November 9 - 13

I finally feel, at last, that I've gotten back on top of my game. Entirely up-to-date grades for second term are now posted online at http://www.classactiongradebook.com/, and I'm back on top of my planning in advance, where I really like to be. Our picture this week is the finished products of the plaster mask making activity we did. We took some time this week, pulled out the acrylic paints, and went to town. The masks turned out fantastic! Now here's a game for you... can you figure out which one is your students?

Just a reminder, we are still selling DVDs and 8x10 Photos of our play, The Turkeys Go On Strike. They are $5 a piece. If you'd like a copy of either one, or both, just send in the money with a note telling me which it is you'd like.

This coming week should be just about as normal as a week gets. Our story this week is going to teach us a bit about Ancient China. During math, we are going to be learning about circles, including the fabulous number π, which is used to find the circumference and area of the circles. Who knew that 3.14152965358979323846... (and so on) could be such a magical number! For writing this week, we will be focusing on the three different points of view: first person, third person limited, and third person omniscent. This week we also finish up our science unit on heat. After a few fun demonstrations next week, we will begin our unit on light once we return from break.

Ah yes! Break. I'm sure your students, as well as you, are counting down to our first real break of the school year! Gobble, gobble! Thanksgiving Day is coming and so is the break associated with it. We do not have school November 25, and then we maintain that freedom through the weekend, returning fresh on November 30. Only 7 school days to go!

In homage of our masks, I felt that ending with a quote about taking off our "masks" would be appropriate:

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." - Judy Garland