This Week...

May 5- May 9, 2014

Reading:  This week, our skill focus was main idea and details.  Students read a nonfiction piece about the solar system and found details to support the main ideas.  They also participated in a close reading activity with a Time for Kids article about crowdfunding.  Students used context clues to figure out unknown vocabulary. Reading Logs are due Monday, May 12. (100 minutes)

Math:  Students learned how to use the partial products algorithm to solve double-digit multiplication problems.  Please remind your child to be practicing his or her basic multiplication facts, as these are vital in carrying out this new method.  Xtra Math practice is due Monday, May 12. (3 sessions)  If applicable: for students still on addition and subtraction, fact tests and graphs are due Monday, May 12.

Social Studies:  We discussed the history behind the settlement of Chicago, including Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable, our city’s founder.  Students also read a real diary account, preserved from the Chicago Historical Society, written by a woman living at Fort Dearborn back in the 1800s.  Students discovered interesting problems Chicago had when it was first formed and how transportation transformed the city of in the late 1800s.  Students also learned interesting details about The Great Chicago Fire.

Writing:  In WEX, students worked on revision assignments for each part of their short fiction story.  They developed 2-3 more showing details to make their piece stronger.  May writing words also went home this week.  In grammar, we focused on contractions.

Cursive/Spelling:  Today, we took our week 29 spelling test.

Miscellaneous:  May book orders went home this week and will be due Thursday, May 15.  This will be the last book order of the year.  On Tuesday, students enjoyed the SOLAR awards and learned which planets won the various categories.  Students were happy to applaud all of our fabulous volunteers at the Volunteer Breakfast on Thursday.  Thank you for helping make Dryden such a special place!  We have been so excited to be using the iPads each day!  Students are exploring new ways to use them for various learning experiences.  We also started an online learning group using “edmodo”!  Students signed up in class and are now able to respond to questions about what we are learning in class.  A parent letter was also sent home with an individualized parent password.  At the end of the week, we read a book entitled Each Kindness.  We had a great discussion about the importance of being kind to others and showing good character.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Have a fantastic weekend!