4th Grade Math: From Unit 1 to Unit 2 we will switch gears from geometry to numbers; our Unit 2 focus will be "Using Numbers and Organizing Data." Students brought home a Unit 2 family letter this week. These family letters include vocabulary, key concepts, game rules and homework answers for you to support your students at home- they're great! Throughout this unit we'll explore equivalent names for numbers; mean, median, mode, and range; place value; and addition/ subtraction of multi-digit numbers. If you haven't visited the Everyday Math at-home/ family support link (also listed to the left in the math section), be sure to check it out!
5th Grade Math: Check out Ms. Wennerberg's website and newsletter for updates: http://www.op97.org/swennerberg/
Writing: This week the kids committed to their first topic and genre. Now we'll move forward with the writing process: (brainstorming), drafting, revising, editing, publishing. The majority of this work will be done in class; I'm looking forward to seeing the way their ideas develop.
Reading: We are wrapping up The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg. Our character, plot and vocabulary work has tied in nicely with the start up of Treasures skill-review. Because we're doing so much work to interact with the book while reading it, we won't do a big culminating project at the end. Rather, we'll use the work we've already done for a small wrap-up.
So often we end up adjusting our schedules due to pacing, unexpected events and spontaneous teaching moments: I did just that with reading this week in order to finish our novel, thus altering our start for the first Treasures unit. Next week we really will start with the first unit, which means we'll also start Spelling! Be on the look out for the weekly spelling packet, assigned Mondays, due Fridays.
Social Studies: Check out Ms. Wennerberg's website and newsletter for updates: http://www.op97.org/swennerberg/
Science: Our lessons started with 'direct teaching' during which the students read an article and studied diagrams to gather more information about meal worms. We discussed how questions in the scientific process must be simple enough to test, and experiments must be evidence-based (not opinions!). I partnered the students up and together they developed a question to use for their independent experiment. They're just starting to develop their procedure. Ask your kids about their question and test process.
Miscellaneous:
- CAMP EDWARDS: 5th grade families can start to hand in Camp Edwards permission slips and fees. They are due at the beginning of November.
- PICTURE DAY is Tuesday, Sept 25th. The kids brought home picture packets on Thursday, please return after choosing your option. Please note that our timeslot is in the afternoon; the kids may want to bring a comb or brush for after lunch recess!
- GOLDEN LUNCHBOX CONTEST: Wednesday, September 26th. The classroom that brings the most waste free lunches will win the honor of displaying the Golden Lunchbox in their classroom for a month, as well as a PAW for every student. If your child brings his/ her lunch, please be sure to pack it in reusable containers that day (and every day!)
