Weekly Update

Writing

We have finished our journalism mini-unit.  Mr. Schoenekase even came in to act out a scene for the students to write a news story about.  Students did a great job in listing the important details first!  We will resume with spelling after break with homophones before starting our regular word sorts.  

Reading 

Here are our class magazines.  Students did a great job in researching and writing interesting weather articles!  After break, we will start historical fiction book clubs!  

Math

We finished Chapter 7 with order of operations.  After break, we will start fractions in Chapter 8!   We begin with factors and multiples, prime and composite numbers, and equivalent fractions.  We will also review big topics from previous chapters.  Students will take their Volume I math consumable textbooks home to practice past topics.  Chapter 8 starts the Volume II math textbook.  

Science/S.S. 

We have finished our rocks unit and will resume with Social Studies.  Chapter 3 starts off with the Civil War.  

Winter Party 

THANK YOU to all parent volunteers that helped to make the winter party a success!  The students had a blast!

Other Important Info. 

• Congratulations to Hannah and Michael!  They will represent our class in the school spelling bee on January 20th.  
• Six Flags Read to Succeed reading logs went home.  These are due Friday, February 24th for your child to earn a free Six Flags ticket!  
• Students have two (optional) winter challenges, one from Coach Blake and Coach Small and a reading challenge from Mrs. Leighton.  Notes with more information went home.  
• Report cards will go out at the end of the week of January 2nd.  
• Have a nice Winter Break!  School resumes Wednesday, January 4th.

Weekly Update

Writing

Last Friday we celebrated our persuasive essays!  In groups, we shared our essays and our group members would hold up a green candy cane if they agreed with the argument/thesis or a red candy cane if they did not.  Students had a lot of fun with it!  Right now we are in the middle of our journalism unit.  We have read many different articles and have discussed how to summarize a news story with the "5 W's" and "1 H."   We also talked about the inverted triangle of journalism.  As a reminder, students won't have another spelling test until January because of the class spelling bees this Friday and next Monday (see details below in "Other Important Info.") . 

Writing celebration 

Summarizing news articles

Using the inverted triangle

Reading 

We have finished our text structures/natural disasters project.  See the next blog post for pictures of the magazines!  After break, we will start historical fiction book clubs!  

Math

So far in Chapter 7 we have extended numeric and nonnumeric patterns, described patterns in a sequence, and worked with patterns in word problems.  We will finish the week with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division patterns with in/out tables and order of operations.  There is no Chapter 7 test.  After break, we will start fractions in Chapter 8!

Science

In our rocks unit, we have read about topics such as the different types of rocks, the rock cycle, and weathering and erosion.  The Chapter 5 Rocks Test is this Friday.  It is an open book/note test.  Extra credit and practice activities are available through the online textbook, and they are due next Tuesday. 

Other Important Info. 

• The class spelling bees will take place this Friday, December 16th and Monday, December 19th.   The winner from each bee will represent our class in the school bee on January 20th.  
• The Winter Party is Tuesday, December 20th from 2-3pm. 
• Winter Break starts Wednesday, 12/21, and school resumes Wednesday, January 4th.
• All tests and essays should be signed and returned.  

Weekly Update

Writing

In Writing, we are currently revising and editing our persuasive essays. In these essays, we have added counterarguments and facts!  Persuasive essays are due Friday, 12/9.  Then, we will have a mini journalism unit until the end of the year.  Students won't have another spelling test until January because of the upcoming class spelling bee (see details below in "Other Important Info.") .  

Reading 

In reading groups, we are continuing to work on our natural disaster projects.  All groups are typing and putting their magazines together.  I can't wait to see the finished products! 

Math

We have finished all the lessons in Chapter 6 on long division.  The Chapter 6 Test is Wednesday, 12/7.  Study guides went home on Friday and are due Tuesday.  Students should continue to work in their froggy packets and keep up with homework to review.  It is still very important that students continue to practice those facts- many errors are made in long division when the multiplication is wrong.  On Thursday we will start Chapter 7 on patterns and sequences.

Social Studies 

This past week students finished Chapters 1/2 and created a class study guide.  We will work on the study guide on Monday and students will have an open book/note test on Thursday, 12/8.  We will resume with Chapter 3 in Social Studies after our Science unit.  

Science

This week we will also start our new Science unit on rocks.  We will learn about metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks!  It's a fun unit!   The Rocks Test will be Friday, December 16th.  

Other Important Info. 

• Classroom spelling bee practice words went home on Friday on the back of the Great American SpellCheck newspaper.  There will be two classroom spelling bees, and the winner from each bee will represent our class in the school bee on January 20th.  The class bees will be Friday, December 16th and Monday, December 19th.  
• Scholastic book orders were passed out Friday.  They are due Monday, 12/5.  Click here to order online!  (Our class code is L8V73.)  You may also return the paper order form with a check made out to "Scholastic Reading Club." 
• Wednesday, 12/7, is an Early Release Day with dismissal at 1:40.  Please make sure your child knows how they are going home.
• The Winter Party is Tuesday, December 20th from 2-3pm. 
• Winter Break starts Wednesday, 12/21, and school resumes Wednesday, January 4th.
• XtraMath is a great resource to help students with their multiplication and division facts.   
• All tests and essays should be signed and returned.