Tuesday Thinkings

This evening at home....

• Read or reread chapter 8 in TLTWATW.
• Complete the ASLAN graphic organizer, based on Chapter 8
• Study for tomorrow's Math test. Complete sample problems from the Review and from the Chapter.

News:

• Several kids took the NAEP test today. This made for an abnormal day.
• I did not stamp Gold Cards today and will do so tomorrow. 
• We will attend an assembly tomorrow morning. Get ready to hear some classical music.  
• Cassidy has invited the entire class to her birthday party.  Wow! Please ask your child about the invitation and RSVP to Cassidy. 😊

Finding Tumnus Friday

Hello 201 Families,

I am happy to report that most kids finished their MLK Persuasive Writing Project.  I was a stickler for format on this one. Kids who did not indent properly are doing rewrites.

This weekend at home, read and catch up on ST Math or IXL. On ST Math, kids should be at 50 % or higher.   Some kids have Regional packets or MLK Essays to finish.  On IXL, try to focus on Geometry or Area and Perimeter.

We will take the Chapter Go Math test on Wednesday.

Thursday Thoughts

This evening at home....

• Readers Notebook pp. 187-188
• Study for Spelling
• Ecology For Kids: Analyze Text questions
• Go Math 6.8

Go To Know News

• We will take the Math Test on Wednesday!
• The Mid Chapter Checkpoint is coming home today. Take a look at this and use it to fill in knowledge gaps.

Writing Wednesday

Today we worked on our "hooks" and "wrap-ups" and tomorrow we will publish our MLK Essays. I think that you will be impressed when you see the final product!

This evening at home.....

• get ready for multiplication madness
• complete the homework and practice for lesson 6.7
• finish reading chapter 7 in The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe
• complete the Constructed Response: Problem and Solution

Thinking Tuesday

Hello Team201 Families,

I apologize that yesterday's post never got posted! I am happy to report that your responsible kids did do all of their homework last night. 100%!  It is a great way to start the day.

Today we...

• discussed the purpose and structure of Persuasive Writing
• used our MLK research and graphic organizer to develop three distinct paragraphs, each with its own topic sentence. Tomorrow we will work on our "hooks" and "wrap ups."
• corrected last night's Spelling and Vocabulary homework
• reviewed finding common denominators
• learned how to use 1/2 as a benchmark number
• dug in to our Journeys selection, Ecology For Kids, to discuss Main Idea and Supporting Details. We created a fishscale graphic organizer to help us practice.
• read and discussed Chapter 6 in The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe
• logged on to Science Fusion to begin our new unit: Sun Moon and Stars

This evening at home....

• use the evidence in Chapter 6 to complete the Character Analysis response.  
• complete the HW and Practice in Go Math lesson 6.6
• read and record
• get ready to resume Multiplication Madness.  Many are past, or are fast approaching the finish line!!  We will take a MM quiz on Thursday.

Use the links below for extra Math support!

Click here to get help with Common Denomiators.

Click here to get help with using 1/2 as a benchmark to compare fractions.

Farewell Obama Friday

We didn't have much time to talk about the Presidential Inauguration today, but the title still works!


Parents, we will have a Spelling Test next Friday.  This week's list focuses on a spelling skill that needs some practice. I am sending home the Study Guide today so that kids have some extra time to practice.


Parents, I know that you are busy. I really do!  Please try to check the homework each night and sign the Gold Card. When your child is missing a homework assignment, I will write a note on the Gold Card. If your child has lost the gold card, I will give them a sheet of paper to use as a homework log.  Bringing the Gold Card to and from school each day is key! Your child CAN do this! :-)

Kids DO NOT forget to bring The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe every day!

Right now, a several kids are working on some unfinished business. If your child brings home the SE or NE scrapbook, please make sure that they are writing a detailed caption sentence that explains each illustration. All of the support materials for these projects are on Google Classroom.


Have a great weekend, Team201!  Don't forget to read and record!

Thursday Thinking

Hi Families!

Please check in with tonight's Go Math homework. Most kids will need some level of support.

This evening at home...

• Go Math 6.4
• Turkish Delight: side  of handout. Kids will need to finish Chapter 4 to do this. I read most of Chapter 4 aloud today.

We will continue with Multiplication Madness next week. 

We Love Cocoa Wednesday

It was delicious! Today we enjoyed hot cocoa as we read on in The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe.   We also.....

• went to the Science Lab to build circuits and test conductors and insulators
• read about the life and accomplishments of Dr. King and took notes
• worked on Simplifying Fractions.  Don't forget to use the G.C.F. and check for common multiples!
• drank more cocoa...
• read some more and discussed...

This evening at home...

• complete the hw and practice for lesson 6.3
• complete the Analyze Text for The Life and Times of the Ant in Journeys. Show me your best, or you will have to redo it.  Cut once, measure twice
• read

Tumnus Tuesday

Today we met Mr. Tumnus. Your kids will learn more about him this evening. Parents, please see yesterday's post about The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. I also wrote about tomorrow's Cocoa Read- In.

This evening at home...

• complete the hw for lesson 6.2
• read through page 23 in The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe.
• complete the Chapter 2 Constructive Response. Do not do Chapter 3.
• bring a mug!

Hot Cocoa Read-In: This Wednesday

Our Winter Reading Challenge Reward will be this Wednesday. Let's reduce our environmental footprint. Bring your own mug! I will supply the book and the hot chocolate. If you can't bring a mug, that's o.k. too. This week, we will begin reading The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. 
I do have enough copies for the entire class, but they are tattered!  Feel free to bring in your own copy. Kids enjoy annotating the novel, and if they have their own copy, this is possible.

Parents, this novel is for the advanced reader and will be a stretch for even the avid 4th grade reader. It was originally published in 1950 and the kids in the story are English. The language is a bit old fashioned! I will be asking kids to do bit of reading at home, and I will also be reading the book aloud in class.  Feel free to support your child with the reading at home. Kids are welcome to read ahead! They must be willing to reread to complete daily assignments.  I can't wait to get started!


Parents, please note that we will take the Science MAPS test this Thursday. We will go to the Science Lab on Wednesday to make up the lab we missed in December.  Our next unit in Science explore the Earth Moon and Sun System.

Friday News

This weekend at home....

• finish both the NE and the SE Scrapbooks. We have been working on these for weeks and have had LOTS of class time. Use the content on Google Classroom and your answered questions to help you.
• Are you done with your 12 Magic Squares? If not, finish them!
• Complete a rough draft of your "Precept Project."
• Several kids need to rework the Text to Text assignment again.  Read the prompt with care. Make sure that you are completing all of the tasks.  Write in paragraphs and edit!
• Don't come to school on Monday. It is MLK's birthday.

We will be discussing the life and legacy of Dr. King next week.

We will begin the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe next week.

We will have our Hot Cocoa Read- in next week!

We will take the Science MAPS test next Thursday.

See you on Tuesday! 

Don't forget to read.

That's Interesting Thursday

We had a LOT going on today...Arctic vs Antarctic....Mr.Szymanski's Antarctic Adventures...Equivalency and Simplest Form...Attract and Repel...New Pennies vs. Old Pennies...Copper vs. Zinc...Precepts...the Wonderful Conclusion of Wonder...


This evening at home...

• MOST kids in 201 need to rework last night's Reading Response Text to Text homework. Some kids didn't answer the question. Others did not cite examples. Some did not write in paragraph form. A few just need to rewrite and add punctuation. Please read the question with care.
• The following kids do not need to revise last night's work: D.R., A.B.,F.S., C.C.,C.R.,I.F., M.Y.   You know who you are! Great job.
• Study those vocabulary words and roots. Test tomorrow! Use your Magic Square to help you. I will collect them tomorrow.
• Read and record!
• Complete the Go Math homework and practice for lesson 6.1

Optional work to get started...

http://mrwreads.blogspot.com/2013/09/wonder-precepts-quotes.html

Follow the link to get started on the PRECEPTS PROJECT.  I will be providing the final paper.  You may use a blank sheet of paper to get a rough draft started.  I will explain further in class tomorrow.

Wednesday Wonders

Hello Team 201 Families,

Today we...

• worked on finishing our Magic Squares. The final product will have 12 entries.
• read Wonder
• took the Chapter 5 Math test. Results are available on Think Central. 
• read about  Arctic and Antarctica and took notes
• worked on our Chapter 5 corrections

This evening at home...

• complete the Show What You Know for Chapter 6.  Challenge: write an equivalent fraction for each response on  the first page. 
• read Cold, Cold Science in Journeys.  Complete the Text To Text question on page 401.  Don't forget to cite evidence from both selections.

Math Test:

Many kids began working on corrections in class. I am urging students to take notes during the test. Think: What is this problem asking me to do? What is actually happening in this problem? Are there number relationships or compatible numbers involved?  Does my answer make sense?

Several students are writing the numbers, but are not using their reading skills to help them make sense of each problem.  Models, labels, and equations/calculations must be done on paper! 

All students are encouraged to do corrections. I will award partial credit.   

Check out  this video to learn more about equivalent fractions...

Tele- Tuesday

Thank you Audrey F, for providing us with today's title. I was going for Missed Out on Magic Monday Tuesday. Max's gave me " the look" commenting, "That doesn't make sense. It doesn't even have a T."  Max, you are right.

Today we are spending more time with word roots, or stems.   We are using "magic squares" to showcase our learning.   What is a magic square? I can't tell you. It's magic. Kids will be bringing them home this evening, so you can see for yourselves.

 Magic Squares will contain 10 entries. The entries are a combination of roots and vocabulary words. All kids must use this week's roots: spec-, tele-, vis-, and struct-.  They may then choose to add this week's vocabulary words, or add more root words.  Most kids are choosing to work with atleast 2-3 vocabulary words. Kids who are feeling confident with this week's list will supplement with more root words.


This evening at home...

• work on your Magic Squares. You should have 6 or more finished.
• complete the Readers Notebook reading response pages that go with Antarctic Journey. pp 157 and 158
• study for tomorrow's Chapter 5 Math test. We finished reviewing today.
• Read!

You may want to know...

• This week's Science Lab: Conductors and Insulators and Exploring Magnetism
• I have loaded supplemental materials on Google Classroom. Feel free to explore them and to add other links that will help us learn more about Antarctica
• We will take the MAPS Science test next Thursday
• There is no school on Monday, January 16. We will honor the work and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King in class next week.
• We are studying the Southeast Region.  If you child has not turned in the Northeast Scrapbook, it must be in by Tuesday!

Metaphor Monday

Welcome to 2017 201!

I hope that everyone enjoyed this long break. Do you need another book series recommendation? I have one. My son received a great book for Christmas: Nathan Hales, One Dead Spy.    He tore through it and is now reading another book in the series. If you like history, and you like graphic novels, these might be a good fit.

This evening at home...

• complete pages 159-160 in the Journeys Readers Notebook
• work on the odd problems for the Chapter Review. We will take our Chapter test on Wednesday

Progress Reports are going home today! Please sign and return the bottom portion of the form.


Notes...

• I will pass out the January Gold Cards tomorrow. I will collect the December Gold Cards tomorrow.  Your child did not leave the January Gold Card at school. S/he has not received it!
• Please note that your child's Progress Report is a "snap shot" of grades taken the week  before break.  Grades may have since changed. There are 5 more weeks in the quarter!