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Spelling: Today was a preview of words for the coming spelling test. The unit 8 worksheets are available here.

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

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on synthesizing and determing the main idea as a reading strategy.

Writing: Today was a work day shared with working on our technology project. Students continued drafting for their next piece of writing, due March 2.    

Math: Students practiced multiplying two digit numbers using the distributative property: 78 * 12 = (70 + 8 ) * (10 + 2) = 700 + 140 + 80 + 16 = 936. Students learned a mnemonic device called FOIL to remind them to pair up the numbers in order: first, outside, inside, last. Homework is to finish StudyLink 5.2.

Science: We completed an experiment and learned that colored light can be created with color filters. Homework is to finish the How is Colored Light Made? experiment.

Social Studies: We started a mini-unit on the Underground Railroad and viewed a website that simulated an escape from slavery.

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: 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

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: None today due to making Valentine’s bags. We will have a spelling test tomorrow. 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 reading day in Literature Circles.

Writing: Mr. Weiss taught a lesson in our class today about using thoughtshots to write what characters are thinking. The next piece of writing is due March 2.    

Social Studies: We reviewed the homework from yesterday and then played a game to study for tomorrow’s test. The test tomorrow will be over the first people of Michigan (Paleo Indians, Old Copper People, Hopewell Mound Builders, Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, and Huron Indians).

Our party was so good, it was scary, literally! Thanks to all the family members that helped in class and with donations. We passed out our cards, ate sloppy joes, chips, and fruit, then played games. As you can tell from the picture, everyone had wonderful, lovely-tasting fun!

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 words that have multiple meanings (draw, run, play) and also the -er and -est suffixes for words. We will have a spelling test on Thursday. 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: None today due to an assembly by Peaceful Authority.

Writing: We learned about a new type of lead today called a thinking lead. The author begins the piece of writing with a character thinking, which essentially sounds like dialogue that is just not spoken out loud. Students also prewrote for their next piece of writing, due March 2.    

Math: Students took a math test over these concepts:

• metric measurement
• metric unit conversion (mm, cm and m)
• decimal addition and subtraction
• naming numbers as fractions and decimals 

Science: We saw the colors of the spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet–ROYGBIV), and started a torn paper mosaic to illustrate the primary colors of light overlapping to form white light. 

Social Studies: We sang a couple songs to review the first people of Michigan. Students also drew pictures, one for each of the Indian groups of Michigan. Homework is to finish the illustrations for each people, and to complete worksheet pp. 7 and 9. A test over the first people of Michigan will be on Thursday.

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Feb Factor Valentine’s party this Wednesday from 2-4 pm! 
• 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 focused on words that have multiple meanings (draw, run, play). The unit 7 worksheets are available here.

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

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles.

Writing: None today due to technology. The next piece of writing is due March 2.    

Math: We reviewed for the math test that will be tomorrow over the following concepts:

• metric measurement
• metric unit conversion (mm, cm and m)
• decimal addition and subtraction
• naming numbers as fractions and decimals 

Science: We reviewed the Circles of Light experiment and discovered that white light is made of millions of different colors of light, and that different colors of light can combine to make white light. We also wrote notes about these important ideas in our minibooks.

Social Studies: We learned about the Huron Indians and found out that they were master farmers who specialized in growing corn.

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Candle pick-up Monday, February 12, from 4-7 pm in the small gym. 
• Feb Factor Valentine’s party this Wednesday from 2-4 pm! 
• 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!