Mrs. Husack's TARGET Class
Weekly Newsletter
Schedule UpdateTAG classes will be cancelled September 19 - September 30 for Fall TAG testing. Thank you for your patience! Our Week in TAGOn Monday, 3rd graders presented their research findings and Blooms' Taxonomy products for the ancient civilization they studied. I was very impressed with the quality of the products as well as the presentation skills of the students! Following presentations, students participated in a Decision Making lesson to examine four very well-known famous places and decide which one deserved their attention and preservation efforts. The four famous ancient places students evaluated were the Parthenon, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Colosseum, and the Great Wall of China. We'll continue our lesson next time in TAG as students work to defend their answer to the Essential Question: "Which ancient famous place should be saved and why?" On Tuesday, 4th graders continued studying Abraham Lincoln. We read some great literature and learned some fascinating facts about our 16th president, like why he decided to grow a beard. We then analyzed many of Lincoln's famous quotes as well as some political cartoons. Our last activity, which we'll complete next time in TAG was to create a choice product featuring a an Abraham Lincoln collage and quote analysis or creating a political cartoon featuring President Lincoln reflecting on our nation during his presidency. We ended our day with Abraham Lincoln's favorite dessert - apple pies! On Wednesday, 2nd graders completed a Compare Contrast lesson on the similarities and differences between Pilgrim houses and Wampanoag houses, or wigwams. Students loved learning more about the Pilgrims' journey on the Mayflower, and found it especially amusing that the sailors couldn't stand the Pilgrims, often calling them "glib glabbety puke stockings" because of their constant singing and seasickness! Next time in TAG, students will continue answering the Essential Question: "How were Pilgrim and Wampanoag homes similar and different?" and "How would you build your house in the New World if you were a Pilgrim in 1620?" Students will also be planning and building their own Pilgrim village and houses. Parents, please look for an email soon about volunteer opportunities and supply requests. Thank you to the students who remembered their Vitamin C snack! We had very low cases of scurvy this week. Here are some motivating "scurvy selfies" so students will remember their Vitamin C snacks for TAG! On Thursday and Friday, 5th graders researched Yellow Fever to gain background knowledge and the historical context of our class novel, Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Fifth graders answered the Essential Questions: "Where did Yellow Fever originate?" and "How did the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 impact the city of Philadelphia?" Students participated in a Carousel Photo Reflection and then completed a webquest analyzing primary source documents like journal entries, pamphlets, maps, and portraits from the city of Philadelphia in the 1790s. After completing the webquest, students began working on a Yellow Fever Cafe menu with a choice of activities for students to complete.
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Genius Hour Reminder!Next week will be our first Genius Hour session in TAG. Students DO NOT need to bring a device for research or products as we will be spending our time in class brainstorming potential passion project ideas and developing inquiry questions to guide students' work. This Week in TAG...2nd Grade may have changed their minds about wanting to leave for the New World after we learned more about the problems Pilgrims' faced while crossing the Atlantic! Students listed problems and ranked them with #1 being the worst for their answer to the Essential Question. The Pilgrims were seasick, had no heat, no privacy, no plumbing, no clean clothes, and no way to dry their wet clothes when it rained, not to mention, it was crowded! Our first "Pilgrim's Challenge" was to experience how crowded it was on the Mayflower. With 102 passengers and 30 crew members on a cargo ship not intended for passengers, it was a tight fit! Students also completed a Mystery Lesson to discover one very important item necessary to pack for a long voyage at sea...VITAMIN C! Students read clues and deduced that a diet rich in Vitamin C helps to prevent Scurvy, and none of the students want rotten teeth! Each Wednesday for the remainder of our unit, students are asked to remember to bring a Vitamin C snack on TAG days to ensure the health of their Pilgrims! 4th Grade studied one of our nation's most influential and memorable presidents, Abraham Lincoln, this week in TAG. We listened to President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and students reflected on the Essential Question: "How can words help people be positive leaders?" Next week we'll learn more about President Lincoln's legacy as we analyze quotes and learn some fun facts too, like why he grew a beard. Fourth graders were also the first of this week's classes to open our Dojo Store for business. Students were paid for the work they've been doing in TAG and had an opportunity to shop at the store. Thank you for taking pride in your jobs! 5th Grade participated in a Mystery Lesson to explore this week's EQ: "How can a virus spread around the world?" Students worked with their group to create a possible hypothesis and then arranged clues in a logical, sequential order to explain how Lou, a student in NY, got the flu from ducks in China. After solving the mystery, fifth graders began working on the Epidemic choice board which we'll continue working on throughout the unit. We finished our day in TAG by reading more from our unit novel: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Next week, our lesson explores Yellow Fever and it's impact on the city of Philadelphia in 1793. Thanks for bringing in your stuffed viruses to share with the class, Lucy! Who would have thought viruses could be so cute and cuddly!
Curriculum NightParents, thank you all for your support and attendance at Curriculum Night. If you were unable to attend or wish to review the PowerPoint and brochure, please view the attached links. For parents of 5th grade students, please review the attached Fulton County Q&A regarding middle school TAG placements prior to the ITBS testing window in October. One of the criteria for your child's TAG Science and Social Studies placement is a 90%ile or greater on the ITBS in the content area.
A Peek at Our Week in TAGMonday - 3rd Grade This week's Essential Question was "What are the significant symbols and artifacts of the ancient civilization you researched and why are they important to the civilization?" 3rd graders worked on the Blooms' Taxonomy Research Projects with their group and will present the projects to the class on September 12. Following student presentations, we will complete a Decision Making lesson on which famous ancient place should be preserved. Tuesday - 4th Grade Fourth graders studied one of our nation's founding fathers and the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. Students discovered from studying his life and contributions that Jefferson had many skills and talents as they answered the EQ "Why is it important for a leader to be well-rounded?" Students completed a Decision Making lesson evaluating Jefferson's inventions and which one deserved to be awarded the "Most Valuable Invention Award." Students also completed their persuasive speeches modeled after Tecumseh's speech "Sell the country? Why not sell the air?" Next week's leader is Abraham Lincoln. Wednesday - 2nd Grade This week we completed a Compare Contrast lesson on the similarities and differences between the 1st Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving now. We continued our journey to the New World as students christened their ships, packed their bags, and created a passenger list. Students answered the Essential Questions "What did the Pilgrims bring with them to the new world? If your family was moving to the “new world”, what would you bring?" Next week we'll learn more about what the Pilgrims packed as students complete a Mystery lesson to discover one very important and potentially life-saving item necessary for a long voyage at sea. Thursday and Friday - 5th Grade Students had an opportunity to create their own virus or bacteria in TAG by completing a medical pamphlet from a doctor's office and making a labeled model of their virus or bacteria. We discussed the anatomy and structure of viruses and bacteria. Fifth graders answered the EQ "How do germs spread?" Next week, we'll explore ways that a virus can spread around the world as students complete a Mystery Lesson to figure out how Lou got the flu. Thank you for your hard work this week, TAG students! Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!
~Mrs. Husack |
Mrs. HusackGifted Specialist Teacher at Teasley Elementary Archives
May 2018
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