Below is an outline of what students are learning:
ELA
We are currently reading the children's novel There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar. As we read this novel together, students are investigating the realistic fiction genre, analyzing character, plot structure, and theme. Students are also honing their summarizing skills. In conjunction with this novel, students have been asked to read at least one realistic fiction book, complete a story map for the realistic fiction book, and answer character analysis questions. This is all part of their Independent Reading assignment, which also includes working towards and AR goal and completing a WOW! Words bookmark. Students have several papers related to this assignment in their reading pockets. The assignment is due Tuesday, October 6, 2015.
In writing we are working on summarizing and learning how to organize an essay. Students are also becoming familiar with using our mobile computer lab. Following completion of our Me Essays, students will begin writing personal narratives and learning how to insert appropriate transition words/phrases and elaborate with dialogue and imagery.
As part of language development, students are learning about word parts. We will be studying how to add suffixes, such as, -ed and -ing to base words and spell them correctly. Following that, we look at common homophones.
Math
We have completed a quick review of base ten, the foundation of our number system. Students learned to multiply and divide by powers of ten. Currently we are in Unit 1 of Everyday Math, Number Theory in which concepts of arrays, factorization, and divisibility are addressed. Next up, will be a review of measurement with a focus on the metric system, linear measurement, and area. This will lead to volume and integrate into a science unit on density.
Social Studies
We have had a slow start in the area of social studies, but we are progressing through a short unit of study on United States geography. This will be followed by a unit about the first people of the Americas.
Science
We have started a unit of study called Atoms to Minerals which will lightly investigate atomic theory, the periodic chart of elements, and matter. The matter focus will be minerals.
