Class Update: Week of Jan. 27

In ELA, we are wrapping up mythology through Reader's Theater activities, read alouds, and keynote presentations on the myths we studied.  Students are making fun presentations of each of the myths complete with the allusion, meaning, image and summary of each myth.  We are working on our fictional writing and moving on to creating believable characters for their stories this week.  We will be focusing on internal and external characteristics/features of their characters.

In Science, we are working with the states of matter and will be exploring how water changes from a solid to a liquid to a gas.  Following these lessons we will proceed into the water cycle, precipitation, condensation and evaporation.

In Social Studies, we have wrapped up the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation (see our graphic organizer below) and are now investigating the debates within the Constitutional Convention with emphasis on James Madison and Benjamin Franklin.

In Math, we are wrapping up standard NF.4 (Multiplying Fractions by Whole Numbers).  We have used strategies such as visual representations, area models, number lines and repeated addition.  A graded math quiz came home in the red folder today.  Please review the notes with your child as we will take our final test on this standard Wednesday (we will review tomorrow).  Below are examples of the strategies:

*NOTE: All answers must be converted from improper fractions to whole or mixed fractions in their simplest form.  Some of my screen shot got cut off in some of these examples...

I think that's all for now... :)  I hope everyone has a great week!!!

Class Update: Term 4

Welcome to Term 4!  I have updated our curriculum and homework tabs/pages with some information I hope you find helpful as we navigate through term 4.   

In Math so far we have been working with NF.4; Multiplying Fractions by Whole Numbers.  We have practiced how to use a fraction visual (or area) model to find their answer as well as the standard algorithm, repeated addition, and number lines.  I sent several classwork papers home in their red folders yesterday that had been corrected in class or reviewed with students individually or in small groups to help you see what we are working on.  Today we started a formative assessment of this skill so I could check in with them before we move on to the next standard.  We will finish the test tomorrow as some students ran out of time.  

In ELA we are working on mythology and have really enjoyed learning about the characteristics of myths as well as allusions.  We are adding to our notes and our class anchor chart daily and are building background by reading different examples of myths.  To date, we have read about Pandora, Hercules, King Midas, Achilles, and Odysseus.  We read 3 versions of King Midas and 2 versions of Pandora (one greek and one native american).  By the end of the term, students will work towards writing their own myths which should include the elements that we are learning about now.  Students also received their Term 4 reading contracts/assessments.  They are working on 1 poem, 1 myth, 1 non-fiction book and 2 fiction books this term (due Feb. 13).  The myth was completed in class last week and many have already read one book!

In Social Studies we began moving our understanding of the American Revolution into the work that was put into developing the U.S. Constitution. We began working with understanding the Articles of Confederation and how it addressed the needs of the Americans following the winning of independence. During a class discussion, we were able to identify what the citizens were able to do under the Articles of Confederation as well as what the delegates did not plan for when the Articles of Confederation was written. Students are realizing that there were many weaknesses to that plan. We will discuss where the nation when from there, but it is important for the students to realize that the delegates had to write more than one version, had to make revisions, and had to learn how to compromise. One of the concepts that we will focus on within the next few days will be the Great Compromise, which was a solution to a significant disagreement of the time. We will use a few different texts to aid in their understanding of this. 

In Science we have started out with our study of weather.  We have learned about various instruments used to measure weather (thermometer, anemometer, barometer, wind vane, hygrometer, rain gauge, weather map) as well as how they are used.  We've taken notes in our Science journals as well as watched videos on Discovery Education.  We are even checking some weather instruments outside at recess.  Please encourage the students to watch the weather report either on the news or using a newspaper to help us with our class discussions.

Reminders:

Math homework comes home M-Th evenings.  While it is not graded, it is expected to be completed and returned as it helps you to understand what we are working on and helps me to know how they are doing with it.  We typically go over some of the homework during our math block.

xtramath.com can be used at home.  Consist practice of those math facts can move your child through addition and subtraction so they can get to the multiplication stage that would be most helpful in class right now.

Compass Learning is also a great tool to use at home for Math and ELA practice!  www.thelearningodyssey.com

Login: student lunch #

Password: go

(The school MUST say Decatur)

Your child should be bringing home their planner/agenda daily.  They should be writing the learning targets we are working on as well as their weekly spelling words (tests are Fridays).

Optional: some students are choosing to take their classwork folders home as well.  Their classwork folders contain their current reading contract as well as their daily reading log.  (They have time in the morning to work on those items in class if they are choosing not to take them home)