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Spelling: We discovered common spelling patterns for the /s/sound: s, ci, ce, cy.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 36-38 were due today.

Reading: Students completed an informational reading test today. The class also received a STAR reading level report. The average class reading level from the November STAR test was 4.78, almost four months improved from the 4.40 beginning test from September! At this pace, the class will achieve a year’s growth by February! All the hard work in Literature Circles and reading 20 minutes nightly at home is paying off. Great work, everyone!

Writing: Today was a work day in Writer’s Workshop.

A personal narrative, based on a true story (slightly fictionalized), is due Monday, November 10. This will be the final writing grade of the first marking period.

Math: Today, students worked on Math Skills. Have your student show you their Math Skills tracking sheet.

Science: We talked about testable questions today. Students learned that testable questions are ones that can be answered by doing some sort of test. Later in the year, students will create and test their own testable questions.

Social Studies: We reviewed for the Regions test coming on Tuesday.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4
• Hours with no orange magnets (record: 29): 159

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• Check your Fall Parent Teacher Conference time online.
• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.

Spelling: None today due to a lockdown drill.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 36-38 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles; some groups worked on chunking words as a reading strategy.

Writing: None today due to technology.

A personal narrative, based on a true story (slightly fictionalized), is due Monday, November 10. This will be the final writing grade of the first marking period.

Math: We reviewed the partial sums method of addition. Homework is to complete Journal p. 40 using the partial sums method. Check the Student Reference Book for more details on this method.

Science: We completed the Circles of Light experiment today to see what happens when red, blue and green light are shone in the same location. Homework is to complete the analyze and conclude questions if not done in class.

Social Studies: We learned about the famous characteristics of the West region and played pictionary to review.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4
• Hours with no orange magnets (record: 29): 150

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• Check your Fall Parent Teacher Conference time online.
• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.

Spelling: Today was a preview of upcoming spelling words.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 36-38 are available and due Friday. Students also completed a cursive quiz today.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles.

Writing: We discussed using choice adjectives in writing:

• broiling alleyway
  
• listless vine
• crackling-dry path
  

Adjectives answer the question, “What kind?” and help the reader to picture what the story is about.

A personal narrative, based on a true story (slightly fictionalized), is due November 7. This will be the final writing grade of the first marking period.

Math: We reviewed addition today with the partial sums method of addition. Homework is to complete Journal p. 39 using the partial sums method of addition. Check the Student Reference Book for more details on this method.

Science: None today due to library.

Social Studies: We started learning about the West region, discussing its dry climate, fertile valleys, Rocky Mountains, and forests used for logging and lumber.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4
• Hours with no orange magnets (record: 29): 143

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• Check your Fall Parent Teacher Conference time online.
• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.

Spelling: Students corrected missed spelling test words on a Words to Learn list. This is your student’s customized spelling list to study for the next test.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 36-38 are available and due Friday. We are almost finished with our review of the lowercase cursive alphabet. This might be a good time to have your student write a few sentences in cursive and look at their letter formation, neatness and speed.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles; some groups worked on questioning as a reading strategy.

Writing: We discussed using precise nouns in writing:

• instruction manual, not car booklet;
  
• rust, not brown stuff;
• hubcap, not wheel cover.

A personal narrative, based on a true story (slightly fictionalized), is due November 7. This will be the final writing grade of the first marking period.

Math: We reviewed data landmarks today, especially determining data landmarks from tally charts. Homework is to complete the Check Your Understanding problems on p. 65 of the Student Reference Book.

Science: We reviewed last week’s experiment, What is White Light Made of? about using a prism to separate white light into colored light. We learned that the visible spectrum is made of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet light, always in that order. We also listened to a song to remind us of these colors:

rainbow-colors-song.mp3

Social Studies: Students completed a MiniQuiz over the Southwest, using the illustrated mind maps they made in class. We also used the mind maps to write notes in our minibooks about the Southwest.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 3
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4
• Hours with no orange magnets (record: 29): 136

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• Check your Fall Parent Teacher Conference time online.
• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.