9/26/12

Language Arts:

Today we had a new student join our class. Welcome to Northpoint, Grace!

During our grammar portion of our morning, we continued working with run-on sentences to turn them into two complete sentences, compound or complex sentences.This is getting better but I still want to see it transfer over into their writing.

During our reading time, we worked on vocabulary and then the students were split into three groups. Each group read a short realistic fiction story and then as a group they completed a Venn diagram to compare the characters and the setting of that story to our weekly story. This stirred up quite intense conversations within the groups.

Homework:

***Weekly homework packet is due on Friday.

***Please note- Due to the number of students that need to finish their Acuity testing, we will not have our usual LA testing on Friday. The only possible test that may be taken will be the grammar test. The rest of the tests will be given on Monday.

*********************************************************************************

Math:

Today we took the on-grade level math Acuity test during our math time.

Homework:

***Friday packet due on Friday.

*********************************************************************************

Social Studies:

Content class 2 met today. We spent our time together reviewing for the test which will be given on Friday for this group.(My content 1 class will have their test tomorrow.)

Homework:

***Use the study guide and STUDY!

Until tomorrow...

9/24/12

A busy day... even for a Monday!

Language Arts:
Today in Language Arts we took our spelling pretest. This week we will focus on the long o spelling patterns. Please be sure to study these words a little each night.

Our reading story for the week is The Raft. It is a realistic fiction piece that brings about good conversation of how the main character's feelings change from the beginning to the end of the story. Please ask questions as you read the story together at home. Also, be sure to discuss the following vocabulary words and their meanings:downstream, disgusted, nuzzle, scattered, raft, and cluttered.

Our Common Core vocabulary words for the week are plot, characters,complex sentences, setting, context clues, purpose, audience,and voice. They will be added to a glossary a little each day. Your child is responsible for studying these words as they are presented each week. We will be working with them and quizzing over them periodically.

In grammar this week, we will be working on run-on sentences and sentence fragments. I'd love to see these disappear from our writing!

Homework:
***Weekly homework packet- due Friday
***Acuity testing for LA tomorrow morning- Eat a healthy breakfast.
*********************************************************************************
Math:
Today we completed our minute, reviewed a few skills on white boards,and discussed our weekly objectives and Common Core vocabulary that we will discuss this week. Next, we worked on our lesson for the day which dealt with finding the area of a rectangular shape and a few irregular ones as well. This week our standards focus on measurement and finding both the perimeter and area of shapes.

Homework:
***Math Box 8.1 and 8.2- due tomorrow
***Yellow Writing and Computation in math sheet-due Friday
      (The students were told to do all their computation in the box, circle their answer, and explain in detail using math vocabulary in their responses.
*********************************************************************************
Social Studies- We discussed the Mississippi river in detail today. We learned how many states it passes through, where it starts, where it ends, how it has changed since the days of Mark Twain, and what regions it flows through....

Homework:
***Our Chapter 2 test for Content #1 will be on Thursday- Please use the study guide that was passed out last week.

Until tomorrow...

9/20/12

Grammar:
Today we continued to work on complex sentences during our grammar portion of the day. This is a skill that we continue to work on since it needs to carry over into their writing.

During reading, we read a short nonfiction article about the solar system and used a diagram to answer comprehension questions. This also stirred up quite a conversation about comparing and contrasting the different- This was not a planned activity but it turned out to be a very beneficial activity!

Writing today continued with writing a letter(personal narrative) to someone that they admired. Since we are really working on using paragraphs and complex sentences, this was a struggle for some students. This letter is due on Friday.

Homework:
***Personal narrative writing is due tomorrow- It should be two pages in length with details.
***Weekly Homework Packet is due on Friday
***Vocab. Vine quiz on Friday
***Personal narrative letter- due Friday

*********************************************************************************
Math:
Quizzes were passed back today. Please be sure to get a parent signature and return it to school tomorrow.
We completed our first unit test today. Please remember that these skills that were tested today will be revisited throughout the year over and over again during our computation time. This will keep them solid!

Homework:
***Homework packet- due Friday

*********************************************************************************
Social Studies-
Today we read and discussed section 2.8 through the summary. We also looked at colorful pictures of different places in the United States and the students had to figure out where they were based on specific clues.

Study guides were passed out today for chapter 2. My content class #1 will have their test next Thursday. Be sure to fill out the study guide and study the vocabulary. The students should be able to write to show that they know the vocabulary.

Until tomorrow...

September 17,2012

Today was a busy day even though we had double specials!

After taking our spelling pretest and discussing words with the long i sound, we jumped into our story for this week. This week our genre is a realistic fiction. Our vocabulary words for the week are as follows: endless, astronaut, protested, realistic, universe, sensible,and paralyzed. Please be sure that you discuss these definitions throughout the week as you read and discuss the story together at home.

This week in reading, we will focus on analyzing characters, describing the setting, and making inferences. We will also stress the following Common Core Vocabulary:
setting- when and where the story takes place
characters-the people or animals that make up the story
analyze-being able to look at something closely and understand all of its parts
personal narrative-writing about yourself
complex sentences- complete sentences that contain an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses

In grammar, we will continue to stretch our sentences by looking at building complex sentences. We will practice by using this type of sentence in our personal narratives later this week.

Homework:
***Weekly homework packet is due on Friday
***Assessments covering all the skills from the week will take place on Friday as well.

**********************************************************************************
Math:
Today in math we reviewed skills, and worked on probability and chance events.

Homework:
***Finish page 213 and complete page 216
***We will be working on a practice test of skills tomorrow and our first test will be on Wednesday.

*********************************************************************************
Social Studies:
Today we watched a short video about the writing of the Constitution and went over the answers for our Geography Challenge questions in our Interactive Student Notebook.

Homework:
***None

Until tomorrow...
 

9/12/12

What a day!

We accomplished a lot this morning during LA. We reviewed subjects and predicates, simple and compound sentences, and worked on responding to literature. The remainder of the class time was devoted to Vocabulary Vine and Triumphs.

Homework:
***Please remember to check planners each night and initial them.
***Weekly homework packet is due on Friday- A parent signature is required at the top and after each night's reading minutes. Thank you!

*********************************************************************************
Math:
During math today we reviewed previous skills stressing adding, comparing, and ordering fractions. Our lesson of the day dealt with finding the whole when a fraction is given.

Homework:
***Journal pages 210 and 212
***Common Core vocabulary was passed out today. The students should have them in their red minute folders. These folders, along with their blue math notebook,s should be reviewed throughout the week to keep old topics "fresh".(The Common Core words that were passed out today were from the 4th and 5th grade list.)

*********************************************************************************
Social Studies:
Today in class we read and discussed sections 2.5 and 2.6 in our books and worked with partners to find designated places in the United States by using Interactive Student Maps and lines of latitude and longitude.

Homework:
***None
***Chapter 1 tests were passed out today. Please be looking for them in blue folders tonight.

Until tomorrow...

9/10/12

Language Arts:
Today in Language Arts we took our spelling pre-test and talked about words with the long e spelling. Each student has one of three lists to study for their test on Friday.

In grammar we started discussing simple and compound sentences. This brought about a discussion about what an independent clause is and what purpose a conjunction serves. We will continue with this skill throughout the week.

Our story for the week is a short Nonfiction article. The questions for the article can be found on page 77 in the basal. Please be sure that your child writes in complete -detailed sentences and uses details from the text to support their answers. Additional paper may be used and stapled to their packet if necessary.

Homework:
***Assessments will be given on Friday
***Weekly homework packet is due on Friday. Parents, please be sure to sign the top and initial the number of minutes read each night. Thank you!
*********************************************************************************
Math:
After completing our Math Minute we hit the floor for computation skill review. We were then off to work on renaming fractions and converting fractions to decimals. (Please note: Skills are reviewed constantly during our floor time. If you find that your child is struggling in any area, please let me know so that can be our daily focus the next day.)

We ended the day with a board quiz. This is a review of all the skills taught so far.Several students need to finish this up tomorrow.

Homework:
***A Train Ride- Worksheet

*********************************************************************************
Social Studies:
Since I was out of the building two days last week, I have not passed back the chapter one test yet. It will be coming home later in the week. Please be looking for it in blue folders.

We started chapter 2 today. This chapter deals with Exploring the Regions of the United States. The students have their vocabulary for this chapter in their folders. It should be reviewed a little each night.

Homework:
***None

Until tomorrow...

It is Friday!

I can say that I am happy to be back at school after two days training for Common Core.

Today in Language Arts we took our weekly assessments and worked on Nonfiction.
 Homework:
***None

Reminder: Please be sure to make certain that your child finishes all of their weekly homework packet. A parent signature is needed at the top of the cover sheet as well under each nights reading minutes. Next week "Oops" slips will given for missing signatures. This is the only way we know that the story was read to a parent, common core words were reviewed, and spelling was practiced. (I really do not like giving "Oops" :(

Math- Today was Fraction Friday. After completing our minute and grading our homework, we jumped to the floor to work on a variety of fraction skills. We ended the day with some mental math.

Homework:
***None

In Social Studies, we started Chapter 2 today. In this chapter we will review geography skills and discuss the five regions of the United States. It is going to be a fun time!

Until Monday...

Good Afternoon!
I was out of the building today and will be tomorrow due to a Common Core Meeting. Real blogging will start on Friday.

Reminders:
***Weekly homework packet with a parent signature on the top and daily initialed reading minutes are due on Friday.

***Social Studies test tomorrow for class #2 over Chapter 1

Until Friday...