October 3rd Updates!

Reading Workshop:
We have been busy in reading workshop starting our anthology story and learning the expectations of guided reading and literature circles. Students are reading “The Horned Toad Prince” by Jackie Mims Hopkins. It is a modern fairy where Reba Jo meets a horned toad in the windy prairie of the Southwest. Reba Jo and the horned toad make a deal. However, when Reba Jo does not hold up her end of the bargain, the horned toad is offended and asks for a simple kiss. The kiss unlocks a magical spell and the ugly toad becomes a prince! Author’s purpose and plot are the two skills we are focusing on this week. You child will be tested on the vocabulary and skills (author’s purpose and plot) from this story.
Additionally, we are starting a new novel titled Sarah, Plain and Tall. It is a Newbury Award Winner written by Patricia MacLachlan. Click here to learn more about Ms. MacLachlan’s books and the story Sarah, Plain and Tall. http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=34 Students will be reading this novel in class and may have assigned readings to take home and complete. This week students will learn about the different types of job they will complete as they are “talking back to books” during reading workshop time.
* October reading logs are coming home today. These will need to be returned every Monday for Mrs. Flynn to check off. Please make sure your child is writing the title of the books they are reading and total the number of minutes read each week. The genre of the month is HISTORICAL FICTION. I encourage students to read at least one book on the log for this genre. Also, OSW reading can be counted on the log. I encourage 20 minutes of reading a night, but also know how busy our lives are, so please write down whatever minutes were read.

Writing Workshop:
Students are starting their first graded piece about their favorite season. We have been focusing on writing a topic sentence with details and supporting details (beef it ups). Students are to then add a closing sentence to their writing. We have also discussed on our vocabulary bulletin board-RIP words. These are words that need to be put to rest. Students are encouraged to use descriptive words as they write and access the thesaurus to assist them in making their writing include “Bling Bling” words! Also, ask your child if they have brought in their editing hats yet!

Word Study/Grammar:
This week we are continuing our second week of Cycle 2 words. The skill of the week is short and long vowel words for …….. A test will be given Tuesday, October 11th. Homework for word study is also due that Tuesday. We are focusing on capitalization in grammar.

Health:
In Health we are learning about how to be a good friend and what to do when friends get into conflicts. We have discussed using “I” messages and “S.A.F.E.” strategies. Have you seen your child’s friendship journal? Please make sure they turn in their journal tomorrow. I am looking forward to learning all about how they were a good friend to someone else! This week we will continue to talk about friendship as well as learn about their learning style and study skill strategies.
Science:
Students have completed their first lesson on standard versus non-standard measurement. They worked in “Tool Shops” to use different tools and objects for measuring. We will be moving into learning about the inquiry skills that scientists use such as observations, predictions, classifying, and controlling variables just to name a few!
Social Studies:
We are wrapping up our map skills unit in Social Studies. We have discussed concepts such as: coordinate maps, longitude/latitude, map scale, keys/legends, and much more. We will then focus on the land regions of Ohio which can be found in Ch. 1. The regions include: Lake Plains, Appalachian Plateau, Till Plains, and the Bluegrass Region. After we are done with this study, students will take an assessment on map skills and the land regions. A study guide will go home as the test approaches. Students are also doing a great job with discussing current events. If they bring in an article and summarize it, they earn bonus bucks!
*In Social Studies, only OSW is the only documented grade at this time. It was only worth 3 points. There will be plenty more grades to average in, please don’t be alarmed about the grade reflected if your child didn’t earn all points for OSW.

Important:
*Parent Internet Viewer letters should be coming in the mail this week. Please feel free to check grades on October 7th when grades will be updated.
*In Social Studies, only OSW is the only documented grade at this time. It was only worth 3 points. There will be plenty more grades to average in, please don’t be alarmed about the grade reflected if your child didn’t earn all points for OSW.
*There are no grades posted for reading yet. We have not assessed any skills formally at this time.
*Parent Conferences will be done a bit differently this year. In an effort to spend more time with each of you to discuss your child’s academics I will be contacting some of you in the upcoming weeks to schedule a conference. I look forward to meeting with all of you!
Dates to remember:
October 5-Gifted Parent Information Night
October 14-NO SCHOOL
October 28-End of 1st Quarter
October 31-FALL FESTIVAL-More information to come