Blog Archives

Monday, December 19, 2022

12/14/2022

Wishing each of you and your families a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year! See you all in 2023! 💗

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK 📌
MATH:
Last week in math we finished up Chapter 4. Students practiced multiplying and dividing fractions, and solved real world multiplication and division fraction problems.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our super readers continued examining Notice and Note Nonfiction. Students learned two more nonfiction signposts, Extreme and Absolute Language and Number and Stats.
Extreme and Absolute Language: Exaggerated, overblown, and probably untrue claims that can alert us to the strength of the author's feelings...or even the possibility that the author's work could mislead the reader.

Numbers and Stats: This signpost helps us make comparisons, draw conclusions, make inferences or generalizations, differentiate between fact or opinion, and even understand the author's purpose.

Students also continued working in their Number the Stars Literature Circle groups; reading, discussing, and exploring fiction elements.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Last week we began our next writing unit, Fiction! Students were super excited to begin exploring fiction writing elements.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Unfortunately our Social Studies time last week was swallowed up by Candor Health prep work and our presentation on Friday. We are looking forward to wrapping up our study of the Declaration of Independence this week!!

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS 💡
Math:
We will finish up Chapter 4, with our final assessment on Tuesday. We will spend the remainder of the week continuing to build our fact fluency skills.

READING WORKSHOP:
This week our readers will examine the remaining strategies of Notice and Note Nonfiction, Additionally, our Number the Stars Literature Circle groups will come to an end this week.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
This week our writers will continue to examine fiction writing!

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our study of the American Revolution will continue this week as we further explore the Declaration of Independence.

UPCOMING EVENTS 📆
Monday, 12/19: Boston Tea Party Virtual Field Trip (1:45pm)
Tuesday, 12/20: Chapter 4 Math Test
Friday, 12/23---HAPPY WINTER BREAK!!
Tuesday, 1/10: Classes Resume!

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Monday, December 12, 2022

12/11/2022

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Things are winding down as we wrap up our final weeks of 2022, and our 12 Days 'Til Winter Break Countdown is off to a great start!

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK 📌
MATH:
Last week in math we continued moving through Chapter 4. Students learned how to divide fractions., and spent time practicing how to solve real world fraction multiplication and division problems.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our super readers continued examining Notice and Note Nonfiction. Students used the questioning stance, What Did the Author Think I Already Knew, to help them better understand nonfiction text. We also examined contrasts and contradictions in nonfiction texts, to compare and contrast differences in perspective and situations. Additionally, students continued working in their Number the Stars Literature Circle groups; reading, discussing, and exploring fiction elements.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Students completed their final personal narrative revisions and published their work! On Friday, we held another successful Gallery Walk to celebrate the completion of our unit.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
We had a great week in social studies as we continued to explore the American Revolution. After examining the Loyalist, Patriot, and Neutralist perspectives, students made a choice for which side of the war they would choose, and supported this choice with specific evidence for their argument. Additionally, our class began examining the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Students learned about the meeting and tasks of the Second Continental Congress, and explored the importance of Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS 💡
Math:
We will finish up Chapter 4 this week and continue to build our problems solving and fact fluency skills.

READING WORKSHOP:
This week our readers will examine the Notice & Note nonfiction signposts Extreme and Absolute Language and Number and Stats. Additionally, our Number the Stars Literature Circle groups will continue this week.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
This week our writers will begin to examine fiction writing!

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our study of the American Revolution will continue this week as we further explore the Declaration of Independence.

UPCOMING EVENTS 📆
Monday, 12/12: Boston Massacre Virtual Field Trip (1:45pm)
Wednesday, 12/14: MATH MAP TEST (1:15pm)
Friday, 12/16: Candor Health Drug Education Presentation (10:30am)
Monday, 12/19: Boston Tea Party Virtual Field Trip (1:45pm)
Tuesday, 12/20: Chapter 4 Math Test
Friday, 12/23---HAPPY WINTER BREAK!!

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Monday, December 5, 2022

12/4/2022

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We had a great week back after Thanksgiving, and sure squeezed a lot of fun into each day! We're all looking forward to our 12 Days 'Til Winter Break Countdown that begins later this week!

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK💡
MATH:
Last week in math we continued moving through Chapter 4. Students learned how to multiply improper fractions by fractions, and mixed numbers by whole numbers. We also practiced solving real world multiplication of mixed numbers problems.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our readers were busy exploring nonfiction reading strategies, with a side of literature circles! Last week our class examined the Notice & Note Questioning Stances "What Surprised Me?" and "What Did the Author Think I Already Knew?" We learned that it's important to read nonfiction text critically to deepen our understanding of the topic presented. By recording what surprises us as we read, it helps us read nonfiction text with a critical and questioning eye. Additionally, if we can figure out what the writer is thinking we know, it helps us to get past “I don't get it” and move on to some fix-it-up tactics.

Our readers also began practicing taught discussion skills from earlier this year during our small group literature circles. While reading the novel Number the Stars students created discussion questions, identified noteworthy quotes and passages, and illustrated key moments from the text. These findings were used to facilitate their first group meetings on Friday!

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Our writers worked super hard last week finishing up the final edits of their personal narratives. Students self-assessed, peer conferred, and proofread their work for commonly misspelled words (their, they're, there, its, and it's), punctuation, and run-on sentences.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our study of the American Revolution continued last week! Students examined the varying perspectives of Loyalists, Patriots, and Neutralists and considered each groups' argument for whether or not to declare independence.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS📌
MATH:
We will continue moving through Chapter 4. Students will learn how to divide fractions.

READING WORKSHOP:
Students will continue to focus on the Notice & Note nonfiction We will examine the stance "What Challenged, Changed, or Confirmed What I Already Knew?" and explore Contrasts and Contradictions.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
This week in writing we will finish up our personal narrative publications, and host our second gallery walk of the year!

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our American Revolution unit will continue this week as we focus on The Shot Heard Round the World and the Declaration of Independence.

UPCOMING EVENTS📆
Tuesday, 12/6: BAND CONCERT @ 7pm
Wednesday, 12/7: READING MAP TEST (1:15pm)
Individual Math Contest #1 (lunch)
Thursday, 12/9: Team Math Contest #1 (lunch)
Monday, 12/12: Boston Massacre Virtual Field Trip
Wednesday, 12/14: MATH MAP TEST (1:15pm)
Friday, 12/16: Candor Health "Science Behind Drugs" Presentation (10:30am)
Monday, 12/19: Boston Tea Party Virtual Field Trip
Thursday, 12/22: ELF (pm)

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