September 23-27

Reading: Students worked hard applying the problem and solution skill to various texts including The Perfect Pet, and “Pets: True or False”.  Each text followed the weekly theme of people and their pets.  Multiple meaning words were discussed and practiced in context.  Diagrams were the text features analyzed this week.  Students learned how diagrams help them understand the meaning of the text.  We also did a close reading activity with the poem “My Neighbor’s Cat” where we determined different character traits. Reading Logs are due Monday, September 30.  (100 minutes)

Math: We continued practicing function boxes by analyzing patterns and rules.  Number stories were another main focus for the week.  Students worked on solving number stories with the problem solving steps and different diagrams.  Total-part-part, start-change-end, and quantity-quantity-difference were the diagrams students used.  The partial sums addition method was practiced, in addition to the trade-first and counting up method.  The unit 2 test will be next Thursday, October 3.  A review guide will be going home next week.

Social Studies: At the beginning of the week, students worked hard reviewing for their map skills unit test.  Students also shared their wonderful map projects!  It was very enjoyable to see all the interesting ideas and hard work students put into the projects.  Today, students learned about mental, pictorial, and physical models.  They made their own physical models of favorite animals using clay.  Next week, we will begin our first science unit: habitats!

Writing: Students continued working on the skill of focus.  They wrote about a time when they laughed and used tiny details to describe the moment.  In grammar, we worked on combining sentences to form compound sentences, which included a connecting word and a comma.

Cursive/Spelling:  In cursive this week, students practiced the letters “m, x, y and z”.  We took our week 5 spelling test.  Next week will be a review week for spelling.  We will not have spelling homework and the test will be multiple-choice.

Miscellaneous:  This week, students enjoyed a visit from Lieutenant Larson, an Arlington Heights fireman.  He shared many important tips and rules about fire safety.  Thursday, October 3 is picture day!  If you wish to order pictures, please send in your order forms.  Thank you again for all your continued support at home.  Have a great weekend!