- Our science unit on Simple Machines. Students will be working in groups to read about a type of simple machine and then present the information they learned to the class. This will be done during class time.
- We will also begin an inquiry activity in which students will be studying simple machines and recording their observations in the form of an experiment. This project will need to be worked on at home as well as at school. Students will be graded on the following criteria:
- The inquiry choice and investigation should demonstrate original and creative thinking.
- The brainstorming for the inquiry topic should indicate a diverse range of potential topics.
- The investigation should demonstrate detailed planning.
- The investigation should be rigorously and completely done.
- Some kind of data from the investigation is carefully recorded.
- Carefully reasoned conclusions should be drawn.
- The inquiry investigation worksheets are carefully completed.
- On Unit 6 is entitled "The Wild West". Students will be working to answer the questions: What does it take to settle a new land? This unit will focus on social studies concepts as well, so some of the assignments during this unit will count toward students' social studies grades.
- The reading comprehension skills for the week are: identify author's purpose, visualize, compare authors' purposes, explain relationships between events, and compare viewpoints.
- We will be reading the essay "A Day in the Life of a Vaquero" by Phyllis Edwards.
- The Week 2 Reading Comprehension Test will be on Friday, 3/4.
Writing
- Our Unit 6 is entitled "The Wild West". Students will be working to answer the questions: What does it take to settle a new land? This unit will focus on social studies concepts as well, so some of the assignments during this unit will count toward students' social studies grades.
- This week's writing project is to write an editorial. The is the prompt: You are a newspaper editor who wants to encourage people to go West. Write an editorial announcing the discovery of gold in California and explaining why people should go there to seek their fortunes.
- We will work on this project during class, however, students may need to work on some of the assignment at home. Students will be graded according to the writing rubric posted on the top right column of this page.
- This assignment is due on Monday, March 7.
Spelling
- This week we will be working on spelling words with y and commonly misspelled words.
- The words are: agony, anarchy, apply, calamity, canyon, dynamite, injury, mystery, naughty, penalty, physical, solitary, unruly, yield, yore, assistance, assistants, cede, seed.
- The spelling test will be on Friday, March 4.
Grammar
- Students will be working on using reflexive pronouns.
- Students are encouraged to take good grammar notes and to review their notes before each test.
- The grammar test will be on Friday, March 4.
Math
- Chapter 10: Geometry and Volume.
- We will complete lessons 11.1-11.5 this week.
- There will be one page of math homework assigned nightly.
- There are many resources available on ThinkCentral to help students.
- Every Friday, we will be having a multiplication timed test. Students should be practicing their multiplication facts daily.
Small Group Reading
- Students will be placed into leveled small groups based on the results of their Unit 5 scores.
- Students will be reading the following books this week: The Story of the Pony Express, The Railroad, Bull's Eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley, Wild West Women.
- Students will also be completing learning stations during our small group reading time. All of these activities go along with our Unit 6 theme of the wild west. Students will turn in a packet of their work which will also count toward their social studies grades.