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Spelling: Today we created words using the ment suffix, and found out that adding ment to a verb changes the word to a noun (argue is what you do, argument is what you made). The unit 8 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: We have reviewed the entire alphabet, upper and lower case. From now on, the weekly cursive assignment will be to write 10 cursive sentences of 7 or more words each. This assignment will be due Friday. 

Reading: None today due to an assembly about kindness (bucket filling).

Writing: We read the book Scarecrow by Cynthia Rylant and focused on the importance of balancing specific and general details in writing. Students also worked on their next piece of writing, due this Friday, March 2. Students should be editing by now.    

Math: We practiced estimating products. Homework is to finish journal pp. 123-124.

Science: Students completed an experiment to see what shadows are and how they move. Homework is to finish the analyze and conclude questions.

Social Studies: We learned about secret messages coded into quilts that helped slaves prepare, escape and stay hidden along the Underground Railroad. Students chose their own quilt square pattern, and the homework tonight is to plan how the quilt square will be colored. Tomorrow, students will use construction paper to create quilt squares from their plans. 

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers: A new volunteer list will be sent home soon.  
• Upcoming Events: New writing piece due (March 2); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!

Spelling: Today we reviewed compound words and vowel sounds. The unit 8 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: We have reviewed the entire alphabet, upper and lower case. From now on, the weekly cursive assignment will be to write 10 cursive sentences of 7 or more words each. This assignment will be due Friday. 

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles. Some groups practiced looking back into the text to confirm predictions.

Writing: None today due to technology. Students should be close to finished with revising and ready to start editing for their next piece of writing, due this Friday, March 2.    

Technology: Students worked on their weather splash screen movies, and also created their own wiki, which is a quick and easy website that anyone can edit.  

Math: We practiced estimating sums in the context of a road trip. Homework is to finish journal pp. 120-121.

Science: Students put to work their knowledge of light moving only in straight lines by creating laser mazes.

Social Studies: We sang and listened to some songs about the Underground Railroad and learned that many songs contained coded messages for helping slaves to escape.  

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers: A new volunteer list will be sent home soon.  
• Upcoming Events: New writing piece due (March 2); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!

***Great work, Nick, on your amazing clicking in the Talent Show!***

Spelling: None today due to the Talent Show. The unit 8 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: Students completed a cursive quiz today.

Reading: None today due to the Talent Show.

Writing: We talked about making the ending match the beginning, comparing writing to growing plants from seeds. The grower expects to get apples from apple seeds, and will be disappointed if he finds peas instead. In the same way, the reader is looking for an ending that tells what happens in the story and matches the beginning. 

Students also worked or conferenced for their next piece of writing, due March 2. Students should now be revising.    

Math: Students completed a MiniQuiz over extended math facts and multiplying using the distributive property. We also had Math Skills.

Science Inquiry: Students tested questions about electricity, static electricity, flight, ramps and rollers, magnets and light.

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

The Weekly Wrap (our week in 60 seconds):

• Spelling: Word preview, Words to Learn list and contractions 
• Cursive: worksheet pp. 63-65
• Reading: Literature Circles groups, connections, fix-up strategies, visualizing
• Writing: Strong endings, matching endings and beginnings, piece due March 2 
• Math: Extended mutliplication facts, multiplying with distributive property (wrestling)
• Science: Light moves in straight lines, Science Inquiry 
• Social Studies: Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, safe houses

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers: A new volunteer list will be sent home soon.  
• Upcoming Events: New writing piece due (March 2); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!

Spelling: Today we discussed the “Stretch It” page of the unit 8 spelling worksheets, and also reviewed what a contraction is, using the example didn’t. The unit 8 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 63-65 are available and will be due tomorrow.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on connections and visualizing as reading strategies.

Writing: We focused today on writing a strong ending, by making it sad, happy, circular, surprising, using dialogue, using thoughts, etc. Students also worked or conferenced for their next piece of writing, due March 2. Students should now be revising.    

Math: Students played “multiplication wrestling,” which is a game to practice multiplying using the distributive property.  Homework is to finish journal pp. 116-117.

Science: Students saw a demonstration using a laser and baby powder to show that light travels in straight lines. We also used mirrors to try to reflect laser light across our room.

Social Studies: We watched a movie today about Harriet Tubman and how she became a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Click here to view this movie and another about the Underground Railroad. 

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers: A new volunteer list will be sent home soon.  
• Upcoming Events: Talent Show (February 23); New writing piece due (March 2); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!

Spelling: Today students corrected words missed on the last spelling test to make a Words to Learn list. This list is a custom spelling word list for the next test. The unit 8 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 63-65 are available and will be due Friday.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on looking back in the text and making connections to make meaning for confusing or difficult passages.

Writing: Today was a work day in Writer’s Workshop. Students were placed in “writing clubs,” each focused on an area for improvement. Students will receive a grade reflecting if they made improvement with their writing club topic, stayed the same, or if their performance decreased. Students should now be revising for their next piece of writing, due March 2.    

Math: None due to an assembly about character.

Science: We reviewed yesterday’s experiment about color filters, students explored color changes with the filters, and we took notes in our minibooks.

Social Studies: We learned yesterday that a lantern on a hitching post signaled a safe “station” for runaway slaves. Today, we made paper lanterns to reinforce this idea.

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers: A new volunteer list will be sent home soon.  
• Upcoming Events: Talent Show (February 23); New writing piece due (March 2); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!