In hopes that this will be more convenient for you, newsletters will go home on Mondays attached to the assignment notebook. Please sign on Monday to indicate that you’ve read the newsletter. Thanks!
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Rabbi Kahn read us a wonderful story called Colored Water. Ask your child if they can tell you what the story was about. We read a short story about Dr. King’s life a few weeks ago and have been working on special projects that can be seen on the hallway bulletin board. Our new librarian, Helen Chronister, has also been reading the students books related to Dr. King’s work for equality and in honor of black history month.
In math we are continuing our work with division and multiplication. This week our focus is on learning multiples of three. Knowing how to recite the multiples makes it easier to multiply. The children will bring home a mini- book today that they can use to study from until they can say the multiples from memory. Encourage them to practice reciting the multiples whenever they have an extra few minutes in the car, in the checkout line, as they get ready for bed…. If your child still struggles with quickly and accurately recalling addition and subtraction facts, please continue to work on these at home as well. There are quite a few tools available to help your child learn according to his/her learning style. If flashcards don’t seem to be helping, try checking out a CD from the library that sets math facts to songs.
Two spelling tests are coming home today. Please sign the tests and make sure your child corrects the any misspelled words- correct spellings are in the assignment notebook. This week is a review week in our Vocabulary Workshop books, so the spelling words are taken from our new science unit.
Writer’s Workshop in well under way and many students have finished the first draft of their first story. Mrs. Stock is working to help keep things on track and conferencing with children about their stories. All students are also working on Buckle Down Reading. This book reviews reading skills, comprehension, and writing strategies and gives test taking tips.
In science we are shifting our study of resources and soil to engineering. Today we had a special guest speaker, who is an electrical engineer, introduce us to engineering. The children have all received a bookmark and special engineering project to do at home. Our new science unit is called Marvelous Machines: Making Work Easier. In this unit the children will explore and discuss simple machines, technological processes and industrial engineering. They will learn about the connections between the physics of simple machines and their uses in industrial processes. Because engineering projects are hands-on, materials are often required. Several of the materials necessary for this unit are listed below. If you have any of these materials available, please consider donating them to the class before 2/17. Thanks!
Engineering project supplies:
Carabineers CDs Water bottles 0.5-liter and 1.0-liter
Monday, January 31, 2011
Homework for the Week of 1/31/11
All homework is subject to change. Changes will be discussed in class, corrected on assignment sheet and listed on updated post.
Mon. - Math Home Links 4.7
Read for 15 minutes
Study for Spelling test
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Tues. - Write spelling words 3X. Please use spelling sheet sent home today.
English - Workbook Plus pp. 45 & 46 Reteaching p.28
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Wed. - Math Home Links 4.8
Spelling activity
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Thurs. -
Workbook Plus pp. 47 & 48 Reteaching p. 29
Study for spelling test
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Mon. - Math Home Links 4.7
Read for 15 minutes
Study for Spelling test
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Tues. - Write spelling words 3X. Please use spelling sheet sent home today.
English - Workbook Plus pp. 45 & 46 Reteaching p.28
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Wed. - Math Home Links 4.8
Spelling activity
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Thurs. -
Workbook Plus pp. 47 & 48 Reteaching p. 29
Study for spelling test
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute, Math Fact Family 5,6,11, Multiples of 3
Spelling List 1/31/11
design
*engineer
material
*process
*solution
technology
*teamwork
*goal
imagine
create
*engineer
material
*process
*solution
technology
*teamwork
*goal
imagine
create
Monday, January 10, 2011
Homework for the Week of 1/10
All homework is subject to change. Changes will be discussed in class, corrected on assignment sheet and listed on updated post.
Mon. - Math Home Links 4.3
Read for 15 minutes
Study for Spelling test
Mad Minute 11 or 51 Math Fact Family 7,6, 13
Tues. - Write spelling words 3X. Please use spelling sheet sent home today.
English - individual assignments
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 12 or 52
Wed. - Math Home Links 4.4
Spelling crossword
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 13 or 53
Thurs. -
English Test - no homework
Study for spelling test
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 14 or 54
Mon. - Math Home Links 4.3
Read for 15 minutes
Study for Spelling test
Mad Minute 11 or 51 Math Fact Family 7,6, 13
Tues. - Write spelling words 3X. Please use spelling sheet sent home today.
English - individual assignments
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 12 or 52
Wed. - Math Home Links 4.4
Spelling crossword
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 13 or 53
Thurs. -
English Test - no homework
Study for spelling test
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 14 or 54
Spelling Unit 10 Week of 1/10
audible
*consume
*glide
origin
*prevent
punctuate
representative
*scorn
stout
*woe
*modified list
*consume
*glide
origin
*prevent
punctuate
representative
*scorn
stout
*woe
*modified list
Thursday, January 6, 2011
News from the Week of 1/3
I hope you all had a wonderful winter break. We are now back in full swing and the kids have been working hard this week. We have started our reading groups every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during our Language Arts time. The children seem to enjoy the smaller group setting with more opportunities to have their voices heard. Mrs. Stock works with half of the class in order to help meet the different needs of the children.
If your child is working with Mrs. Stock he/she will be working with the Great Books curriculum. This is a reading and discussion program designed to build critical thinking skills and motivate children to higher levels of achievement. It is built on outstanding literature and creates exciting and challenging learning environments that empower students to take ownership of their learning. This week Mrs. Stock and her group read a poem entitled The Cat of Cats to introduce the first story called The Master Cat. Students identified adjectives and character traits of the cat in the poem. Students discussed similes, since the cat was described as being "sleek as jam." After reading the story, students discussed a few story elements and also compared the cat in the poem to the cat in the story Students will continue to work with this story next week.
If your child is working with me, we are focusing on basic reading skills that will aide in reading comprehension and communication. We will be reading short passages in both fiction and nonfiction works in order to practice the skills worked on in class. This week we discussed performance anxiety and goals, basic tips for communicating knowledge on assessments, and the breaking of words into syllables and how that helps us to read individual words and understand word meaning.
We also started Writer’s Workshop in full force. We have discussed the writing process and the children have begun drafting a self-selected work. Each session of Writer’s Workshop begins with a “mini-lesson” on a writing skill followed by independent writing and conferencing time. The workshop is concluded with “author’s chair.” This is a time in which children can share their writing and receive feedback from the class.
In science we were introduced to natural resources and “mined” for raisins in oatmeal raisin cookies. The children developed hypotheses of whether or not they thought they could mine the raisins without destroying the cookie. We also discussed renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.
In math we started our unit on multiplication focusing on using arrays and were introduced to division. Please continue to do Mad Minutes at home and a daily review of the fact family. For example for this week’s fact family of 8, 5 & 13 you would ask your child... What is 13-8, 13-5, 5+8 and 8+5?
On Thursday we will have a Unit 1 English test covering sentences and nouns. Your child’s homework in English next week will be based on the individual areas that he/she needs to review.
The class earned 15 minutes of free time this Friday. Each minute is earned by being responsible as a class which might include walking down the hall quietly, working independently, following directions.... The last point was earned for everyone turning their homework. Yeah! We are running low on tissues and would appreciate if you would be willing to send in a box or two. Thanks!
If your child is working with Mrs. Stock he/she will be working with the Great Books curriculum. This is a reading and discussion program designed to build critical thinking skills and motivate children to higher levels of achievement. It is built on outstanding literature and creates exciting and challenging learning environments that empower students to take ownership of their learning. This week Mrs. Stock and her group read a poem entitled The Cat of Cats to introduce the first story called The Master Cat. Students identified adjectives and character traits of the cat in the poem. Students discussed similes, since the cat was described as being "sleek as jam." After reading the story, students discussed a few story elements and also compared the cat in the poem to the cat in the story Students will continue to work with this story next week.
If your child is working with me, we are focusing on basic reading skills that will aide in reading comprehension and communication. We will be reading short passages in both fiction and nonfiction works in order to practice the skills worked on in class. This week we discussed performance anxiety and goals, basic tips for communicating knowledge on assessments, and the breaking of words into syllables and how that helps us to read individual words and understand word meaning.
We also started Writer’s Workshop in full force. We have discussed the writing process and the children have begun drafting a self-selected work. Each session of Writer’s Workshop begins with a “mini-lesson” on a writing skill followed by independent writing and conferencing time. The workshop is concluded with “author’s chair.” This is a time in which children can share their writing and receive feedback from the class.
In science we were introduced to natural resources and “mined” for raisins in oatmeal raisin cookies. The children developed hypotheses of whether or not they thought they could mine the raisins without destroying the cookie. We also discussed renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.
In math we started our unit on multiplication focusing on using arrays and were introduced to division. Please continue to do Mad Minutes at home and a daily review of the fact family. For example for this week’s fact family of 8, 5 & 13 you would ask your child... What is 13-8, 13-5, 5+8 and 8+5?
On Thursday we will have a Unit 1 English test covering sentences and nouns. Your child’s homework in English next week will be based on the individual areas that he/she needs to review.
The class earned 15 minutes of free time this Friday. Each minute is earned by being responsible as a class which might include walking down the hall quietly, working independently, following directions.... The last point was earned for everyone turning their homework. Yeah! We are running low on tissues and would appreciate if you would be willing to send in a box or two. Thanks!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Spelling List Unit 9 Week of 1/3
approach to come close to; to begin to deal with
approve to have a high opinion of; to give permission
glory great honor or praise given by others, great beauty
magnificent very grand and fine; remarkably beautiful or outstanding
meek not courageous or strong
prompt on time; done quickly and without delay
revive to bring or come back to life
tradition a custom, belief or idea that has been passed down over time
watchful always noticing what is happening, aware
wreckage what is left of something that has been destroyed
approve to have a high opinion of; to give permission
glory great honor or praise given by others, great beauty
magnificent very grand and fine; remarkably beautiful or outstanding
meek not courageous or strong
prompt on time; done quickly and without delay
revive to bring or come back to life
tradition a custom, belief or idea that has been passed down over time
watchful always noticing what is happening, aware
wreckage what is left of something that has been destroyed
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Homework Update for1/4
English homework for everyone is Reteaching p. 21. A copy was sent home with every student.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Homework for the Week of 1/3
All homework is subject to change. Changes will be discussed in class, corrected on assignment sheet and listed on updated post.
Mon. - Math Home Links 4.1
Read for 15 minutes
Study for Spelling test
Mad Minute 11 or 21 Math Fact Family 8, 5, 13
Tues. - Write spelling words 3X. Please use spelling sheet sent home today.
Workbook Plus pp. 33 & 34 OR Reteaching - p. 21
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 12 or 22
Wed. - Math Home Links 4.2
Spelling crossword
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 13 or 23
Thurs. - Workbook Plus p. 35 OR Reteaching - p. 22
Study for spelling test
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 14
Mon. - Math Home Links 4.1
Read for 15 minutes
Study for Spelling test
Mad Minute 11 or 21 Math Fact Family 8, 5, 13
Tues. - Write spelling words 3X. Please use spelling sheet sent home today.
Workbook Plus pp. 33 & 34 OR Reteaching - p. 21
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 12 or 22
Wed. - Math Home Links 4.2
Spelling crossword
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 13 or 23
Thurs. - Workbook Plus p. 35 OR Reteaching - p. 22
Study for spelling test
Read for 15 minutes
Mad Minute 14
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)