Hello! On Monday, Feb. 2, author Carmen Deedy will be visiting the Lower School! We are also looking forward to Jerry Craft's visit on February 12! Books are available for order, personalized with an autograph, from his website: www.jerrycraft.net .
Parents, Unit 6 math assessments will go home on Monday. Please review and send back in with your child no later than Friday, Feb. 6.
Here is the news for our class this week:
Math - We will continue Unit 7 by building our multiplication fact power, writing number models with parentheses, and practice extended multiplication and division facts.
Homework
- 7.2 due Monday, Feb. 2
- 7.3 due Wednesday
- 7.4 due Thursday
- 7.5 due Friday
- 7.6 due Monday, Feb. 9
This week students should review the multiplication facts that they need further practice with. A list of these facts for each child will go home in orange folders on Monday. Next week, we will have an assessment on the times 2 multiplication facts. In addition to completing the review packet as part of their 90 minutes of required math activity, the kiddos can practice with flash cards, fact triangles, and play multiplication math games. Don't forget to log your 90 minutes of math activity in your log!
Reading - This week, we will launch our mysteries unit of study! We will begin by familiarizing ourselves with the kinds of characters and plot elements we come across in mystery books, putting ourselves into the shoes of the detective, and collecting and closely examining the clues we come across. We will also begin to collect and apply mystery specific vocabulary after choosing the book series we want to read for our book clubs.
For homework, students should read about 4 nights a week, for a total of 2 hours per week. The children should log their "just right" reading each day in their reading logs and calculate and log the total number of pages and minutes read at the end of the week. Students are also encouraged to log any additional "free reading" they do at home, as well.
Writing - We needed a little more time to put the finishing touches on our published non-fiction pieces, so we will kick-off the week with a writing celebration. On Tuesday, we will begin our persuasive review writing unit. Throughout the unit, we will learn that simply having an opinion is not enough to change someone's mind, or bring about change. A strong review must include thoughtful reasoning and evidence. This week, we will get to know this genre by searching for and studying published reviews, and preparing for and participating in a debate. We will gather ideas and opinions from Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, debating whether the giving tree is strong or weak. For homework, the children should write (at least) a one page persuasive review in their writing notebooks. Maybe they 'll share their opinion on a favorite book or restaurant, or write about a movie that isn't worth watching. Whichever topic they choose to share their opinion on, they should make sure to have specific reasons (evidence) to support why they feel that way. The children may want to start this on Tuesday afternoon, after we've looked at and discussed what kinds of information we can find in persuasive reviews.
Social Studies - We have read, researched, and written all about the Native American tribes in the different regions of the United States. Our students have compiled a class book to teach each other all about what they've learned, and will present their pages on Monday. We will have a review, and culminating discussion about all we've talked about and learned over the course of this unit on Tuesday and Wednesday, and students will take an end of unit assessment on Thursday. Review materials will go home on Monday. On Friday, we will begin our study of the U.S government, in preparation for our field trip to the Georgia State Capitol next Monday, Feb. 9.
Word Study - We will have our next word wall quiz on Friday. Please study only your highlighted words in preparation.
Have a wonderful week!
Parents, Unit 6 math assessments will go home on Monday. Please review and send back in with your child no later than Friday, Feb. 6.
Here is the news for our class this week:
Math - We will continue Unit 7 by building our multiplication fact power, writing number models with parentheses, and practice extended multiplication and division facts.
Homework
- 7.2 due Monday, Feb. 2
- 7.3 due Wednesday
- 7.4 due Thursday
- 7.5 due Friday
- 7.6 due Monday, Feb. 9
This week students should review the multiplication facts that they need further practice with. A list of these facts for each child will go home in orange folders on Monday. Next week, we will have an assessment on the times 2 multiplication facts. In addition to completing the review packet as part of their 90 minutes of required math activity, the kiddos can practice with flash cards, fact triangles, and play multiplication math games. Don't forget to log your 90 minutes of math activity in your log!
Reading - This week, we will launch our mysteries unit of study! We will begin by familiarizing ourselves with the kinds of characters and plot elements we come across in mystery books, putting ourselves into the shoes of the detective, and collecting and closely examining the clues we come across. We will also begin to collect and apply mystery specific vocabulary after choosing the book series we want to read for our book clubs.
For homework, students should read about 4 nights a week, for a total of 2 hours per week. The children should log their "just right" reading each day in their reading logs and calculate and log the total number of pages and minutes read at the end of the week. Students are also encouraged to log any additional "free reading" they do at home, as well.
Writing - We needed a little more time to put the finishing touches on our published non-fiction pieces, so we will kick-off the week with a writing celebration. On Tuesday, we will begin our persuasive review writing unit. Throughout the unit, we will learn that simply having an opinion is not enough to change someone's mind, or bring about change. A strong review must include thoughtful reasoning and evidence. This week, we will get to know this genre by searching for and studying published reviews, and preparing for and participating in a debate. We will gather ideas and opinions from Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, debating whether the giving tree is strong or weak. For homework, the children should write (at least) a one page persuasive review in their writing notebooks. Maybe they 'll share their opinion on a favorite book or restaurant, or write about a movie that isn't worth watching. Whichever topic they choose to share their opinion on, they should make sure to have specific reasons (evidence) to support why they feel that way. The children may want to start this on Tuesday afternoon, after we've looked at and discussed what kinds of information we can find in persuasive reviews.
Social Studies - We have read, researched, and written all about the Native American tribes in the different regions of the United States. Our students have compiled a class book to teach each other all about what they've learned, and will present their pages on Monday. We will have a review, and culminating discussion about all we've talked about and learned over the course of this unit on Tuesday and Wednesday, and students will take an end of unit assessment on Thursday. Review materials will go home on Monday. On Friday, we will begin our study of the U.S government, in preparation for our field trip to the Georgia State Capitol next Monday, Feb. 9.
Word Study - We will have our next word wall quiz on Friday. Please study only your highlighted words in preparation.
Have a wonderful week!