Week of 1.7.13 - 1.11.13

Welcome back!  It was SO great to see the kids this week and boy did we have a wonderful five days.  They were rejuvenated for sure:  energized, enthusiastic about learning, bold about participating in class, and kind and patient with one another.  Our learning was productive and fun!  Today we had Hubbard Street and the dance instructors were very impressed.  They moved through a lot of concepts, including identifying similes and metaphors in poetry, then showing similes through dance.  There was lots of giggling today, with many well-deserved compliments thrown in there, too.

Writing:    With the autobiographies complete we'll move on to another free-choice assignment.  Students began brainstorming and drafting this week.  The ideas are fabulous!  I'll collect their rough drafts next Friday and we'll revise/ edit the following week.  They'll have quite a bit of class time to draft, but will also have the option to work on it for homework if their stories are longer.  Ask your child what their next writing topic and genre are. 

Reading:    We are back into the Treasures curriculum with a new unit called Investigations.  Most of the texts we'll read are expository (informational).  It is mostly science- related and the kids are already really into it.  Our spelling and reading packets will resume their usual form (weekly, collected on Fridays).  Ask your kids about the scientist we read about this week, and what it means when he says he explores "Hidden Worlds."

4th Grade Math:     Unit 5 covers "Big numbers, Estimation and Computation."  Double digit multiplication, here we come!  The students will review rounding and estimation to apply to word problems, as well as learn three strategies for double-digit multiplication.  They'll have the choice of strategy to use on the unit test.

5th Grade Math: Check out Ms. Wennerberg's website and newsletter for updates: http://www.op97.org/swennerberg/

Social Studies: Check out Ms. Wennerberg's website and newsletter for updates: http://www.op97.org/swennerberg/

Science:   This week we began "The Human Body."  We launched the unit with the question "What is a system?"  As we progress through each body system, we'll continue to ask, what parts make this system function?  How does it contribute to the whole body system?  We start with the skeletal system.  It's a fun one!  Ask your kids about what makes a system.  Ask them what they initially thought of when I said the word 'system.'

 Miscellaneous:

• Our Bud, Not Buddy field trip is on Valentine's Day.  We've already sent home the permission slip, so please return it with $14 as soon as you are able.  Thanks!
• Soon I'll send home information and a sign-up opportunity for conferences at the end of January.  I look forward to connecting again in person.