Omega World News

Science Display
We have begun research in the Omega Room. All students have already read through much material, written two fact cards, and started a visual. If you are looking for a way to fulfill some commitment hours and get more involved in the research process, please volunteer to come in and help out on a Monday or Thursday afternoon from 1 – 2. If this is something you’d really like to do but a morning time would be better, let’s chat. I can flip-flop literacy and research one day. The science display is on Tuesday, November 24 at 1:30. Only three weeks to go. It’s never too early to start thinking about a model and experiment or demonstration.

Below is a write up about how you and your child can engage together around the display. The teachers presented this information at a community meeting last year, and I thought it was worthy of posting again.

Twice every year, SH students embark on a five week long study of a choice topic that is related to our current science or cultural theme. This is a time of intense study that draws on students’ skills in literacy and art. The outcome of this work is a school-wide display during which students present their topics in writing, visuals (pictures, maps, charts, diagrams), and three-dimensional models. For the science display there also is an experiment or demonstration component, which could be combined with the model.

There are many ways parents can support their children during the research and display creation process. It is important to actively engage your child in collecting research materials and resources. While we have a library at school, it is very small and limited. Learning how to gather resources for research is an invaluable skill. Often former SH students return and tell the teachers how important the research skills they learned here at SH have been in their continuing education. Please note that students have an easier time with the research process when materials are appropriate for their grade level.

Your support validates the importance of your child’s hard work and models enthusiasm for learning. Ways parents can help support their children in the research process are:
· Visit the public library with your child.
· Visit natural places where you and your child could make observations about his/her topic.
· Visit museums and take notes or just have a discussion about important information your child could take from the museum and bring to school.
· Surf the Internet with your child. Sometimes it’s also helpful to print out valuable information and send it in to school.
· Notice and highlight information in newspapers and magazines that may relate to your child’s topic.
· Read research material together and discuss it.
· Help your child determine important information.
· Read stories relating to your child’s topic.
· Watch videos or television programs relating to your child’s topic. Discuss the information to prepare your child for writing the facts in school.
· Talk to friends or family members who may be or have resources on your child’s topic.
· The models/experiments/demonstrations are all made at home. Help your child plan their three-dimensional piece, gather materials, and construct it.

The Teachers J


Reading, Writing, and Spelling

The Omegas have been preparing for literature circles by learning and reviewing various skills and reading comprehension strategies. We have had lessons on summarizing, making predictions that are supported with text evidence, using context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, and reading actively by marking non-fiction text during reading. Additional lessons have focused on using a dictionary and a thesaurus, synonyms and antonyms, pronouns, and letter writing.

The students have written a thank-you letter to Char for Geology Week and a letter to the BFG. Other writing projects include a number of free writes. A few kids have been writing poetry in their journals. There are also three pairs of students co-authoring stories about an imaginary creature who has adapted to living in one of the layers of the earth. These projects combine last year’s study of animal adaptations and this year’s study of the earth’s composition.

We are starting to focus our writing efforts on submitting work to the Young Writers’ Project. There are three prompts we are working with: write a letter to an author whose work has influenced you personally or your outlook on the world, winter (stories, poems, or essays-optional), and Vermont (an essay-optional).

Spelling is moving along well. Omega Ones are starting to feel more comfortable with the new way of doing spelling. It will probably take another round or two of words before they are totally comfortable.

October reading calendars are due. I put November’s calendar in mailboxes last week.


Personal Safety
We concluded (for now) our lessons on relationships with an activity to promote and look critically at clear communication. Students worked in pairs to give and follow specific directions about how to draw a simple design. Then they compared the original picture with the copy. We did two rounds of this with a discussion in between about what made the task easy and what made it hard. The results of round two are hanging in the hallway.