daw.com - April 17

IMG_1759.JPGThis week started with a set of guests representing Peking Opera and what an exciting time it was.  First students got to watch the actors put on their makeup and costumes.  Great questions where asked of the actors and students left with a better understanding of what they are going to have to do with their makeup when it comes time to perform our version of Monkey King.  Just a reminder that the grade 5 perforamces will be on May 28th and 29th.  Times to be confirmed later.
We finished up our Human Body reports this week and started our next piece of writing which is an essay.  Our first attempt at writing an essay was with the Cafeteria piece.  THis time students chose their own topic, read articles from Newsela, summarized the articles and then created a plan for their essay.  We are now in the process of writing our first draft of the essay.
Poetry is also on the horizon and students will be both writing and presenting poems.IMG_1744.JPG
The presentations will be to small groups and also the whole class.  Towards ​the end of the year parents will also get a chance to hear the poems.
I hope that students had all their questions about puberty answered this past week.  We covered the physical, emotional and intellectual changes that will occur during Adolesence with many great conversations.  Some of the questions I left for students to ask their parents.
The Impact unit is in full swing with a look at people around the globe who have made an impact with the work they have done.  This coming week students will continue this study with readings in their homework and Impact sheets to fill out.
IMG_1733.JPGStudents will return to the cooking lab next Friday to once again use fractions to bake up a storm.  This time we will be doing Banana Bread.  I could use 2-3 moms to help so if you are available please email me and let me know.  It would be from 12:30-2:00.
As always, if you have a question or concern, please let me know.  I will arrange a time to meet with you.
Harold Daw