Daily Report: How Would You Describe Your Mother

They really got into their own groove again today. DJ is getting a kick out of President Lincolns' son Tad in our reading book. The author Mary Pope Osborne really did a nice job of bringing  imagery into this book. By the way it has pictures, and according to DJ that makes a book a good book. Also DJ learned that the White House during the time Lincoln served as President of the United States used to be open for everyone just to walk right in. No one needed to schedule appointments for tours or anything. It was considered to be not just the Presidents house, but it was a place for the citizens. This book is really sparking his interest to learn more about the White House.
                               
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech is inviting some wholesome conversation between Ken and I. Salamanca who is the main character in the story is missing her mom dearly. So far we don't know what has happened to her mother yet. Her father has brought a new lady into their life and Salmanca(Sal) isn't liking it one bit. Sal is now on a trip with her grandparents in hopes to see her mother again, along the way Sal shares a story about her friend Phoebe, while she is telling the story you also learn more about Sal. Today Ken had a writing activity that she answered some questions about how she would describe me, and what information she knew about me. It was really special what she wrote about me, but I am keeping this information just between Ken and I. I don't know if it had to do me being her teacher at the same time:) but I haven't stopped smiling since. I will share she sees some positive qualities in me that I didn't realized I possessed, but would like to!!

                                                                             

During our Geography/Social Studies block they worked on learning more about the Southeast states again by writing a sentence or two about the state. We also finished up one of our read alouds "If You Lived In The Time Of Slavery." This book was the best I ever read that broke down the hardships of slavery and still kept it real so that children can understand that we would never want to live in the times of slavery. Ken and DJ were really upset about why children who were slaves weren't allowed to read or write, or go to school. Again this book is a great resource if you want to teach your elementary kids about slavery without over doing it, because this is still a sensitive issue to me to discuss in this age group.

                                                                            

Our other unit that we are working on together is Astronomy, today we didn't do an activity. Tomorrow we

are going on a field trip to Michigan State University's Planetarium. We were able to jump on another schools' field trip and will be joining in on The Adventurer's Club tomorrow. I am excited because I love field trips!!                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                    
They both start new Life of Fred books tomorrow, boy were they happy to find out that they get to start another book tomorrow. The field trip isn't until the afternoon, so to keep them patient I think starting the new Fred books tomorrow is perfect.

Here is what they chose to do during their work period.

DJ made a painting of a swirly landscape just like Vincent Van Gogh.

 This is the book that he found this work in.

Ken worked some more on her tutu.

  They both worked with the map puzzles. Ken is doing the continent of Africa. DJ is matching the puzzle pieces of the United States to flash cards.

                                                                                    

DJ also did some animal research while reading, and searching for information on the internet via his Nintendo 3DS.

Now were off to TaeKwonDo which I am sure with be their highlight, because they will be getting tested to add a black stripe to their belts.