Hi Parents,

We've had a busy week of learning! Here's a quick update to let you have peek into the content we have been covering in each of the academic areas:

Literacy

* We have begun reading a shared reading text titled Washed Up, a story about three families that are on a survival reality show. Within this text the students have continued to examine various text features to them to help them locate evidence to support their thinking with question responses. We've also been looking at the way authors link one chapter in a book to the next. Does foreboding occur? Does the author leave us with a cliffhanger? Do the characters and setting change from on chapter to the next?

Writing

*Students have completed their narrative stories and have now moved to expository writing. We have been researching an environment of choice (desert, tundra, rainforest or prairie) and are using graphic organizers to classify this information. Students will eventually utilize these plans to develop an essay. After our research is complete, we will learn how to write an effective introduction, and then move onto body paragraph writing. Ask your student to share information they have learned about the ecosystem they are researching and writing about!

Math

*We are nearing the end of our second unit in math which focuses on fractions. The unit 2 targets include addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators and solving fraction story problems. Students have completed two checkpoints on these targets, and are receiving instruction based on needs identified in those assessments. The end of unit assessment for these targets will be given next week. In number corner, we've been weighing two carrots regularly to track the information on a double line graph. Our smaller carrot has lost a considerable amount of mass! Ask your student to describe its appearance! Yuck!

Science

*We are continuing our focus on understanding the characteristics of various ecosystems around the world. We have been creating our own individual food chains and food webs and learning about the flow of matter in an ecosystem. Ask your student about how carbon dioxide, carbon, and oxygen flow through an ecosystem.

Social Studies

*This week, we have been working hard to answer the question, What are the Responsibilities and Powers of the officials in the US after gaining independence? To do this, we have been studying the three Branches of Government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial) and have been exploring the checks and balances in place to ensure that one office does not have more power over the other.

Words Their Way

*We have been continuing our work with our spelling/word study program called Words Their Way. We meet weekly in small groups to discuss patterns and word meanings.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, October 22nd—Early Release @ 2:00
Friday, October 25th--School picture re-takes
Thursday, October 31st--Halloween parade and classroom parties