How can it already be mid-September? The first month of school has gone by so quickly! Students are now comfortable with classroom routines and expectations! They are especially enjoying our daily featured routines: Math Problem Monday, Tell me What You're Reading Tuesday, Word Ladder Wednesday, Fun Fluency Thursday, and First Chapter Friday! And... I'm not sure who enjoys our "Book of the Day" routine more--myself or the kids! :) We even had a "special reader" for Monday's book: our very own principal, Mr. Senatore! He read us the book What the Road Said, which is a basis of this year's school-wide theme!
Here are the concepts we are currently/planning to work on:
Literacy
Last week, we finished our first shared text, Night of the Spadefoot Toads. Using this text, we practiced utilizing direct quotes from the text to answer comprehension and inferential questions. By identifying important events within the chapters, we worked on our summarizing skills. At the beginning of the week, we read about Cesar Chavez and his work to help labor unions and practiced finding the author’s main point and reasons that they use to support it. We have now shifted back to fiction and have started a short story called Shells, by author Cynthia Rylant. This text provides a springboard for giving us more practice in quoting, identifying theme, and describing characters’ challenges.We have been building on skills learned last year in 4th grade by practicing using the RACE method to write complete cohesive, short responses. Be sure to ask your student what the letters in RACE stand for!
Writing
Currently, we are in the process of planning and writing our first narrative! Within Night of the Spadefoot Toads, a character named Frankie displayed many characteristics of a bully. Using our shared text as a springboard, students are writing a story that includes a "bullyish" character. In the midst of planning and writing their narratives, students are working on developing elements of narratives, such as plot, point of view, characters, and setting.
Math
We are building up our knowledge of solving numerical expressions using the order of operations and writing numerical expressions. Using a variety of strategies, we are solving multi-digit multiplication problems. Multiplication strategies include the over strategy, doubling and halving, partial products, and five is half of ten. We are also finding the volume of rectangular prisms by using the volume formula (length x width x height) and math manipulatives (Omnifix cubes). We will be taking our Post Assessment for Unit 1 next week! Yesterday we started our review with a fun and challenging digital escape room! Students were challenged to solve problems and puzzles in eight different escape room! In teams of three, they used collaboration, perseverance, and great problem-solving skills! Today we played "Show down!" Ask your student for the details!
In Number Corner, we are reinforcing skills regarding volume and practicing skills with fractions and decimals.
Science
We are continuing to learn about ecosystems. In the past weeks, we learned about the role of producers and how producers make their own food through photosynthesis. During an investigation, we explored the necessities that help plants survive. We learned that it is essential for plants to receive adequate sunlight, water, and air. However, we were surprised to find out that plants do not necessarily need soil to grow! I even brought in a bamboo stalk from home to show how it grows perfectly without soil!
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 19th- PTO Book Fair, Conference sign up email will be sent to parents
Tuesday, September 20th- Early Release (Dismissal @ 2:05 PM)
Tuesday, September 20th- PTO Book Fair
Wednesday, September 21st- PTO Ice Cream Social & Book Fair
Friday, September 23rd- PTO Special Lunch (Papa John’s)
Monday, September 26th- No School (District Holiday)
Wednesday, October 5th- No School (District Holiday)
Thursday, October 6th- No School- Conferences
Friday, October 7th- No School- Conferences
Monday, October 10th- No School (District Holiday)
Friendly Reminders
Please remind your student to charge his/her iPad and Logitech Crayon every night
Please remember to send your student with a healthy snack. We eat a LATE lunch and the kids get quite hungry!!!
Please continue to have your student practice their multiplication facts up to 12
Our class will be going to the Book Fair Preview on Monday.
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