Math Test Next Week

In Math Workshop, students applied their understanding of the equal sign to help them explain the communicative property of addition.  That is, the order in which you add numbers together does not matter, you'll get the same sum.  We will have a Math Test next week on Thursday, October 23.  We will spend time reviewing in class, and I will send home a review home next week.

In Writers' Workshop, students learned to use their anchor chart as a check list to help them identify how they can revise their writing and make it even better. Students chose their best written published piece to begin typing in the lab tomorrow and Thursday.  Typed up personal narratives will be sent home with feedback as students finish them.  Please note, it may be a while before they come home due to keyboarding.

In Read Aloud, students were on the look out for Contrasts & Contradictions within Goblins in the Castle.  When we notice a character is acting out of character, we need to stop and ask ourselves, "Why is the character doing that?" The answers help us ready our mind to think about and identify possible themes.

In Word Study this week we are working to expand our vocabulary through text.  Ask your child our two Word Study words this week (A: egotistical and irritable).  Ask them what each word means.

In Readers' Workshop, students began writing about their reading through the close reading strategy "Contrasts & Contradictions".  A note about writing about reading:  There is a great deal of research indicating how writing about reading improves comprehension and fosters critical thinking skills within individuals.  While we do a lot of writing about reading in class, feel free to encourage your child to do so at home.  Suggest they show you how we use color, symbol, or image to think about characters (they know this language/ strategy).

In Social Studies, we closely read Encounter, by Jane Yolen.  We analyzed the Native American point of view regarding Christopher Columbus' journey to America. Ask your child what they can infer about how Native American thought about Christopher Columbus using the picture above. Encourage them to use precise character traits, ask them why they think that, what is their evidence in the illustration?  We will begin comparing different points of view and examining their implications on history later this week.

Homework:

• Read 20 minutes 

Reminders:

• Unit 2 Math Test: Thursday, October 23.
• No school this Friday.
• Math Test Sign & Return due

Classroom Supplies:

• Sticky Notes

Thank you,

Ms. Smith