Weekly News April 25-29, 2016

Homework: We are in week three of our writing homework. This assignment is due Friday, May 6th.  The reading log and math packet are due on Friday. Please return them in the yellow folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: We will be working with more r controlled vowels. We will continue to practice ir, er, and ur words. We will be reading about Europe for our continent study. We will work on identifying cause and effect relationships as we read our Scholastic News article on Penguin Protectors. We will read and discuss our school’s book of the month I’m Here. This will be reviewed in our All school Meeting on Friday. In writing we will be working on opinion writing for the next several weeks. We will begin by reviewing what we remember about this genre.

Mathematics: The boys and girls did a fantastic job on their measurement test. They will be coming home this week. Please sign and return your test. We will begin chapter 14 on time. Please see the School to Home Connection Letter for this chapter.

Social Studies: Before break students read about one of the following continents: Asia, Africa, South America and Australia. They completed a study guide to help them focus on key features of the continent. Students will be sharing what they learned. We will continue to read and explore this week. We will all be studying Europe.

Cursive: We are working on our kite string letters.

 Ways you can help at home: Read a fiction book with your child that has a setting in another continent. Talk about the special features from place. Practice telling time with your child. Have  your child read analogue clocks and express the time different ways. For example, ten minutes after eight and 8:10. Have your child write the time in words and in digits. Later in the week we will practice elapsed time. You can have your child identify how long they spent doing something to the nearest five minutes. Read the School to Home Connections letter for more ideas.

Weekly News April 11-15, 2016

Homework: We are week two of our writing homework. This assignment is due Friday, May 6th. The reading log and math packet are due on Friday. Please return them in the yellow folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: We will be working with more r controlled vowels. We will focus on ir, er, and ur words. Friday the boys and girls learned about writing from author April Jones Prince. We will write her thank you cards this week. We will be working on main ideas and details as we read a Scholastic News. In writing we are working on adding details to our main event. We are also working on editing our work.

Mathematics: We are working on solving one and two step word problems involving measuring. We will be reviewing measurement and will probably be ready to take our test late this week.

Social Studies: We will be focusing on continents and oceans. We will begin to explore North America. We will be talking about Earth Day and what we can do to help our planet.

Cursive: We have finished our clock climbers and are working on our kite string letters.

 Ways you can help at home: Explore which country your child would like to read and write about for the writing assignment. Have your child practice his/her narrative story about a ride out loud for you. We are working on stretching out the main event with thoughts, observation, action, dialogue and sounds. Read and discuss stories together.

Weekly News April 4-8, 2016

Report cards:  Today you will receive your child’s report card. Please sign and return the envelope by Tuesday. You may keep the report card. Returning the signed envelope lets me know that you have received it. Please let me know if you have any questions about your child’s progress.

Tissues:  Our classroom supply of tissues needs restocking. We are currently out of tissues. Thank you to anyone who is able to bring in a box to help us out.

Tuesday is an Early release Day. We dismiss at 12:15. Please send your child to school with a healthy snack to enjoy. We will be taking a snack break in the morning.

Homework: A new writing assignment will be sent home today. We will be writing about a country. Please let me know if you have any questions. This assignment is due Friday, May 6th. The reading log and math packet are due on Friday. Please return them in the yellow folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: The boys and girls are very excited about their narrative writing about a ride they have experienced. Ask them to tell you about it. We will have a visit from local author April Jones Prince. We will read a few of her books this week. We will be reviewing or and ar words.

Mathematics: The boys and girls did a great job on our fraction unit. Their test will be coming home this week. Please sign and return it to me. We will be working on using inches and feet to measure height and length. We will be measuring to the nearest inch and nearest foot. Please see the Home Connection Letter for ways you can support your child at home.

 Ways you can help at home: Explore which country your child would like to read and write about for the writing assignment. Have your child practice his/her narrative story about a ride out loud for you. We are working on stretching out the main event with thoughts, observation, action, dialogue and sounds. Read and discuss stories together.

Video of the Week

Continents and Oceans

Weekly News March 28- April 1, 2016

Homework: We are on the final week of the writing assignment. This assignment is due Friday, April 1st. The reading log and math packet are due on Friday. Please return them in the yellow folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: We will be studying r controlled vowels for the next several weeks. We are beginning with or and ar. We are going to be revisiting Two Bad Ants. We will reading closely to identify all the descriptive language the author used. We will also be discussing the author’s message. We will be working on narrative writing for the next few weeks. We will begin by writing a story about a ride they have experienced. We will read the mentor text Roller Coaster to kick off this writing.

Mathematics: We will be finishing up chapter 12 on Fractions this week. The children have really enjoyed learning about fractions. We will work more on adding and subtracting like fractions.

 Ways you can help at home: Talk about what you think the most important event is in a fiction book you are reading with your child. Explain your reasons one. The important event ties to the solution or author’s message. Look for the r controlled vowels or and ar. Have your child share what he or she knows about fractions. Look for fractions in real life. Gather writing ideas for about a ride.

Video of the Week

Understanding Fractions

Weekly News March 21-25, 2016

Homework: We are on the third week of the writing assignment. This assignment is due Friday, April 1st. The reading log and math packet are due on Friday. Please return them in the yellow folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts and Science: We will be studying long i. The students will be learning how igh makes the long I sound. We will be reading Two Bad Ants. We will work on inferring. We will be writing some poems this week and reflecting on our trimester 2 writing as we put our pieces in our binders.

Mathematics: We are learning about fractions. The students will be reading, writing and identifying unit fractions for halves, thirds, and fourths. Students will learn that fractions are equal parts of a whole. We will be comparing and ordering fractions. Students will learn about adding and subtracting fractions. Students will not be expected to have complete mastery of comparing, ordering and adding fractions. This chapter is laying the foundation for next year.

 Ways you can help at home:? Look for long i words in your reading. Be on the lookout for words spelled with igh. Continue to read aloud to your child and have conversations about what you read. Talk about fractions of shapes. Maybe your child only ate half of their bread at dinner.