I Calendar -
Monday - Week 4 homework packets handed out; due Friday.
District Attendance policy form handed out to students; they are due with parent signatures on Friday.
Letter writing homework for Ms. Chantell, the dance teacher, explained in the Appendix at the foot of this post. The letter is due Tuesday to me and I give it Thursday to Ms. Chantell.
Wednesday - There wasn't new math instruction today and there is no math homework, unless the previously assigned pages of 38-39 and 42-43 were not completed on Monday and Tuesday.
Homework change: If students did not complete in class their fictional writing piece following one of the four style options given to them and modeled after Demitri Martin example stories, then they should complete their story today in their black and white composition journals.
Thursday- Students should have finished their fiction writing piece yesterday. If there story was unfinished, they should finish it tonight in their composition books.
As a reminder, students should complete the Reader's Response for the week this evening. There is link in the link menu at the top right side of the blog.
Thursday evening is also the last day for Orange Ruler Run invitations.
Friday - Did your student answer the Reader's Response questions for Week 4 yet? The link is under the "Helpful Links" at the top right of the Blog. If not, these should be completed by Saturday.
Friday - Did your student answer the Reader's Response questions for Week 4 yet? The link is under the "Helpful Links" at the top right of the Blog. If not, these should be completed by Saturday.
II. Content & Connections
In Reading we are working on Annotating text, particularly focusing on connections and speculations, as well as confusions and connections. Students continue to read non-fiction science texts on animal species and conservation. Ask your child about their present animal.
We also began selected Reading Comprehension (Fountas & Pinnell) Testing and Conferring in the reading workshop.
In particular this week we have been focusing on annotating text with questions and wondering.
We also began selected Reading Comprehension (Fountas & Pinnell) Testing and Conferring in the reading workshop.
In particular this week we have been focusing on annotating text with questions and wondering.
In Social Studies we are still putting together the basis of coordinate points of the GPS by developing our knowledge of how latitude and longitude are read and work together. You could talk about far away places you have been to in relationship to the equator and talk about patterns between location and weather that you may see, or ask those questions about a place you've always wanted to visit together.
In Mathematics there is a new rounding technique. It's not much loved yet, but it does make place value central to the practice. We are also continuing to develop our knowledge of the metric system and adding decimals in word problems. There is also this business of adding tenths and hundredths and stuff, with idea of becoming familiar with bundling and decomposing values, and thinking and talking about decimal fractions fluently.
In writing students have heard four model stories by Demitri Martin equivalent to four writing formats for fictional writing. Students will be writing a fictional piece based upon one of these models and began brainstorming Tuesday. Ask your child what format they are using and what story model it follows.
Appendix
A. Informal Letter Writing Assignment
Letter to Ms. Chantell due to Mr. Hagstrom Tuesday. The letters themselves are to be given to Ms. Chantell Thursday. They may be hand-written or typed.
The letter should include:
Student Name & Date ( You may leave out your address, which is normally included).
A salutation (greeting): "Dear Ms. Chantell,"
Three paragraphs with the following content (feel free to use these sentence starters): When I first heard about the program... 2. After two classes in the program... 3. My goal for the end of dance class is...
A closing: "Sincerely," "All the best," "Thank you!" etc.
