- We are working on a unit entitled Geography of the United States of America. Each lesson includes some history about the United States. Students will be answering questions with each lesson and some lessons include projects.
- We are currently working on research projects related to the Civil War era. Students have selected their topics and must answer the questions on the page that explains the project requirements. They then need to turn the information they find into a report. This report is due Wednesday, 1/20.
Reading
- We are now working on Unit 5. This unit is called "Every Drop". Students will be working to answer the question: Why is water so important? This unit will focus on science concepts as well, so some of the assignments during this unit will count toward students' social studies grades.
- This week students will be reading the science feature "One Well " by Rochelle Strauss.
- The comprehension skills we will be working on are: main idea and details and make connections.
- The test will be on Thursday, 1/21.
Writing
- We are now working on Unit 5. This unit is called "Every Drop". Students will be working to answer the question: Why is water so important? This unit will focus on science 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 a research project. The is the prompt: You have been invited by the Water Crisis Committee to go on a fact-finding mission. Your job is to study the water supply in a country in crisis and report back to the committee about the problem and possible solutions. Prepare a presentation that includes a map of the country, a three-paragraph report, and at least one visual that supports the information in your report.
- 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 research rubric posted on the top right column of this page.
- This assignment is due on Thursday, January 21.
Spelling
- This week we will be working on spelling words with Long i: ie, igh and commonly misspelled words.
- The words are: brightness, downright, eyesight, highlands, lightheaded, mightily, nighttime, outright, petrified, plight, righteous, sightseeing, tie-up, tighten, a lot, allot, amount of, number of
- The spelling test will be on Thursday, January 21.
Grammar
- Students will be working on using adjectives.
- Students are encouraged to take good grammar notes and to review their notes before each test.
- The grammar test will be on Thursday, January 21.
Math
- We are working on Chapter 8: Divide Fractions.
- We will complete lessons 8.2-8.4 this week.
- On Thursday, students will take the Mid-Chapter Checkpoint quiz. It will cover lessons 8.1-8.4.
- 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 4 scores and the scores on the mid-year Benchmark Tests.
- Students will be reading the following books this week: How Do We Use Water?, Why Should I Turn Off the Tap?, A Drop of Water, Not a Drop to Drink.
- Students will also be completing learning stations during our small group reading time. All of these activities go along with our Unit 5 theme of why water is so important. Students will turn in a packet of their work which will also count toward their science grades.