The AwesomeNess Athletes have earned 294 gold coins so far this year- not bad considering we are only half way through the year! At 275, they voted to do a school scavenger hunt and have hot coca afterwards. Here are the pictures from our hot cocoa celebration!
What had some great hands-on activities with our land and water unit. We were able to see up close and personal how erosion works. Here are some pictures from some of the experiments we did.
Raading: We have started reading Snow Treasure for read aloud. It is about how during World War II, the Nazis held a small town captive in Norway. The only way they could save their village's money was to have the kids take it across the border on their sleds. Ask you child about what is happening in the book now.
Writing: We are currently working on the 6 traits of writing. We are working on developing our ideas and which ideas are irrelevant in our writing. Soon we will be moving on to organizing our writing.
Math: We are jumping around in Unit 6. So homework will not be in order. This week students are learning how to do the "forgiving method" of long division. We are taking a break from traditional so they can learn this new method. After they have had the chance to use both, they will be able to decide which method is best for them.
Social Studies: Today we started our Explorers, Tribes, and Settlers unit. We will be learning about why explorers came to Washington in the first place. Then once they did come, what happened. We will be studying Lewis and Clark, fur traders, pioneers, and settlers before second winter break.
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, Feb. 1- Reading Stanford test 2
Thursday, Feb. 3- Math Stanford test 1
Friday, Feb. 4- Math Stanford test 2, Dad's Day at lunch recess, Global Reading Challenge at 2pm
Friday, Feb. 11- PTA Sockhop, 6:30-8
Monday, Feb 14- Valentine's Day Party
Ask your kids about:
-the traits of an explorer
-what their new job is
-how they feel they did on the Stanford test this morning
REMINDER: Please submit your child's Eager Reader minutes by 10pm tonight! Thanks! http://www.sunsetsockeyepta.org/eagerreader/recorder/
I will be gone for 6 days in February. My husband and I are traveling to Costa Rica over second winter break! I will be gone Feb. 14-28. I will return on Tuesday, March 1st. Ms. Thompson will be our substitute (the kids know her and have had her before). I will make sure all your emails are forwarded to her and Ms. Peavey. Ms. Peavey will be at school everyday after lunch and be in charge of the afternoon teaching. If there is an emergency, please call the office at 425-837-5600 to make sure your message is received.
I will remind you as the dates get closer. Thanks for your understanding and flexibility!
NAEP testing is tomorrow! This is a national test that our students have been selected to take. I do not think that students will receive their results. They don't need to be worried or anxious about the test, but they do need to be to school on time, eat a healthy breakfast, and get plenty of sleep.
Stanford testing is all week next week (except Wednesday). Please make sure students get plenty of sleep, eat healthy breakfasts, and arrive at school on time.
Valentine's Day is just around the corner. This will be our second class party of the year. We will celebrate the afternoon of Monday, February 14th. Students may bring valentines for their classmates, but they must bring a Valentine for all the kids in the class. Your child should have a list of all the students in our class in their binder. Your child will also want to bring some sort of box to gather their valentines in. This does not need to be a huge, elaborate box. A shoe box is probably just the right size. Students will probably want to decorate it (but again, nothing elaborate- we don't want to cause an extra stress at home). Students can bring these boxes Friday, Feb. 11th or on Valentine's Day.
So things to remember for Valentine's Day:
Reading: Students finished Owl in the Shower a couple of weeks ago. Their tests will be coming home on Friday. We are now getting back into our Daily 5 routine. During Daily 5, students may be silent reading, reading with a partner, listen to reading on the computer, or working with me or Ms. Peavey and forming reading goals.
Math: We have moved on to Unit 6. We are not doing the lessons in order for this unit. Last week students learned how to do traditional long division. We are taking a little break from division now and working on measuring angles with half and full circle protractors.
Science: This week we are finishing our land and water erosion unit. We have planted seeds in our land and water tubs. We will conduct some river erosion experiments to see if having plants on the cliff help prevent erosion. We will be having our final quiz on Friday (nothing too huge or scary).
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday, Jan. 26- NAEP test
Friday, Jan. 28- Class Store, Class Scavenger Hunt Reward, Quick Cookie Dough Assembly
Monday, Jan. 31- Reading Stanford test 1
Tuesday, Feb. 1- Reading Stanford test 2
Thursday, Feb. 3- Math Stanford test 1
Friday, Feb. 4- Math Stanford test 2
Ask your kids about:
-the "voice" they used to write with (special lesson with Mrs. Fung)
-the different types of erosion
-how a full circle protractor is similar to a clock
Reading: Our reading groups are finishing up There's an Owl in the Shower this week and next week. They will be taking a test on their comprehension of the test and a few of the reading skills we've been learning next week.
Math: Students are becoming experts in multiplying large numbers in many ways. In December they learned partial-products (I don't think this was a favorite for any of the kids) and lattice. Today, we learned traditional multiplication. We will continue practicing these methods and at the end of the unit they will get to choose which method they like the best and focus on that one.
Science: Now that we are done with government, we have moved on to our next science unit: Land, Water, and Erosion. This is such a fun, hands on unit. Each group will have their own land and water model tub in which they will enact out what happens on a much larger scale in real life. But this week we are just focusing on the basics- water cycle, observing the land materials we will be using in our model, etc.
Upcoming Events:
Friday, Jan. 7- Dad's Day at Lunch Recess
Thursday, Jan. 13- Science Fair Assembly
Ask your kids about:
-the water cycle
-how to do lattice multiplication
