November 30, 2015

Monday, November 30, 2015

Winter is upon us.  Please make sure that your child has boots, gloves, snow pants, a coat and a hat with them each day.  Here are a few of our classmates enjoying the winter weather we had before Thanksgiving. 

The class will be completing their NWEA mid-year assessments during our testing window from Dec. 2nd to Dec. 16th.  Please try to make sure your child is in school on our selected testing dates; however, if your child is sick or absent they will be allowed to make-up the test during the school day on another day.

NWEA testing dates for our classroom

Friday, December 4th, NWEA Reading test 9:15 - 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday, December 9th, NWEA Math test 9:15 - 10:45 a.m.

Important Dates 

12/2 Scholastic Holiday book orders are due

12/4 NWEA Reading Testing 9:15 - 10:45 a.m.

12/9 NWEA Math Testing 9:15 - 10:45 a.m.

12/11 TBA student-run credit union 

12/17  Santa gift shop and Santa visit

12/22 Holiday Classroom Party and school-wide sing-a-long 

12/23 to 1/3 NO SCHOOL for students

Math

This week we will continue to practice strategies for solving 2-digit by 2-digit and 3-digit by 2-digit multiplication problems.  Students are using area models, break apart method and standard algorithm methods to solve for products.  

Reading

We began a new nonfiction reading unit today.  Students will read nonfiction books for main idea and details, text structures and more.  We are excited to begin a new reading unit.  Students may read either nonfiction or fiction for nightly reading requirements.  It is encouraged they do a bit of both.

Spelling

Due to the short time frame for new spelling words, the students have a shortened list of number words this week.  They will practice these words in class through our spellingcity.com website. We will take an assessment over these words on Thursday, Dec. 3rd.  

twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety, hundred, thousand, million, billion, trillion

Science

We completed our unit over electricity and magnetism last week. Students built closed and parallel circuits.  We tested objects to determine whether they were conductors or insulators.  We added resistors to our circuits.  The students enjoyed all the hands-on experiments and practice.  

Social Studies

This week we will continue to learn about the Northeast region of the United States.  Students will take a train tour through the region stopping at various locations along the way to study each location in more detail.

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. DePlaunty

November 13, 2015

November 13, 2015

Math: 

We began our new math chapter this week.  Students will begin by learning and applying strategies to solve multiplication problems (2-digit times 1 digit and up to 4-digits times 1 digit with and without regrouping and 2-digit times 2-digit). Students will be asked to use repeated addition, rectangular arrays, area models and standard algorithm as strategies.

Questions you can ask your child:  

How can you use repeated addition to solve 213 X 4?

How can you use an array to solve 213 X 4?

How can you use an area model to solve 213 X 4?  

Reading:  

This week in reading we continued to dig deeper into our narrative stories.  We began to look beyond the characters in our story looking at other story elements, such as setting, important objects, plot, mood and feelings, and how parts of our story connect together?  

Reading Logs:  

We are now using weekly reading logs that require students to respond to their reading in writing once per week.  All logs and writing requirements are due on Monday each week.

Questions you can ask your child:

Did you enjoy the book Crenshaw?  Why do you think that Jackson created Crenshaw?  What was a reoccurring object in the book? What do you think it would be like to be a child that is homeless?

Science:  

This week we began building electrical circuits.  We learned what a closed circuit is and how to make a light bulb light by creating a closed circuit.  Students learned about the parts of light bulb and wrote an explanation of how Thomas Edison contributed to our scientific world.  

Questions you can ask your child:  

What is a closed circuit?  Where does the power come from that lights the lights in your home? How did Thomas Edison contribute to our scientific understanding.

Social Studies:  

Students began to learn about the geography of the Northeast region of the United States.  They located geographic features on maps.  We will continue to learn more about his region next week.

Questions you can ask your child:

What are the eleven states that make up this region of the United States?  What is the capitol of our nation?  What mountain range runs through this region?

Spelling words:  people, twinkle, noodle, simple, sparkle, bubble, wiggle, whistle, sample, freckles, puddle, little, tickle, middle, castle, bottle, nickel, poodle, apple, able

Important dates/upcoming events

11/19 Picture retake day

11/24 La Senorita gives back fundraiser night

11/26 and 11/27 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

Have a great weekend!  

Mrs. DePlaunty