But I still apologize for not blogging sooner! This blog will cover last week and our very short week this week!
What have we been up to? What HAVEN'T we been up to!?!?
In Language Arts right now we are concentrating on reading ANCILLARY texts...encyclopedias, websites, magazines, posters, etc. We are using the Scholastic Storybooks magazine a lot for this unit...with comprehension as the focus. One of the components of the Common Core Curriculum is text complexity and this magazine provides plenty of it! We often read independently, but this past week, we used the laptops and listened to the audio recording of the article about Mt. Vesuvius. Then the kids enjoyed a video of behind the scenes of the writing of the article. It is so fun being able to tap into technology as often as we do!!
Speaking of text complexity and technology...the article the kids had to read about Martin Luther King, Jr was very rigorous! They used different ancillary texts to gather lots of information about MLK, Jr. They used a time line, the website article, a picture book, and a Brain Pop video on the laptops.
In the next week, each student will choose an important person to research, and each student will be writing a biography about that famous person. They will write it as if they are that person...from the first person perspective. More to come on this project...but it will be an in school assignment.
A writing assignment came home last week...an informative paragraph about immigration. I continue to be impressed with the kids' ability to write...but also, their ability to edit and revise!
Speaking of immigration...our focus in Social Studies right now is immigration and government. It was so rewarding hearing about how your families came to America. We are such a diverse class and we have first generation Americans as well as sixth generation Americans!! Tomorrow the kids will be reading/performing a Readers Theater about Ellis Island. I'm excited to see their personalities come out as we continue to gather more information about immigrants' experiences.
As you are now aware, we switch classes for Math, so I will not be doing a lot of math talk on this blog since the two classes work on different things at different times...however, let me say that there can NEVER be enough fact practice. In your report card this quarter a note will come home with your child's updated fact assessment information. If your child is still under 80% automaticity and 90% accuracy...they should be practicing facts at least three times a week. Both classes will continue to have a heavy emphasis on problem solving...please continue to give your child opportunities for problem solving at home or when you are out...this is so very helpful!
VALENTINE'S DAY is coming...and so are the parties! Our Valentine's Day party is on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15th from 1:15-2:15pm. A letter went home today in the Take Home folder with all of the pertinent information...please take time to read it...I want to thank our room parents ahead of time for all of their hard work to make the parties enjoyable for all of the kids!
I think that's about it...feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns...and STAY WARM!!
