Marching Along

Greetings A-4 Families:

These past few weeks have been full of meaningful activities.  Valentine's Day, Field Trip, Night Ministry collection, an Author visit and more!  (Be sure to scroll down and see the pictures!)

In math, we have shifted from fractions to decimals.  We have worked hard to build the understanding of partial numbers as a context for both.  This requires a great deal of conceptual connection to the number line, as we try to focus between 0 and 1.  Fractions are a very abstract concept.  The more we draw diagrams the better as they relate the understanding to a concrete model, making it easier to grasp.  Once we gained a strong understanding of fractions, we were able to move into the connection of decimals.  Soon we will be venturing into geometry, but will continue to practice the above skills as well.

We continue to work on our essay writing.  We are currently working on opinion/persuasive essays.  Though the genre of writing is different from the expository format that we will be using in our Expert Reports, the essay framework is transferable and will be very beneficial as we move forward.

Speaking of Expert Report, now that we have our 100 note cards, it is time to start organizing our notes into writing.  Our goal in the month of March is to write all essays for our SubTopics.  We will be working in our Google Drives for this work.  In April, we will compile our essays into Book Creator.

Our reading work has been focusing on non-fiction skills.  We have been learning about text structures, how to synthesize information across texts and the use of text features in non-fiction writing/reading.

I am very pleased with everyone's efforts in Book Bingo.  Now that the color printer has new ink for printing, I look forward to awarding everyone with their Book Bingo Certificates.  We had a few double bingos, a triple bingo and even a quadruple bingo.  Hurray for the A-4 readers!!

We've been having a wonder-filled time with our science explorations.  As we continue to explore Energy, we have been experimenting with different variables to test different outcomes to build our understanding.  Energy and energy transference are difficult concepts to learn about without exploration.  Currently we are testing out rolling stainless steel spheres on tracks with ramps.  This has been a great winter activity!

We have headed into another round of Cooperatives to enhance our study of slavery and the Underground Railroad.  We have multiple stations or centers of activities that support a deeper look into the time period.  Some of the activities include: map making, quilt making, a digital game to run to freedom, creating a wanted poster of an abolitionist, slave children games and learning the codes of slave songs.

Just a few more weeks until Spring Break.  I hope to keep the focus and really dig into these next few weeks.

Fraction Fun

Indoor Recess Fun

Packing Personal Packs 

for Night Ministry

More fun with fractions

Field Trip - "Night Runner" & Nature Museum

Happy V-Day

Author visit

Test Synthesis

Science Tracks

Guest Teacher for Reading

Mrs. Smith

Buddy Time

Busy Winter

I am aware it has been a while since I have posted.  It has been a busy month!  (& now we are into February already!) Hopefully my noteworthy emails have been keeping you all up to date.

In addition to our wonderful MLK Day, we have tackled many other incredible projects lately.  I know you all have been busy with Book Bingo and now merging efforts into the Expert Report.

Our Science times have been filled with exhilarating experiments teaching us about Waves & Energy.  We have been focusing on Energy transference and evidence through waves.  Using ropes, water, tuning forks, springs and Slinkys, we have been able to see the connections in action.

As we continue our study of the South East Region, we have taken time to learn about the Civil Rights Movement - just in time for MLK Day, as well as to go further back in history to discuss the difficult topic of slavery.  This study focuses briefly on the capture, moves into the connection of the economy as we integrate our geography into the Triangle Trade.  Next we will focus on life of a slave and then spend more time on the Underground Railroad and abolishment of slavery.  The kids are displaying impressive maturity as we discuss and learn about this difficult time in history.  We are very careful to keep this study at an appropriate age level.

Math has been focusing on fractions.  This can be a difficult for many, as partial numbers are very abstract and can be tricky.  I enjoy this unit, as it is very thoughtful and developmentally appropriate - VERY different from how I was taught fractions in my childhood.  Much research has gone into how to best support children's understanding and acclimation of fractions.  I love how the INVESTIGATIONS materials support this.  We have been drawing models, making flashcards and creating number lines.  We have a whole number line stretched across our room from 0 to 2.  These concrete models are helpful for the kids to make the abstract connections.  After conferences, I'll resume "Fraction Friends" as the more practice the better!

Book Bingo ends Friday Feb. 17th - be sure to be turning the forms and essays in!

Expert Report is well on it's way.  We are now nailing down our 5 Subtopics and collecting notes.  I am asking that kids get in the habit of bringing their ER Booklet, folder and note card pack to and from school regularly, as we are trying to fit in as much as we can.  At this point all kids should have 25 notecards.  They can now start sorting them into the 5 categories of their subtopics with their handy notecard holders.  50 notecards will be due for check in on Tuesday, Feb. 21st.

We have completed our Short Story Study and are now moving into our Non-Fiction Study.  This past week we learned about different text structures and learned to pay attention to how those structures led us (the reader) to focus on information in a specific way.  Chronological, Cause & Effect, Problem-Solution and Compare & Contrast.  Next we will be focusing on Non-Fiction text features.

The Non-Fiction study will straddle our reading and writing instruction for the next few months, as the integration of skills will also assist the kids in reading and learning for their Expert Reports, as well as the writing of their own essays.  Speaking of essays, we are currently working on opinion/persuasive essays as we learn the expository formatting of writing.

I am looking forward to our Conferences.  Please be sure to check your time/date.  I'll be sending out a reminder link soon.

MLK Day

On Monday we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a Day of Service for others.

In observance of the late, great Dr. King, we had a non-academic day dedicated to a service project and learning about his great influence.

We started the day with a whole school assembly in the auditorium with a special WGST (thank you Amalie & Kavi!) and an introduction of our project with the Kindness Connection.

We spent the morning working on decorating bags, stuffing teddy bears and creating activity booklets for children who visit the emergency room.  

In the afternoon, we watched the Dr. Suess movie - SNEETCHES to help us understand more about the effects of excluding others.  We read stories about MLK and others who had a great effect on the Civil Rights Movement.  We made signs about positive things in our world and held a peaceful march to share our signs & ideas.  

It was a wonderful day.  Thank you Dr. King for teaching us all the importance of peace, kindness, inclusivity and to stand up for what is right!

Jumping into 2017

Happy January!

It's been a great week coming back from the break.  We are all seemingly refreshed and ready to get back into our routine.

This time of year - from January to Spring Break is what I call the "meat & potatoes" of the year.  This is really a great time for us to dig in deep to great learning projects.

BIG news! - We are beginning the Expert Report!  Your child has brought home the RED Booklet for you to read through together. Please sign page 2 and remind your child to brainstorm TEN feasible ideas to fill in page 7.  (Be sure to return this to school on Monday).  This project will be rolled out slowly, as there is a great deal of benefit to learning the research process through these beginning stages called 'pre-search'.  Please encourage your child to think broadly about possible topics.  It is important that topics are age appropriate so your child is successful in researching with appropriate level materials and can present to other students.  Through the course of this week, we will trim our list of ideas down as we check in with each other and available resources.  Hopefully, by week's end, every child will know their topic and can then start collecting resources.

I am encouraging kids to keep up with their Book Bingo Forms.  It is important to fill them out as the reading is done; waiting until last minute becomes unmanageable.  If your child has not turned in a minimum of one form as of yet, please remind and support them to do so as soon as possible.

This week in math, we concluded our unit on multiplication & division II.  There was no Weekly Review, as we took time to show our progress on a post-assessment.  Next Friday I will send home the Pre & Post for you to see their growth.  (There will be another unit later in the year - multiplication & division III).  Next, we will begin working on our Fraction unit.

Before the holidays, all book groups were concluded which makes way for our Short Story Study. These stories - many of which were once a part of the Jr. Great Book Series, help students to build their skills of focusing on new vocabulary, story elements, fact recall and making inferences.  All skills that build successful and strong readers.

As we point toward the Expert Report, we have changed our focus in writing to Non-Narrative writing.  We will be exploring expository, informational, opinion and personal essay.  These skills will assist them in building strong essays for their Expert Reports and build a stronger foundation of technical writing skills to take with them into middle school.

We have moved into the study of the South East Region.  We will be taking some time to learn about Slavery and the Underground Railroad, which will naturally lead us into our study of the Mid West by February.

But first, with Martin Luther King Day just around the corner, we will take some time to learn about the Civil Rights movement.

Conference sign up will be posted on Monday.  It will be a LIVE Google Document.  Please be on the look out for the email.

Hope your weekend is wonderful.

Using Multiple Towers in math.

Feelings skits with Buddies