12-18-20

 Weekly News 12-18-20

Important Notes:

*Students always need indoor shoes as we don’t wear boots in the classroom.  Please send a pair every day or they can also keep a pair in their locker. 

*Next week we have school on Monday and Tuesday.  Winter break begins Wednesday.  School resumes January 4, 2021!

Our Work this Week:

*In spelling we have completed our work on short vowels with a review week. Next up will be words with the -al and -alk pattern. 

*During math we completed unit 1 with a focus on odd and even numbers, making equivalent names for numbers, and comparing numbers with <,>,= symbols.  Students did the Unit 1 check progress test and the open response problem which focused on placing missing numbers on a number line.  We will start unit 2 on Monday.

*In reading workshop we focused on another aspect of characterization in fiction.  Our learning target was to be able to explain how what a character says and does tells you how they feel about other characters and also helps you predict what they may say or do throughout the story. 

*Writing workshop this week had most writers finishing their first realistic fiction book and beginning their second story in the series.  They chose a new realistic problem or adventure for their character and planned out the main story elements.  The kids are really learning to set the scene in their lead page instead of announcing the conflict on page one!  I’m seeing lots of fun details and dialogue jumping out on every page.  We work on editing every day as they write as we progress toward the goal of understanding where one sentence ends and a new one begins.

Music with our new teacher, Mrs. Joray!

Working on our thinking about character development in fiction

Using pattern blocks to tile surfaces - the beginning of "area."

Working on our character work with some fun holiday stories

Building place value block structures and counting their value

Realistic stories in progress!

Playing a game to understand comparing numbers

Kids love the chance to create and design with pattern blocks

Mr. Libby outdid us all on ugly sweater day.

You just can't beat a yogurt parfait!

How we plan our new stories