Publishing and Celebrating

The students have been working hard this week editing their work for spelling, capital letters, punctuation, and word choice. They've been coloring their illustrations and making a title page too.  They've been working hard on their 2nd published piece of writing.  We'll be celebrating tomorrow as we read out narrative stories to the our 5th grade 

Places Near and Far

In Social Studies we are learning about places near and far. We read Flat Stanley on Monday and are planning to send him off so we can learn about different places in our country or world.  We've been talking about countries, states, and continents. The students so excited to learn about many different places.

Bat Presentation

The students enjoyed a presentation on bats!  Mr. Marty and Miss Julie from the  Audubon Society shared their knowledge of bats with us.  Miss Julie showed us how bats use echolocation to find food.  Mr. Marty told us many interesting facts about bats. Ask your child what they learned.  Here are a few pictures!

Celebrating Success

Conrad has completed addition on Xtramath!  I know that has taken a lot of hard work and practice! Congratulations Conrad!  Off to subtraction now!!

Math News

The students have been working hard as they learn to add 2-digit numbers with regrouping!  We've been using the unifix cubes and place value mats this week to help students understand the concept.  The students show the numbers on the place value mats and then they add.  Of course they add the ones first just in case they have enough to make a ten and regroup.  When using the cubes and place value mats, all students can solve the problems.  It gets a little trickier when they aren't using the cubes.  Your child might need a little extra practice at home.

Science Review

We have finished Chapter 4 called Growing and Changing.  We reviewed this afternoon and we'll review again tomorrow in class. I'm sending home the science books so your child can review at home for the upcoming test on Friday.  Please review pages 158 -159 and return the science books on Friday.

Fun at the Zoo!

The students enjoyed the trip to the zoo!  They learned a lot about animal habitats and what animals need to survive.  We had time to see many animals at the zoo!  The students took many photos with the iPads and next week, they'll be working on a writing project on the iPads as they create a story showing what they've learned.  Here's a few pictures!

Writing Goals

The students have been working hard on their writing. The students used the Narrative Writing Checklist to check their writing to see how they're doing. Students then had the opportunity to write a new writing goal.

Science Activity

We have been exploring how living things are like their parents.  In this activity, the students matched up two animals and their parents.  Then they listed ways that they are like their parents and ways that they are different. 

Fact Fluency

The students are really working hard on their subtraction facts.  We've been using the Activotes so students can work at their own pace and move along to the different levels of subtraction problems. It starts out with the easier facts and moves onto the harder facts. The students are very motivated to get to the highest level.  They'll be trying again today.  We've also been playing Subtraction Quizmo as another fun way to practice fact fluency.  I hope every student is practicing at home either with flashcards or online at xtramath.org.  Here's a picture of our Activote Subtraction Challenge.

Reading Strategy - Visualizing

The students are learning about mental images or visualizing. As students begin to read chapter books, they must be able to make strong mental images in their minds.  The students have been practicing this skill when I read aloud to them and they have to make the picture in their mind and then sketch and explain it. Here are a few pictures of the students hard at work and a few work samples too.

 

Science - Animal Life Cycles

We've been learning about animal life cycles.  Our caterpillars arrived last week and they are all in their chrysalis.  We are anxiously awaiting for our butterflies.  We've been learning about the life cycle of a frog and the life cycle of mice.  It's been fun and interesting! Last week, we were working on comparing the life cycles of a frog and a butterfly.  Check out our projects!

Subtraction Strategies

The students have been working hard learning subtraction strategies!  We've really been focusing on fact families and related facts.  Since most students know the addition facts, that can help them with subtraction facts.  We will finish this chapter on Wednesday and review on Thursday.  Our chapter test will be on Friday morning.  

Learning to Write in Powerful Ways

The students have been working hard on their writing.  We've been looking back at the book Owl Moon by Jane Yolen so we can study how real authors make their writing more powerful.  The students have been adding details so their writing feels like the reader is actually there.  By adding exactly what the character is seeing, hearing and feeling, the students can make their writing more powerful.  Another way to make their writing more powerful is to set goals using the Narrative Writing Checklist.  The students look over their writing and evaluate how they're doing and then set a writing goal.  Check out our writing goals for this week: