2017!

Hello Room 4 families! I hope you had a great vacation! Here we go, back in gear in 2017. Here is a quick update of the learning we have been doing this week...

In reading we wrapped up units 3 and 4 of Superkids and students did an awesome job spelling memory and pattern words with -le and -ed, where a double consonant is required before the ending. Students have been isolating the root word and practicing a lot with memory words. Next week I will be doing reading assessments (BAS) with all students to determine their current reading levels and to tracking progress. Math and reading assessments will also be given with AIMSWEB by reading and math interventionists.

In writing students worked on snow globe projects where they wrote about what they would do if they lived in a snow globe. There were many creative ideas such as: breaking out, skiing, drinking hot chocolate, going sledding, building snowmen, digging holes, and going ice skating. I took a picture of students and they created a snow globe world of their own.Next week students will start a mini-unit connected to specialists and writing as a scientists where students will write their own book all about an animal. The following week students will start opinion writing.

In science students have started to learn about weather. We watched several weather reports, observed weathered and extended our daily recording of the weather that happens during morning meeting into the afternoon with a more detailed report. We will continue to learn about wind and clouds next week.

In math students have started the initial thinking behind relational thinking and fact families. Students will start to understand that addition and subtraction are actually related. Students first explored the idea of the equal sign and what equivalent means. Students played with pan balances and making things the same or equal on both sides. It was a lot of fun to get some time to explore hands-on materials and explore with a less structured learning activity. Students also worked on balancing equations. 

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! If you have time, stop by the PGO ski and skate sale at Crocker Farm! I bought some awesome snow shoes last year and use them all the time-brand new but at such a great price! I plan on checking it out!