Week of March 19

Dear Parents –

We have another fun and busy week planned.  Our annual Terry Fox cancer awareness run is scheduled for Friday, March 23 from 8:00 – 8:40 on the field.  Please consider joining us for this special event.  Please see the message from the PE department with more details of the event.  

Terry Fox Cancer Awareness Fun Run

Here’s a look at our week ahead:

Monday (Day 6) – Music and P.E.

Tuesday (Day 2) – Music and P.E

Wednesday (Day 3) – World Language

Thursday (Day 4) – Art and P.E. Swimming

Friday (Day 5) – Library and World Language

Language Arts

This is a week of transitions for us as we wrap up our nonfiction reading and writing units and begin to introduce our next units on opinion writing and series book clubs.  Students will finish their informational books early in the week.  We’ll have a quick review on how to revise their writing to look capital letters, punctuation, correct spelling, and legible handwriting.  Once we finish publishing our books, we will begin to introduce our next writing unit:  Opinion Writing.  This unit ties in with our reading unit on Series Book Clubs.  Students will take a pre-assessment for both units this week. 

Science

We are wrapping up our unit on healthy choices and students will have an opportunity to show what they learned about nutrition and eating a balanced diet.  Our week will end with a review of all our healthy choices topics. 

Math

This week we will focus on adding and subtracting 3-digit numbers.  Students will practice using place value strategies to model their thinking.  We start our week practicing how to solve problems using an open number line with and without regrouping.  Throughout the week, students will have opportunities to practice solving problems with base ten models, place value disks, and open number lines to show their thinking.

  

Week of March 12

Dear Parents –

We had a great week with our Student Led Conferences.  I thought the students did a wonderful job sharing their work, their learning and the growth they’ve made over the year. 

Here’s a look at our week ahead:

Monday (Day 3) – World Language

Tuesday (Day 4) – Art and P.E. Swimming

Wednesday (Day 5) – Library and World Language

Thursday (Day 6) – Music and P.E.

Friday (Day 1) – Art and World Language

Our Run, Jump, Throw day event is on Thursday, March 15 from 8:15 – 9:15.  Please feel free to join us for this fun event and cheer on our children as they participate in the various track and field events.

Language Arts
Students are researchers this week.  They will be reading about their healthy choices topic and using that information to create their last nonfiction piece. This will be their assessment piece of writing, so the students will be doing this without teacher or peer help. We will work on this throughout the week during our Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop blocks. 

Science

We continue reading about nutrition and how to have a balanced diet.  This week we’ll look at different food guides from around the world to learn more about eating a balanced meal.  We will also continue reading about the different food groups and learning how the nutrients from those foods help keep our bodies healthy. 

Math
We are just getting into this unit that is primarily only number and operations and looking for patterns. The class has gotten more comfortable adding strings of 2 digit numbers and communicating their strategy. We are now focusing on adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers, showing different strategies, explaining our thinking clearly and learning from others. Our assessment will be just before Spring Break.

Dinner Questions

What are you writing about for your healthy choices book?  What are some facts you know about that topic?

What are some different strategies you use to solve addition problems?  Which strategy do you like the most?  Why?

Week of March 5

Dear Parents –

Last week was a great week with so many special events happening. We had great costumes for our Book Character Dress Up Day and enjoyed meeting with visiting author, Tad Hills, and visiting signer, Courtney Campbell. 

Thank you to the parents who volunteered to lead a Mini Academy.  As always, these are wonderful events and the children love all the activities that are prepared.  Our next Mini Academies will be on April 20, and this will be the last one for the year. 

Here’s a look at our week ahead:

Monday (Day 6) – Music and P.E.

Tuesday (Day 1) – Art and World Language

Wednesday – Student Led Conferences

Thursday – Student Led Conferences

Friday (Day 2) – Music and P.E.

Reader’s Workshop and Science

We continue reading informational books focused on nutrition and the different food groups.  Students are busy becoming experts in one food group and taking notes to help them remember what they learned.  Students will pay attention to special vocabulary words to help them become experts in their topic.  We’ll note the nutrients provided by each type of food group. 

Writer’s Workshop

Students will continue working on their independent writing projects that they started last week.  They have been given the opportunity to pursue their own interests with some students writing informational books, fiction stories, personal narratives, and some have even been writing poetry.  Students will also be encouraged to continue working on the Slice of Life writing project that we started last week.  This is a great opportunity for you to share in the joy of writing with them.  If possible, find some time during the week where your family can take part in this challenge. 

Math

This week we look at strategies to add multiple addends quickly and efficiently.  We will practice decomposing numbers to help them make a ten or make a hundred.   Students will focus on using transition words to help explain the steps they take to solve the problems.

Dinner Questions

Why is it important to have a balanced diet?

What have you written about for the Slice of Life writing project?  What could you write about?

What are you excited/nervous about for Student Led Conferences?