Literacy at home

Hello Room 4 families! As we head into the winter break at the end of this week, I wanted to share some literacy links that I like and that your child can access from home. I hope you find some time to snuggle up with your child and do some reading over the break as well. Room 4 students have grown so much this fall! In January we will be checking in with each student to check his/her current reading level with use of the BAS assessment. Aside from reading, and more importantly, I also hope you have time to relax and spend some quality time with your friends and family. Wishing you all a happy and healthy winter vacation! 

http://www.uniteforliteracy.com

https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2010/07/20-sites-to-improve-your-childs-literacy.html

http://pbskids.org/games/reading/

Parachutes and Pajamas

Science is off to an awesome start in room 4! Students are grasping concepts about air, learning about compression, pressure, solids, liquids and gases and matter. Students did an exploration activity where they build parachutes and dropped them both inside and outside. They did a wonderful job working in teams and every person was involved. Then students were challenged to add a load to their parachute and design their own parachute. Students shared their parachute with the class and we discussed what worked and what didn't. It was amazing. Today students experienced air pressure using syringes and tubes. Students watched as air pressure built up and eventually launched the end of their syringe across the room. Students worked in pairs for this.

Pajama day was a hit and students were the envy on a day like today with the frigid weather. Students had time to read with their blankets, pillows and stuffed animals and got to design their own pajamas as a fun end of day activity.

In ELA we are looking at -er and -ed words. We are learning root works and have also learned that -ed can make 3 sounds: /ed/, /d/ and /t/. Students have been focused on retelling stories and more specifically on problem and solution and connecting with characters.

Tomorrow we will wrap up the first part of subtraction for the year. Students have done a great jobs using different strategies to solve subtraction story problems. Next week we will look at tallying and some data collection before the start of break!

The Nutcracker Ballet

Students had a great trip to the Nutcracker Ballet at the Academy of Music in Northampton! Students learned about the Nutcracker story, the characters, dancers, different moves the dancers do, ballet terms, the set and props, practice and hard work, and much more. It was fun and students did a great job listening and seemed to be engaged. One of our students will be performing as a gingerbread girl tonight and this Saturday as part of the ballet. We wish her luck and know she will do a fantastic job!

Students had the opportunity to visit their reading buddies class this week, which was set up like a long house and they learned a little about how the Womponogs lived. In science students are learning about air, wind, matter, pressure, force, resistance and gases, solids and liquids. Students made parachutes and got to drop them both inside and out. Students act as scientists, as they record their observations in science journals. Next week they will design their own parachutes and add a load to their parachute. 

In math, students are continuing to learn about subtraction as take away or less that and difference. Students have counted backwards, use manipulatives and built towers to compare numbers, drawn pictures, and used a number line to show different ways to solve subtraction and show difference. Students will be solving subtraction story problems next week and playing more subtraction games. 

In ELA students have started unit 4. We are looking at new pattern words that end in "er" and "ed". Students will also learn about non-fiction texts that author's write, taking on  the role of specialists on a specific subject. Students will then write thei own "All About" specialist book.

Just a reminder that next Wednesday is a 1:20 release and next Thursday is Pajama Day in room 4 and we also have a "Pizza, Pajama and Game Night" with families from 6:30-7:00. We are all set on supplies but would love some donations to put toward purchasing the pizzas. Have a great weekend!

Here comes the wind...

Well, we made it through a full 5-day week (it has been a while since we had a "normal" week). I suddenly came to the realization this week of just how much growth Room 4 students have made, when they read the morning message to me! Some of the words were not words I had intended for them to be able to read but they did it! YES!

Students finished their "How To" books and got to share their books with some of the students in Ms. Donoghue's and Ms. Bartolini's classes. It was a fun way to hear from other friends and see the learning that is going on across the grade.

Students are working on the endings: -le and -ng and have been noticing some patterns in words that end in -le, such as most of the time you need a double consonant before the -le (of course there are always a few exceptions to the rule). Students worked on categorizing and retelling stories. We also played a fun story game called "Fiddlesticks", where students worked together to tell a story and each student added a part to the story.

In math we have started subtraction and have solved using the number line and using concrete objects. Next week we will continue to explore "difference" by comparing and building numbers. 

We will also be building some background knowledge about the Nutcracker before we go on our field trip (Friday) and we will start a science unit which will include our writing curriculum, where students will learn about wind and clouds. Students will do experiments and explorations and then respond through projects and journaling. Students will have an opportunity to think outside the box and do some designing and trial and error. It should be really interesting.