This Week...

May 22 -May 25, 2017

Reading:  This week, we reviewed major concepts from our poetry unit!  We figured out the author’s purpose by looking for clues in the poem.  Students used context clues to figure out unknown vocabulary.  They also wrote extended responses using evidence from the text.  Using the poem’s visual elements helped us figure out the main idea. Reading Logs are due Tuesday, May 30.  (100 minutes)

Math:  Coordinates was the main topic this week!  Students learned how to use ordered pairs to plot points on the x and y axis.  They connected the points to create pictures.  Students have also been reviewing key concepts from the year on IXL. **If applicable: for students still on addition and subtraction, fact tests and graphs are due Tuesday, May 30.

Science:  This week, students learned about severe weather!  They completed case studies on the following types of severe weather: droughts, tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, and thunderstorms.  At the end of the week, we discussed how people can prepare for severe weather and how to stay safe.  Next Friday, we will be taking our weather unit test.  Flashcards will be going home on Wednesday.

Writing:  Editing was a main focus this week.  Students worked hard to complete their final drafts by inserting revisions and checking for punctuation.   In grammar, we worked on identifying the difference between adverbs and adjectives.

Spelling:  We took our final writing words test of the year!

Miscellaneous:  In the LMC, students completed their Chicago landmark research!  They worked hard to compile information regarding the history and use of their buildings.  They also included interesting facts to create a game piece that will be used to play “Chicago-opoly”!  Just a reminder, there will be no school for students on Friday or Monday (Memorial Day).  Have a terrific weekend and please let me know if you have any questions!

Junior Achievement with Mr. Matt!

We had so much fun learning about city zones, city planning, money, and businesses!  We appreciate Mr. Matt being our Junior Achievement volunteer!

Writing & Math!

Students shared their short fiction rough drafts with a partner.  They enjoyed giving each other feedback to improve their stories!

Students investigated the volume of a 3-D shape by seeing how many cubes fit inside the boxes!

This Week...

May 15-May 19, 2017

Reading:  We continued reading a variety of poems!  Students recorded their thinking in the margins.  They looked for elements of poetry that contributed to the overall meaning of the poem.  Some of these elements included the title, literary devices, white space, line breaks, punctuation, and illustrations.  By piecing together these elements, students were able to determine the author’s main message. Reading Logs are due Monday, May 22.  (100 minutes)

Math:  Analyzing data was a main topic this week!  Students measured the distance between their waists and the floor.  Then, we collected the data in a tally frequency chart.  Students were able to find the mean, median, and mode from the chart.  Finding averages was another focus for the week.  Students learned that they need to add up all the data points and divide by the amount of points to determine the mean. **If applicable: for students still on addition and subtraction, fact tests and graphs are due Monday, May 22.

Science:  This week, students learned how meteorologists collect important weather data for forecasts.  We focused on learning the tools that gather key weather information.  Some of these tools included barometers, anemometers, thermometers, rain gauges, cloud cover charts, and wind vanes.  Later in the week, students analyzed weather data from the last few days to determine any patterns.

Writing:  Students completed their short fiction rough drafts!  They worked hard to make important revisions by bracketing sections that could be improved.  Next week, we will work on our final drafts.  In grammar, we focused on comparative adjectives.

Spelling:  We had our week 32 review test.

Miscellaneous:  Our last writing words test of the year will be on May 25.  This test is cumulative and will cover all the lists from the year.  A comprehensive list went home on Thursday.  Today, students enjoyed a Junior Achievement presentation by a volunteer from Komatsu.  They learned about cities, development, and building zones.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions.  Have a fantastic weekend!

This Week...

May 8-May 12, 2017

Reading:  We read a variety of poems and worked on finding the “big idea”.  As we read each stanza, we annotated our thoughts in the margins.  Students also determined the mood of the poem by looking for clues.  Many of these clues included sensory details.  Students made their thinking visible by recording words, phrases, and/or pictures while reading a variety of poems.  Reading Logs are due Monday, May 15.  (100 minutes)

Math:  We began unit 10!  In the beginning of the week, we reviewed units of length from the U.S. Customary System and the Metric System.  Students practiced converting one unit of length to another.  We also talked about weight and how scales have a weight capacity.  Students learned which scales would be appropriate to measure the weight of various objects.  Volume was another topic this week.  Students learned that volume is the amount of space inside a 3-D object and that it is measured using cubic units. **If applicable: for students still on addition and subtraction, fact tests and graphs are due Monday, May 15.

Science:  Students were excited to start our weather unit!  We had a science talk about what weather is, how it affects us, and why it’s important.  We learned that weather is how the sky looks and how the air feels.  We also learned that weather takes place in the troposphere.  At the end of the week, students learned about the information a weather forecast provides.  They chose an activity and researched a place that would have ideal weather conditions.

Writing:  Students continued working on their short fiction pieces.  They created both rising actions and the climax.  They shared their stories with partners to receive important feedback.  In grammar, we focused on adjectives and articles.

Spelling:  We had our week 31 review test.

Miscellaneous:  Our South states and capitals test will be on May 17.  This will be the last capitals test for the year.  Please let me know if you need any additional practice sheets.  May book orders also went home this week…they are due May 19.  This will be the last book order of the year.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  I hope you all have a beautiful Mother’s Day weekend…enjoy the sunshine!

Visible Thinking Routines!

This week, students read The Invisible Boy.  They met in groups to jot down their thinking and learning.  Next, they participated in a "chalk talk" where they were able to share their thinking with other groups and write down their feedback.  We learned some great lessons about kindness and friendship!

This Week...

May 1-May 5, 2017

Reading:  We continued our study of poetry!  Students figured out how poets utilize white space and line breaks to help the reader understand the message.  We also discussed the importance of reading a poem “start to finish”.  Students determined the meaning of a poem after each stanza.  They learned that it is necessary to read a poem in its entirety to truly understand the meaning.  Finally, students analyzed a poet’s style by comparing and contrasting poems by the same author. Reading Logs are due Monday, May 8.  (100 minutes)

Math:  Students spent the week reviewing key concepts from unit 9.  Factors, the partial products algorithm, and lattice were practiced through various activities.  Students took the unit 9 test on Thursday.  **If applicable: for students still on addition and subtraction, fact tests and graphs are due Monday, May 8.

Social Studies:  Students played a landmark game to identify important locations around Chicago.  They also learned about how various types of transportation transformed the city.  Students took their Chicago test on Thursday.  In the LMC, we continued researching important landmarks using various note-taking strategies and websites.  Next week, we will begin our new science unit: weather!

Writing:  After planning out their short fiction piece, students began writing their introductions and problems.  They used showing details and strong verbs to help the reader create a clear picture in his/her mind.  In grammar, we reviewed pronouns and contractions.

Spelling:  We had our week 30 review test.

Miscellaneous:  On Thursday, our class read The Invisible Boy, which talks about the importance of kindness and friendship.  Students met in groups and completed a “chalk talk”, where they jotted down their thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the author’s message.  Then, they visited other group’s posters and recorded feedback.  This visible thinking routine helped students have a great discussion about what we can learn from this story.  Also, I wanted to thank everyone who made me feel so special during Teacher Appreciation week…I truly appreciate it!  Have a fabulous weekend!