Friday, March 23, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Classroom News!
Reading Workshop:
Students are putting the finishing touches on their “Summary Projects.” They did a wonderful job summarizing the characters, the plot, setting, and author’s purpose of their literature circles books. Next, we will be doing an author study on Roald Dahl. Students will be reading one of Dahl’s books and focusing on skills such as comparing and contrasting, theme, summarizing, point of view, and much more. Check out Roald Dahl’s website to find out more about this amazing author! Your child will know in the upcoming days which book they will be reading. Check out Roald Dahl’s website to find out more about this amazing author! http://www.roalddahl.com/
Writing Workshop:
Students are focusing on the trait: word choice. When students understand word choice, they understand how to write clearly, powerfully, and beautifully. This is a difficult task and to help students we are teaching them how to “paint a picture with words.” Students made connections, made pictures in their minds, focused on details, and looked for the unusual to write about. This means using words to make your writing come to life. We are also focusing on how to write a compare/contrast essay. In class we are using compare/contrast transition words to find the similarities and differences between two different pictures. Next, we will read the story,” The Pain and the Great One” by Judy Blume. This story is about a sister and a brother who give two different points of view of one another. Students will then write a compare/contrast writing pieces finding the similarities and differences between themselves and s sibling or friend.
Word Study:
Students will receive Cycle 12 cycle this week. Homework for week one, cycle 12 will come home tomorrow and be due next week. A test will be given next week.
Grammar:
Students are focusing on irregular plural nouns this week and next.
Math:
In math we are learning about fractions and decimals. Students created fraction cards to represent one whole, tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. Then, they were able to practice saying these fractions, comparing which is greater, and finally adding and subtracting the fractions with the same denominator. We are now making connections between fractions and decimals. Students are comparing, ordering, and adding and subtracting decimals. Students received homework this past Friday that will be due this TUESDAY. Then, they will receive a new activity to work on at home that is due THURSDAY. These homework papers can be used as study guides for a test we will take this FRIDAY on fractions and decimals.
REMEMBER TO CONTINUE TO PRACTICE YOUR MATH FACTS!!
Science:
Students did an excellent job on their water cycles quizzes! They also created some wonderful booklets of information filled about the different stages of the water cycle. Students are currently working independently on a project of their choice. It either focuses on severe storms, types of precipitation, or weather safety. We will be discussing in more depth weather safety as we practice tornadoes drill here at school. Does your family have a safety plan for severe storms or fires? After students present their posters, PowerPoints, or brochures we will move onto learning about how to read a weather map, weather instruments, and
Social Studies:
We are wrapping up Ch. 4 with a test tomorrow. We will begin Ch. 5 on Wednesday, focusing more on the NW Territory and settling the land. We will also discuss the War of 1812 and other minor wars such as the Battle of Lake Erie. After Ch. 5, we will move into a cultural study, and end the year with government and economics. Hard to believe we are speaking of the end of the year already!
Dates to Remember:
End of 3rd Quarter-March 23
Spring Break-March 24-April 1
Report cards-April 5
No School-April 6 and 9
Ohio Achievement Assessments (OAA)-May 1, 2, 3-please mark your calendars for your child to be in school these days.
Students are putting the finishing touches on their “Summary Projects.” They did a wonderful job summarizing the characters, the plot, setting, and author’s purpose of their literature circles books. Next, we will be doing an author study on Roald Dahl. Students will be reading one of Dahl’s books and focusing on skills such as comparing and contrasting, theme, summarizing, point of view, and much more. Check out Roald Dahl’s website to find out more about this amazing author! Your child will know in the upcoming days which book they will be reading. Check out Roald Dahl’s website to find out more about this amazing author! http://www.roalddahl.com/
Writing Workshop:
Students are focusing on the trait: word choice. When students understand word choice, they understand how to write clearly, powerfully, and beautifully. This is a difficult task and to help students we are teaching them how to “paint a picture with words.” Students made connections, made pictures in their minds, focused on details, and looked for the unusual to write about. This means using words to make your writing come to life. We are also focusing on how to write a compare/contrast essay. In class we are using compare/contrast transition words to find the similarities and differences between two different pictures. Next, we will read the story,” The Pain and the Great One” by Judy Blume. This story is about a sister and a brother who give two different points of view of one another. Students will then write a compare/contrast writing pieces finding the similarities and differences between themselves and s sibling or friend.
Word Study:
Students will receive Cycle 12 cycle this week. Homework for week one, cycle 12 will come home tomorrow and be due next week. A test will be given next week.
Grammar:
Students are focusing on irregular plural nouns this week and next.
Math:
In math we are learning about fractions and decimals. Students created fraction cards to represent one whole, tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. Then, they were able to practice saying these fractions, comparing which is greater, and finally adding and subtracting the fractions with the same denominator. We are now making connections between fractions and decimals. Students are comparing, ordering, and adding and subtracting decimals. Students received homework this past Friday that will be due this TUESDAY. Then, they will receive a new activity to work on at home that is due THURSDAY. These homework papers can be used as study guides for a test we will take this FRIDAY on fractions and decimals.
REMEMBER TO CONTINUE TO PRACTICE YOUR MATH FACTS!!
Science:
Students did an excellent job on their water cycles quizzes! They also created some wonderful booklets of information filled about the different stages of the water cycle. Students are currently working independently on a project of their choice. It either focuses on severe storms, types of precipitation, or weather safety. We will be discussing in more depth weather safety as we practice tornadoes drill here at school. Does your family have a safety plan for severe storms or fires? After students present their posters, PowerPoints, or brochures we will move onto learning about how to read a weather map, weather instruments, and
Social Studies:
We are wrapping up Ch. 4 with a test tomorrow. We will begin Ch. 5 on Wednesday, focusing more on the NW Territory and settling the land. We will also discuss the War of 1812 and other minor wars such as the Battle of Lake Erie. After Ch. 5, we will move into a cultural study, and end the year with government and economics. Hard to believe we are speaking of the end of the year already!
Dates to Remember:
End of 3rd Quarter-March 23
Spring Break-March 24-April 1
Report cards-April 5
No School-April 6 and 9
Ohio Achievement Assessments (OAA)-May 1, 2, 3-please mark your calendars for your child to be in school these days.
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