Weekly Update

Math 

Students did awesome with fractions this week!  We changed mixed numbers into fractions and fractions into mixed numbers.  We also added and subtracted fractions, including fractions with whole numbers!  Students are impressing me with their knowledge and retention of fraction concepts.  Our final math test will be next Wednesday.  Students received the study guide (with extra credit opportunity) today.

    

Comparing fractions

Playing Fraction Triominoes

Reading
Towards the end of last week, we started our final read aloud, Matilda.  Our goal is to finish it by the last day of school, and we are moving at a good rate.  This week we also used close reading to read more closely into our Storyworks magazine articles.  We worked in groups to answer and discuss questions verbally.  Many of the prompted questions regarded the author's craft (ex. "Why do you think the author...?").  Students had great discussions about the text!

Writing
Next week we will share our picture books with our first grade buddies, and then I will share those stories with you on the blog as well.  Students have enjoyed making these digital storybooks, and they are turning out great!


Social Studies
In social studies, we are finishing up a branches of government project.  These are due in class on Thursday.  I am so impressed with the students who have the Preamble to the Constitution memorized.  Ask your child if they are one of them!  On Thursday, we will have a quiz on the names of the 3 branches of government and two duties that each branch performs.  

Our last day of Junior Achievement was Monday, and boy was it a real treat!  Mr. Giles finished off the lessons with a trading game.  Groups of students traded with other groups (a.k.a. "countries") to get the necessary parts to assemble a computer.  Then, we got to try many different flavors of milk from Mr. Giles's company.  We got to hear more about Mr. Giles's business experience and taste test chocolate, peach and even fruit loop flavored milk!  Yum!

Field Day
We do know how to bring the school year to an end with a bang!  We have had so much fun these final weeks of May with all of the extra fun activities.  Today we enjoyed Field Day with many awesome games!  Check out some of the fun we had below.

Important Info. and Upcoming Dates
Please make sure that lunch fines are paid off before school ends.  All library books were due today.  In addition, all of Mrs. Leighton's classroom library books and any other borrowed materials are due by Wednesday (5/28) of next week.  Don't forget to turn in any tests or papers needing a parent signature as well!

Students will slowly bring home everything from school next week.  All items will be taken home by Thursday, so students will not need to bring a backpack to school with them on the last day of school.

• May 26th- Memorial Day- No school!
• May 28th- Chapter 21/22 Fractions Test
• May 29th- Branches of Government Quiz
• May 30th- Last day of school!  This is a half day with dismissal at 11:50, so no lunch will be served.

On Friday of next week, I will post the last Weekly Update!