 1&2 WS (in COMPLETE sentences!!)
Science: bell work packet
Math: Review/Preview
Wednesday:
Language: Revising simple sentences (in class, possible at home extension)
Social Studies: Early Empires (no HW tonight)
Reading: Writing About your Hogwarts House Web and Essay
Science: bell work packet
Math: Review/Preview
Thursday:
Language - color coding sentence types
Social Studies: Lesson 3 WS
Reading: Vocab WS, finish reading chapter 3
Science: Bell work packet
Math: Review/Preview
Friday: KNIGHT WALK DAY!!
Reading: Vocab Quiz (weekly!)
No homework! (unless you haven't finished that science packet!)
PLEASE NOTE: Social Studies test over Chapter 1 will be next Wednesday!!!