1/23/14 Update

1/23/14 Update

Upcoming Events

1/28 Late Start

1/31 Pastries with Parents 7:45

2/11 Midterms go home

2/14 Valentine’s Day Party

Reading

Before This week the students practiced summarizing stories to prepare for their DRAs. The DRA window will open on Monday 1/27 and close on Friday February 7^th. The results of the DRA testing will be shared with the 3^rd quarter midterm.

During the DRA testing window the students will be working with characterization. We will study characters and define their traits. They will also look at how a character changes over the course of the story.

Writing

The students have been brainstorming ideas for persuasive speeches. We have learned the process of imagining yourself in a place, see a problem and think of a solution. You can help your students brainstorm ideas at home too! Persuasive speeches will be our focus for this entire quarter.

Math

This Friday is our first multiplication test! Each Friday the students will have the opportunity to take two multiplications tests. Last Friday the students made flashcards they could study with at home.

Next week in math we will be finishing out geometry unit. The study guide will come home on Thursday and the test will be on Friday.

Science and Social Studies

This week the students learned about the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. They studied his speech and how he persuaded the nation of the importance of equality for everyone. We also worked with time lines.

Next week we will switch back to science. The students will learn about animal life cycles. They will identify common life cycle traits between plant and animal life cycles.

Word Work

The students will have their first test in their new word work group tomorrow 1/24. On Monday they will receive their new set of words.  

Have a wonderful weekend,

Mrs. Ray

Welcome to 3rd quarter!

1/10/2014

Welcome Back!

Upcoming Events

1/10 2 Quarter Grade Cards come home

1/28 Late Start

1/31 Pastries with Parents 7:45

Break

I hope everyone had a relaxing and fun winter break! We have had a great week of getting back to learning. We reviewed procedure and create our new classroom commitments for the rest of the year. These commitments are on each student’s desk and hold everyone accountable for creating a positive learning environment.

1.     I will not talk during transitions, in the hallway, in line or during work times.

2.    I will be a problem solver.

3.    I will be respectful of others and their belongings

I am very proud of the hard work the students have completed this week. I am excited to see them grow as learns during the rest of the school year.

Reading

Before break students found the main idea of non-fiction books. They learned to use the heading, beginning sentence or last sentence of a non-fiction passage to determine the main idea. We are currently working on pulling supporting details from the text which support the main idea.

You can help them practice this skill at home while reading a non-fiction book. After they determine the main idea you can have them point out sentences which support their main idea or help them reword the supporting details in their own words.

Writing

I was blown away by the students’ second quarter non-fiction writings. They researched, wrote and published their own animal magazine. These magazines are on display outside of our classroom for others to read. This quarter the students will be writing a persuasive petition.

 

 

Math

We began Unit 6 of math this week. The students are studying lines, line segments and rays (Ask them to teach you using our hand signals!). The students reviewed the four different types of angles. This unit is very vocabulary heavy.

We will also begin multiplication tests this month. On Monday students will bring home a set of multiplication flash cards. Every Friday starting January 24^th the students will be taking multiplication timed test. Students will need to practice these facts at home.

Science

Over the next few weeks the students will be learning about plant and animal life cycles. We are currently focusing on the difference between seed and seedless plants.

Word Work

The students were given the spelling inventory before they left for winter break. Starting Monday they will start word work with their new group. New sorts will be given on Monday and tests will be on Friday.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Mrs. Ray