Dynamic Opportunities Newsletter

MATH

This week we completed some Math activities that enabled us to learn about several different holidays around the world.  The Imagineers and Creative Arts homeroom practiced playing Trash. We are still honing our skills but hope to be able to successfully play with a partner before our winter break.   The Steam homeroom is down to the final rounds of Trash to determine the Trash championship.  The Blue Homeroom continued working on recognizing, counting, and working with the numbers 1-10.   They, too, played a round of trash.

Language Arts

In language arts and life and social skills, we continued our study of recipes and cookbooks. The students got to look for recipes using the index and table of contents. They calculated ingredients and what measuring cups and spoons they would need. Students read recipes and discussed how to know if it was affordable or not or if it might taste good. We looked at family cookbooks and how they might look different that a traditional cookbook. 

Students have been bringing in recipes that will be included in our cookbook that will be published this year.

Social Studies

In social studies this week, students explored the history of some European explorers. We utilized our mapping skills and knowledge we have been working on throughout the year to help us understand the actual routes explorers took on their journeys as well as explaining what the stated “purpose” of their exploration really was and how this did not always align with the outcome of their adventures. We utilized “trading card” profiles for the explorers we learned about in both the Arts room and the STEAM room, having students write out the answers to the questions.

Technology

In technology class this week, students explored the online coding program we will be using, Scratch. We explored the wide variety of existing Scratch creations that have been created by other people to get a better idea of what you can do with the program. We explored video games, music videos, animated characters, even story books. In the blue room we worked on some OT skills working to connect hook and lock squares that we used to create tracks for Maya the Mouse to follow. This is a skill the students have been working on for a few weeks now and each and every one of them have made incredible progress and are all able to put together multiple interlocking pieces with each other.

SCIENCE

In STEAM we continued our “Toys That Made America” unit, learning about toys of the 80’s. The creation of the Super Soaker was invented by a NASA engineer and Teddy Ruxpin was created by a Disney Imagineer. We learned also about the Atari and the games that came with it. Engineering and Inventions go hand in hand. 

Art

In Art on Thursday we all made different winter season drawings! Look out for them next week!

Our Coloring Contest Winner for this edition of the newsletter is… Tess Krause!

COOKING

Our Cooking Chameleons worked so hard! Pizza bites, pigs in a blanket, rice crispy balls!

MUSIC

Last week we focused on our trip to Europe, where we specifically went to Ireland, and we explored the vast instruments surrounding the UK area of England, Scotland, Wales, and again specifically, Ireland. We looked at the instruments that are popular such as the bagpipe and the violin. We noticed that the violin was popular throughout almost all of Europe. We then made lyres, which is a type of harp instrument from Ireland and we watched videos of how traditional Irish jigs are performed.

TRANSITIONS

In Transitions this week we continued to watch the show Growing up without Borders. It’s an interesting way to learn about other cultures. 

We helped make decorations and prepared food for the dance. Unfortunately, the dance had to be rescheduled but we took that as an opportunity to work on our skills at handling disappointment. 

On Thursday we threw Mr. T a surprise birthday party. A great time was had by all!