Happy Friday, Families! 

First and foremost, I wanted to wish you and your family a very happy and healthy holiday season!

We persevered through the month of December & we've finally made it to winter break! During our morning meetings we've enjoyed so many team builders and cooperative activities that continue to foster the important connections that the kids feel to our classroom and with each other.

Reading:

In reading, we most recently finished up the story of Angel Island and the story of Chinese immigrants who entered the country through this immigration station.  We used our text to talk about the author's point of view in an informational text. The students also enjoyed learning about the history of Angel Island and the poems that were carved on the walls by immigrants who spent time there. Today we read a first-hand account of a woman named Li Keng Wong, who recalled her own experiences at Angel Island in a very personal way.

Writing: Currently, we are working on a writing project about a natural disaster. Students will report on the formation of their natural disasters, warning signs, and ways to prepare for when they occur. After winter break, students will be using Book Creator or Key Note to share their information.

Math:  This week, our class took the Unit 3 Post Test. This test covered all things decimals-- comparing decimals, decimal addition, and subtraction, and rounding decimals. After winter break, we will begin Unit 4, where we will learn the traditional method for multiplying multidigit numbers. Those students who are already mastering these targets will be provided with extensions and alternate activities.

Social Studies:  Students are currently learning about probable causes and effects of events and developments in U.S. history, with a focus on Westward Expansion.  In the coming weeks, our discussions will focus on the California Gold Rush, as well as answer and defend the argument of whether or not they would have traveled West.  

Science:   We have been continuing our learning on the topic of the Earth, Moon, and Stars. Within this unit, we explored concepts such as gravity, how distance affects the brightness of stars, and how day and night occur. 


Important Dates
Monday, Jan. 4th - School Resumes after Winter Break

Wednesday, Jan 13th - Asynchronous Planning Day until 10:15 am (more info to come on this at a later date). 

Monday, Jan. 18th - No School, MLK Day 
Tuesday, Jan. 26 - Early release @ 2:00 p.m.

 Good Afternoon Families!

I hope everyone enjoyed some quality family time over our short break! It was nice to be able to re-charge our batteries and relax a bit!

School Progress Reports

A note about Progress Reports that were issued yesterday:

Your child’s progress report indicates his or her current progress toward an expectation. When a standard repeats in more than one trimester–as is typical in literacy instruction, for example–we do not expect students will master the knowledge and skills indicated until the completion of the last trimester in which the standard is reported on. In fact, it’s likely that many students will earn a score of Developing.

For example, we assess students using text we expect they will be able to master by the end of the school year. For a literacy course standard that repeats, we report each trimester based on your child’s progress toward those end-of-year expectations. This practice gives you consistent information regarding where your child is performing currently, compared to where he or she should be later in the school year or at the year’s end. 

What might you expect to see for a standard that repeats in more than one trimester? You might expect to see a steady progression, such as Not Mastering (1) or Developing (2) in Trimester 1; Developing (2) in Trimester 2; and Mastering (3) in Trimester 3.

NWEA MAP Testing

Today we completed our Winter MAP testing. More information about scores will be forthcoming once the testing window for make-ups is closed. If your child was absent for either test, he/she will be scheduled for a make-up opportunity next week.

Here's What's Happening in Class:

Literacy

This week read a chapter from the story, Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen. It is an exciting realistic fiction novel about a young boy who struggles to survive in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Although this excerpt is the only chapter included in our Ready-Gen Text Collection Book, I highly encourage students to read the book in it’s entirety. Copies are readily available at your local library. As we read, we practiced skills in summarizing and quoting accurately from a text.

Writing

Our students are currently engaged in analytical writing. After researching the topic of whether video games have a more positive or negative effect on kids, students have formed a personal opinion on which to base their essay. Once completed, these essays should include well-developed introductions, body paragraphs inclusive of text evidence and an impactful conclusion.

Math

Our students are continuing their work with decimals.  They are currently refining their skills in the area of using expanded decimal notation, comparing decimals, adding and subtracting decimals, and rounding decimals. 

Science

We have been studying the four main systems of Earth: the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. We’ve been learning about the attributes and characteristics of each, as well as how they interact with each other. At this point, your child should be able to tell you what each Earth system contains. In the past week, we finished up our learning by reading and discussing what individuals, corporations, and communities can do to protect the Earth systems. 

Important Upcoming Dates:

Tuesday, Dec. 15—Early release @ 2:00

Friday, Dec. 18—Last Day before Winter Break

Monday, Jan. 4-School resumes after Winter Break