What's+Happening+in+Room+09+in+February?

===**We** **are having the best time with our new Chinese friends. You would be so proud of your children. They are so very kind and welcoming.** **I am especially pleased by their curiosity. They are eager to learn some Chinese and are up and running using Google Translator. Today we went to their school's website. The Chinese children are very adept math students and that has been a bit of an eye opener for all. They love jump roping at recess, their water bottles, and Asher P. (a future ambassador, for sure).**===

===Mouse Projects - fun and fabulous. We had the whole gamut. Beautiful fabric collages, an unbelievable mouse skate park, Haley's Glog, Maddie's Google map with descriptions of mice world-wide, Joey's mouse trap catapult, and Audrey's owl pellet investigation to list just a few. Students are still presenting. Very imaginative.===

===One Day on Earth was a cool online project we participated in. On 10/10/10, people all over the world shot little movies and then uploaded them to the site. For the last few months the originators have been geotagging the videos and just last week the site went live. Because 10/10/10 was a Sunday, I videoed a couple of kids - Cole playing with his Legos, Asher P. and Gabriel on the school rings, and Sawyer wrestling with his brothers. I titled it Being 10 on 10/10/10. You can see it here.===

===**Our Valentine's Day Party is planned by the kids, but a few things of note. I ask every child to bring in a baby photo for a little contest we have. Under two years-old. The picture will be returned. Every child is expected to bring valentines for their classmates.**===

===The date for the Greek play has been changed. The evening performance will now be on Monday, June 13th. I hope this does not mean that anyone will be unable to participate. The all-school show will be the morning of the 14th.===

= = =//**Curriculum**//=

Reading
=== Our third theme. Science Fiction/ Science Fact. We start with science. Today I shared a list of sciences with them. I have a pair of books for each science. They drew numbers to choose. Some options were botany, physics, futurology, forensics, and human physiology. They need to read with an eye for main ideas and details. They will be doing some mini-outlines in Inspiration. Log is due on March 30th. Two science books, two science fiction books, and two biographies of scientists. Still finishing my mystery read aloud, __ Shakespeare's Secret. __ Then I will be starting a favorite Sci Fi book, __ When I Reach You __. ===

Writing

 * We will be doing a lot of it. A quick piece of memoir. Then a three reason essay, and finally, our first story. The children are truly doing so well. Their Pearl Journal entries were so well-written and exhibited such a writer's eye that polished pieces will be a snap. Continuing with our spelling rules and an emphasis on proofreading.**

Math

 * Fractions. The fourth grade team decided to get a jump on this challenging topic, so we have begun. I can not emphasize enough that your children must have MASTERED the quick recall of their facts to be successful in Math for the rest of the year. We will be on this topic for most of the month - placement on the number line, equivalent fractions, lowest terms, improper fractions, relationship to decimals, etc.**

Scien﻿ce

 * Our current unit of study is WATER. Lots of fun experiments. Some difficult concepts. What's not to love - eye droppers, blue ice cubes, thermometers, etc.**

Social Studies

 * Lewis and Clark have come and gone. The Whitmans up next. We keep moving on. I hope that we can start some two Glogs to add to a teacher's wiki. She has Glogs from students all over the world posted. We should be able to post them for Washington State and Bainbridge.**