I really enjoyed having the chance to see everyone at conferences and having the time to talk to you about your children. Thank you for partnering with me to ensure your child’s success!
This week in reading we started our book clubs. Children were divided into small groups and each group chose a book to read that none of them had read before. Students have been using all the “reading tools” that we have put in our “reading tool boxes” to help us be better thinkers during our reading. Last week we learned some more about author’s craft and have added the “tools” of flashback, imagery, poetic justice, and irony to our “tool box.” Today we had our first book club discussion about the first section of the book that they read. We are working on keeping the conversation alive and going into deeper meanings of the book. The more you say, the more you understand. We are continuing to read and talk about these books until spring break.
We have started our second fractions unit in Math. Students have learned multiple ways to compare factions, we have learned how to simplify or reduce fractions and we have worked with adding fractional data to line plots! Students will begin to take Mad Minutes on reducing fractions next week. We will also be creating videos that teach others how to simplify fractions and compare fractions that have unlike denominators.
This week in writing we wrote our literary essay “on demand” for the book A Bad Case of Stripes. Students had to create a thesis based on the theme or the lesson of the story. The reasons that they used to support their thesis had to be universal, not just true in the book. Students were required to use examples from the book for their evidence to support their reasons. I am really impressed with the work they have done!
I hope you have had a chance to check out your child’s Social Studies project! Students were tasked with creating a travel advertisement for a state of their choosing using the 5 themes of geography. I am so impressed by all of their creations! The students really worked hard to showcase their research and convince us to travel to their state! I am thoroughly impressed with their creativity!
A HUGE thank you to everyone who has created a read-a-thon page! If you haven’t had a chance yet, please do so this weekend. I have sent another read-a-thon sheet home today, with your child’s code. Remember, it is free to sign up and your child will receive a prize just for signing up! The donations are really starting to pour in – THANK YOU! During the Read-a-thon we are reading an extra 15-20 minutes a day as a whole school at the same time!
Important Dates
Thursday, March 31 – Chicago final payments due
April 1-8 – Spring Break
Tuesday, April 12 – no school – PD for teachers and SAT for 11th graders