Chinese New Year

We had a fun Thursday in Room 2. We began the day with Nutrition and our morning activities. Since today was the start of the Chinese New Year, we read a book called "Celebrating Chinese New Year" and learned some of the traditions and customs of this holiday. At language arts rotations, students made their own Chinese dragon, which is a symbol of good luck for the new year. Hopefully, they made it home for you to see!  My tables read "Nat" and wrote a friendly letter to Ethan, our Star of the Week.  The other groups had secret centers.  After recess, we practiced our sight words, recited "Humpty Dumpty," and had math. We worked on making 14, 15, and 16. It was pretty easy since we are so good at using ten to start and adding the other amount by drawing, using counters, or in our heads.

After lunch, we practiced our editing skills and read "Freedom Summer," which was about the summer before the 1964 Civil Rights Act was enacted. We sang "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes," too.  For art, we had a project on color. I call it "primary + primary = secondary." Students used primary colored paper to cut out shapes. Then they overlapped those colors and filled in that space with the appropriate secondary color. They look pretty cool!  For Star of the Week, Ethan shared a bunch of nice family photographs. We had P.E. on the big yard with jump ropes and bouncy balls. To end the day, we learned a little about Dr. Mae Jemison for Black History Month. She was a very smart person and the first female African American to go into space. Coincidentally, it was on the space shuttle Endeavour, whcih we just saw on last Friday's field trip. Then we cleaned up and packed up for home.

Don't forget to finish up and check over homework packets for tomorrow!