12-2-16

12-2-16

Polar Express Pajama Jam

Our holiday party will be on Thursday, December 22nd.  We will be having our Polar Express Pajama Party.  We will probably watch the movie in the afternoon since our mornings are so busy.  We will also pop some popcorn and have some juice boxes.  Any leftover time will be spent on a Read-In.  Kids are more than welcome to bring in a blanket, pillow, books, stuffed animal, etc...  Just remember that they have to be able to take it all home on the bus that day.  If you are interested in donating some microwaveable popcorn, paper bowls, or juice boxes, please let me know.  

Nutcracker

The other 2nd grade teachers convinced me to participate in their nutcracker project they do with the kids each year.  I've never done this project before but I look forward to the challenge.  I will need your help collecting any items that you could send in to help decorate them.  I'm not expecting anyone to go out and buy anything but maybe just look around the house for any leftover arts & crafts materials.  Below you will find a list to help give you an idea.  My goal is to tackle this project the week before winter break.  I will also be looking for some parent volunteers to help once I know what I'm doing and when.

Nutcracker Needs: “Anything to decorate a Nutcracker”

• Hot glue gun, and glue sticks
• Fabric
• Wooden balls - pea size for noses
• Beads, sequins, etc.
• Aluminum foil
• Yarn -LOTS
• “Ice cream spoons” - wooden paddle like for arms
• Toothpicks or larger - cover with aluminum foil for swords
• Mini Toy drum, present, bell

Background Information

Nutcrackers
It was tradition that a nutcracker in the window kept the family safe from evil spirits and danger. The first nutcrackers were made in the design of kings and soldiers. They were made by common folk, who liked to have the kings and soldiers working for them, cracking their nuts.

Why do they have such a mean toothy look? To make a nutcracker work, the working lever had to be put into the head part. To do this, it had to be sawed in straight lines, so the teeth and mouth opening had to be square. This made a stern look instead of a smiling mouth.

1. Nutcracker Folklore: " According to German folklore, nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring good luck to your family and protect your home. The legend says that a nutcracker represents power and strength and serves like a trusty watch dog guarding your family from evil spirits and danger. A fierce protector, the nutcracker bares its teeth to the evil spirits and serves as the traditional messenger of good luck and goodwill." ... http://www.magicofnutcrackers.com/Nutcrackers/HistoryofNutcrackers.htm
2. Story of the Ballet (in under 5 minutes!):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEdNd2mTVWQ
3. Audio of the Nutcracker story:http://www.storynory.com/2008/12/15/a-christmas-nutcracker/
4. Nutcracker animated:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byrYjX4fhmQ
5. Kids Love Nutcrackers:http://www.kidslovenutcrackers.com/
6. Ten Interesting Facts: The Nutcracker is holiday tradition. Every year, millions of Nutcracker fans from Los Angeles to New York attend local productions of the famous ballet at area concert halls, theaters, and performance venues. For many families, attending The Nutcracker is an annual holiday tradition like hanging stockings on the chimney and caroling around the neighborhood. http://musicology-101.com/?p=142

Language Arts

During the next few weeks, we’ll explore the theme Tell Me About It. Our reading selections in this unit focus on how we communicate with each other. From a fanciful tale of typing cows to artists from around the world, we’ll read about the ways people share their ideas and feelings. As we read, we’ll explore the Big Idea “We learn from each other.” We’ll begin this week with a humorous fiction story called Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. Farmer Brown’s cows have found a typewriter, and they’re using it to demand better working conditions. What will Farmer Brown do? We’ll also read about how real animals communicate in the informational text Talk About Smart Animals! Throughout the week we’ll consider the question “What helps you make a decision about a character?”

Target Vocabulary: problem, impossible, understand, impatient, furious, demand, gathered, believe 

Phonics Skills: Base words with endings -s, -es (including pronunciation and syllables) 

Vocabulary Strategy: Prefixes pre- (means “before”) and mis- (means “not” or “badly”) 

Comprehension Skill: Conclusions— use details to figure out more about the text 

Comprehension Strategy: Infer/ predict—use clues to figure out more about the story parts or important ideas

Lesson 2 

Objective: Add and subtract multiples of 10 including counting on to subtract.

Lesson 3 

Objective: Add and subtract multiples of 10 and some ones within 100.

Lesson 4 

Objective: Add and subtract multiples of 10 and some ones within 100.

Lesson 5 

Objective: Solve one- and two-step word problems within 100 using strategies based on place value.

Social Studies

Portage - Phase 2 (Potawatomi)

This week we talked about how our name came to be Portage.  The "portaging" of a canoe is how our name came to be Portage, with its many waterways and streams which travel in both directions.  This area was an ideal place for the Potawatomi people and their lifestyle.  They traveled mainly by canoe.  By migrating to Portage each year the Potawatomis created paths when walking by foot.  These paths are known as the 3 major streets we continue to travel on today:  Oakland Dr., Westnedge Ave., and Portage Rd.

We also talked about the different responsibilities of the Potawatomi people.  The men were responsible for hunting, fishing, chopping down trees, making tools, etc...  The women made the wigwam homes, planting of crops, making of clothes, mats, child care,etc...

The Potawatomi lived in peace for many, many, years until the settlers starting buying all the land in Portage in the 1830's.  The first Pioneer settlers were from New York.