Weekly News November 30-December 4, 2015

Homework: The math packet and reading log are due on Friday. Please return it in your Yellow Reading Log/Math Homework Folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: We will be working on making predictions based on what is known from reading the opening pages of a story. In our word work we will listen for the final blend in a word. In writing we will be working on improving our sentences by stretching them out with descriptive adjectives and vivid verbs.

Mathematics: Chapter 4 math test will be coming home today. Please sign and return the test for Tuesday. Let me know if you have any questions. Number 11 and 12 are two-step questions. While we did practice equations like this our practice was more supported. So these questions are considered novel and present more of a challenge. This week we will be working on understanding basic multiplication and division using repeated addition and subtraction.

Social Studies: We will be reading Mapping Penny’s World and learning about maps. Some key vocabulary include: map scale, map key (legend), compass rose and symbols. We will also be reading Flat Stanley. This will kick off a mapping adventure.

Ways you can help at home:  Quiz your child on math facts. They should know the equations within 3 seconds. Find maps, look through and identify key map features such as the compass rose, symbols etc. Read a book together and make a prediction. Adjust your prediction as you continue to read. Look for words that end with a final blend like ng, or st.

Video of the Week

Onomatopoeia

Weekly News November 23-24, 2015

We will not have official homework this week. Continue to enjoy reading together, practice math facts or play some fun games with your child. Over the break you can help your child by sharing family stories together. If you are visiting with family have relatives tell about events from their life. It is a great opportunity for your child to practice his or her listening skills as well.

We will be working on our Social Studies economic needs of a community. We will be focusing on goods and services; producers and consumers; and needs and wants. The students will be sharing information they have read in their guided reading groups on the topic.

The students will be doing their Trimester 1 writing assessment.

We will be doing a real world math problem solving activity. If you have any grocery store flyers please send them in with your child on Tuesday to help with this activity.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Break!

Video of the week

Last week several weeks we watched videos that require subscription.
This week we will enjoy a silly song.

http://viewpure.com/sAIbwodgoU8

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!

Weekly News November 16-20, 2015

Homework: The math packet and reading log are due on Friday. Please return it in your Yellow Reading Log/Math Homework Folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: We will continue to work on personal narratives. Last week we learned about entertaining beginnings. The boys and girls practiced writing the following types of beginnings: sound effect, action, thought or question and dialogue. We will continue to focus on this and add a setting to our stories. At home continue to practice telling stories aloud and try to see what type of beginnings you see in the stories you are reading.   

Mathematics: We are continuing our work in chapter 4. You can help at home by giving your child addition and subtraction word problems. This week we will work on two step word problems. Practicing these type of problems is also encouraged. Our math fact practice at school has begun. Students will be quizzed on a set of facts. They must know the problem within three seconds without using their fingers or tapping. If they miss a problem or don’t know it within three seconds they will get a sheet of facts to practice at home. Once they get the set correct in two consecutive quizzes they move on to a new set of facts.

Science: Thank you to all those who were able to attend our nocturnal animal fair. The children enjoyed sharing their projects with you.

Social Studies: We will begin our study of the economic needs of a community. In our guided reading lessons we will be reading stories that tie into this topic. We will learn about goods and services, producers and consumers. Students will identify examples of these in our community.

Weekly News November 9-13, 2015

Nocturnal Animal Fair: We will have our nocturnal animal fair on Thursday, November 12th at 9:30. I hope you will be able to attend.

Homework: Wednesday homework is optional due to Veterans Day. The math packet and reading log are due on Friday. Please return it in your Yellow Reading Log/Math Homework Folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: We will begin personal narrative writing. For our personal narratives we will be focusing on one moment in time and stretching it out. This is also know as a “Small Moment Story.” To help with this at home practice telling stories about a moment in time aloud. For example, if you just went to shop for new shoes with your child talk about the moment he or she knew which pair was the one he or she wanted. Stretch it out and add all the details from the setting and thoughts or feelings that were happening. Say the words you would put in your story. My story would sound like this... Model it yourself. Another way you can help is by gathering up small moment story ideas. As you read together look for parts in stories that are sharing a small moment. Notice how authors begin their stories.

Mathematics: We will be doing word problems that are joining sets and taking away sets. Later in the week we will begin problems that involve comparing to find how much more or how much fewer. The students will learn how to make bar models to show these types of problems. For many students they can figure out how to solve for the answer but are working on learning how to show it with a bar model. Knowing how to do bar models will help students as they progress to more challenging word problems. Students will need to know whether they problem requires adding or subtraction. Practicing at home with your child is encouraged!

Weekly News November 2-6, 2015

Conference Reminder: Please check your conference time. Let me know if you can’t make it to your scheduled time. Each conference is only 15 minutes. Please be on time. I will do my best to stay on schedule. You can find your conference time at the sign up genius website:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c44abac23a4ff2-mrs

Nocturnal Animal Fair: We will have our nocturnal animal fair on Thursday, November 12th at 9:30. I hope you will be able to attend.

Homework: The math packet and reading log are due on Friday. Please return it in your Yellow Reading Log/Math Homework Folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts/Science: We will be working on our nocturnal animal projects. We have a special enrichment program on Thursday morning called Wingmasters. We will get to see birds of prey and learn about their adaptations. It is always a fun learning experience for the children.

Mathematics: We will be beginning chapter 4. Please see the math letter about this chapter. We will continue to practice subtraction with regrouping. I encourage you to give your child extra problems each night to practice this skill.