Week 27 - March 23, 2018

Curriculum

Reading

Students are learning to read books an analyze the characters.  This week, we discussed the character in the books they read.  We then switched books, so students are reading a different book with the same character in it.  They are looking to see if the character is similar/different in the books.  

Book Baggies:
Students have 6 books in their bag (two below their reading level to help them work on fluency, two at their level to focus on good reading skills, and two above level to continue to push and grow as readers).  These bags will stay at home all week for students to practice reading.  It is good to encourage reading and rereading of these books!  We will exchange books on Fridays, so please have students return these books next Friday.  (Just FYI, Library books are sent in on Thursday.)  If a student forgets or is absent one week, they will need to return them the following Friday. 

Writing
This week, students learned to write an opinion piece about weather.  They wrote about their favorite season and why it was their favorite.  Next week, we will continue to write opinion pieces.  Students will pick a special person in history to write about.  They will share why they think that person is so special.

Math
This week we focused on different subtraction strategies.  Students worked on solving problems but also naming the strategy they used to solve the problem.  Next week, we will work on finding the unknown rule that relates two numbers and use a number sentence to describe the rule.

Unit 7 Skills
o I can use the turn-around rule to generate fact families.
o I can "think addition", count up, or count back to solve subtraction facts.
o I can find the unknown rule relating to two numbers and describe the relationship using a number sentence.
o I can show time to the hour on an analog clock with both the hour and minute hands.
o I can name defining attributes of 2-dimensional shapes.

Unit 7 Study Guide - You may use this to guide you in helping your child study for this Unit 7 Assessment.

Unit 7 IXL Skills - If you would like to, students may use IXL to help them practice these skills.

Social Studies/Science
This week, students have been learning about maps.  We've learned that there are different types of maps, that the map key can help us, what an aerial view is, etc.  Next week, we will continue to learn about relative and absolute location.  Please talk to your child about what their address is.  We will be using this to help us learn about maps.

Purposeful Play
Students are really enjoying the opportunity to be creative and use their imagination.  I enjoy seeing the problem solving and collaboration that happens. Ask your child what he or she created!

Please see the Purposeful Play tab on the blog to learn more about our weekly Play Time and donation items we could use for it!

Homework

• Read every night
• Work on a math skill (i.e. adding and subtracting to 20 - play a board game for this, telling time, counting coins, measuring - length and volume -  have your child cook with you to practice this, talk about shapes - 2D and 3D - find items around your house, etc.) 

Important Dates

March 26 - Spring Conferences - I have contacted those who I feel I need to meet with.  If you would like to meet and I have not contacted you, please let me know.
March 30 - Good Friday - No School
April 2-6 - Spring Break - No School
May 18 - PBL Presentation (AM) - more information to come, Celebration of Learning (PM)
May 28 - Memorial Day - No School
June 15 - Last Day of School - 1/2 Day (12:30 dismissal)