Veteran's Day

We were very lucky to have Mr. Lange come and visit our classroom on Veteran's Day!  We thank him for sharing his experiences with us and for his service to our country!

Fall Learning & Fun!

Students discovered solar system distances using a hands-on activity!  They learned that the sun and the moon appear to be the same size because the sun is much farther away than the moon.

Students enjoyed the wonderful Halloween party!

This Week...

November 14- November 18, 2016

Reading:  This week, we focused on the compare/contrast and description text structures that are often found in nonfiction texts.  At the beginning of the week, students read an article about chimpanzees and humans.  They used key words and phrases to find similarities and differences between the two.  The information was recorded in a Venn diagram.  Students also worked on finding the main idea and details in an article that had a description text structure.  They used the headings, topic sentences, and ending sentences to determine the big idea and supporting details.  Reading Logs are due Monday, November 28.  (200 minutes)

Math:  We practiced how to use multiplication and division fact triangles to make fact families.  There were many tips and tricks that we practiced in order to start learning our facts.  Students reviewed how to solve multiplication and division number stories.  Our unit 4 test will be on Friday, December 2.

Social Studies:  At the beginning of the week, we started the Midwest unit!  Students learned where the states and capitals are located.  A letter went home this week detailing the expectations for learning this information.  We also read about the landscape of the Midwest.  We discovered that the land was once covered with glaciers, which later formed many of our lakes.  We also focused on Native American life in the early 1800s and how the buffalo was vital to their survival.  Lewis and Clark’s expedition in the Louisiana territory was discussed.  Students also began researching a state in the Midwest using various print and electronic resources!

Writing:  Students practiced writing special letters about the Thanksgiving season.  Just a reminder, the November writing words test will be on November 29.  This test will include October and November words.  In grammar, students worked on combining sentences with similar subjects or predicates.

Spelling:  Students took their week 11 spelling test.

Miscellaneous:  Progress reports were sent home today.  Please sign the front of the envelope and return the empty envelope to school.  I am looking forward to meeting with you at conferences next week!  Thank you for taking the time to discuss your child’s progress.  Students will return to school on Monday, November 28.  I hope you all have an enjoyable and relaxing Thanksgiving break!  As always, please contact me if you have any questions…enjoy!

This Week...

November 7- November 11, 2016

Reading:  Students determined the “big idea” of different articles.  They figured out that the first sentence of a paragraph will usually help them find the topic.  Nonfiction text features, like captions and photographs, can also help readers figure out the big idea.  While reading a Time for Kids article about vultures, we learned that these helpful birds are becoming endangered and need our help.  We also started our new read aloud, The One and Only Ivan! Reading Logs are due Monday, November 14.  (100 minutes)

Math:  We started unit 4, which focuses on multiplication and division!  A family letter was sent home which details all the concepts.  We practiced drawing arrays to represent basic multiplication problems.  We also solved multiplication number stories using a graphic organizer.  Then, students used counters to model simple division problems.

Science:  We took our moon quiz on Wednesday.  In the LMC, students finished up their planet research!  They created and practiced scripts that will help them create a newscast!  We look forward to watching these movies next week!

Writing:  Students completed the final copies of their personal narratives!  We are excited to share them with each other next week.  Students also brainstormed descriptive phrases to symbolize the fall season.  They used these phrases to create list poems.  In grammar, students learned how to write possessive nouns.

Spelling:  Students took their week 10 spelling test.

Miscellaneous:  We really enjoyed honoring a group of very special veterans today!  We were so lucky to have Mr. Lange visit our class and share his stories.  We are very grateful for his service and dedication to our country!  November book orders are due November 30.  These will be the last book orders that will arrive before winter break.  As the weather gets colder, please make sure your child brings warm outerwear for recess…thank you!  Have a wonderful weekend!

This Week...

October 31- November 4, 2016

Reading:  We focused on the characteristics of biographies.  Students learned that a biography is written about a real person and includes important events from his/her life.  Many biographies have a chronological text structure.  Students also learned how to read nonfiction reference articles by focusing on text features.  They filled out KWL charts about great white sharks.  The charts included their prior knowledge, questions, and information that they learned. Reading Logs are due Monday, November 7.  (100 minutes)

Math:  Students reviewed major concepts from unit 3, which included: measuring to the nearest ¼ inch, finding the perimeter/area, and measuring the diameter/circumference of a circle.  They also used IXL, an online resource to review key measurement concepts.  Just a reminder, student log-in information and passwords are taped in the front of their assignment notebooks.  Students are encouraged to use this resource at home to practice any additional skills.  Students took their unit 3 test on Thursday.  We will begin unit 4 next week!

Science:  We learned about the phases of the moon and important characteristics about Earth’s closet neighbor!  In the LMC, students worked on their planet research projects.  They used the boxes and bullets organizer to take notes on the essential question: What makes my planet unique?  They have been using their knowledge of nonfiction texts to navigate an online resource: TrueFlix.

Writing:  Students edited their personal narratives with a checklist and met in groups to give peer feedback.  They checked for proper spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.  They also revised their pieces to ensure that strong verbs and showing details were included.  In grammar, students learned irregular plural noun forms, such as “feet” and “geese”.  The November writing words list went home on Thursday.  The November writing words test will be on Tuesday, November 29 and will include the October words.

Spelling:  Students took their week 9 spelling test.

Miscellaneous:  Students had a wonderful time celebrating Halloween at the beginning of the week!  Thank you to Leo’s mom, Blake’s mom, and Maggie’s mom for helping with our party!   Just a reminder, students will not have school on Tuesday due to an Institute Day.  Please let me know if you have any questions…have a great weekend!