Thanksgiving Is Here!

This Week:

This week we compared and contrasted a fiction and a nonfiction text.  We looked at the similarities and differences between the two and our reasons for why we might choose to read a fiction or a nonfiction text.  We talked about how we read nonfiction to learn new information and to learn, and we read fiction for entertainment.  We also started a mini unit reading A Turkey for Thanksgiving.  Students had the opportunity to work on a variety of comprehension skills as we read this story.  We talked about character traits, cause and effect, problem and solution, and the plot of the story.

We continued with chapter 5.  We worked on identifying related facts and understanding how we know if addition and subtraction facts are related.  We also worked on using addition to check subtraction and how to use a related to find a missing number.

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: When we come back from break we will be reading the story Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  As we read we will be working on character traits, problem and solution, and identifying words and phrases that appeal to ones feelings.

Math: Coming up students will work on choosing when to add and when to subtract word problems.  Students will work on adding and subtracting in different ways to make the same number up to 20.  They will continue with more algebra and deciding if a number sentence is true or false.

Grammar: Students will practice plural nouns by adding an (s).

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the holiday.  I am looking forward to seeing all your children rested and rejuvenated for the final few weeks heading into Christmas Break.

Week of Veteran's Day

Classroom News

Reading: This week we continued to work on main topic and key details.  We applied this skill to a nonfiction story about pilgrims.  We read about the pilgrims voyage to America.  We made a turkey that listed the key details from the text and the main idea.  It was a fun activity to do to display our knowledge of main idea and key details.

Math: We just began chapter 5.  We started working on making models to add and subtract and how models will help us to solve the problem.

In grammar we worked on holidays, months, and days of the week.  We know that these should always be capitalized.

Grammar: Thank you parents and guardians for coming to parent-teacher conferences.  We appreciate your time and your interest in how your child is doing in the classroom.

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: Next week we will be comparing two texts on Thanksgiving.  One will be a nonfiction text and the second will be a fiction text.  We will examine their similarities and differences.  We will look at plot, main idea and key details, characters, setting, problem, and solution.  It will be a busy week and will lead us all the way through until Thanksgiving.

Math: We will continue to work on Chapter 5.  We will be working on related facts.  We will identify related facts, use addition to check subtraction, and find the missing numbers.

Grammar: We are working on nouns and sentences.  Students will start to have grammar homework.  Please be on the lookout for these worksheets. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Please don't forget that parent-teacher conferences are this week.  They are on Wednesday and Thursday.  Check to make sure that you know what time you are supposed to come in.  I look forward to seeing you all to discuss the progress of your child.  If you don't remember your scheduled time please contact me so I can let you know when you are supposed to come in.  Have a great week and I will see you in the next few days!

First Week Of November!

Classroom News

This week we really worked hard on main topic and key details in a nonfiction text.  We read a variety of nonfiction texts to aid in our understanding of finding the main topic and the key details that support it.  We read many books on heroes.  We looked at different heroes from different time periods and focused on why they were important.  We also talked about Veteran’s Day.

We finished up with Chapter 4 in math and are going to be beginning Chapter five this upcoming week.  Chapter 4 was a difficult chapter but we are happy to move on!  This chapter focused more on the concepts behind subtraction, but we understand many students are able to use their own strategies to solve problems.

In grammar we worked on proper nouns and titles.  We even started to recognize proper nouns in our writing and reading.

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: Next week we will be continuing to explore main idea and key details.  We will be reading nonfiction texts about pilgrims and Thanksgiving.  Students will be learning important information about Thanksgiving while also learning how to find the main idea and the supporting key details.  We will work on some important vocabulary words like pilgrim, Plymouth Rock, Mayflower, harbor, crop, plantation, village, and trundle.

Math: We will begin to introduce chapter 5. This new chapter will focus on addition and subtraction relationships.  Next week we will work on problem solving, how to record related facts which helps us to find missing numbers, and how to identify related facts.

Grammar: We will be continuing to work on titles and move on to holidays, months, and days of the week.