10-21-16

10-21-16

Everyone is all set up with their frontrowed account.  Students just have to go to frontrowed.com and log-in.  They have to know our class code which is mc5sqv.  I wish I could change it but they don't let you.  This is an excellent website for math practice.  It's all adaptive learning so it places each student right where they need to be so it is a challenge or so it provides the proper support if they struggle in any areas.

I will be placing a new order at the end of next week.  If you wish to order any books from the October order, please do so by Friday, October 28th.  Our class code is DX98H.  We just got a ton of new books for the classroom because of all the bonus points I get when parents order new books.

The Halloween party is next Friday, Oct.28th.  Thanks for everyone that signed up to help with the party.  The plan is to have all kids show up for school dressed up in their costumes.  Here is how I see the day going.  It's going to go by quick.  Any parents helping out with the centers, please show up at 8:40 with your child so we can set things up.

8:40-9:05  Morning Work & Check-In

9:10-9:25  Center 1 Rotation

9:30-9:45  Center 2 Rotation

9:50-10:30  Music

10:30-11:00  Halloween Parade

11:00-11:15  Center 3 Rotation

11:15-11:45  Food & Drinks

11:45  Pack Up

12:00 Dismissal

Kool-Aid Playdough

If you would like to make playdough for the class, please sign up using the link below.  We will use the playdough for a landform project on Thursday, Nov. 3rd.

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0F4BAAAB29A6FA7-landform 

Language Arts

During the next few weeks, we’ll explore the theme Nature Watch. We’ll learn about different kinds of plants, animals, gardens, and weather while considering the Big Idea “Nature can teach us many things.” We’ll begin by exploring the question “How can chapter headings help you?” We’ll read an informational text called Animals Building Homes that tells about different types of animal homes around the world. Then we’ll have fun with the play Hiding at the Pond. What animals might have homes in a pond?

Target Vocabulary: beaks, break, deepest, hang, pond, shaped, winding, branches 

Phonics Skills: Common final blends nd, ng, nk, nt, ft, xt, mp 

Vocabulary Strategy: Base words and prefixes un- (means “not” or “undo”) and re- (means “again”) 

Comprehension Skill: Text and graphic features—tell how words work with art 

Comprehension Strategy: Question— ask questions about what you are reading

Lesson 4 

Objective: Count up to 1,000 on the place value chart.

Lesson 5 

Objective: Write base ten three-digit numbers in unit form; show the value of each digit.

Lesson 6

Objective:  Write base ten numbers in expanded form.

Lesson 8

Objective:  Count the total value of $1, $10, and $100 bills up to $1,000.

10-7-16

10-7-16

You may have noticed math papers coming home with a letter of the alphabet on them.  It's a program that we are using at school called rocket math.  It's primary focus is on fact fluency.  If the students can answer 40 addition problems in a minute then they get to move on to the next letter.  It starts off easy with +0 and +1, but then each letter gets harder.  Once you get through "Z" then it's onto subtraction. The hope is that the kids will start to make the connection and use addition to help them with subtraction.  A good way to know if your child needs practice with fact fluency is whether or not they still have to use their fingers or a number line to add or subtract.  The goal is to be 100% fluent in both addition and subtraction facts by the end of the year.   Mobymax and IXL are probably the 2 best websites to work on fact fluency.  I would look for a good app for your phone or ipad.  If you would like any papers to work on fluency at home, please let me know.  Making flashcards is still a great method too.

Language Arts

This week we explored another kind of neighborhood—the classroom! We considered the question “What clues tell you where and when a story takes place?” We began with Teacher’s Pets, a realistic fiction story about Miss Fry’s classroom. It’s a lively place for students and animals alike! Then we saw Westburg by Bus! as we read an informational text about this interesting community.

Target Vocabulary: share, noticed, suddenly, bursting, noises, wonderful, quiet, sprinkled 

Phonics Skills: Consonant blends with r, l, and s, including triple blends (burst, trunks, split) 

Vocabulary Strategy: Base words and endings -ed, -ing 

Comprehension Skill: Story structure— tell the setting, character, and plot in a story 

Comprehension Strategy: Visualize— picture what is happening as you read

Lesson 9 

Objective: Measure lengths of string using measurement tools, and use tape diagrams to represent and compare lengths.

Lesson 10 

Objective: Apply conceptual understanding of measurement by solving two-step word problems.

Problem 1 

Mr. Peterson decorated with 15 meters of ribbon in the morning. He decorated with 8 more meters in the afternoon than in the morning. How many meters of ribbon did Mr. Peterson use to decorate in the morning and afternoon in all?

Problem 2 

The red colored pencil is 17 centimeters long. The green colored pencil is 9 centimeters shorter than the red colored pencil. What is the total length of both pencils? 

Coming Up Next......Module 3:  Place Value, Counting, and Comparison of Numbers to 1,000