The higher groups, working in 3.2, have to complete the questions that go with the "Beauty and the Beast" story.
The group working in 3.1 has to complete the questions from "What About Me"
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
My Laptop is Broken
The blog will be a little bit slow for the next two days because my laptop is being repaired.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Last Week's As
Remember to study your words each day. Studying only the night before is not enough. Even if you can pass the test that way, you won't keep the words in your head for very long.
There were 37 questions on this test.
Perfect
Sindi
Waleed
Karma
Kilani
Fitian
Safa Kh.
Iyad (Great Job Iyad!!!!)
Imad
A+ (-1 or 2)
Ghaith
Abdallah
Khaled
Ahmed Kh.
Jihad
Waleed A.
That's more than half the class. It makes me very happy because the students learn these words with NO help from me.
This year I have talked about a lot of students on the blog but three I haven't mentioned enough are Jihad Jitan, Safa Kharouf, and Imad.
At the start of the year, Imad was the weakest student in the class. Coming from a different school he didn't have the practice with English that our students did. I don't know how many times he raised his hand to say "I don't understand" in that first week. Now he is consistently getting As on his tests, his reading is strong and I can't remember the last time I heard him say "I don't understand." Great job Imad.
Jihad is someone who sneaks up on you. Sometimes I forget how good he is at English until I look at my grades and see he is making As all the time. He has been in my class for three years now and I can't remember a time I was not happy to see him.
If there is a harder working student than Safa, I can't think of who it is. She has been among the best students at every challenge this year. If I added up all the scores from the spelling and vocabulary I would bet that Safa would be in the top two or three as much or more than any other student. Every time I give an assignment where the students have to work on their own, I know that whatever I get from Safa will be the best work she can do.
Thank you for all your great work.
There were 37 questions on this test.
Perfect
Sindi
Waleed
Karma
Kilani
Fitian
Safa Kh.
Iyad (Great Job Iyad!!!!)
Imad
A+ (-1 or 2)
Ghaith
Abdallah
Khaled
Ahmed Kh.
Jihad
Waleed A.
That's more than half the class. It makes me very happy because the students learn these words with NO help from me.
This year I have talked about a lot of students on the blog but three I haven't mentioned enough are Jihad Jitan, Safa Kharouf, and Imad.
At the start of the year, Imad was the weakest student in the class. Coming from a different school he didn't have the practice with English that our students did. I don't know how many times he raised his hand to say "I don't understand" in that first week. Now he is consistently getting As on his tests, his reading is strong and I can't remember the last time I heard him say "I don't understand." Great job Imad.
Jihad is someone who sneaks up on you. Sometimes I forget how good he is at English until I look at my grades and see he is making As all the time. He has been in my class for three years now and I can't remember a time I was not happy to see him.
If there is a harder working student than Safa, I can't think of who it is. She has been among the best students at every challenge this year. If I added up all the scores from the spelling and vocabulary I would bet that Safa would be in the top two or three as much or more than any other student. Every time I give an assignment where the students have to work on their own, I know that whatever I get from Safa will be the best work she can do.
Thank you for all your great work.
Some Fairly Easy Words
1. Pleasure – Delight, a feeling of happiness. Eating ice cream gives me pleasure
2. Combustible – Easy to burn. Wood is combustible, paper is combustible. Ice is not combustible
3. Murmur – Quiet talking that you can barely hear. If you murmur I can’t hear the words you are saying.
4. Barely – Just enough. Not very much. Five wrong is barely and A. Khaled is barely faster than Sami.
5. Banished – Sent out. A person who is banished has to leave their country and can’t come back.
6. Serious – Important and not funny. This is a serious test.
7. Rumor – Something someone says about a person. It might be true and it might not. I heard a rumor that Saad was going to fight Sindi. I heard a rumor that Anibtawi bought the school.
8. Scream – Shout but crazier.
9. Foolish – Stupid
10. Insane – Crazy
11. Situation – What is happening. The situation is that you are a student that needs to study.
12. Suffer – To feel pain. If you break your leg and no doctor fixes it, you will suffer a lot of pain.
13. Cheer – To yell good things and clap when someone does something good. We cheered for Messi when he scored four goals against Chelsea.
14. Hiss – The opposite of cheer
15. Mattress – The soft thing on your bed. It’s the part of the bed that you sleep on.
16. Clumsy – Not good at moving. A clumsy person falls down when they run. A clumsy person bumps into people a lot.
17. Divine – So good its almost like God made it.
18. Adore – Love
19. Attract – To make something come. Gravity attracts you to the Earth.
20. Lunatic – Crazy person
2. Combustible – Easy to burn. Wood is combustible, paper is combustible. Ice is not combustible
3. Murmur – Quiet talking that you can barely hear. If you murmur I can’t hear the words you are saying.
4. Barely – Just enough. Not very much. Five wrong is barely and A. Khaled is barely faster than Sami.
5. Banished – Sent out. A person who is banished has to leave their country and can’t come back.
6. Serious – Important and not funny. This is a serious test.
7. Rumor – Something someone says about a person. It might be true and it might not. I heard a rumor that Saad was going to fight Sindi. I heard a rumor that Anibtawi bought the school.
8. Scream – Shout but crazier.
9. Foolish – Stupid
10. Insane – Crazy
11. Situation – What is happening. The situation is that you are a student that needs to study.
12. Suffer – To feel pain. If you break your leg and no doctor fixes it, you will suffer a lot of pain.
13. Cheer – To yell good things and clap when someone does something good. We cheered for Messi when he scored four goals against Chelsea.
14. Hiss – The opposite of cheer
15. Mattress – The soft thing on your bed. It’s the part of the bed that you sleep on.
16. Clumsy – Not good at moving. A clumsy person falls down when they run. A clumsy person bumps into people a lot.
17. Divine – So good its almost like God made it.
18. Adore – Love
19. Attract – To make something come. Gravity attracts you to the Earth.
20. Lunatic – Crazy person
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Encyclopedia
I have been reviewing stories that I didn't have time to mark yet and I found some excellent work to add to the encyclopedia. It wouldn't cover the school, if it didn't have a section for the teachers, and I added a story about Ms. Haneen. I included parts from Rawya's story and parts from Khaled's but most of the story is Dianna's. Great job to all of you guys.
I didn't get a chance to mark the tests yet. This was a holiday weekend so I didnt work much and then Saturday I couldn't get to school because of the problem in that neighborhood. (our hearts go out to those people)
I'll get them done Sunday night and post the results.
I didn't get a chance to mark the tests yet. This was a holiday weekend so I didnt work much and then Saturday I couldn't get to school because of the problem in that neighborhood. (our hearts go out to those people)
I'll get them done Sunday night and post the results.
This Week in 5A
We will finish up the Spin work on past wishes that we didn't get to last week
We will conclude our leaf dramas and begin stems and roots. We will also cover flowers and their functions.
We are deepening our understanding of plants but we are also learning about extracting information from a reading passage and organizing it differently.
We will write this week's essay on our families. We will take our last group of words for this semester. (there won't be words while the students are studying for Arabic exams)
We are going to work on self-editing, both with our essays, through homework and a few other exercises. Looking at your own work and being able to discover and correct your own mistakes is an important skill.
Our high and medium groups will begin work in the 3.2 Scott Foresman book (we are a few weeks ahead of schedule there) and the lower group will begin 3.1.
There should be reading homework a couple times this week and editing homework once.
We will conclude our leaf dramas and begin stems and roots. We will also cover flowers and their functions.
We are deepening our understanding of plants but we are also learning about extracting information from a reading passage and organizing it differently.
We will write this week's essay on our families. We will take our last group of words for this semester. (there won't be words while the students are studying for Arabic exams)
We are going to work on self-editing, both with our essays, through homework and a few other exercises. Looking at your own work and being able to discover and correct your own mistakes is an important skill.
Our high and medium groups will begin work in the 3.2 Scott Foresman book (we are a few weeks ahead of schedule there) and the lower group will begin 3.1.
There should be reading homework a couple times this week and editing homework once.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The Essays
I am marking this week's essays now. I haven't finished yet but some already stand out. Rawya wrote a really nice essay as did Sarah Fitian.
Last week's essays were also strong and I added essays by Imad, Waleed, Sarah, and Tariq to the encyclopedia. I may add a few more. Probably either Sindi or Sami's essay about the football match. I also added an essay Imad wrote on how he would change the school.
Yesterday we did the preparation work for next week's essay on our families. Some students finished the essays for homework so I will give those students a new topic for next week and give them points for doing extra homework.
As the students know, to be eligible for an A in my class, each student must have completed at least 25 homework assignments, dating from mid-October. Some assignments we have done this year do not count towards that 25. Most students are a few assignments away from completing this task. So far Noor, Rawya, Waleed, Sami, and Karma have finished the required number of assignments. There are three weeks left in the year and there are always extra assignments to do for students who need to finish their 25.
Last week's essays were also strong and I added essays by Imad, Waleed, Sarah, and Tariq to the encyclopedia. I may add a few more. Probably either Sindi or Sami's essay about the football match. I also added an essay Imad wrote on how he would change the school.
Yesterday we did the preparation work for next week's essay on our families. Some students finished the essays for homework so I will give those students a new topic for next week and give them points for doing extra homework.
As the students know, to be eligible for an A in my class, each student must have completed at least 25 homework assignments, dating from mid-October. Some assignments we have done this year do not count towards that 25. Most students are a few assignments away from completing this task. So far Noor, Rawya, Waleed, Sami, and Karma have finished the required number of assignments. There are three weeks left in the year and there are always extra assignments to do for students who need to finish their 25.
Good Luck on the Test Tomorrow
We will also be rewriting the essays we handed in earlier this week, completing our dramas, and talking about a large science project we will start soon.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Homework Change
The essays took a little longer than usual today so the students are completing them for homework. That means they did not take the scheduled homework. It will probably be assigned this weekend
Vampire Show First Two Scenes (for Sarah and Waleed)
Scene 1 – The vampire will kill somebody and suck his blood
Sindi: Ms. Rena wants you. She wants to tell you something. She wants you in the bathroom.
Khaled: Why in the bathroom?
Sindi: Because it’s a big secret.
(He takes him to the bathroom)
Khaled: Where is the teacher?
Sindi: I want to tell you a secret. (Sindi goes to Khaled’s neck and then sucks his blood he looks up and he is happy)
Scene 2 – The mother will whisper angrily at him because he didn’t take her to drink the child’s blood. Setting – In the office.
(Sindi goes to the office)
Ms. Rawya: What’s on your mouth? You’re a blockhead because there is blood on your mouth if somebody sees it, he will know that we are vampires.
Why didn’t you take me to the bathroom to drink the child’s blood.
Sindi: Because I was thirsty and needed blood. You are right. Thank you for warning me.
Ms. Rawya: You are a big blockhead. Every day you tell me sorry. If you don’t give me blood next time, you will have a big problem with me.
Sindi: If I brought you to the bathroom maybe someone would have seen Khaled. I have English class right now. Mr. Sean is teaching us today.
Sindi: Ms. Rena wants you. She wants to tell you something. She wants you in the bathroom.
Khaled: Why in the bathroom?
Sindi: Because it’s a big secret.
(He takes him to the bathroom)
Khaled: Where is the teacher?
Sindi: I want to tell you a secret. (Sindi goes to Khaled’s neck and then sucks his blood he looks up and he is happy)
Scene 2 – The mother will whisper angrily at him because he didn’t take her to drink the child’s blood. Setting – In the office.
(Sindi goes to the office)
Ms. Rawya: What’s on your mouth? You’re a blockhead because there is blood on your mouth if somebody sees it, he will know that we are vampires.
Why didn’t you take me to the bathroom to drink the child’s blood.
Sindi: Because I was thirsty and needed blood. You are right. Thank you for warning me.
Ms. Rawya: You are a big blockhead. Every day you tell me sorry. If you don’t give me blood next time, you will have a big problem with me.
Sindi: If I brought you to the bathroom maybe someone would have seen Khaled. I have English class right now. Mr. Sean is teaching us today.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Singing (PAY ATTENTION JIHAD, SAMI, and AHMED)
On Monday we will be performing One Jump. At the conclusion of One Jump, Ahmed, Jihad and Sami will perform November Rain (all nine minutes of it).
Please be prepared.
Please be prepared.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thank You to Saad Yaish
I just finished reading and listening to the gifts you brought me. Thank you very much. I learned a lot from them.
If you get an A on this week's vocabulary test I will let you make someone else the Beachman.
If you get an A on this week's vocabulary test I will let you make someone else the Beachman.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
This Week in 5A
We will be continuing our study of wishes. We are also starting a lengthy examination of life science. The material should't be that difficult but some of the language will. When we get heavily into it, I will curtail the vocabulary for a while because there will be a lot of new science words. We should be studying life science for at least a month or two. Any parents with knowledge of gardening please make yourselves known. I could use a hand with a project.
Our essay topic will be a rewrite of last week's intial topic.
We will have homework on Monday. The students will complete an Encyclopedia assignment about one of our new students (Iyad and Ameed). They will complete a story web and then write the story.
On Tuesday students will have reading homework. They should read pages 8-25 in their science books. This will not be exclusively new material but we are moving more in depth with our study of life science.
On Wednesday the students should spend the evening finalizing their knowledge of the new words.
All these assigments are subject to change depending on the pace of class, how students perfom on assignments, if I have a headache, etc.
Our essay topic will be a rewrite of last week's intial topic.
We will have homework on Monday. The students will complete an Encyclopedia assignment about one of our new students (Iyad and Ameed). They will complete a story web and then write the story.
On Tuesday students will have reading homework. They should read pages 8-25 in their science books. This will not be exclusively new material but we are moving more in depth with our study of life science.
On Wednesday the students should spend the evening finalizing their knowledge of the new words.
All these assigments are subject to change depending on the pace of class, how students perfom on assignments, if I have a headache, etc.
A Little Time Off for 5A??????
Nope but I am going to give you a little break. This week we only have 20 new words and I have added sentences so you can understand the words more easily. There are no easy words this week so be sure to spend time studying each day.
1. Offer – To tell someone something you will give. He offered me twenty shekels to help him cheat but I didn’t do it.
2. Feasible – Can happen. Flying in a plane is feasible. Flying by waving your arms very fast is not feasible.
3. Perhaps – Maybe. Perhaps Mr. Canavan will make this test easy but he might not.
4. Package – Something that comes in the mail that is bigger than a letter or a magazine.
5. Delight – Happiness. When I see the Teachers, Thinkers, and Helpers Class my heart is filled with delight
6. Sneer – To look at something like it is not good. Rawya sneered at the cookies Mr. Canavan made.
7. Grin – To smile
8. Bury – To put something under the ground and cover it with dirt. In America when someone dies they bury him.
9. Invisible – You can’t see invisible things
10. Blind – Can’t see
11. Deaf – Can’t hear
12. Mute – Can’t talk
13. Memory – The part of your mind that remembers things.
14. Superior – Better by a lot. A Ferrari is a superior car. Barcelona is superior to the Hippos Team.
15. Dozen – 12. I ate a dozen doughnuts and I feel sick.
16. Disappointed – When you wanted something good to happen and then it didn’t, you are disappointed. I thought my mom would give me 500 shekels but she didn’t. I was disappointed.
17. Intelligent – Smart
18. Fond – When you are fond of someone it means you like them. Saad is fond of the beach. Sarah is fond of rabbits
19. Competitive – Always wants to win. He was so competitive he cheated to win every time.
20. International – In more than one country. I went on an international trip. I went to Jordan, the USA, Mexico, and Palestine.
1. Offer – To tell someone something you will give. He offered me twenty shekels to help him cheat but I didn’t do it.
2. Feasible – Can happen. Flying in a plane is feasible. Flying by waving your arms very fast is not feasible.
3. Perhaps – Maybe. Perhaps Mr. Canavan will make this test easy but he might not.
4. Package – Something that comes in the mail that is bigger than a letter or a magazine.
5. Delight – Happiness. When I see the Teachers, Thinkers, and Helpers Class my heart is filled with delight
6. Sneer – To look at something like it is not good. Rawya sneered at the cookies Mr. Canavan made.
7. Grin – To smile
8. Bury – To put something under the ground and cover it with dirt. In America when someone dies they bury him.
9. Invisible – You can’t see invisible things
10. Blind – Can’t see
11. Deaf – Can’t hear
12. Mute – Can’t talk
13. Memory – The part of your mind that remembers things.
14. Superior – Better by a lot. A Ferrari is a superior car. Barcelona is superior to the Hippos Team.
15. Dozen – 12. I ate a dozen doughnuts and I feel sick.
16. Disappointed – When you wanted something good to happen and then it didn’t, you are disappointed. I thought my mom would give me 500 shekels but she didn’t. I was disappointed.
17. Intelligent – Smart
18. Fond – When you are fond of someone it means you like them. Saad is fond of the beach. Sarah is fond of rabbits
19. Competitive – Always wants to win. He was so competitive he cheated to win every time.
20. International – In more than one country. I went on an international trip. I went to Jordan, the USA, Mexico, and Palestine.
Vocabulary Test As
This was a very interesting test. There were more perfect scores than there were other kinds of As
A+ (perfect score, none wrong)
Sindi
Karma
Waleed Titi
Imad
Sarah
Sami
Khaled
As (-1 to -3)
Abdallah
Waleed Anibtawi
A- (-4 or -5)
Noooooooooooooooor
Iyad
Great job guys. This week I will get the words up earlier so those who want to study can do better. Remember, don't try to learn the words the night before. Spend time on them each day.
A+ (perfect score, none wrong)
Sindi
Karma
Waleed Titi
Imad
Sarah
Sami
Khaled
As (-1 to -3)
Abdallah
Waleed Anibtawi
A- (-4 or -5)
Noooooooooooooooor
Iyad
Great job guys. This week I will get the words up earlier so those who want to study can do better. Remember, don't try to learn the words the night before. Spend time on them each day.
Essays That Went Home
Our revised essay assignment went home for students to complete. Three students finished it in class but the rest have to complete it at home.
The point of this assignment is for students to learn to correct their own work based on the rules they know.
Parents are not allowed to help with this assignment. This is independent work. The students know that if they have help from anyone their grade will be a 0.
The test scores should be up later today. At first glance they look very strong.
The point of this assignment is for students to learn to correct their own work based on the rules they know.
Parents are not allowed to help with this assignment. This is independent work. The students know that if they have help from anyone their grade will be a 0.
The test scores should be up later today. At first glance they look very strong.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Weekly Update
This week is going well. One group completed "The Quilt Story" in their reading book and the second group finished both "Worms at Work" and "the Gardener"
We finished pages 90-91 in Spin and we are continually developing our ability to express wishes. We learned a new review game and a new song.
We completed the first draft of this week's essay but we are going to redo it Tuesday or Wednesday. Then we will work through the corrections next week. There were no specific problems with this week's essays but we are going to review some of the applicable grammar we learned earlier this year so we can make them even better.
Tommorow two groups will work in their chapter books, while the third group works on "A Pumpkin's Life Cycle." Despite the title this is a reading passage with a science theme and not science work.
Since this is a short week, we are also going to give the students a little help with their vocabulary words for the test Wednesday.
We finished pages 90-91 in Spin and we are continually developing our ability to express wishes. We learned a new review game and a new song.
We completed the first draft of this week's essay but we are going to redo it Tuesday or Wednesday. Then we will work through the corrections next week. There were no specific problems with this week's essays but we are going to review some of the applicable grammar we learned earlier this year so we can make them even better.
Tommorow two groups will work in their chapter books, while the third group works on "A Pumpkin's Life Cycle." Despite the title this is a reading passage with a science theme and not science work.
Since this is a short week, we are also going to give the students a little help with their vocabulary words for the test Wednesday.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
New Blogs for Four B and Hippos
For news about Mr. Sean's fourth grade class go here:
http://fourclassb.blogspot.com/
For news about Hippos:
http://pioneershippos.blogspot.com/
http://fourclassb.blogspot.com/
For news about Hippos:
http://pioneershippos.blogspot.com/
30 Words (not 40)
I decided to give you fewer and easier words because we have a lot to do this week.
1. Frigid – very cold
2. Arid – very hot and dry
3. Furious – Very angry
4. Placid – Calm
5. Serene – Calm
6. Vicious – Very mean
7. Reflection – What you see in a mirror is your reflection
8. Shadow – The black thing that follows you on sunny days.
9. Emperor – Someone who rules more than one country.
10. Assistant – Helper
11. Expand – Make longer
12. Curtail – Make shorter
13. Eyebrow – The hair over your eyes
14. Carpet - Rug
15. Sheet – The thing on your bed that you sleep on top of. You sleep under the blanket and over the sheet.
16. Shampoo – Soap for your hair.
17. Implement - Tool
18. Salary – The money you get paid for your work
19. Triplets – Twins when there are three of them
20. Escalator – Moving stairs
21. Silence – No noise
22. Forgive – Stop being angry at someone. You forgive them.
23. Reply - Answer
24. Healthy – Not sick
25. Emerge – Come out
26. Squabble – Fight about something that is not important
27. Chauffeur – A man who drives a car for a living but not a taxi or a truck.
28. Cure – Make you not be sick
29. Arduous – Very hard
30. Miserable – Very sad
1. Frigid – very cold
2. Arid – very hot and dry
3. Furious – Very angry
4. Placid – Calm
5. Serene – Calm
6. Vicious – Very mean
7. Reflection – What you see in a mirror is your reflection
8. Shadow – The black thing that follows you on sunny days.
9. Emperor – Someone who rules more than one country.
10. Assistant – Helper
11. Expand – Make longer
12. Curtail – Make shorter
13. Eyebrow – The hair over your eyes
14. Carpet - Rug
15. Sheet – The thing on your bed that you sleep on top of. You sleep under the blanket and over the sheet.
16. Shampoo – Soap for your hair.
17. Implement - Tool
18. Salary – The money you get paid for your work
19. Triplets – Twins when there are three of them
20. Escalator – Moving stairs
21. Silence – No noise
22. Forgive – Stop being angry at someone. You forgive them.
23. Reply - Answer
24. Healthy – Not sick
25. Emerge – Come out
26. Squabble – Fight about something that is not important
27. Chauffeur – A man who drives a car for a living but not a taxi or a truck.
28. Cure – Make you not be sick
29. Arduous – Very hard
30. Miserable – Very sad
Saturday, December 12, 2009
This Week's Song
There will be another contest this Wednesday. All four and five classes are singing songs from Disney movies. Teachers, Singers and Helpers will sing "One Jump Ahead" from Aladdin. Here is the song with lyrics.
It will be a busy week for students. Its a short week and we need to learn the song and the new words. I am also sending home flashcards to practice. Every night, spend ten minutes on the flashcards, sing the song three times, and then study the words as much as you need.
It will be a busy week for students. Its a short week and we need to learn the song and the new words. I am also sending home flashcards to practice. Every night, spend ten minutes on the flashcards, sing the song three times, and then study the words as much as you need.
Friday, December 11, 2009
This Week in Thinkers, Singers and Helpers
We are going to study wishes.
We are going to talk about how to express present, past and future wishes.
This means we are going to introduce the past participle form of verbs (always a difficult lesson for kids)
This will be supported with a poster to reference the form but it should still be fairly rocky.
We will write our second essay which will be based on these structures. Our essays are graded on how well the children employ the rules we know, how well the story is structured, and if it has internal logic.
We will also be learning 40 new words. There will be a test on these words on Thursday. We will NOT study them in class. They are blog only.
We are going to talk about how to express present, past and future wishes.
This means we are going to introduce the past participle form of verbs (always a difficult lesson for kids)
This will be supported with a poster to reference the form but it should still be fairly rocky.
We will write our second essay which will be based on these structures. Our essays are graded on how well the children employ the rules we know, how well the story is structured, and if it has internal logic.
We will also be learning 40 new words. There will be a test on these words on Thursday. We will NOT study them in class. They are blog only.
New Blogs
There are two new blogs. This blog is now for the Thinkers, Singers and Helpers Class.
Here is the link to my fourth grade class blog
http://fourclassb.blogspot.com/
Here is the link to the blog for the Girls' and Boys' Sports Teams http://pioneershippos.blogspot.com/
Both should be up and running by Sunday
Here is the link to my fourth grade class blog
http://fourclassb.blogspot.com/
Here is the link to the blog for the Girls' and Boys' Sports Teams http://pioneershippos.blogspot.com/
Both should be up and running by Sunday
The Encyclopedia
I have added five new pages to the encyclopedia. They were about changes we need in the school.
Karma Kemal - We Need a New School
Sarah Fitian - All Teachers Should be Like Mr. Sean
Sami Kilani - We Should Change the Canteen
Rawya Abu Rabi - We Should Bring Back the Newspaper
Sindi - Sindi Should be the Team Captain
I still have papers to review, including the stories that Tariq wrote so I will probably add some more tomorrow.
Karma Kemal - We Need a New School
Sarah Fitian - All Teachers Should be Like Mr. Sean
Sami Kilani - We Should Change the Canteen
Rawya Abu Rabi - We Should Bring Back the Newspaper
Sindi - Sindi Should be the Team Captain
I still have papers to review, including the stories that Tariq wrote so I will probably add some more tomorrow.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Science Test As
The tests were excellent this week. A lot of As and some students making great progress. Saad, Bilal,and Tariq all improved a great deal. Good job guys
A+
Abdallah
Khaled
Waleed Titi
Sami
As
Ahmed Kharouf
Sindi
Karma
Noor
Imad
Noooooooooooooooooooor
Anibtawi
Sarah
Dawood
Iyad
A+
Abdallah
Khaled
Waleed Titi
Sami
As
Ahmed Kharouf
Sindi
Karma
Noor
Imad
Noooooooooooooooooooor
Anibtawi
Sarah
Dawood
Iyad
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Updates on 5A Progress
This week we had a small celebration because our students reached the first of their reading goals. This year, every student is going to complete at least four chapter books and ten students will complete at least eight. Those are our long term goals. In addition to the chapter books, our students regularly work in the Scott Foresman reading books.
One group of students is working in the level 3.1. Those students have finished 90% of that book and should complete it next week (time allowing)
The second, smaller, group is working in the level 2.2. book. Those students have finished around 75% of that book.
Our first party was scheduled for the day when the student average for pages read exceeded 350 pages. That number DOES NOT include the Scott Foresman reading book. The student average reached 350 pages some time in the week of December 3.
Some students have read over 800 pages. By the end of next week, every student will have completed two full chapter books. "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and "Superfudge" are books regularly used in American third and fourth grades. Our students are reading and understanding these books. Some of the students are having more trouble with the higher level books, but with the aid of hard work and dictionary skills, they are doing very well on those.
Reading is the easiest and most effective way to acquire a working understanding of English. The ability to read is also the key to studying other subjects, such as science, history, geography, and others in English.
I am very proud of the work your children have done so far this year and you should be too.
One group of students is working in the level 3.1. Those students have finished 90% of that book and should complete it next week (time allowing)
The second, smaller, group is working in the level 2.2. book. Those students have finished around 75% of that book.
Our first party was scheduled for the day when the student average for pages read exceeded 350 pages. That number DOES NOT include the Scott Foresman reading book. The student average reached 350 pages some time in the week of December 3.
Some students have read over 800 pages. By the end of next week, every student will have completed two full chapter books. "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and "Superfudge" are books regularly used in American third and fourth grades. Our students are reading and understanding these books. Some of the students are having more trouble with the higher level books, but with the aid of hard work and dictionary skills, they are doing very well on those.
Reading is the easiest and most effective way to acquire a working understanding of English. The ability to read is also the key to studying other subjects, such as science, history, geography, and others in English.
I am very proud of the work your children have done so far this year and you should be too.
Monday, December 7, 2009
For 4B
We will continue to work with the reading web. We will also work on the "Lost" story and "Ellen and the Wobbly People."
We probably won't finish that in class and whatever is left will be the homework. Study the cards I gave you and if I didn't look at them today, bring them.
We probably won't finish that in class and whatever is left will be the homework. Study the cards I gave you and if I didn't look at them today, bring them.
5A Science Test
The students received flashcards today. We will review the material from the science book tommorow or Wednesday, depending on how long our essay writing takes tomorrow.
The last thing the students need to study are the pictures of the volcano and the layers of the Earth.
Students must be able to label the layers of the Earth (including the inner and outer cores) and the parts of a volcano.
The test will be Thursday.
The last thing the students need to study are the pictures of the volcano and the layers of the Earth.
Students must be able to label the layers of the Earth (including the inner and outer cores) and the parts of a volcano.
The test will be Thursday.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
This Week in 5A
Today we celebrated our reading with pizza and a new card game called Gin. The average student in our class has read more than 300 pages of chapter books this year.
We are going to be starting our essays this week. Each week we will write an essay on Sunday or Monday. Then Mr. Canavan will correct it and we will rewrite it. The rewritten essays will be a large part of the students final grades.
Parents may not help with these essays because this is part of teaching self-editing. That means that students need to learn to find and correct their own mistakes.
Rawya Abu Rabee wrote a story that was accepted for the Encyclopedia. We now have more than 25 pages finished. We expect to have almost 200 when it is finished.
This class is doing exceptional work this year. Keep it up.
We are going to be starting our essays this week. Each week we will write an essay on Sunday or Monday. Then Mr. Canavan will correct it and we will rewrite it. The rewritten essays will be a large part of the students final grades.
Parents may not help with these essays because this is part of teaching self-editing. That means that students need to learn to find and correct their own mistakes.
Rawya Abu Rabee wrote a story that was accepted for the Encyclopedia. We now have more than 25 pages finished. We expect to have almost 200 when it is finished.
This class is doing exceptional work this year. Keep it up.
Today in 4B
We started using the writing web to make stories. It is a good tool to build descriptions and organize our ideas. You place your topic in the middle and then put details in the bubbles. You connect the bubbles that go together and write sentences from them. Then you have your story.
We got started on the new reading books. Good work from many students. Miqdam did very well in the "Daddy Could I Have an Elephant Group."
Ahmed H. was the star of the "Arthur's Reading Race group along with Mariya.
Spelling Test As for 4B
As
Zakariya
Mariya
Abdel Hafiz
Zeina
Sena
A-s
Amr
Dania
Great work guys. This week's test is harder and easier. The spelling is harder and the meanings are easier.
Zakariya
Mariya
Abdel Hafiz
Zeina
Sena
A-s
Amr
Dania
Great work guys. This week's test is harder and easier. The spelling is harder and the meanings are easier.
Last Week's 5A Vocabulary Test
A+s
Sarah Hassan Fitian
Rawya
Imad
Anibtawi
Noor
Ahmed Kharouf
Sami
Waleed
Khaled
Safa
Jihad
As
Karma
Sindi
Omar
Ghaith
A-
Iyad
Tariq
I am going to have to make the next one much harder. I thought 30 dificult words would be a challenge but the students proved me wrong. Great work!!!!!!!!!
Sarah Hassan Fitian
Rawya
Imad
Anibtawi
Noor
Ahmed Kharouf
Sami
Waleed
Khaled
Safa
Jihad
As
Karma
Sindi
Omar
Ghaith
A-
Iyad
Tariq
I am going to have to make the next one much harder. I thought 30 dificult words would be a challenge but the students proved me wrong. Great work!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
New Blogs Coming Soon
In the next two weeks, this blog will be dividing into three separate blogs. One for 5A, one for 4B, and one for Hippos
This Week in 4B
This week we are going to continue our focus on writing. We will work in our new reading books including the stories:
1.5 (Pink Book)
Arthur's Reading Race
Lost
2.1
Daddy Could I Have an Elephant
These are our words for this week. The meanings are easy but the spelling is not. Study 15 minutes a night for an easy A on Thursday. These words come from the stories so if the students study the words, the stories become easier.
1. Loud
2. Zoo
3. Paint
4. Tug/Tugged
5. Hear/Heard
6. Jar
7. Sign
8. Puppy
9. Police officer
10. Afraid
1.5 (Pink Book)
Arthur's Reading Race
Lost
2.1
Daddy Could I Have an Elephant
These are our words for this week. The meanings are easy but the spelling is not. Study 15 minutes a night for an easy A on Thursday. These words come from the stories so if the students study the words, the stories become easier.
1. Loud
2. Zoo
3. Paint
4. Tug/Tugged
5. Hear/Heard
6. Jar
7. Sign
8. Puppy
9. Police officer
10. Afraid
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
