Math: We are going to be working on some objectives that are not covered in our Go Math program, but will be on the AIMS test. This week we will be working on differentiating between prime and composite numbers; and differentiating between factors and multiples for whole numbers. There will be one page of homework assigned nightly in addition to any work not completed during class.
Language Arts Centers: Students are now working on literacy centers. Students will work in these centers in their reading groups. They cover a variety of language arts skills. This week we will be working on the following: homophones, synonyms, antonyms, and fact and opinion. Students will be expected to turn in their work for each center and they will be graded.
Reading groups: I will be revising reading groups this week based on last quarter's reading progress.
Reading homework: There will be one page of reading homework assigned nightly. This week we will be focusing on concept webs and main idea.
Reading Skill Practice: We will be working a variety of reading skills. Students will read a short passage and then answer questions about the passage. We will be taking periodic comprehension tests on the reading passages. I will also be testing students on reading fluency. This week we will be focusing on quoting determining the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
Spelling and Grammar: We will be working to spell grade-appropriate words correctly. Students will complete a packet practicing the week's spelling and grammar skills in class. They may take it home to study as well. Students will take a test on Friday over the week's spelling words as well as the grammar skill. This week we will be working on suffixes -ful and -ment, silent letters, and using can or may. The spelling words are: island, patience, mission, wonderful, design, caution, government, addition, plentiful, limbs, predicament, successful.
Social Studies: We have started a unit on the American Revolution. We are working on an author study of Jean Fritz. Students will be working in groups to read a short nonfiction book by Jean Fritz. Each group will be reading a different book about a revolutionary figure. Students will then present information about their book to the rest of the class. We will then be studying the Boston Tea Party and Phillis Wheatley.
Science: We will begin a new unit on insects. Students will be studying the anatomy of insects as well as doing inquiry investigations on insects. Students must have a signed permission slip to work with the insects.
Writing and Grammar: Each day students will complete a writing warm-up which will cover many writing and grammar skills. This week, our focus will be on orienting the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; and organizing an event sequence that unfolds naturally. Students will also write a quickwrite each day on a given prompt. Students should be writing at least a paragraph each day.