Hi everyone! Semester 2 has finally begun! We aim to do more supplementary readings and science experiments this semester!
We've also got new students in the class this time around: Let's welcome Edwin and Joe to the class! =)
This week we started off by reading the story: Underwater Explorer. It's an article on a famous marine biologist and her work diving under the sea exploring marine life. I explained in class the differences between snorkeling and diving and showed the students a real life video of my roommate diving in the seas of Thailand!
Corresponding grammar and reading workbook pages were assigned as well.
For Science we started Chapter 8: Lesson 1 "Water, Water Everywhere!" This lesson explains how 2/3 of the world is covered with water. We learned about where water can be found and the different states it's in.
Corresponding science workbook questions were assigned.
For writing we wrote on the topic: "Tell me about how you use water in everyday life, how much you use, and where it comes from". I want the students to think about how water is an essential part of our everyday existence and that we should try to conserve water.
Vocabulary for week 1 and week 2 were assigned and there will be a quiz on the words next Wednesday in class. The words cover the materials we went over in class this week, as well as the materials we will be covering next week.
The new song this week was "Apologize" by One Republic. The students were familiar with this song before and some even memorized the lyrics already! CDs were given to students to take home.
This week's fun day is LASER TAG! There will only be 4 fun days this semester, the other Fridays will be elective classes which are mandatory for students.
**This semester I hope the students can improve their grammar skills (don't keep repeating the same mistakes!), reading comprehension skills, and classroom ethics. =)
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
Teacher Connie
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Semester End - Happy Chinese New Year!
It's the end of the semester, I'm sure all the kids are excited for winter break! We had 3 tests this week, which they all did an excellent job on (with one or two exceptions)!
For our big vocabulary Weeks 1-21 final we reviewed for 2 hours together as a class. We played BINGO where the students had to recognize the meaning of each vocabulary word. The 2 winners got a special prize the next day in class. We also played tic-tac-toe, where the students were separated in to 2 teams and got to work as a group to come up with the right definition for a word. The winners got extra good points.
We also corrected and rewrote the vocabulary stories that the students had to write for homework over the weekend.
For Science, we went over the key points in Chapter 7 and had the chapter test. All students got 90% or above!! Very proud of you guys!
We had a long reading mid-term exam as well. While some students did extremely well, some really need to work on their comprehension skills and learn how to find answers from clues in a story.
This semester's last fun day is Ice Skating! It'll be fun, although Teacher Connie can't skate! =\
*Progress reports will be sent home on Friday for Class A. Class B Parents, I will post them on the blog under individual titles.
Happy New Years everyone, and hope you all have a wonderful vacation!
For our big vocabulary Weeks 1-21 final we reviewed for 2 hours together as a class. We played BINGO where the students had to recognize the meaning of each vocabulary word. The 2 winners got a special prize the next day in class. We also played tic-tac-toe, where the students were separated in to 2 teams and got to work as a group to come up with the right definition for a word. The winners got extra good points.
We also corrected and rewrote the vocabulary stories that the students had to write for homework over the weekend.
For Science, we went over the key points in Chapter 7 and had the chapter test. All students got 90% or above!! Very proud of you guys!
We had a long reading mid-term exam as well. While some students did extremely well, some really need to work on their comprehension skills and learn how to find answers from clues in a story.
This semester's last fun day is Ice Skating! It'll be fun, although Teacher Connie can't skate! =\
*Progress reports will be sent home on Friday for Class A. Class B Parents, I will post them on the blog under individual titles.
Happy New Years everyone, and hope you all have a wonderful vacation!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Week 22 Class!
This week we read the story "Gluskabe and the Snow Bird". It is a myth about the origins of day/night and the seasons. The folk-art illustrations were quite different than the other stories we have read in class. Corresponding workbook and grammar pages were assigned.
For Science we finished Ch. 7 - Moons, Stars, and Planets. The students were very interested with space science, especially learning about the different planets. We also reviewed the 3 lessons in Chapter 6. We had a competition in class where I asked the students different questions. They had about 15 minutes to study beforehand. Then they were put in to partners to test each other. I also discussed together some of the key points that were important for the exam.
Chapter 6 exam was assigned on Thursday for Class B and Friday for Class A.
We also reviewed weeks 1-21 vocabulary words in depth. I gave the students several words where they had to use in a story. We also had a verbal quiz in class where they had to tell me the meanings of several vocabulary words.
We also went through the answers for the Take Home Readers in class.
INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:
CLASS A:
Jay has been exceptionally good this week! He tried hard, paid attention, answered many questions, and was very enthusiastic. I hope he can keep this up!
Livia did great this week as well. Her sentences continue to impress me (hopefully she's not copying from the dictionary though!). One thing to improve on would be the pronunciation of some words in reading.
Belinda tries hard in class and tries to pay attention. This week however, she did not finish her homework that was given out 2 weeks ago! Another thing to improve on would be the structure of her sentences.
Ryan did great this week, both in class and on the exams. However, he continues to write messy and interrupt others when others are speaking. I hope he can be a better listener.
CLASS B:
Sydney tries really hard in class. She always wants to stay longer or put in extra time to finish her work. I can tell she gives herself high standards, which is great! She also takes initiative in showing me her corrections when I haven't asked for them. Excellent work habits!
Brian gets down to work straight away! He is amazing! While other students may joke around and waste time, he doesn't get distracted by any of it. He wants to get work done and pushes himself to do so. However, he does need to improve his writing neatness!!
Tiger is a good problem solver, he is able to answer questions logically! He is keen to learn and is always asking questions. It's great! Tiger still needs to try to not be distracted by other students in the class.
Richard is able to answer questions well in class when he pays attention. I had a talk with him this week and he knows that he is not putting 100% in to his work. I see so much potential in Richard, if he can take things more seriously, he'll do so well!!!
**REMINDER:
Week 1-21 Vocabulary Test next week
Chapter 7 Science Test next week
Reading Comprehension Test next week
Study study study! have a good weekend guys ;)!
Teacher Connie
For Science we finished Ch. 7 - Moons, Stars, and Planets. The students were very interested with space science, especially learning about the different planets. We also reviewed the 3 lessons in Chapter 6. We had a competition in class where I asked the students different questions. They had about 15 minutes to study beforehand. Then they were put in to partners to test each other. I also discussed together some of the key points that were important for the exam.
Chapter 6 exam was assigned on Thursday for Class B and Friday for Class A.
We also reviewed weeks 1-21 vocabulary words in depth. I gave the students several words where they had to use in a story. We also had a verbal quiz in class where they had to tell me the meanings of several vocabulary words.
We also went through the answers for the Take Home Readers in class.
INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:
CLASS A:
Jay has been exceptionally good this week! He tried hard, paid attention, answered many questions, and was very enthusiastic. I hope he can keep this up!
Livia did great this week as well. Her sentences continue to impress me (hopefully she's not copying from the dictionary though!). One thing to improve on would be the pronunciation of some words in reading.
Belinda tries hard in class and tries to pay attention. This week however, she did not finish her homework that was given out 2 weeks ago! Another thing to improve on would be the structure of her sentences.
Ryan did great this week, both in class and on the exams. However, he continues to write messy and interrupt others when others are speaking. I hope he can be a better listener.
CLASS B:
Sydney tries really hard in class. She always wants to stay longer or put in extra time to finish her work. I can tell she gives herself high standards, which is great! She also takes initiative in showing me her corrections when I haven't asked for them. Excellent work habits!
Brian gets down to work straight away! He is amazing! While other students may joke around and waste time, he doesn't get distracted by any of it. He wants to get work done and pushes himself to do so. However, he does need to improve his writing neatness!!
Tiger is a good problem solver, he is able to answer questions logically! He is keen to learn and is always asking questions. It's great! Tiger still needs to try to not be distracted by other students in the class.
Richard is able to answer questions well in class when he pays attention. I had a talk with him this week and he knows that he is not putting 100% in to his work. I see so much potential in Richard, if he can take things more seriously, he'll do so well!!!
**REMINDER:
Week 1-21 Vocabulary Test next week
Chapter 7 Science Test next week
Reading Comprehension Test next week
Study study study! have a good weekend guys ;)!
Teacher Connie
Friday, January 15, 2010
Week 21!
This week for reading we read "Scruffy, the Arctic Wolf". This story is a real-life story that describes the life of a wolf pack and how hard it is to survive in the freezing arctic climate. Corresponding workbook questions were assigned, however Class A did not complete everything (will finish next week).
For Science,we started Chapter 7: The Sun, Moons, and Planets. It is an interesting topic that discusses about space and the different 'heavenly bodies'. The students seem very interested on the subject!
New vocabulary words were assigned and a new song called "Four Seasons of Loneliness" by Boyz to Men was introduced.
Week 17,19, and 20 vocabulary quiz was taken this week. Most students did quite well despite the extra vocabulary words to study for!
We also started designing our own 'Transformer' picture to decorate our brand new classroom!
INDIVIDUAl COMMENTS:
CLASS A:
Ryan has a lot to offer during Science class and makes the class interesting! He got perfect on the vocabulary test as well! When we go over the vocabulary words in class, I hope Ryan can still write down the sentence examples given.
Livia did great on the vocabulary test this week! She is a great listener and very artistic. One thing to improve on would be to read louder in class.
Jay is very interested in and good at Science. When he is alert, he excels in the class. However, for the vocabulary test he was not confident and prepared for it so he seemed to give up. I hope he can change that habit of not putting in 100%.
Belinda takes her time to do her work but only because she wants to do a good job. For the vocabulary quiz she took a long time, but managed to get a great mark! I like the effort she puts in to the class. She is also very artistic!
CLASS B:
Richard seems to want to get his work done fast, but would then make many mistakes because he is not reading the directions and questions carefully. Richard is good at making sentences and is very good at drawing! I hope he can put in more effort when we sing the songs and also be less goofy!
Tiger is goofy a lot in class, but still he manages to get his work done. He is very good at making sentences and his grammar has really improved. He still needs to write bigger though!
Sydney maintains good work ethics. She gets down to work really fast and is always the first to finish. I am really happy with her work and progress in class!
Brian loves to participate in class and he is able to grasp concepts so fast! He gets down to work right away as well and finishes his work fast. Sometimes when we are reading though, Brian needs to follow along and not get ahead of everyone else.
**FUNDAY: With regards to fun day, many students are not showing up or staying for the events. I would like all kids to participate if they can, as this is a good time to socialize and bond with the other students from the school!
For Science,we started Chapter 7: The Sun, Moons, and Planets. It is an interesting topic that discusses about space and the different 'heavenly bodies'. The students seem very interested on the subject!
New vocabulary words were assigned and a new song called "Four Seasons of Loneliness" by Boyz to Men was introduced.
Week 17,19, and 20 vocabulary quiz was taken this week. Most students did quite well despite the extra vocabulary words to study for!
We also started designing our own 'Transformer' picture to decorate our brand new classroom!
INDIVIDUAl COMMENTS:
CLASS A:
Ryan has a lot to offer during Science class and makes the class interesting! He got perfect on the vocabulary test as well! When we go over the vocabulary words in class, I hope Ryan can still write down the sentence examples given.
Livia did great on the vocabulary test this week! She is a great listener and very artistic. One thing to improve on would be to read louder in class.
Jay is very interested in and good at Science. When he is alert, he excels in the class. However, for the vocabulary test he was not confident and prepared for it so he seemed to give up. I hope he can change that habit of not putting in 100%.
Belinda takes her time to do her work but only because she wants to do a good job. For the vocabulary quiz she took a long time, but managed to get a great mark! I like the effort she puts in to the class. She is also very artistic!
CLASS B:
Richard seems to want to get his work done fast, but would then make many mistakes because he is not reading the directions and questions carefully. Richard is good at making sentences and is very good at drawing! I hope he can put in more effort when we sing the songs and also be less goofy!
Tiger is goofy a lot in class, but still he manages to get his work done. He is very good at making sentences and his grammar has really improved. He still needs to write bigger though!
Sydney maintains good work ethics. She gets down to work really fast and is always the first to finish. I am really happy with her work and progress in class!
Brian loves to participate in class and he is able to grasp concepts so fast! He gets down to work right away as well and finishes his work fast. Sometimes when we are reading though, Brian needs to follow along and not get ahead of everyone else.
**FUNDAY: With regards to fun day, many students are not showing up or staying for the events. I would like all kids to participate if they can, as this is a good time to socialize and bond with the other students from the school!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Week 20!
This week for Science we read lesson 5 of Chapter 6 - Inside Earth. This lesson focused on discussing about Earth's interior, earthquakes, and what causes them. We also did a bit of chapter review. The corresponding workbook pages were also completed.
For reading, Class A read "A Place Called Freedom" which talks about slavery and the start of a new life for a family. Class B read the story "Pat Cummings" which describes the famous illustrator's life and work. Workbook pages were completed and corrected.
For writing we wrote on "New Year Resolutions". I hope this can get the students thinking about what they'd like to achieve in the new year and how they can go about doing so. In class A we did a verbal group discussion to practice the students' speaking skills. Each student really needs to improve the coherency of their speaking. Both classes tend to forget their grammar when they speak verbally!
New vocabulary words were assigned. There will be a test on week 17,19,and 20 words next Wednesday!!!
The new song this week is called "Stronger" by Britney Spears. This song talks about being strong and independent.
INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:
CLASS A:
Jay is very enthusiastic during classroom discussions but seems to be down when we have to do written work. It is great that he loves to participate but he needs to understand that the workbook is an essential part of the curriculum as well.
Livia is very proactive when it comes to learning, she will take notes and pay great attention. Sometimes when she is trying to express something verbally, it takes her awhile to get the words out. I'd like her to practice speaking more smoothly and also in a louder voice.
Belinda is also very excited about classroom participation. She loves to contribute and tell stories. However, she needs to learn when to concentrate and be a bit more serious. I'd like Belinda to also watch her grammar when she is speaking.
Ryan is a fast thinker and also loves to contribute many stories in class. However, he often goes off topic! Ryan is very creative and can get down to work right away. I am happy with how he always completes his work on time.
Sydney made a huge progress this week in public speaking! She made eye contact, offered to speak first, and also read in a well manner! Good job! Sydney's work is probably the best in the class. She makes the least grammar mistakes, works the fastest, and learns really fast. However, sometimes she would misread directions in the workbook!!
Richard did his work really fast this week! Good job! However, he needs to make less mistakes. I'd rather have him take a bit longer time to double check his work. He is also trying a lot harder when we sing the songs =). One thing to not do in class: stop laughing along with Tiger!!
Tiger can concentrate really well when he wants to. However,recently he has been having a 'laughing problem'. This is effecting his ability to pay attention in class and do good detailed work. When he pays attention, he makes little mistakes! Tiger's reading has improved though, keep it up!
Brian loves to participate in class and is able to get down to work straight away. However, he writes too messy and would spell things wrong very often. This is due to carelessness! Brian is super smart for his age, he just needs to focus and pay attention to small details.
Teacher Connie~
For reading, Class A read "A Place Called Freedom" which talks about slavery and the start of a new life for a family. Class B read the story "Pat Cummings" which describes the famous illustrator's life and work. Workbook pages were completed and corrected.
For writing we wrote on "New Year Resolutions". I hope this can get the students thinking about what they'd like to achieve in the new year and how they can go about doing so. In class A we did a verbal group discussion to practice the students' speaking skills. Each student really needs to improve the coherency of their speaking. Both classes tend to forget their grammar when they speak verbally!
New vocabulary words were assigned. There will be a test on week 17,19,and 20 words next Wednesday!!!
The new song this week is called "Stronger" by Britney Spears. This song talks about being strong and independent.
INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:
CLASS A:
Jay is very enthusiastic during classroom discussions but seems to be down when we have to do written work. It is great that he loves to participate but he needs to understand that the workbook is an essential part of the curriculum as well.
Livia is very proactive when it comes to learning, she will take notes and pay great attention. Sometimes when she is trying to express something verbally, it takes her awhile to get the words out. I'd like her to practice speaking more smoothly and also in a louder voice.
Belinda is also very excited about classroom participation. She loves to contribute and tell stories. However, she needs to learn when to concentrate and be a bit more serious. I'd like Belinda to also watch her grammar when she is speaking.
Ryan is a fast thinker and also loves to contribute many stories in class. However, he often goes off topic! Ryan is very creative and can get down to work right away. I am happy with how he always completes his work on time.
Sydney made a huge progress this week in public speaking! She made eye contact, offered to speak first, and also read in a well manner! Good job! Sydney's work is probably the best in the class. She makes the least grammar mistakes, works the fastest, and learns really fast. However, sometimes she would misread directions in the workbook!!
Richard did his work really fast this week! Good job! However, he needs to make less mistakes. I'd rather have him take a bit longer time to double check his work. He is also trying a lot harder when we sing the songs =). One thing to not do in class: stop laughing along with Tiger!!
Tiger can concentrate really well when he wants to. However,recently he has been having a 'laughing problem'. This is effecting his ability to pay attention in class and do good detailed work. When he pays attention, he makes little mistakes! Tiger's reading has improved though, keep it up!
Brian loves to participate in class and is able to get down to work straight away. However, he writes too messy and would spell things wrong very often. This is due to carelessness! Brian is super smart for his age, he just needs to focus and pay attention to small details.
Teacher Connie~
Monday, January 4, 2010
Transformers New Year's Week!
This week we read "Basho's Journey" and talked about how to write Haiku's. The students got a chance to write 3 Haikus of their own. Haikus are poems that have 17 syllables and 3 lines each.
We also finished and corrected the reading workbooks. This week the reading workbook was a bit more difficult so we spent more time on it.
For Science we studied "The Story of Soil". We are learning about how soil is made and why it is important to have soil. We are also studying the soil profiles and also the different levels of soil.
We finished and corrected the Science workbook. The students were separated in to teams this week and the team that answered the most questions correctly got to go for a 10 minute break while the other team studied vocabulary.
New vocabulary was handed out this week. We went over it in class in detail. A new song called "A Whole New World" was also taught.
This week was a shortened week again, hope everyone had a great new year's eve!
We also finished and corrected the reading workbooks. This week the reading workbook was a bit more difficult so we spent more time on it.
For Science we studied "The Story of Soil". We are learning about how soil is made and why it is important to have soil. We are also studying the soil profiles and also the different levels of soil.
We finished and corrected the Science workbook. The students were separated in to teams this week and the team that answered the most questions correctly got to go for a 10 minute break while the other team studied vocabulary.
New vocabulary was handed out this week. We went over it in class in detail. A new song called "A Whole New World" was also taught.
This week was a shortened week again, hope everyone had a great new year's eve!
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