October 31st

Reading

We spent all week studying Spiders! Our reading groups read a magazine article about spiders and worked on identifying main idea and details from each section. 

The students also split into groups and each group researched a different type of spider and created a poster about their learning.

Ask which spider they researched! What are some new spider facts they learned?

Writing

This week we read I Will Never, Not Ever, Eat a Tomato. After reading this book the  students created lists of the things they liked/did not like and wrote a story from this list. We discussed how they could choose something they didn't like and tell the story behind why they don't like that thing, or they could choose a like and tell about about the reasons that they like it.

The class has also been continuing to work on our "No Excuse Writing": word wall words spelled correctly, punctuation in every sentence, capital letters only where they are needed.

Write a letter to a grandparent, help your child make sure that they have correct capitals and punctuation.

Math

This week we learned some new games to help practice subtraction facts. The class played halves concentration and 3-in-a-row (which practices -10 strategies). We also really hit hard the using 10 to help us subtract.

At home: Try using flashcards or playing math games on the computer to help build those addition facts to be automatic. Once students master those they will move on to subtraction.

Working on the number of the day

Playing our new math game: Halves concentration

Social Studies

We started our unit on using the environment. We read about what natural resources are, how people use the environment for shelter, food and clothing. Then we did an activity where they looked at an ocean environment and pretended they were dropped off in the middle of it and needed to use the environment to create their own food, shelter and clothing. 

Next week we will begin discussing how people hurt the environment, and what we can do to help.

Extras

With our focus on Anti-Bullying this week the kids were able to dress up in some pretty fun outfits! It was fun to come to school each day and see their creativity. 

After reciting our bucket filler pledge each day we discussed how we could be bucket fillers and not bucket dippers (or bullies).

Ask your child what they've learned about bullying, and how they can help to stop it.

October 24th

Reading

This was a review week for reading strategies. We read an article about bats. We practiced doing close reads where we read the same article 3 times. The first time the kids read it for important words, the 2nd time for interesting facts, and the 3rd time for something new they learned. 

The next day we discussed asking and answering questions using text evidence. The students answered the questions on the back of the article, but first they had to highlight the part of the text that answered the question.

The last day the students used the text to identify the main idea and details and made trees with what they learned.

Doing their close read of the bats article

Main idea/details tree

Searching for text evidence to answer their questions

Choose an informational book to read with your child. Have them tell you what the book is about and 3 things they learned while reading it.

Writing

Our goal this week was to write longer stories! One way to do this is to plan out what you're writing before you start. 

Monday/Tuesday the students wrote about a fun activity they did outside. Kids wrote about bike rides, sports, and camping trips.

Thursday/Friday they wrote about a fantasy trip. It was really fun to read what they came up with, and to see their great imaginations at work! The students will continue this writing next week since we didn't get a c
hance to finish it this week.

Math

In math we are working on connecting our addition and subtraction facts. We practiced a lot with fact families. So if a child knows 3+5=8 then they know 8-3=5 and 8-5=3. 

We also discussed using the counting up and counting back strategies for subtraction. Some groups practiced using bigger numbers (67-32) to practice skip counting up and back to figure out the answers mentally.

Science

In science we wrapped up our forces and motion unit! The kids really enjoyed it and were engaged in all of our learning. 

Extras

On Friday we had a Read-In. It was so much fun seeing all of the books that were brought in!
We did a read aloud while kids were comfy on their blankets and pillows, the kids read around the room, and did book talks. We also watched Stellaluna since that was one of the bat books that we had read this week.

October 17th

Reading

Reading this week we finished up our informational text features reading groups. We have been searching through informational books for: close-ups, diagrams, cutaways, comparisons, glossaries, fonts, etc.

The students also practiced retelling narratives (fiction) using character, setting, events, problem, and solution.

With informational books we have just started identifying the main idea and 3 details that support the idea. We read some good fall books about bats. J

We have really been focusing on telling the difference between informational text and narrative text. This is some new language for kids, we are using them in pace of non-fiction and fiction. 

As you read a book this weekend ask if it is narrative or informational and why. Also have your child either retell the story or tell you the main idea and 3 details that support the main idea.

Poetry reading for fluency

Writing

This week the students chose one of their stories from the past month to publish. They added to the story, then rainbow edited with a partner and published the story to put in to their portfolio.

Have your child tell you the story that they published!

Practicing spelling

Editing a story to get ready for publishing

Math

We finished unit 2 and did a check with addition, subtraction, time, counting coins, and place value. We will continue to work on these skills with reteaching and extensions. The next unit is connecting subtraction to addition.

The students took their first math minutes this week. The students are given an addition or subtraction page and do as many problems in 2 ½ minutes as they can. The kids then set a goal for their fact fluency and then track their progress on a graph. As they become automatic with their facts they move on to the next operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).

Ask your child about why fact automaticity is important.

Practicing math talk and explaining their thinking

Science

I pulled some small groups reteaching how much force it takes to push an object up a short ramp versus a long ramp or lifting it straight up. Through our investigation we learned that it takes the least amount of force to move a heavy object up a long ramp.

We then moved on to magnets and how they push and pull objects with a quick investigation.

Ask your child to tell you about moving objects up ramps and how much force it takes.

Ask what they did to explore using magnets on Thursday!

Magnet fun!

Extra Fun

In celebration for Mr. Neppl on Bosses’ day the kids wore button up shirts and ties. We also wrote a book about why Mr. Neppl ROCKS for Rock Creek.

Dress like the boss

Friday was our Fall party! Thanks to everyone who helped by sending in donations from home and who were able to come to the party to help run the rotations

Fall party class picture

Snack table

Crafts

Treat Bag

Roll a pumpkin