February 15th, 2007
Class activities for Thursday, February 15
Spelling: Students took the unit 7 spelling and skill test today. The unit 7 worksheets are available here and will be due next Tuesday.
Cursive: Cursive pp. 63-65 are available and will be due next week.
Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on determining important passages as a reading strategy.
Writing: We learned about “big potato leads,” which are leads that jump right into the action and leave the reader wanting more. Students also finished up their prewriting and started drafting. The next piece of writing is due March 2.
Math: Students practiced extending basic math facts by a factor of ten and hundred (9 x 5 = 45, so 90 x 5 = 450, 9 x 500 = 4,500). Homework is to finish journal pp. 112-114.
We are beginning a unit on column multiplication (35 x 42), estimating, and using big numbers. There will be a heavy emphasis on multiplication facts. As a point of information, 13 students have passed their multiplication timed test, up from 10 in January.
Science: Students worked on torn paper mosics to illustrate that white light is made up of colored light. Homework is to finish the project if not done in class.
Social Studies: Students took a test today over the first people of Michigan (Paleo Indians, Old Copper People, Hopewell Mound Builders, Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, and Huron Indians).
The Weekly Wrap (our week in 60 seconds):
- Spelling: different meanings of words and a spelling test
- Cursive: worksheet pp. 63-65
- Reading: Literature Circles groups, questions, connections, determining importance
- Writing: Thinking and big potato leads, thoughtshots, piece due March 2
- Math: Math test, extended math facts
- Science: Different colors can combine to make white light, review project
- Social Studies: Huron Indians, first people of Michigan test
- Yellows: 2 magnets
- Oranges: 0 magnets
- Reds: 0 magnets
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!
