This Week...

October 23- October 27, 2017

Reading:  Students focused on the various nonfiction text structures that authors use while writing nonfiction.  Description, chronological, comparison, problem/solution, and cause/effect were the main structures that students looked for while reading different texts.  They searched for key signal words and phrases to help them determine the structure.  We also had a great discussion about A Nest for Celeste.  Students created character sketches for Celeste and Joseph. Reading Logs are due Monday, October 30.  (100 minutes)

Math:  We spent the week focusing on subtraction and regrouping.  We learned the reasoning behind regrouping by using base-10 blocks.  Students practiced solving problems with zeros as well.  Our unit 4 test will be on Thursday, November 2.  A chapter review will be going home on Wednesday.

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.

Writing:  In writing, we began our personal narratives!  Students learned the characteristics of this writing genre and wrote about an important moment in their lives.  In grammar, students worked on combining similar sentences with a comma and a connecting word.

Word Study:  Students focused on compound words!  They learned that a compound word is made up of two separate words.  We also discovered that there are some words that are found in many compound words, such as “any” and “bath”.  Students manipulated word cards to form their own compound words.  We discussed how knowing one of the words can help you determine the meaning of the compound word.

Miscellaneous:  On Tuesday, we enjoyed an important presentation from Lt. Aleckson of the Arlington Heights Fire Department.  He taught us many safety tips and spoke about what it’s like to be a firefighter.   Just a reminder, on Tuesday, students should wear their costumes for the afternoon only.  The Halloween parade will begin around 1:30.   Our party will take place when we get back to the classroom.  Thank you to everyone who donated supplies, organized games, and volunteered to help us!  Have a great weekend and please let me know if you have any questions!

Fire Safety Presentation!

On Tuesday, our class was lucky to have Lt. Mark Aleckson from the Arlington Heights Fire Department teach us about fire safety!  We learned a lot of important safety rules.  We also learned about what firefighters do and how they help our community!

This Week...

October 17- October 20, 2017

Reading:  We were so excited to start our nonfiction unit!  Students learned how nonfiction books can be categorized into biographies, literary nonfiction books, and reference nonfiction texts.  Nonfiction text features were a key focus this week.  Students learned how to identify, locate, and utilize these features in a variety of nonfiction books.  They also discussed the purpose of each feature and how it helps the reader comprehend the text.  Reading Logs are due Monday, October 23.  (100 minutes)

Math:  We reviewed unit 3 by focusing on multi-digit addition problems.  On Wednesday, students took their unit 3 test.  At the end of the week, students began unit 4.  Unit 4 focuses on multi-digit subtraction.  A family letter outlining the key topics will be going home next week.

Science:  We learned that weather takes place in the troposphere, which is an area spanning 11 miles from the surface of the earth into the atmosphere.  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:  We continued working on the skill of showing!  Students wrote about a time when they witnessed another person’s emotions.  They practiced writing details to show how that person was feeling instead of just telling us the emotion.  Describing a setting was another focus.  Students had a chance to write about a time when they were around water and they incorporated sensory details to show us what they experienced.

Word Study:  Students focused on contractions!  They identified the two words that could be put together and learned where to place the apostrophe.  Students played “Crazy Eights” to practice identifying similar contractions.  We also completed our second week of buddy spelling!  Students practiced their high frequency words using our various routines.  They built words using tiles and made connections.

Miscellaneous:  Thank you to everyone for their support in the Just Jump Challenge!  We spent the week discussing bullying to honor October being Bully Prevention Month!  Students learned about “Stop, Walk, Talk” and what to do if he/she is a bystander.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Word Study Fun!

This week, students played "Go Fish" to help them determine consonant digraph pairs.  An example included: "these" and "thank".

This Week...

October 10- October 13, 2017

Reading:  Students learned how different nonfiction text features can help readers understand important information.  They completed a nonfiction scavenger hunt using articles from National Geographic magazine.  We also had a class discussion about chapters 1-9 in A Nest for Celeste.  Students did a great job visualizing their favorite parts in the book and discussing their ideas.  At the end of the week, students took a reading quiz where they demonstrated their ability to make connections, ask questions, and form visualizations. Reading Logs are due Tuesday, October 17.  (100 minutes)

Math:  We continued focusing on multi-digit addition!  Students used base-10 blocks to understand why we need to regroup for certain problems.  They also looked for key information in story problems to help them figure out what operation to use.  On Wednesday, October 18, we will have our chapter 3 math test.  We will be preparing for the test in class, so there will not be a review guide going home.

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.  Students recorded their observations about various weather situations.

Writing:  Students completed their first RA, or revision assignment, which asked them to turn one of their telling sentences into a showing sentence.  They also worked on a new skill: showing!  Students learned how to differentiate between telling and showing sentences.  They wrote about a time when they were excited using various showing details.  In grammar, we worked on identifying the predicate in a sentence.

Word Study:  Students focused on words that use the letter “y” as a vowel.  They learned that 1-syllable words that end in “y” make a long i sound (try) and multi-syllable words that end in “y” make a long e sound (family).  Students also played “Go Fish” by finding words that had matching consonant digraphs.

Miscellaneous:  October book orders are due on October 27.  Please continue reading the next section of A Nest for Celeste, as we plan to discuss it next week.  An electronic conference form was sent out via email…please fill it out if you have a time preference.  Just a reminder, there will be no school for students on Monday (School Improvement Day).  Have a great 3-day weekend!  As always, please let me know if you have any questions!

Career Spirit Day!

A Note from Mrs. O'Kelly...

Hello Dryden Families!

I hope you are enjoying reading A Nest For Celeste as a family.  We are having so much fun talking about the book and Celeste at school.  I want to remind you that we’d like students to have read through chapter 9 by Sunday, October 8.  Please refer to the reading schedule to know which chapters should be read each week and enjoy listening to chapters being read aloud by Dryden and D25 staff here.

Have a wonderful long weekend!

This Week...

October 2- October 6, 2017

Reading:  Students learned that good readers use the words in a story to create visualizations in their mind.  Creating these visualizations helps readers better understand the story.  We reread portions of Patricia Polacco’s The Bee Tree to practice this useful strategy.  Students also reviewed the key elements of fiction.  They used a story map to outline the main characters, setting, problem/conflict, plot, resolution, and theme.  They reviewed author’s purpose: to persuade, to inform, and to entertain.  They determined the purpose of various texts and used evidence to support their thinking.  At the end of the week, students read various poems and determined the “big idea”.  They used text clues and prior knowledge to determine the author’s message.  Reading Logs are due Tuesday, October 10.  (100 minutes)

Math:  At the beginning of the week, we reviewed major concepts from unit 2.  These concepts included rounding, estimation, and mental math strategies.  Although students will not take a formal assessment for this unit, they did spend time practicing these areas.  At the end of the week, we began unit 3!  An informational letter went home today detailing the areas of focus.  This unit mainly targets addition concepts.

Social Studies:  Students reviewed important concepts from our map skills unit.  They took the unit test on today.  Next week, we will begin our first science unit: weather!

Writing:  In WEX, students wrote about sounds by focusing on tiny details.  They also made careful observations to describe various settings.   In grammar, we worked on identifying the subject in a sentence.

Word Study:  Students worked with high frequency words this week!  They looked for patterns and commonalities.  Then, they played a concentration game where they paired similar high frequency words.  Students learned that it’s important to learn these types of words because they help us successfully read and write.

Miscellaneous:  Thank you to everyone who participated in Walk to School Day…it was great to walk to school with our friends and families!  We are excited to have our first book discussion about A Nest for Celeste next week!  We will be discussing chapters 1-9.  Your child can listen to recordings of each chapter on the LMC website.  Just a reminder, there will be no school for students on Monday (Columbus Day).  Enjoy the long weekend!  As always, please let me know if you have any questions!