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

December Update

Upcoming Events

12/17 PTO Meeting 6:30-7:30

12/20 End of 2^nd Quarter

12/20 2:00 Winter Party

12/23-1/7 Winter Break

Reading

For the rest of December the students will be working with non-fiction text. They will practice asking questiong before, during and after reading. Having students support the answers with information directly from the text is the difficult skill. At home read a non-fiction book with your students. Ask them questions and help them hunt for the answers within the text. The goal is not also to recall the answer but be able to prove your correct by finidng the information in the text.

Writing

 This week the students are finishing and sharing their animal based Time for Kids Magazine. I am so proud of the final projects. The students showed many different non-fction text features and were able to share their research. We will share our magazine out in the hallway for the school to see. For the remainder of December students will work on writing shorts non-fiction, research based articles.

Social Studies

The students have worked with reading a map key and practicing cardinal directions. They map skills unit will finish this week. They are prqacticing memorizing the states which surround Missouri. They will also learn the path of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

2nd Quarter

2nd quarter end on December 20th. Grade cards will not be sent home until after we return from winter break.

Have a great December,
Mrs. Ray

November 11th Update

Upcoming Events

11/19 Midterms come home with students

12/20 End of 2^nd Quarter

12/20 2:00 Winter Party

12/23-1/7 Winter Break

Reading

Until Thanksgiving Break the students will be reviewing asking question before, during and after reading. The students are also observing how illustrations help a reader convey the mood the author is trying to set with the text.

Writing

The students are continuing to write in the genre of non-fiction. They are currently working on feature articles. After study Time for Kids Magazine the students observed how different text features are used to convey non-fiction information. The students are using the information they collected last week to write a feature article based on an animal of their choice.

Social Studies

The students are starting a social studies unit on map skills. In the next few weeks students will learn the cardinal directions, how to read a map key and finding different places on the map. The students will also learn the states which border Missouri.

November 4th

Upcoming Events

November

 

5 Late Start

5 PTO Skate Night

6 Reading Rewards Assembly 2:30

6-9 Reading Rewards Fundraiser

 
Reading
The students are working with reading books in the same series. We are complaring settings and characters between these like books. This week we will work with plot and central message. We are practicing supporting the central message of the book with details from the text.
 
Writing
The genre focus for this quarter is a feature article. This means students are working will writing non-fiction pieces. Currently, the students are working with a non-fiction topic to create a non-fiction chapter book. At home students can collect information at their topic too!
 
Science
The students are beginning their unit on magnets this week. The students will explore what is attracted to magnets, how poles interact and the strength of a magnet is determined. They will also learn how static electricity can also cause objects to repeal and attract each other.

Have a wonderful week,

Mrs. Ray

October 7th Update

Upcoming Events

October

9 Late Start

11 First Quarter Ends

17 McTeacher Night

22 Parent-Teacher conferences

24 Parent-Teacher conferences

31 Fall Party 2:00 pm

Monster Dash
The PB Monster Dash family fun run and trunk or treat flyers went home last week. (As week as a digital copy via email) You can register by sending back in your form or you can register online at  http://prairiebranchpto.revtrak.net/tek9.asp



Reading
Tall tales, fables and myths of my! The students are working with these genres to practicing finding the central message or lesson. At home if you are reading with your student you can help them identify story elements (characters, problem, solution, character traits).

Writing

The students are publishing a personal narrative this week. Out of all the personal narratives the students wrote this quarter, they are picking their favorite to edit and publish. Their personal narrative will be shared with you at conferences and will also be out in our hallway for the whole school to read.

Science

The students are continuing to learn about force and motion. Last week the students learned how force can be changed by friction, gravity or amount of effort. This week the students are completing an experiment based on force.  

Have a wonderful week,

Mrs. Ray

September 30th Update

Upcoming Events

October

5 High School Homecoming

9 Late Start

11 First Quarter Ends

17 McTeacher Night

22 Parent-Teacher conferences

24 Parent-Teacher conferences

31 Fall Party 2:00 pm

Spirit Week
Spirit week flyers went home with the students today.

Behavior Goals
The students tracked their goals all last week and brought them home on Friday. We will continue to track goals this week.

Each day students will record if they were able to meet their goal. At the end of the week, any students who had issues with their goal will bring it home and it needs to be signed and returned. If the students is able to make it through the week and meets their goal they will get a new behavior goal the next week.


Reading
The students will be given their reading test this week. This reading assessment will be shared during parent teacher conferences. I will be able to tell you your students reading strengths and weakness. As well as things to try at home. The students are also working on the characteristics of fairy tales this week.  

Writing

We will continue to practice writing personal narratives. The students are working on writing in paragraphs. We are also writing a concluding sentence or paragraph which effectively wrap up our personal narratives.

Science

The students have switched back to science this week. We are learning how force effects the motion of objects. We will continue to learn about force next week too.

Have a wonderful week,

Mrs. Ray