octubre: una otra vez

Hola,

Progress Reports: Coming out this week!!!!

I need to impart some more information about grades. My grading has changed a little bit via administration. I am still grading for content area and citizenship, but I am also grading for Participation. Administration feels that a student's participation in learning a new language is a valuable piece to learning the new language. Yes, I know and believe it is a valuable piece in learning any language.

A persons effort and participation may make a difference in their success in learning any language. With this said, I want to reenforce that I am grading Participation according to the same citizenship participation rubric. Unfortunately, the average grade of "2" out of "3" may show students on the "average" being low. I will speak to administration about this unforeseen problem. I just realized this today.

I will say that some students are not participating as they should. They are not practicing their vocabulary or their pronunciation. I can tell. The first assessment I gave was pretty low for most of my classes. So, administration and I have decided to not count the assessment as part of the grade and we have decided that I will reteach and review again before re-assessing the students.


Numbers:

All my students in grades 2-8 have been working on Numbers 0-20.

Latine: 7th & 8th

Numbers 1-20 in Latin: Roman Numerals:

1 unus I
2 duo II
3 tres III
4 quattuor IV
5 quinque V
6 sex VI
7 septem VII
8 octo VIII
9 novem IX
10 decem X
11 undecim XI
12 duodecim XII
13 tredecim XIII
14 quattuordecim XIV
15 quindecim XV
16 sedecim XVI
17 septemdecim XVII
18 duodeviginti XVIII
19 undeviginti XIX
20 viginti XX

During the Roman Times, the romans did not have the arabic (numeric) system that we have today. The Romans used a symbols system called Roman Numerals. The symbol system has 7 main symbols in it (I(1),V(5),X(10),L(50),C(100),D(500),M(1000)). The Romans would put a series of symbols together to make larger numbers. They would add or subtract depending on the placement of the symbols.The rules are as follows:

* When smaller numbers are to the right of the larger numbers, they are added: XII= 10 + 2 (12); CCCLVII= 300 +50+5+2 (357)

* When smaller numbers are to the left of larger ones, they are subtracted: XL= 50 - 10 (40); XC= 100 - 10 (90)

*Some numbers combine bothe adding or subtracting: CMXLII= 1000 - 100; 50 -10; plus 2 (942)

Espanol: 2-6

All grade 2-6 are learning/reviewing numbers 0-20.

0 cero
1 uno
2 dos
3 tres
4 cuatro
5 cinco
6 seis
7 siete
8 ocho
9 nueve
10 diez
11 once
12 doce
13 trece
14 catorce
15 quince
16 dieciseis
17 diecisiete
18 dieciocho
19 diecinueve
20 veinte

K-1 grades are learning #1-10, colors, and Days of the week:

The number and color songs are on a previous posting.

Dias de la semana: Days of the Week

(Song tune: Clemetine)

domingo, lunes, martes, miercoles, jueves, viernes, sabado
domingo, lunes, martes, miercoles, jueves, viernes, sabado

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Cultura:Pompeii/Hispanic Heritage Month: Mexico

Pompeii: (grades 7-8)
Pompeii was a city near Mt. Vesuvius (Mt. V.). Mt. V. is a volcano that erupted and destroyed the city of Pompeii. Archeologists excavated the city and learned plenty of information of the tragedy and of how life was back in Roman times.

There is a two page article on Pompeii and an "Eyewitness Account". If students missed this please come pick up the article and the assignment.

Assignment: 2 Paragraph reflection

Choice between two options: 1. If you lived during the time Mt. V. erupted, what would you have done, thought, felt, etc. 2. Reflect on the "An Eyewitness Account"- What do you think about Pliny and his actions? If you were in the same situation, what would you have done? How would you have felt? Do you think the people knew and understood what was going on? ...

Hispanic Heritage Month/ Mexico

Hispanic Heritage month is Sept. 15th- Oct. 15th. In the U.S. today, there is about 46 million hispanics. The highest concentration of the hispanic population is in California with about 13.2 million hispanics. Other states with high populations are New York, Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Hispanic population is the fastest and largest growing minority group in the U.S..

Mexico is the closest Spanish speaking country to us, bordering the United States' southern border. The capital city of Mexico is Mexico City. Mexico City has a rich history. The city is built on top of ruins. The city used to be the thriving capital city of the Aztecas. The city was called Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan was a tiny island in the middle of a lake until the Aztecas came and built up the island. The Aztecas were a native people that came down from the north and settled in central part of Mexico, as commanded by their god. The god of the Aztecas said that the people would settle in a land where they saw an eagle sitting on a catus with a snake in its mouth. The Mexican flag still dipict this historical event today.

The culture lesson involved a poster comparing "Then and Now." The poster was put out by Scholastics and gave a comparison of the Aztecas and the life of today. It discussed cities, sports, music and dance, and writing.

If students have missed the culture lesson, then they should come a check out the poster. An assignment was given= Grades 4-6: a scholastic worksheet with coloring the Mexican flag. Grades: K-3 colored the Mexican flag and the Pyramid of the Sun.

Upcoming: Halloween

Latine:

Sullani- a holiday that is colored with giving to the poor. The original meaning behind the holiday was for the rich to give the poor food to eat. It was a festival that took place Oct. 26-Nov. 1st. During this time people would go house to house picking up treats or bits of food to eat. Some rich families would give other things; a place to stay, a bath, work, etc.

I plan on an arts & crafts activity. I am still a little unsure specifically on the exact type of arts & craft. The activity will refer to the holiday in some way.

Espanol: El Dia De Los Muertos

As you know, Halloween is at the end of October. The hispanic culture does not really celebrate Halloween. They celebrate on November 2nd El Dia De Los Muertos: The Day of the Dead. This is a time for the families to celebrate and remember their loved ones that have died and to celebrate life. In Mexico (and other countries) families have a parade, have a procession to the cemetery, make offerings of food and drink and place the marigolds (flowers) on the gravesites, and then they have a picnic and a fiesta. This varies from place to place, but in general is similar. The roots of this holiday are firmly planted in native folklore and tradition in Mexico. The holiday came about through the blending of native beliefs and religious belief brought from Europe. This day was created as a means of continuing the belief in the circle of life in which death plays a part and is not to be feared.

I plan to have an arts and craft activity. I am thinking on (K-3) hand bats & (4-6) skull mobiles (or hand made marigolds- depends on supplies)

Parent/ Teacher Conferences:

Nov. 10th is set aside for Parent/teacher conference on the PCA calendar. I will not be at school this day. I will be scheduling 8 hours of time in the next couple of weeks for Parent/ Teacher conferences. I will take conferences on appointment. Conferences will be schedule for 15 minute intervals. If you feel that 15 minute is not enough (because of having more than one child), 2- 15 minute appointments can be scheduled. I will be sending notices home soon.

Tentative Schedule:

Monday 10/27/08 4pm-7pm

Thurs. 10/30/08 4pm-6pm

Monday 11/3/08 4pm-6pm

Wheh!!!! What alot to say..... I need to go. Will update soon.

Any questions or concerns, please email or call (Ext. 207).

Adios,

Senorita Morrin