Hickory, NC 28601
phone: 828.256.9492
fax: 828.256.1475
a type of school, residential in nature, with shishyas living in proximity to the guru, often within the same house. In a gurukul, shishyas reside together as equals.
Gurukul
For the week of: February 22 - February 26
Program of Inquiry : It's Story time !
Central Idea : Stories expose global cultures
Inquiry Into: Common themes in global stories
Teacher Questions: What is a story? Why do people tell stories?
Investigations into stories from around the world
What are the elements of a story?
Spelling : Short " o " sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly Wise - Grade 1- Unit 4 - Lesson 12 – Up , Up, and Away!
Grade 2 Group A-Continuing "Get Close to Mother Nature"
Grade 2 Group B- Continuing "Abracadabra"
Math : Group A - Quarters,Digital Clocks, Timing in Seconds, Data Landmarks
Group B - Frequency Distributions, Unit 7- Review and Assessment
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 9 - My Brother Is Afraid of Just About Everything By Lois Osborn
Little Miss Muffet By Dominic Catalano
Group B - Open Court - Unit 4- Fossils By Lillian Moore
Why Did the Dinosaurs Disappear? By Karen sapp
Writing: Just Write Grade 1- We are working on describing feelings in our writing.
Grade 2- We are studying sentence structure and details, using the Olympic Games as a case study.
Gurukul
For the week of: February 1 - February 5
Program of Inquiry : It's Story time !
Central Idea : Stories expose global cultures
Inquiry Into: Common themes in global stories
Teacher Questions: What is a story? Why do people tell stories?
Investigations into stories from around the world
What are the elements of a story?
Field Studies : Hickory Museum of Art for "Torn From Home" Exhibit
Spelling : Short " e " sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly Wise - Grade 1- Unit 4 - Lesson 11 – Welcome, Wheels
Grade 2 Group A-
Grade 2 Group B-
Math : Group A - Mid - year Assessment
Group B - Mid - year Assessment
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 8 - Mary Mack By Bob Barner
Group B - Open Court - Unit 4- The Dinosaur Who Lived in My Backyard
By B.G.Hennessy
Writing: Just Write Grade 1- Creative Story Writing
Grade 2- Creative Story Writing
Gurukul
For the week of: January 25 - January 29
Program of Inquiry : It's Story time !
Central Idea : Stories expose global cultures
Inquiry Into: Common themes in global stories
Teacher Questions: What is a story? Why do people tell stories?
Investigations into stories from around the world
What are the elements of a story?
Spelling : " sh " sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly Wise - Grade 1- Unit 4 - Lesson 10 – A Car Wash Adventure ( Contd.)
Grade 2 Group A- Wave to Me and I'll Wave Back vocabulary study
Grade 2 Group B- Danger: Hungry Plants applying meanings
Math : Group A - turn-around facts, “easy” facts, “ what's my rule?"
Group B - Multiplication with arrays, Division stories, Unit 6- review, flash cards, timed tests
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 7 - The Hare and the Tortoise by Aesop
Group B - Open Court - Unit 4- Fossils Tell of Long Ago
by Aliki
Writing: Just Write Grade 1- Creative Story Writing
Grade 2- Creative Story Writing
Gurukul
For the week of: January 19 - January 22
Program of Inquiry : It's Story time !
Central Idea : Stories expose global cultures
Inquiry Into: Common themes in global stories
Teacher Questions: What is a story? Why do people tell stories?
Investigations into stories from around the world
What are the elements os a story?
Spelling : " sh " sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly Wise - Grade 1- Unit 4 - Lesson 10 – A Car Wash Adventure
Grade 2 Group A- Subtle meanings within story selections
Grade 2 Group B- Multiple meanings of words, story comprehension
Math : Group A - comparison number stories, dice sums, turn-around facts, “easy” facts, “ what's my rule?"
Group B - patterns in counting, Number- grid patterns and arrow paths, extending compliments of ten, mental arithmetic: A baseball game
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 7 - The Fox and the Grapes by Judith Moffatt
Group B - Open Court - Unit 4- Fossils Tell of Long Ago
by Aliki
Writing: Just Write Grade 1- Creative Story Writing
Grade 2- Creative Story Writing
Things you need to know : January 18, 2010 is a holiday in observance of Martin Luther King Day.
Gurukul
For the week of: January 11th - January 14th
Program of Inquiry : It's Story time !
Central Idea : Stories expose global cultures
Inquiry Into: Common themes in global stories
Teacher Questions: What is a story? Why do people tell stories?
Investigations into stories from around the world
What are the elements os a story?
Spelling :Review of short " oo " sound words ( Test on Thursday )
Vocabulary :Wordly Wise - Grade 1- The Haft Seen (Contd.)
Grade 2 Group A-
Grade 2 Group B-
Math : Group A - Animal weights, More than and less than number stories, comparison number stories, dice sums
Group B - Mixed addition and subtraction stories, modeling subtraction with base-10 blocks, The trade-first subtraction algorithm, explorations- exploring arrays,symmetry, and division
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 7 - Captain Bill Pinkney's Journey by Bill Pinkney
(contd.)
Group B - Open Court - Unit 3- Animal Camouflage
by Janet McDonnell
Writing: Just Write Grade 1-
Grade 2-
Things you need to know : January 15, 2010 is a teacher workday. There will be no school on that day.
Gurukul
For the week of: December 7th - December 11th
Program of Inquiry : Ready , Set, Build!
Central Idea : Geographical elements of the world regions define human shelters
Inquiry Into: Geographical elements
world regions
human shelters
economical and technological influences on human shelters
Teacher Questions: What are geographical elements?
What are the kinds of human shelters?
How has advanced technology and economics promoted man's attempts to redefine environments ?
This week students : Will start their planning on their summative projects. The actual project will be the following week.
Spelling :Review of Long " O " sound words ( Test on Wednesday )
Vocabulary :Wordly Wise - Grade 1- Lucky Dragon (Contd.)
Grade 2 Group A- Lesson 7 Wave to Me and I'll Wave Back
Grade 2 Group B- Lesson 7 Abracadabra
Math : Group A - Checking Progress- Unit 4
Group B - Practice Test for ERB's
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 6 - Captain Bill Pinkney's Journey by Bill Pinkney
(contd.)
Group B - Open Court - Unit 3- How to Hide an Octopus and Other Sea Creatures
by Ruth Heller
Writing Just Write Grade 1- Describing Characters
Grade 2- Telling More: Expanding with Details (continued)
Things you need to know : On Monday, December 7th, we will have a visitor from the Lowes Hardware store. He will come to class to talk to the kids about home building and its relation to our climatic conditions. At the end he will do a building project with the kids.
Remember, our group will be at the SALT Block:
Wednesday 12:15-3:00 (pick-up at SALT BLOCK)
Thursday 8:00-3:00 (drop-off/pick-up SALT BLOCK)
Friday 8:00-3:00 (drop-off/pick-up SALT BLOCK)
return to SALT BLK at 6:30
*no heat-upable lunches, please
Field Studies : Shiele Museum
Gurukul
For the week of: Nov. 23th - Nov. 27th
Program of Inquiry : Ready , Set, Build!
Central Idea : Geographical elements of the world regions define human shelters
Inquiry Into: Geographical elements
world regions
human shelters
economical and technological influences on human shelters
Teacher Questions: What are geographical elements?
What are the kinds of human shelters?
How has advanced technology and economics promoted man's attempts to redefine environments ?
This week the students will learn about: Homes in Haiti and the Dominican Republic through a video.
Reading: Historical fiction about the first Thanksgiving and related worksheets
Math: Making "Johnny Cakes" using measurement skills
Other important information:
There will be regular school only on Monday this week.
"The Celebration of Thanks" has been pushed back by one hour and will now take place on Tuesday, November 24th at 11:00 AM. The rest of the week we are off for "Thanksgiving Break".
Ms. Petiwala will not be in school on Monday or Tuesday. However, Mrs. Frienier and Mrs Schramm will be there to supervise the kids. Please make sure that you inform one of them when you leave the school with your child after the "Celebration of Thanks".
Hope everyone has a fun and safe Thanksgiving!
Gurukul
For the week of: Nov. 16th - Nov. 20th
Program of Inquiry : Ready , Set, Build!
Central Idea : Geographical elements of the world regions define human shelters
Inquiry Into: Geographical elements
world regions
human shelters
economical and technological influences on human shelters
Teacher Questions: What are geographical elements?
What are the kinds of human shelters?
How has advanced technology and economics promoted man's attempts to redefine environments ?
This week students are learning about the: House building in India
House Boats in India
Slums in Rio de Janerio, Brazil
Spelling : Long " O " sound words
Vocabulary Wordly Wise Grade 2 Group A- What It's Like to be 300 Million Years Old
Grade 2 Group B- Doing it the Hard Way
Math : Group A - personal "foot" and standard foot, the inch , measuring with a tape measure
Group B - explorations: exploring attributes, triangles, and sharing, explorations: exploring polygons, arrays, and coins, points and line segments, parallel line segments
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 5- How's the Weather? by Melvin and Gilda Berger
Fine Art related to the weather
Group B - Open Court - Unit 3- I See Animals Hiding
by Jim Arnosky
They Thought They Saw Him
by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey
Writing Just Write Group A- Story Planning: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Group B- Telling More: Expanding with Details
Gurukul
For the week of: Nov. 9th - Nov. 13th
Program of Inquiry : Ready , Set, Build!
Central Idea : Geographical elements of the world regions define human shelters
Inquiry Into: Geographical elements
world regions
human shelters
economical and technological influences on human shelters
Teacher Questions: What are geographical elements?
What are the kinds of human shelters?
How has advanced technology and economics promoted man's attempts to redefine environments ?
This week students are learning about the: Thatched houses in Japan,
A floating town in Hong Kong,
High-rise apartments in Singapore
Spelling : Long "e and i " sound words (review from past two weeks)
Vocabulary :Wordly wise - Group A - Unit 2- Lesson 6- A Special Day at the Zoo
Group B - Lesson 5- The Talking Tree
Group C - Lesson 5- Hoop, Hoop, Hurray!
Math : Group A - math message and reading a thermometer, nonstandard linear measures, personal "foot" and standard foot, the inch
Group B - paper-and-pencil addition stratergies, the partial-sums addition algorithm, explorations: exploring rules, directions, and time
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 5- When a storm comes up by Allan Fowler
Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin
Group B - Open Court - Unit 3- I See Animals Hiding
by Jim Arnosky
They Thought They Saw Him
by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey
Writing: Group A- Just Write- Sequencing of events in story writing
Group B- Just Write - Supporting details in story writing
Gurukul
For the week of: October 19th - October 23rd
Program of Inquiry : Ready , Set, Build!
Central Idea : Geographical elements of the world regions define human shelters
Inquiry Into: Geographical elements
world regions
human shelters
economical and technological influences on human shelters
Teacher Questions: What are geographical elements?
&
Gurukul
For the week of: October 12th - October 16th
Program of Inquiry :
Central Idea : Physical environments influence where and how we live
This week students are working on: What is an environment? what we know and what we want to know in this unit.
Field Studies : Play - Junie B. Jones at LR University ( 1st Grade Only)
Spelling : Long "a" sound words ( contd.)
Vocabulary :Wordly wise - Group A - Unit 2- Lesson 2- Building a Tree House - Group B - Lesson Three - Lesson 4- Sa-so Says Hello
Group C - Lesson Three - Lesson 4- Monarchs of the Air
Math :Group A - unit 2 - assessment, visual patterns, even and odd number patterns, number-grid patterns
Group B - numeration and place value, using coins to buy things, telling time, exploring numbers and geoboards, data day: pockets
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 3- Song of the Train a poem by David McCord
On the Go by Ann Morris
Group B - Open Court - Unit 2- Butterfly House
by Eve Bunting
Corduroy
by Don Freeman
Writing : Group A- Just Write - Topic sentence and supporting details
Group B- Just Write - Supporting details
Gurukul
For the week of: October 5th - October 9th
Program of Inquiry : People in the Community
Central Idea : Viable communities function as a result of the members contributions
Inquiry Into: Characteristics of a community
People in a community - past and present
Places in a community
Why communities change
How communities change
Teacher Questions: What is a community?
What are some things that you would find in a community?
What are the different types of communities?
Do communities change over time?
This week students are working on: Their reflections and assessments related to Program of Inquiry.
Summative Project : The students will create two communities - past and present. They will do this using playing cards and colored paper. They will work in 2 groups.
Spelling : Long "e" sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly wise - Group A - Unit 2- Lesson 1- What's Cooking? - Group B - Lesson Three - Lesson 3- Greetings from Mars
Group C - Lesson Three - Lesson 3- Roundup Time in Virginia
Math :Group A - counting nickles and pennies, number models, subtraction number models,number stories
Group B - "What's My Rule?" routines, counting stratergies for substraction, shortcuts for "harder" substraction facts
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 3- I Go with My Family to Grandma's by R.Levinson
Song of the Train a poem by David McCord
Group B - Open Court - Unit 2- The Elves and the Shoemaker
by F. Littledale
The Paper Crane
by Molly Bang
Writing : Group A- Just Write - Initial organization in story writing
Group B- Just Write - Supporting details in story writing
Other important information: Please send in the Clorox wipes and the anti-viral tissues by Friday, October 9th.
Gurukul
For the week of: September 28th - October 2nd
Program of Inquiry : People in the Community
Central Idea : Viable communities function as a result of the members contributions
Inquiry Into: Characteristics of a community
People in a community - past and present
Places in a community
Why communities change
How communities change
Teacher Questions: What is a community?
What are some things that you would find in a community?
What are the different types of communities?
Do communities change over time?
This week students are learning about the: Catawba County - Then and now ( contd.)
Summative Project : The students will create two communities - past and present. They will do this using playing cards and colored paper. They will work in 2 groups.
Field Studies : Visit to City Hall and Maple Grove ( A historic farm house)
Spelling : Long "a" sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly wise - Group A - Lesson Three - A Forest in the Desert (Contd)
- Group B - Lesson Three - Greetings from Mars
- Group C - Lesson Three - Roundup Time in Virginia
Math :Group A - pennies , nickles, counting nickles and pennies
Group B - name collections, frames- and- arrow routines, "What's My Rule?" routines
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 2- Spiders by Carol K. McAdam
The Hermit Crab by Jo Olson
Fine Art
Group B - Open Court - Unit 2- Mashroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg
Common and proper noun (reinforcement)
Writing : Group A- Just Write - Initial organization in story writing
Group B- Just Write - Paragraphs and indenting
Other important information: Please note that the day of the field study ,we will be packing a bagged lunch to eat at Maple Grove. Also both the field studies are on the same day.
Gurukul
For the week of: September 21st - September 25th
Program of Inquiry : People in the Community
Central Idea : Viable communities function as a result of the members contributions
Inquiry Into: Characteristics of a community
People in a community - past and present
Places in a community
Why communities change
How communities change
Teacher Questions: What is a community?
What are some things that you would find in a community?
What are the different types of communities?
Do communities change over time?
This week students are learning about the: How towns and cities originated?
Catawba County - Then and now
Spelling :Short -O sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly wise - Group A - Lesson Three - A Forest in the Desert
- Group B - Lesson Three - Greetings from Mars
- Group C - Lesson Three - Roundup Time in Virginia
Math :Group A - analog clocks, telling time to the hour,exploring lengths,straightedges,and dominoes,pennies
Group B - turn - around facts, addition stratergies that use double facts, subtraction from addition , exploring weights,scales and equal groups
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 2- Munch Crunch: The Foods Animals Eat by D.Eaton
Mice by rose Fyleman
Spiders by Carol K. McAdam
Group B - Open Court - Unit 1- Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora (contd)
Unit 2- Mashroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg
Writing : Group A- Just Write - Using a web
Group B- Just Write - Chapter 4
Class Title: Gurukul
For the week of: September 7th - September 11th
Program of Inquiry : People in the Community
Central Idea : Viable communities function as a result of the members contributions
Inquiry Into: Characteristics of a community
People in a community - past and present
Places in a community
Why communities change
How communities change
Teacher Questions: What is a community?
What are some things that you would find in a community?
What are the different types of communities?
Do communities change over time?
This week students are learning about the: Changes in a community over time
Spelling :Short -i sound words
Vocabulary :Wordly wise - Group A - Lesson Two - Camping at the Lake
- Group B - Lesson Two
Math Group A - working in small groups, exploring math materials, weather and temperature routines,number stories
Group B - grouping by ten- counting with a calculator, using greater than and less than symbols, addition number stories, fact power table
Reading Group A - Open Court - Unit 1- The Chase by Beatrice Tanaka
Mrs. Goose's Baby by Charlotte Voake
Baby Buggy by Jane Yolen
Group B - Unit 1 - Open Court - Story Hour - Starring Megan by Julie Brillhart
Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora
Writing : Group A- Just Write - Chapter one- Getting Started
Group A- Just Write - Chapter three
For the week of: August 31st - September 4th
Things you need to know : The kids absolutely loved finding their addresses on the map of Hickory. They are working on learning their addresses. Please encourage them by having them practice it at home.
Program of Inquiry :People in the Community
Central Idea : Viable communities function as a result of the members contributions
Inquiry Into: Characteristics of a community
People in a community - past and present
Places in a community
Why communities change
How communities change
Teacher Questions: What is a community?
What are some things that you would find in a community?
What are the different types of communities?
This week students are learning about the: Differences between various international communities and their needs.
Field Studies : A bus ride and a visit to the post office
Spelling : Short -e sound words
Vocabulary : Wordly wise - Group A - Lesson one - Vacation Time
- Group B - Lesson one
Math :Group A - recording tally counts, investigating equally likely outcomes, the calender, working in small
groups
Group B - grouping by ten- $1,$10,$100,math boxes, working in small groups, number grids
Reading :Group A - Open Court - Unit 1- Rhyme Stew by Cathy Darling
Rags
Twinkle Twinkle Firefly by Beatrice Tanaka
Group B - Unit 1 - Open Court - The Library by Sarah Stewart
Story Hour - Starring Megan by Julie Brillhart
Writing : Group A and B- Practice D'nealian handwriting
For the week of: August 24th - August 28th
Things you need to know : St Stephens Fire Department will bring a fire truck to our school on Monday, August 24th at 1:00 pm. They will talk to our kids about the role of a firefighter in our community.
Program of Inquiry :People in the Community
Central Idea : Viable communities function as a result of the members contributions
Inquiry Into: Characteristics of a community
People in a community - past and present
Places in a community
Why communities change
How communities change
Teacher Questions: What is a community?
What are some things that you would find in a community?
What are some different types of communities?
This week students are learning about : The different types of communities
Spelling : Group A - Short -a sound words
Group B - gl,pl,and bl words
Vocabulary : Wordly wise - Group A - Lesson one - Vacation Time
- Group B - Lesson one
Math : Group A - Number- writing practice, one more-one less, comparing numbers, recording tally counts
Group B - Calenders and clocks, partner study routines, slate routines, grouping by ten- $1,$10,$100
Reading : Group A - Open Court - Unit 1- If I were a mouse by Solveig Paulson Russell
Hey, Diddle, Diddle
Group B - Unit 1 - Open Court - Come Back, Jack! By Catherine and Laurence Anholt
Writing : Group A and B- Getting ready to write
