Wow! Time flies when you are busy! After a month in school we are getting a solid grip on simple machines and understanding things like, “Load”, and “Force”, etc. A list of the most famous use of simple machines surely must include Rube Goldberg’s designs. Some truly astounding designs have been done, from a Honda commercial (reset and reshot over 700 times) to a music video featuring a huge number of machines! While we will not be designing any Goldberg designs, I hope you join us by checking them out with your child. We will be focusing on how simple machines combine to create complex machines as well as the specifics of the 6 simple machines.
Math is moving along quite well, in my opinion, and I am seeing the benefits of our use of Bridges as our math program. Essentially, I’m seeing slightly higher skills and a quicker grasping of how the curriculum approaches and delivers concepts. Or maybe I’m just getting better at teaching it, I don’t know! Regardless, it’s going well.
Reading and writing have many components that are rather intertwined. We have spelling in there too, and it’s one to the routines that are “settling in”. The hardest part for us as parents and the idea of “Homework” is that we believe it needs to be returned……but it does not. It’s okay, it can stay home, be revisited, and thrown away on Friday. The only thing that needs to come back to school on Friday – inside the homework folder – is the reading log. As for reading, we are currently focusing on building stamina. Groups will be created this week as well and our first novel studies launched. Writing has us learning how to write information reports in prep for an informational report on simple machines.
Our annual Root of Responsibility is fast approaching and we are in dire, DIRE need of adult volunteers!! This is not just another “MRA-way” of naming yet another event. This truly does go back to the roots of the school. When it first began it was just the people who believed in it. It wasn’t a scheduled way to give back to the community, it was the active creation of that community. Each year we choose to make something better, make something over, or make something new and in this way, we create the shared experiences that form the heart of MRA. Therefore, I urge you not to look upon this as another event, but rather the ONE event. The ONE where you put in actual sweat. The ONE where you work physically next to kids you’ve seen but never met, or that were at your house last weekend. The ONE that physically creates the community. Keep in mind that even if you cannot attend, we could sure use various tools/equipment you may possess. Please visit the school website for information on signing up.
This is going to be a great week! Thank you for your support!
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