Read Across America Week

This week is Read Across America Week! We have special activities planned for each day. The schedule is:

Monday-Stripes day
Tuesday-Crazy Socks day
Wednesday-Read my Shirt Day
Thursday-Hat Day
Friday-Read with Buddies

Reading
     We started our biography unit last week. We read short biographies, and used post-it notes to mark important events and dates. We also made a list of the types of information we can find in a biography. Finally, we read the introduction and first chapter of Who Was JFK. We learned about the structure of these books, and how to identify the most important details.
     This week we will begin reading our Who Was/Is book about the person each student has been assigned. We will go slow with our reading so that we are sure to understand and identify as many interesting facts as possible.
    Please save the date for our Wax Museum. It will be on Friday, April 1st from 2:30-3:00 pm. This is a family event and you are welcome to bring as many people as you would like. I am asking that students wear a "costume" to look like their person. However, this does not need to be an elaborate outfit. For example, if your child is Jackie Robinson he/she can wear a Bethlehem baseball shirt and bring in a bat or baseball glove. If your child is Thomas Jefferson he/she can wear a pair of dress pants and a button down shirt. I will send more information about the costume, and discuss this at length with the students as the date draws closer.

Math
    We will finish our work with fractions this week, and move onto a geometry unit. This unit will include the study of different lines, angles, and shapes. Please keep studying math facts! This Friday's quiz will be x6.

Writing
    We will finish our final copies of our informational texts this week. The students have worked very hard and their final product is amazing! Each chapter is organized and includes at least one nonfiction text feature. We will also design a cover for our books this week and put everything together.

Science
   Our Solar System research is in full swing. We have researched Earth (together), Mercury, and Venus (with research partners). The students are becoming quite adept at using the computers to find answers to their research questions. Our research should by the beginning of next week, and then we will use what we have learned to create a Solar System project.

Thank you to our mystery reader, Mr. Porter!

Have no fear, your blog entry is here!

   Thank you for your patience with me as I finished report cards and parent conferences. I hope you are enjoying this week with your children. We are more than halfway through the school year. You will find the second half of the year will be more content based. While we will continue to build skills we will be using our talents to conduct research projects, read more challenging texts, and use technology to present our work.

Reader's Workshop
      We will begin a biography unit next week. We will begin by reading short biographies, extracting important information, and writing short summaries. Throughout the week I will introduce various people to the class. By the end of the week, the students will have the opportunity to choose which person he/she would like to learn more about. We will be reading "Who Was" books about this person, take notes on important events/accomplishments, organize our work, and write fist person narratives. This project will be primarily done in class. You may see the book come home to read at night. The culmination of this project will be a Wax Museum. This is an event that you and your family are invited to attend. I will send home the date and time by the end of next week.

Writer's Workshop
      The students will spend this week revising their most recent informational writing piece. We will add text features, edit spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. The students' final draft should be complete by the middle of next week. I will keep these in school and you will have an opportunity to see them when you come in for the Wax Museum.

Math
     We are learning about fractions. Next week we will begin comparing fractions with the same denominator and then with the same numerator. We will also use a number line to find equivalent fractions.
     Any opportunity you have to use fractions in every day life would be very helpful. It is important to stress that a fractions shows an equal part of a whole.

Science
    We have begun to learn about the Solar System. Ask your child if he/she knows the planets in order! Next week, we will begin a major research project. During this project the students will research several aspects of each planet using both print and internet resources. The students will also develop their own research questions and use these to expand their knowledge of the Solar System. This project will culminate in either a Solar System poster or a digital poster. Your child will choose the way they would like to represent their research. This project will be completed in 3-4 weeks. The final product will be on display for you to see during the Wax Museum.

Cursive
     We will finish learning our cursive letters this week. We will spend a couple weeks practicing our cursive, and then the students will be permitted to write any of their work in cursive. Many upper level teachers require students to write entirely in cursive. Any practice at home would be very helpful.

Thank you to our Mystery Reader, Mrs. Cohen.

A dance break...

Thank you to our Mystery Reader, Mrs. Mahesh.

Some fraction work...

Playing fraction Go Fish and fraction Memory!

Thank you to our Mystery Reader, Mrs. Lauenstein!

Valentine's Day