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Spelling: Yesterday we reviewed words that form contractions. Today, students worked on their spelling worksheets. There will be a spelling test on Friday. The unit 11 spelling worksheets are available and can be printed from here.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences of seven or more words are due each Friday.

Reading: Yesterday was a reading day in Literature Circles; today was a discussion day.  

Writing: Yesterday we learned about using fragments to write poems. Students continued drafting and revising yesterday and today for their poetry collection, due into portfolios on Friday, June 1. We will share our poems at our Poetry Slam at Borders next Thursday.

Math: Yesterday we learned how to convert improper fractions into mixed numbers. Homework was to complete Journal p. 211 and an improper fraction worksheet. Today, students practiced converting between fractions and decimals, and used their fraction cards to compare two fractions.

Science: We talked about the Water Ups and Downs experiment yesterday, learned that a cloud is made of tiny droplets of liquid water, and made a minibook. Today, students read about the water cycle and drew a picture to illustrate how water moves in the water cycle.

Social Studies: Yesterday, we learned about Michigan’s booming timber industry in the 1800s. Today, students learned about the iron ore and copper industries, as well as the agriculture business. Students drew a picture and explained each of these four industries.

Notes:

• Stay ahead of the busyness by viewing a list of year end class activities here! 
• Our class calendar can be viewed here.  

Here’s our week in 60 seconds:

• Spelling: –er suffix, suffix rules, spelling test next week 
• Cursive: ten cursive sentences
• Reading: Literature Circles groups, determining importance, Love That Dog
• Writing: Double-focus, line breaks, white space, poems due June 1
• Math: Equivalent fractions
• Science: Essential Skills test, water sources and uses, a cloud is liquid water
• Social Studies: Essential Skills test, Civil War

Listen to The Weekly Wrap here:

5-25-07.mp3

Spelling: We reviewed rules for applying suffixes to words:

• just add it to the base word, or
• drop the silent e if the suffix begins with a vowel, or
• double the ending consonant letter before adding the suffix, or 
• add es if the word ends in x, z, or ch, or 
• change the ending y to an i before adding the suffix. 

The unit 11 spelling worksheets are available and can be printed from here.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences of seven or more words are due each Friday.

Reading: We continued our discussion day from earlier this week. Students also completed a nonfiction reading test. 

Writing: We learned that white space emphasizes an important part of a poem and can be created by leaving blank lines above and below the important line. Students also had revising conferences. A collection of poems will be due into portfolios on Friday, June 1.

Math: Students completed an equivalent fractions MiniQuiz and took part in a fractions-themed Math Skills session.

Science: Today we talked about the dangers of inhalants (chemicals such as paint, glue or aerosols) that can be inhaled and cause brain damage, suffocation or death. Students were cautioned to avoid accidental or purposeful exposure to these common and dangerous drugs.

Social Studies: None today.

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Stay ahead of the busyness by viewing a list of year end class activities here! 
• Our class calendar can be viewed here.  

The end of the year can be busy. Here is a list of special activities coming up:

• Poetry Slam at Borders, Thursday, June 7. Here’s a permission slip.
• Field Day, Friday, June 8
• Rollhaven Field Trip, Wednesday, June 13. Here’s a permission slip.
• End of the Year Potluck and Picnic, Thursday, June 14.

Chaperones are needed for the field trips. Workers are needed for Field Day and the picnic. Family members are welcome to come to the potluck and picnic!

 View our class calendar here. 

Spelling: We learned that -er at the end of a word can mean one of three things:

• it’s part of the word
• it means more than ___________
• it means a person who _________

The unit 11 spelling worksheets are available and can be printed from here.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences of seven or more words are due each Friday.

Reading: We read Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech. This book is written as a free verse poem.

Writing: We learned that line breaks make a poem look better and sound better; they help the reader to see one idea at a time. Students also drafted or revised poems they have been working on. A collection of poems will be due into portfolios on Friday, June 1.

Math: Students practiced making equivalent fractions and completed a class MiniQuiz.

Science: Students made clouds in cups! They learned that a cloud is made of tiny droplets of liquid water. Homework is to finish the Water Ups and Downs analyze and conclude questions.

Social Studies: We learned about how Michigan helped the Union during the Civil War, and also about women’s roles.

Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers for Friday, May 25: Shawn and Noah. Click here for a list of volunteers.
• Our class calendar can be viewed here.