Newsletter 9/27-10/1

Here's What's Happening...

English/Language Arts: We begin our week with a mini lesson on using context clues to understand unknown words.  Students will be able to choose their own "practice path" for this skill.  Then, they will work in stations to further practice context clues, as well as author's purpose and the RACES strategy.  They will also work on the word work list 3 word sort and definitions.  We wrap up the week by introducing our next unit in ELA, entitled "Challenges", and writing a baseline narrative essay.

Science: Students will have the opportunity to review and reflect on their scientifc explanation that they completed last week.  They will also be introduced to the second chapter in our Patterns of Earth and Sky Unit, which focuses on the question "Why is the sun up sometimes, but not other times?"  

Social Studies: Now that students know how the Spanish defeated the Aztecs and Incas, our focus shifts to learning about continued Spanish exploration in what is now the southwest US.  They will also learn about society in the colony of New Spain.  Students will complete a checkpoint on this lesson at the end of the week.

Advanced Math:  This upcoming week in Math, students will complete an error analysis of their mid-unit assessment. As we continue learning more about surface area, students will calculate the surface area of prisms and pyramids. Students will be using 3-D images and paper models as we learn different strategies for finding surface area. Towards the end of the week, students will apply to what we have been learning to design a take out container. We will work as a class to take notes on surface area before we take an open note graded checkpoint on Friday, October 1st over surface area. 

Important Info:

Level One Reward Achieved!

Wanted to take a moment to celebrate that our class earned a level one reward!  Students will enjoy fifteen extra minutes of outdoor recess time this week.  We are already on our way to earning a level two reward also!

Schedule of Events

• Monday, September 27th: Monday Choir Practice, 2:45-3:45pm
• Tuesday, September 28th: Tuesday Choir Practice, 2:45-3:45pm
• Tuesday, September 28th: Art Adventures, 2:40-3:40pm
• Wednesday, September 29th: American Eagle Productions Theater Class, 2:45-3:45pm
• Wednesday, September 29th: Scholastic Book Fair, 6:30-8:00pm

Pictures!

Students worked together to complete a timeline of important events from SS Ch.4, L.2!