Week 32

4/28/2013

 
Every time I look at my calendar, I do a double-take. "No WAY is April 2013 already over!" I think to myself. And yet I've checked my phone, my computer, Ms. Gaillard's calendar, a couple of sundials ... they all say the same thing! This year is FLYING by. I'm starting to feel a little sad already, thinking about how I'll miss my kids, so I've decided we're going to stay extra-busy this week so no one has time to feel blue! Here's what we have in store:

Reading + Writing: We are exploring poetry and drama this week! As a class, we're learning about the components of a poem and how to interpret figurative language in poetry. We're also trying our hand at writing poems that go along with the ones we're studying. We're ALSO working individually on memorizing poems to recite. And we are ALSO, if you can believe it, performing short plays in our guided reading groups! We have a lot on our plates, but hopefully that means there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Word Study: We are exploring multiple-meaning words whose definitions change when you accent them differently (e.g., preSENT v. PREsent).

Social Studies: We are examining the role of abolitionists in ending slavery, as well as the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War. 

Week 31

4/22/2013

 
It's going to be a weird but wonderful week! We have a Half Day on Tuesday so that we teachers can collaborate on lesson design, and we're traveling to City Roots on Wednesday. Students who made the Honor Roll will celebrate with hats and pizza on Thursday, and the Relay for Life Bake Sale is on Friday!

With all of that going on, it's easy to get distracted-- but we have some very important work to do this week, so we are going to stay focused! Thank you for all you do to help your child come to school ready to learn every day and to study and complete homework each night.

Here's what we're working on:

Reading and Writing: We will begin a brief study of analyzing and creating poetry this Thursday. I have gotten engrossed in a LOT of poems while planning this unit, and I can't wait to share them with the kids! It will also be exciting for them to see "Super-Writer's" tricks being put to use in real contexts.
Word Study: We are exploring one more round of Latin roots: VIS (see), AUD (hear), and DIC (speak/tell).

Social Studies: The students created some AWESOME review games to wrap up our study of Westward Expansion, and I know their hard work will pay off on Tuesday's test! After we return from City Roots, we will jump into our final unit of the year: the dreaded Civil War.

Week 30

4/15/2013

 
We have been hard at work since Spring Break, and I am excited about all the learning that is happening! We have had some especially deep and challenging discussions in Social Studies as we've investigated how westward expansion affected Native Americans and African-Americans. This week is sure to bring lots of growth with it, as well.

Reading: We are developing our note-taking skills by reading chunks of non-fiction text about westward expansion, then deciding how best to organize the information.
Word Study: This week's words feature 3 common Latin roots.
Language: We're continuing to practice using pronouns correctly.
Writing: We're wrapping up our Super-Writer mini-series and will be creating comic strips next!
Social Studies: We are bringing our study of westward expansion to a close with a study of rising tensions between the North and South. Our test is just around the corner, followed by the dreaded Civil War!

As announced last week, our afternoon classes will aso be taking their MAP Test Tuesday afternoon. I am looking forward to seeing great results! Thank you for helping your child come to school prepared to do his or her best!

Week 29

4/7/2013

 
Welcome back, everyone! I hope everyone had a restful, enjoyable Spring Break. We all need that time to recharge and make the most of the lovely spring weather. I'm very grateful for the week off, but I'm also happy to be back with my sweet students! We only have ONE QUARTER of the year left-- it is going to fly by! Here are the adventures in store for us this week ...

Reading + Social Studies: We are continuing to work on several different reading skills as we explore the expansion of the United States through the Indian Removal Act, annexation of Texas, and Mexican Cession. We also will find out how America tried to handle the question of slavery in new territories and states and what a MESS that turned out to be. 

Writing: The amazing Super-Writer(!!!) has been visiting our classroom for a few minutes each day to introduce and/or review some of the tools he uses to create awesome pieces of writing. We're doing some mini-practice with each tool, which will come in handy when we start writing poetry soon!

Language: We are practicing using pronouns correctly so our writing will be easier for others to understand.

Note that students will be taking their spring MAP tests this week. They will take the test for their morning class on Thursday, and the test for their afternoon class will be next Tuesday. Please make sure your child gets a solid night of sleep and a hearty breakfast in preparation for these important tests. I'm looking forward to seeing how much my students have grown this year!