* Reading - read 30 minutes, signed reading log * Math - JP 331, S.L. 9.10, Study - U9 test on Wednesday; Mrs. G's Math Homework * TE Permission Slip * Remember: Shower and Deodorant! * Don't forget to get planner signed
Tuesday 4/28
* Reading - read 30 minutes, signed reading log; Read Underground railroad novel and capture your thinking by Monday * Math - JP 332; review packet, Study - U9 test on Wednesday; Mrs. G's Math Homework * TE Permission Slip * Remember: Shower and Deodorant! * Don't forget to get planner signed
Wednesday 4/29
* Reading - read 30 minutes, signed reading log; Read Underground railroad novel and capture your thinking by Monday * Math - JP ; Mrs. G's Math Homework * TE Permission Slip * Remember: Shower and Deodorant! * Don't forget to get planner signed
Research shows that the more students read at their independent reading level, the better readers and writers they become.Since the start of school, students have been required to read 20 minutes a night as part of their homework.Recently we have been working on teaching students how to pick a “Good Fit Book” (one at their independent reading level).Your child has had access to a wide array of literature.
While at home, please guide your child to make good book choices.If students choose books that are above their independent reading level, while they can often move through the text, they are not be able to “think deep” and “talk long” about it and that is where the true learning comes in to play.
My goal this year is to get your child excited about reading so that they become life long readers.If you get the chance, I encourage you to talk to your child about what they are reading.Get them to share their favorite parts, or parts they questioned or connected to.Have them discuss the characters and how they are growing and changing.Ask them what they think the “lesson” is that the author is trying to get across or to give you examples of great writing (author’s craft).Students are also working on fluency, so if you have the time to sit and listen to them as they read out loud, that would also be very beneficial.Finally, if you are involved in reading (any kind– newspaper, magazines, pleasure novels or even work related text), feel free to talk to your child about it and share with them your thinking.Anything you can do to support their reading will be so helpful!
Math- We are now involved in Unit 3 - Geometry and Measurement. We are having lots of fun measuring angles and exloring polygons.
Students should also be practicing their math multiplication facts. We will be having a daily math facts quiz to sharpen our speed and accuracy.
Writing - We are currently working on research papers on Endangered Species. Students are learning to plan and a long term project over time. They started with focus questions, then did research and answered their focus questions on idex cards. We are now planning out our essays using the Expository Writing pillar. Next we will begin our rough drafts...then we will revise, edit and go to final copy. Final essays and creative projects are due Thursday, October 30th.
All year long, in all the writing we do, we will be focusing on Eight Traits of Good Writing. They are:
Ideas
Organization
Elaboration
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Voice
Conventions
Presentation
Reading Students will be engaged in many forms of reading this year!
- We are reading stories about Endangered Animals and practicing the skills of identifying Main Ideas and Supporting Details. We are then using that information to write concise summaries.
-Independent Reading - Students are reading novels of their choice and completing weekly reading response activities. They will be expected to read a minimum of 2 novels a month for the remainder of the year. Students have 30 minutes of reading time in class each day, and they are expected, as part of their nightly homework, to read 30 minutes at home each night and to complete a sheet that focuses on a different strategy each week.
-Read Aloud - I read aloud a novel to the class daily. Students listen and respond to the story in a number of ways (turn and talk with your peers, written reading response, practice different reading strategies, discuss character development and author's craft, etc.)
-Guided Reading - I work periodically with small groups of students to work on different comprehension or oral reading strategies.
Reading Strategies - Throughout the year we will be using and developing the following reading strategies:
Making Connections
Questioning
Visualizing and Inferring
Determining Importance
Synthesizing Information
Social Studies: We will be studying 4 topics this year: Maps and Globes, United States Governement, Westward Movement and the Civil War. - During the month of October we will be studying the Three Branches of our Government and the Election Process!
Science: We will be studying 4 topics this year: Move It!, Physical and Chemical Changes, Light Energy and Senses, and Health (drug education, First Aid, Aides, Growth and Development). - Students just finished the Physical and Chemical Changes unit. They did some cool experiments including one where they had to identify a mystery powder. It was really cool and loads of fun!
We will have 20 students in our class this year. (We just lost one of our students - he will be attending a new school for the remainder of the year. They Smarty-O's won't be the same without him!) - 10 Boys - 10 Girls
Students will be getting to know each other and building a strong community during the first few weeks of school. We will be stressing the "8 C's".
Cooperation
Collaboration
Compromise
Conflict Resolution
Compassion
Creativity
Confidence
Community
We are also discussing what effective leadship looks like, sounds like and feels like. We will learn to recognize our strengths and weaknesses in group work and work to strengthen/improve them.
Students - Don't forget to take responsibility for your feelings and address conflict as soon as it happens by using a kind and respectful "I Message" (Formula: I feel ____(emotion) when ____.
We, Mrs. O’s Smarty O’s, do hereby promise to strive for excellence in all that we do.We will always try our best, keep a positive can-do attitude, never give up and believe in ourselves.To achieve this:
1.We will treat others the way we want to be treated.We will… -be kind, caring and generous. -include others in groups and make them feel welcome and valued. -take responsibility for our feelings and actions by using “I Messages”. -give appreciations. -give the gift of attentive listening which involves our eyes, ears and hearts, positive body language and active response. -not bully, brag or boast.
2.We will be organized and treat all materials with respect.We will… -pick things up and put them away where they belong. -keep our desk (inside, out & under) and classroom clean, organized and neat. -recognize and respect the top of our desks as community property. -respect others’ supplies and not use them without permission. -use all resources wisely.
3.We will have a productive and fun working environment where everyone can do their best work.We will… -listen to, read, and follow directions -work quietly with indoor voices. -be active participates – no “sitters”, especially in group work. -help others who are struggling on assignments. -take responsibility for our assignments and be accountable for what we don’t do. -take responsibility for our own learning by asking questions if we don’t understand. -not cheat. -not interrupt the teacher when she is working with individuals or small groups by using the strategy “ask 3” then the teacher. -be leaders not bosses. -use humor to add value, not to get off task and be the class clown.
4.We will create and maintain a safe learning community for all.We will… -follow the 4 agreements and this Class Constitution. -be quiet during fire drills and gold team drills. -always act appropriately by following the school, recess, café and bus rules.
We will be marvelous role models in and out of our classroom.
I will provide you each with everything you need including: a daily planner, a folder for notices, a pencil box, a ruler, a template, a highlighter, a pair of scissors, a calculator, an eraser and a pencil. Here is a list of additional supplies that you might want to purchase. Remember that these are all optional.
7 folders, one for each of the following subjects: Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Writing, Economic System and TRIBES.
a glue stick
pencils and erasers
a one subject notebook - try to get one where you can tear the paper out in a straight line… rough edges make me crazy!
a small set of magic markers – I’ll have a class set, you only need to buy some if you want your own set
a small set of colored pencils – same goes here as with the markers
1 pen for correcting
a package of 3” x 3” sticky notes
a compass
a box of tissues for the classroom would be very much appreciated! Let’s stock up now for the winter months!
July 2009 To view the full calendar, click the above link.
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