Update for Week of September 6-10th

Good Afternoon!

Here is an update of our week!

Character Education
This week we discussed our character word of the month, RESPECT. We wrote acrostic poems about what respect means to us. The poems are displayed outside our classroom door.

Math
I was so pleased with our test scores for Chapter 2! WooooHooooo!
In math we began Chapter 3, we will test over this chapter at the end of next week. The beginning of this chapter was a challenge for some students. They were asked to apply mental math strategies to addition and subtraction problems. This is a difficult skill, especially when student rely heavily on paper and pencil. If your child struggled with this, we will spiral back around during the year and review the concept. Next week we will continue learning all about strategies for addition and subtraction, and will be applying our rounding skills to estimating.

Reading
This week we focused on our inferring skills. Be sure to ask your child about inference charades! We continue to work on our reading workshop community expectations and choosing just right books. Next week we will learn our procedures for responding to our independent reading at home. Students will have the option to blog their response or write it with paper and pencil. Look for information to come home about this early next week!

Word Study
Today we took our first word study tests. I gave the assessments in small groups. Students were tested over their word study words as well as some surprise words (15 words total). I will send these home on Monday. I also collected and checked word study notebooks and contracts today. Please be sure word study notebooks come home several times a week for studying. Also, please sign your child's word study contract to show that it comes home.
Next week will will get new words and begin a new contract. We will also work on neatness and organization in our word study notebooks!

Writing
We have officially launched writers' workshop! We are in varies stages of the writing process with our personal narratives. Students chose one of their memories from our writing ideas section to expand into a personal narrative. We are working on editing skills with a specific focus on showing, not telling in our writing.

Science
We spent this week learning all about rocks and the rock cycle. Today we reviewed all the concepts we have learned this year in science: soil, weathering, erosion, rocks, and the rock cycle. The test is Monday. Students should be bringing home a study guide tonight to review over the weekend.

Social Studies
Wednesday students will begin Social Studies with Mrs. Davis.

Other Notes:
Some students are having a difficult time getting homework turned in each day. Please help your child remember their homework everyday! We are working on a class incentive to get homework completion at 100%.