Math and Writing Homework

Hi,

For homework in math, the kids are going to play a game with you or another person. It is called Circle and Stars and there should be directions in the backpack. .

There are two large pieces of construction paper. One is set up in an eight box grid and has a title box and a sample circle and stars. It also has numbers 1-5 on the other boxes for each round and a box for the players' scores. The paper with writing on it already is your child's paper. The blank one is for you or your child's partner to record his/her circle and stars. Each player uses a number cube to roll. If you don't have a number cube, please make paper numbers 1-12 and choose one instead of rolling. If you want harder multiplication problems, you can use paper numbers or two cubes and add them together.

Both of the large papers should return tomorrow after playing the game and recording the results.

Writing homework-The children should have each selected an entry from their writer's notebooks that they want to use to revise and possibly publish. They should have a paperclip on the page of the entry that they have chosen. The homework tonight is to storytell that story to at least three people at home. (one pet or object can be included but at least two have to be humans :) ) Here are the directions:


Storytelling, Over and Over
This afternoon on your way home from school or at home, retell your story again to yourself. Tell it to your mom, your sister, your brother, your dad, or to your friend. Think about your story too. Stories get much better if we play them over in our minds, trying to tell them in ways that really affect listeners and readers. Do you want to make people shiver with worry, laugh aloud, gasp, wince? Try telling your story so that you make listeners feel whatever it is you want them to feel.

Be sure that they are not summarizing about their story but saying it in the first person (using I, me, my etc...) and telling it with expression, drama and sound effects like a story teller. They should not read the entry to you but tell it from memory. It is fine if it is different with each telling. In fact, I bet the story will have more details, more feeling, and more life after several tellings.
Please sign in the writer's notebook that you listened to the story and feel free to include a comment for your storyteller.
Have fun with this! We will begin writing leads and our first draft of the story tomorrow and I am so excited!!!!!

I am also attaching a volunteer opportunity for your family, if you are interested.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks,
Pam Bartholomew