Newsletter 1/3-1/7

Here's What's Happening...

English/Language Arts: We will resume our Literature Circles activities this week.  Now that students have had an opportunity to engage in all the roles one time, they will be completing each role again.  This time, they will be evaluated on the work they do together in their groups.  This week, they will be completing Super Summarizer and Dicussion Director.  In addition to lit circles, students will complete the Word Work List 6 sort and definitions.  They will also go back to their narratives and learn about how to elaborate on important parts.

Science: We will be starting our second unit, which is entitled Ecosystem Restoration.  It focuses on the question "How do organisms in an ecosystem get the matter and energy they need to grow and thrive?"  Students will take on the role of ecologists in this unit.  We will begin with an overview of what an ecosystem is, and create our own ecosystems in a terrarium.

Social Studies: Students will reflect on their work during the first part of our colonization unit.  Look for this reflection page to come home for you to review, sign, and return to school.  In the second part of our colonization unit, students begin with learning about the three regions of the colonies, and the characteristics of each.  

Advanced Math:  Students will review and reflect on their Unit 3 test, as well as take a PreTest for Unit 4, which focuses on dividing fractions.  To help prepare for this unit, we will spend a few days working on multiplying fractions, which is a prerequisite skill for this unit.

Important Info:

Let's Stay Safe!

As we return back to school amidst the latest COVID surge, things will need to be a little different in our classroom. It is imperative that we do all that we can to minimize any chance of spreading the virus, therefore we will be minimizing group work and partner work, as well as our flexible seating options. Most of the students enjoy these things, so I know they will be disappointed. It would be much appreciated if you could help reinforce that this is a temporary change, and that as soon as cases decline to safer levels, we will begin increasing the use of group work, partner work, and flexible seating. Please also reinforce the importance of mask wearing and maintaining safe distance at all times. Thank you!

Schedule of Events

• Monday, January 3rd: Choir, 2:45-3:45pm
• Tuesday, January 4th: Choir , 2:45-3:45pm
• Wednesday, January 5th: American Eagle Theatre Class, 2:45-3:45pm