September 23, 2019
Dear Parents, I hope you enjoyed a relaxing weekend with your families. Listed below are the weekly updates for our classroom. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. CURRICULUM Math – Last week we observed some of the multiplication patterns for the 2’s and 5’s by tossing a ball of yarn within the circle to create multiplication circles. Students discovered that the multiplication facts for the 2’s are always even products (the answer in a multiplication problem) and that the products for the 5’s facts always have a 0 or a 5 in the ones place. This week we will find the missing factor. Factors are the numbers being multiplied (one represents the equal groups and the other represents the number in each group). Students will use pop cubes to model multiplication problems to determine if the groups or the number in the groups is the missing factor. Once this info is determined, they will write an equation and solve for the missing factor. We will have an assessment by the end of the week. Reading – Students have been enjoying learning how children in various countries across the world access books in our text called My Librarian is a Camel. On Friday, each student chose a country (Finland, Thailand, or Zimbabwe) and began reading an excerpt from My Librarian is a Camel with their group to determine the gist (what the text is mostly about) to become an expert on their respective country. This week students will practice determining the main idea and explain how key details support it and draft an informative paragraph about their country. Students will take a mid-unit assessment on Wednesday in which they will answer questions and identify the main idea of an informational text. Science – Last week, students learned about the functions of the muscular system. They created a model of the arm using dowel rods, paper clips, a rubber band, and rubber tubing to represent the bones, joint, muscles, and tendons within the arm. This week, we will learn about the largest organ of the human body, our skin, and wrap up our human body unit by the end of the week with a short assessment. UPCOMING DATES Thursday, September 26 – Vision Screening – If your child wears glasses, please make sure he/she brings his/her glasses on this date. Monday, September 30 – Teacher Workday – No school for students Sincerely, Ms. Underwood
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September 16, 2019
Dear Parents, I hope you enjoyed the beautiful weekend by doing some fun activities with your family. I had a fun time at my grandson’s third birthday party. Listed below is some helpful information for the week ahead: CURRICULUM Reading – Students will complete an end of Unit 1 assessment on Monday in which they will be expected to write short constructed responses to answer questions about the text. We have practiced quite a bit in class using our RACE bookmark to organize the writing. R = Restate the question, A = Answer the question, C = Cite evidence from the text, E = Explain how the evidence supports your answer. In Unit 2 of our “Overcoming Learning Challenges” module, students will practice determining the main idea and explaining how key details support the main idea using an engaging text called My Librarian is a Camel. Math – Students will continue building fluency with the 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s multiplication facts. They are conceptually understanding multiplication by applying strategies such as equal groups drawings, repeated addition, skip counting, and drawing arrays when problem solving. Continue to help your child become fluent with these facts by practicing at home using flashcards. Science – We had fun last week trying to do everyday tasks without the use of some of the joints in our fingers. Students understood firsthand the important role the joints play in helping us to bend and complete activities such as writing, cutting, etc. Students also made a robotic finger in a Mystery Science activity to reinforce the functions of bones, joints, tendons, and muscles. BOG – The Beginning of Grade test in reading will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17. Please make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a nutritious breakfast. We have done a practice activity in class, so students do not need to be stressed about the test. Please have your child leave smart watches and other pieces of technology at home on the testing day. September Homework – The due date for homework is October 1. I accidentally stated September 30 on the assignment which is a teacher workday. UPCOMING DATES Monday, September 16 – Friday, September 20 – Dragonfire Fundraiser Thursday, September 19 – 12:40 – 1:25 p.m. – STEAM activity with Mrs. Sollars Thursday, September 19 – 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. – Open House for K – 5th grades Thursday, September 19 - 6:30 p.m. – PTA general meeting for all parents Sincerely, Ms. Underwood Dear Parents,
I hope you have enjoyed the beautiful Labor Day weekend and had time to do some fun activities with your families. I was very glad to have an extra day to rest, rejuvenate, and prepare for the coming week. It was a pleasure getting to know your sweet children last week. We engaged in several ice-breaker and problem-solving activities as we began to build community within our classroom. I am extremely excited about the new school year and look forward to helping your children grow socially, emotionally, and academically. I just wanted you to know that we had a fantastic first week of school. Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend! I look forward to seeing your children tomorrow. Respectfully, Ms. Underwood |
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