MrHowd.com

Spelling:  Students worked on a crossword puzzle today to practice common /j/ spelling patterns (j,ge, dge, ge, gi, gy). This will be the skill on tomorrow’s spelling test.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 54-56 are available and due tomorrow.

Reading: Today was a discussion day for Literature Circles.

Writing: Students continued to work on their drafts. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, January 22. Students should be nearing the end of their draft by now.

Math: We reviewed for tomorrow’s math test, which will be over these ideas:

• Multiplication/division facts
• Number sentences (true/false, open sentences, using parentheses)
• Number stories
• Logic problems

Science: Students read about magnetism, north and south poles, the earth as a magnet, and how magnets act when they get near each other. Homework is to finish the Magnet Investigation Review that was started in class.

Social Studies: We learned about latitude, longitude and different kinds of maps. Students practiced these skills by using maps to locate various states in the US.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 1
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 1

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

Notes:

• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  None today due to our class Spelling Bee. Congratulations to Joel and Austin, our class Spelling Bee winners!

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 54-56 are available and due tomorrow.

Reading: None today due to our class Spelling Bee.

Writing: We talked about designing the right ending, since it’s the last thing the reader remembers.

Students also worked on their drafts. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, January 22. Students should be drafting by now.

Math: Students completed a MiniQuiz today over number sentences, open sentences and number stories. We also worked on logic problems. Homework is to complete Journal pp. 73-75, 77.

Science: We reviewed the last experiment about making a compass and started a new experiment about detecting magnets. Students used another magnet, a compass and iron filings to find magnets hidden within a box. Homework is to complete the science experiment if not finished in class.

Social Studies: We learned about maps and location today.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 0

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

Notes:

• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  Students made Words to Learn lists today by correcting words they missed from the last spelling test. Your student’s Words to Learn list is their customized spelling list for the next test.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 54-56 are available and due on Friday.

Reading: Students received their reading level score from the last STAR computerized reading test today. The class made a huge improvement in their reading level!

As shown above, the class average reading level increased to 4.96, and our goal is 5.05! Great work students and families!

Writing: None today due to technology.

The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, January 22. Students should be finished with prewriting and ready to start their draft.

Math: We reviewed using parentheses in number sentences and solving open sentences (10 + x = 15).

Science: Students completed a science experiment today about using a magnetized needle to make a compass. Homework is to complete the science experiment if not finished in class.

Social Studies: We learned about how geography is the study of human and natural features on the earth.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 2

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

Notes:

• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  We reviewed the Unit 5 spelling worksheet activities today.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 54-56 are available and due on Friday.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles. Some students worked on “chunking” unfamiliar words into pieces and looking for words within words.

Writing: We talked about using parentheses (sparingly!) in order to add information to help the reader to understand the story.

Students also continued to prewrite. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, January 22. Students should be prewriting by now and ready to start their draft tonight or tomorrow.

Math: We reviewed using parentheses in number sentences and practiced solving open sentences (10 + x = 15). Homework is to complete Journal pp. 71-72.

Science: None today due to library.

Social Studies: None today due to art.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 2

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

Notes:

• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  We reviewed adding suffixes onto the end of words, and also dropping the silent e when adding suffixes that begin with a vowel.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 54-56 are available and due on Friday.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles. Students also received new Literature Circles magazines in order to practice informational reading.

Writing: We talked about two new kinds of leads: talking leads and thinking leads. Talking leads begin the story with dialogue, and thinking leads begin with the thoughts of a characters.

Students also continued to prewrite. The next piece of writing will be a fiction piece, due Friday, January 22. Students should be prewriting by now.

Math: We reviewed solving number stories today and learned about using parentheses in number sentences. Students learned to solve the operations within the parentheses first before solving the rest of the number sentences. Example: in 10 – (2*3) = 4, the 2*3 operation would be solved first, then subtracted from 10. Homework is to complete Journal pp. 68-69.

Science: Our next science experiment about making and using compasses was introduced. Homework is to answer this question: When two magnets come near each other, the magnets move (attract or repel). So what magnet is making the compass need move? What is the other magnet a compass points to?

Social Studies: Students received new Social Studies books and notebooks. Homework is to complete Notebook p. 7.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 2
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 2

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

Notes:

• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.