I will be using this page as a quick overview of what is happening in our classroom each week. I will always include a brief explanation of academics and may sometimes have something else to add about the happenings in our classroom.
Currently, students are working to stretch themselves as readers...reading books that challenge them just enough and responding in writing about their reading. We are talking about some comprehension strategies that good readers use to help them better understand their reading such as visualizing, making predictions, asking questions, and stopping to summarize. We want students to be thoughtful about their reading rather than just "plowing through" to get to the end. These strategies are not new - we are simply reviewing them, working with them at a deeper level of thinking, and learning to apply them independently.
Spelling is very different than it was in second grade. We don't have a list of weekly spelling words, but rather a large group of words that are used to study and practice specific spelling patterns through word sorting activities. All students do not have the same list and the test isn't always on Friday. Sometimes, I notice a set of words is quite simple for a group and they will only work with the words for a few days before we test and move on. Other times, we may have the same set of words for two weeks. I will be sending home the list of words with your child each time new ones are assigned. The other component of our spelling instruction is application of spelling in daily writing. I will be helping students to become more aware of their spelling in independent writing by encouraging them to check their own spelling - right now students need varying levels of guidance for this - some find mistakes independently while others need for me to tell them which words to fix. When looking at your child's writing at home, feel free to tell them: "there is a word in this line that you need to fix...can you find it?" We want to encourage as much independence as possible.
In math, we have finished our review of addition with regrouping and have moved on to subtraction. This has been a little tricky as we are introducing the concept of subtracting across zeros (ex: 3005 - 1244). Please watch your child's folder this week as I will be sending home extra practice for students who need it. I am going to attempt to load a video to my symbaloo page so that you and your child can watch it at home if you would like - it is simply instruction on how to subtract across zeros. I'm encouraging students to use the "box trick" which is described in one of the videos. Please take some time to review basic subtraction facts with your child (such as flash cards) as advanced subtraction is much easier if they don't have to work so hard at each individual subtraction problem.
In science and writing, we are working on a combined project - researching (writing) and studying ecosystems (science). Students have finished their research for the most part and will be working on creating a presentation of their information this week. We will be learning about power point which will be one option for presentation. This is an in class project but if you would like to research at home with your child, they can tell you the ecosystem they have chosen. They are welcome to bring in any additional information they find.
Currently, students are working to stretch themselves as readers...reading books that challenge them just enough and responding in writing about their reading. We are talking about some comprehension strategies that good readers use to help them better understand their reading such as visualizing, making predictions, asking questions, and stopping to summarize. We want students to be thoughtful about their reading rather than just "plowing through" to get to the end. These strategies are not new - we are simply reviewing them, working with them at a deeper level of thinking, and learning to apply them independently.
Spelling is very different than it was in second grade. We don't have a list of weekly spelling words, but rather a large group of words that are used to study and practice specific spelling patterns through word sorting activities. All students do not have the same list and the test isn't always on Friday. Sometimes, I notice a set of words is quite simple for a group and they will only work with the words for a few days before we test and move on. Other times, we may have the same set of words for two weeks. I will be sending home the list of words with your child each time new ones are assigned. The other component of our spelling instruction is application of spelling in daily writing. I will be helping students to become more aware of their spelling in independent writing by encouraging them to check their own spelling - right now students need varying levels of guidance for this - some find mistakes independently while others need for me to tell them which words to fix. When looking at your child's writing at home, feel free to tell them: "there is a word in this line that you need to fix...can you find it?" We want to encourage as much independence as possible.
In math, we have finished our review of addition with regrouping and have moved on to subtraction. This has been a little tricky as we are introducing the concept of subtracting across zeros (ex: 3005 - 1244). Please watch your child's folder this week as I will be sending home extra practice for students who need it. I am going to attempt to load a video to my symbaloo page so that you and your child can watch it at home if you would like - it is simply instruction on how to subtract across zeros. I'm encouraging students to use the "box trick" which is described in one of the videos. Please take some time to review basic subtraction facts with your child (such as flash cards) as advanced subtraction is much easier if they don't have to work so hard at each individual subtraction problem.
In science and writing, we are working on a combined project - researching (writing) and studying ecosystems (science). Students have finished their research for the most part and will be working on creating a presentation of their information this week. We will be learning about power point which will be one option for presentation. This is an in class project but if you would like to research at home with your child, they can tell you the ecosystem they have chosen. They are welcome to bring in any additional information they find.