March 16, 2018 Update

Hi Parents, Thank you for taking the time to review what we've accomplished this week in our classroom.  Remember to send in your completed form and $$ for the field day shirt.  Also, if you have any outstanding Boosterthon pledges, turn those in ASAP. See below to find out what we've been doing this week...

Grammar:  We reviewed all the comma rules, including how to use commas when writing complex sentences.  We practice putting in the correct punctuation when using dialogue.  We also looked at how to separate items in a list with commas. We took our assessment on Friday.

Writing:  We wrote several Milestone responses this week. The first one was, after reading an informational passage on the Galapagos Tortoises, to write a summary with the main idea and supporting details.  After that, we read two passages from different perspectives on recess.  We wrote persuasive speeches to show our opinion, supported by evidence from the passages.  Lastly, we read a story about a state park in Louisiana, then we wrote a narrative  incorporating details about the park into the setting and events.

Reading:  We read several stories from our Milestone Resource book and talked about the types of questions we might see on the real test. We looked at the various types of questions and whether they require us to generalize about the entire text, or look in the text for specific evidence. We also practiced the skill of predicting test questions as we read through the passage.  We began our new class read aloud, The Lone Wolf. This story is mostly for vocabulary development as well as entertainment as we get closer to the testing window.  Your child does not need a personal copy.  We took the Reading Inventory, so be on the lookout in your child's report card envelope for the updated score and explanation.  We also worked with our book club group to illustrate the climax of our story.
Math: We began learning about perimeter and how to calculate it.  We compared perimeter and area and talked about their differences.  We also practiced determining side lengths when the total perimeter and some side lengths were given.  We practiced our multi-step problem solving every day and took a final assessment.  We did not have time on Friday for the timed test, so we will take that quiz on Monday.

Class Announcements...

Congratulations to Cassidy Beames for being chosen as our Terrific Kid for this month!  She consistently shows tolerance and patience to all of her classmates.

Thank you, Mrs. Olson, for helping our small reading group this week!

Class Needs...We are in need of more items for our prize box!  If you have dollar store items or other goodies you think another child would enjoy, send them our way!  Our individually wrapped candy is also running low, and as many times as your child tells  you I am eating it ALL, don't believe them!

We only have two weeks until Spring Break!  In addition to our weekly USA Test Prep assignments, I will also be posting a "Spring Break Challenge" that I would love every student to attempt.  With testing beginning only one day after we return, I want the students' brains to stay engaged over the week off!

Report Cards will come home with your child on Wednesday.