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Reading: We continued to learn about retelling stories. Students drew the setting of one story after listening to the author's description. We worked on retelling the problem and solution. Students learned the word “plot” and how to retell the important parts of a story. We talked about how to tell a story in sequence using time words (ex: next, then, after that). Writing: Students worked on writing a first draft of their "Best Part of Me" story. We discussed including a topic sentence and a closing sentence. Students worked to write complete sentences to describe why they prefer that part of them. Word Study: The class did more exploring and activities related to CVCe words (words that have a silent e at the end). We worked on the idea that if we know how to spell one word, it can help us spell others. Students did a search for words with certain patterns around our room. Students practiced on whiteboards and inserted CVC and CVCe words in sentences. Math: We continued our learning goal of reading and counting numbers using place value. Students worked on representing hundreds, tens, and ones with base ten blocks and in number form. We explored how numbers can be shown in different ways (45 can be shown as 4 tens and 5 ones or another way is 2 tens and 25 ones). The class took a place value checkpoint on Thursday. We enjoyed reviewing some measuring concepts by measuring leaves. Science/Social Studies:
We continued learning about air. We discussed properties of wind and how wind can be harmful and helpful. The class wrote and drew ways that wind can help us or be extreme. Students used anemometers to measure the speed of wind. We also had our first guidance lesson with Mrs. Elfers. News:
Reading: Our learning goal is how readers can retell stories. We focused on characters and how we can visualize and describe them. Groups wrote character traits for famous cartoon characters. Students picked one character from our read aloud book, described them, and created that character using paper plates and construction paper. We discussed the setting of a story - when and where a story takes place. Writing: We continued doing activities to help us write more descriptively. Students discussed changing "telling" sentences to "showing" sentences." We "stretched" sentences out by adding who, what, when, where, and why. Small groups learned how to make a real sentence (not a run on sentence) by putting phrases together to make silly sentences. We discussed how a genre is a type of writing. We focused on the first stage of the writing process: prewrite. Students are using the writing process to complete a paper describing their favorite body part (hair,eyes, hands, etc.). Students used a graphic organizer to list reasons why they prefer this part of them. Word Study: Students took an assessment on Monday for open and closed syllables. We learned about words with silent e ("magic e"). We changed CVC words (like can) to CVCe words (like cane). We noticed how the vowel sound changes from a short sound to a long sound when we add an e at the end. Students created word flips and did a sort. Math: We took an assessment on Unit 1 on Monday. We started learning about place value. Groups had to count beans and sort them into groups of tens and hundreds. We place "Race to 100" with math materials to demonstrate how 10 ones can be bundled as 1 ten and 10 tens can be bundled as 1 hundred. Science:
We started a unit about air. We learned that the atmosphere is made up of air. Students enjoyed watching a Bill Nye video on air and wind. After learning that wind is moving air, students used straws and cotton balls to create wind and race with a partner. News:
Reading: We finished learning how authors use word choice to add interest and meaning to their texts. Students Partners did a book search for all the elements we learned about (rhyme, alliteration, etc.). We reviewed our Word Choice features on whiteboards and took the assessment on Wednesday. We started learning about how to retell stories. We discussed reasons why we might need to retell and brainstormed story elements. Students also learned how to use the reading website Epic during our reading time. Writing: We started thinking about how to make our writing more descriptive. We worked together to describe what various feelings would be like (ex: angry - stomping feet, face turning red). We made a chart to show examples of describing different emotions. We changed "telling" sentences to "showing" sentences." The class created strong sentences using an adjective, noun, and verb. Word Study: We learned the difference between open and closed syllables. An open syllable is when the vowel does not have a consonant following it and it can say its name. A closed syllable has a vowel enclosed by consonants and has a short vowel sound. We practiced saying, sorting and writing these. Math: We spent time using different models/tools to help us add or subtract. Students created bead strings of 20 and used number lines to 20. We practiced answering story problems and what it looks like to show our work to solve each problem. Students reviewed odds and evens. We discussed different kinds of strategies to help us add and subtract like "make ten" or "doubles." Science/Social Studies:
On Monday we made multicolored dots on coffee filter paper for International Dot Day. We celebrated Constitution Day on Tuesday. Students learned why, how, and when the constitution was made. We spent the rest of the week reviewing zones of regulation. Students shared what zone they would be in for different scenarios, picked things that would help them get back to the green zone if they were feeling mad or sad, and discussed triggers. News:
Reading: We continued learning how authors use word choice to add interest and meaning to their texts. We explored books with alliteration (same sound at the beginning). Students created alliteration sentences using the first sound in their names. They drew their mental images of four different onomatopoeia words (buzz, click, crash, and clack). We read Doodle Dandies to see how authors use interesting illustrations, formats, and text sizes. Writing: We focused on how good writers think about writing conventions. We compared two stories written in neat handwriting and sloppy handwriting. Students added "Try It" pages to their writing folders as an additional tool to spell words. We reviewed the three kinds of ending punctuation and practiced how sentences would sound with each type (period, exclamation point, question mark). Students checked for correct capitals in their writing - at the beginning of a sentence and for names. Word Study: We continued to explore syllables. Students did a word hunt around our room to find words with different amounts of syllables. We noticed that every syllable has to have a vowel in it. The class discussed how syllables can help us spell words. We learned how to divide words into their syllables and took a short quiz. Math: We focused on learning why numbers are even or odd. Students enjoyed using Smarties to prove how even numbers can be divided into two equal groups (and odd numbers cannot). During Number Corner, we focused on time concepts - reviewing hours and A.M. We learned several new work stations to help us add doubles and find the difference between numbers. Science/Social Studies:
Our learning goal remained about exploring what scientists do and how they use inquiry skills. We reviewed by writing webs of what we learned scientists do and filling in inquiry skills in a poem. Students took an assessment on Tuesday. Wednesday was Patriot's Day. We discussed first responders to emergencies. Students also spent some time learning about Zones of Regulation. News:
We met our new fourth grade buddies! Reading: We continued learning how authors use word choice to add interest and meaning to their texts. We reviewed how authors use rhythm to add a beat to their writing. Students also identified the repeating words and phrases from several books read aloud. Writing: On Monday we talked about what inspires us as writers. Students looked at several images and discussed in what ways they were inspired (e.g. a photo of kids playing soccer might make you want to play soccer, write about a time you played soccer, etc.). We read texts to help us think of ways to be creative as writers. Students learned about the word "genre" and what kinds of paper choices would work best for different kinds of stories. Word Study: We reviewed consonants and vowels by reading a September poem and highlighting all the vowels. Students also started exploring syllables, parts of words. The kids wrote and sorted their names by the number of syllables and did a syllable picture sort. We noticed that every syllable has to have a vowel in it. Math: We started our first days of using "Number Corner." This is an additional section of math where students discover patterns on a calendar grid, identify odd and even with magnetic tiles, and work on time concepts by "collecting" 60 minutes a day. During the rest of math this week, we focused on using the number rack (and images that resembled the number rack like a double decker bus) to add within 20. Science:
We learned more things that scientists do. We had to think flexibly to classify objects in different ways (color, shape, size, etc.). We sequenced ourselves by our birthdays and by our height. Partners measured classroom objects using cubes as their unit of measure. Small groups created models of a bridge using various materials in our classroom. |
dates to rememberMarch 16-April 3: No
School April 10: No School April 13: Spring Photos May 1: COSI Field Trip May 15: Springtacular Related Arts ScheduleApril 6 - April 10
Monday: P.E. Tuesday: Library Wednesday: Art Thursday: Music Friday: No School Books we
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