Monday, February 14, 2011

Breaking into "Families"



Students write about their "family role" after collaborating


Sample sheet (notice the math on the upper right corner of the first picture calculating age based on birthdate)
Happy Valentine's Day!  The day ended with a low key Valentine's celebration--each student voiced an appreciation and some handed out candy and cards. Students broke into their "families" to begin their Westward Movement simulation; these families will also be their new reading groups.  Students really got into it and created captivating roles for themselves.  Lots of groups kept with a creative spin: one family travels with a widowed husband, grandmother, one cousin and son; another family from Virginia travels with a Maine lobsterman; the hunter-husband met the lobsterman in a Virginia port.  Tomorrow "families" decide what to bring before they set out on the trail.

Homework for tonight is to:
1.  Read for 30 minutes
3.  Spelling