News for the Week of October 19, 2015

Life Skill:  Curiosity
Quote:  The important thing is not to stop questioning.  Curiosity has its own reason for existing.

Captain's Table of "STAR" Students

(STAR = Stop, Think, Act Responsibly)

                                                   Student                     Life Skill                           

1st Grade Math                             Ria                      Responsibility
                             

2nd Grade LA                              Logan                    Organization

3rd Grade LA                                Ella                            Effort

4th Grade LA                                Luke                        Initiative

This Week In HA...

1st Grade LA

This week in first grade, the students finished decoding messages with the Caesar Shift Cypher Wheel.  Afterwards, we learned how to make a Scytale message.  A Scytale is a tool used by cryptographers to perform a transposition cipher.  It is created by winding a piece of parchment paper around a cylinder and writing a message on the paper.  Before unwinding the paper, other letters are added around the message.  Once the paper is unwound, the only way to read the message is to wind the paper around the same sized cylinder.  This encryption tool was used by the ancient Spartans and Greeks to encode messages for their military troops and is one of the oldest

encryption devices in history.  Make a Scytale message with your child by following the directions contained in this link:

http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/scytalemessages.html

After completing these fun ciphers, first grade students began a new unit utilizing the telephone key pad to decode messages.  Ask your child how to decode a Telephone Cipher.

2nd Grade LA

Second grade students finished writing their paragraphs on their opinion regarding having a Halloween costume parade at Bailly Elementary School based on their hamburger graphic organizer. Afterwards, we worked together to develop a persuasive paragraph using the hamburger graphic organizer.  This activity involved discussing one of the generalizations about connections and identifying examples of connections to prove the generalization to be true.  Ask your child to explain some of the examples we developed in creating our paragraph and have him/her relate them to the concept of "connections".

3rd Grade LA

This week, third grade students also wrote their paragraphs on their opinion regarding having a Halloween costume parade at Bailly Elementary School based on their hamburger graphic organizer. Afterwards, the students worked together to complete a hamburger graphic organizer on generalizations about change involving the identification of specific examples of change.  Ask your child to explain some of the examples we developed in creating our paragraph and have him/her relate them to the concept of "change".

4th Grade LA

Fourth grade students utilized their hamburger model graphic organizer to compile their paragraphs regarding their interview on change.  I will be posting them along the hallway outside of the HA classroom once they are laminated.  Therefore, if you are interested in reading what the students have written, stop by and check them out.  Afterwards, we moved into a new unit, which has the students explore Latin and Greek word elements.  We learned that English has grown out of Latin, which is the "mother" language of many different languages.  Over time, many other languages, such as French and Spanish, have also contributed to the development of the English language we speak today.  Ask your child to tell you about the origins of our language and to define these terms:  word root, prefix & suffix.

Building Vocabulary

This week, the "Words of the Day" were expeditious and whet.  Ask your child to define them and use them each in a sentence.                                                                     

**HA math classes were held on a limited basis this week due to the combination of fall break and Mrs. Valtierra being out-of-town.

1st Grade Math

This week in first grade, the students continued working on the Color It on the 100's Chart math activities.  We discovered that our first chart picture was of a pumpkin and have moved on to try to determine what picture will emerge this time as we solve our math problems.  Ask your child to show you his/her colored 100's chart.

2nd - 4th Grade Math

No HA math classes were able to be held this week for 2nd-4th grade. 

We are "sailing" quickly into the second quarter of the school year.  I hope everyone enjoys his/her fall break and has time to rest, relax and spend time with family and friends in preparation for the next portion of the school year. 

Melissa Valtierra
High Ability Aide
Bailly Elementary School