This Week in Our Classroom....

Math: We will begin unit 3 in math this week.  Students will review equivalent fractions. Students will understand how to identify equivalent fractions and how to distribute equal sharing. I will review different strategies students can use in order to solve for equal sharing. Students will be encouraged to use drawings as well in order to help problem solve.

Literacy: In reading, we are going to start our character study unit. We will be using the book, Every Living Thing, by Cynthia Rylant during this unit. Students will practice summarizing a fiction plot structure. They will read several short stories and identify the plot elements within each story, then they will use the elements to write a summary. Students will also learn to study a character’s thoughts, words, and actions.  The students will receive a character study packet that they will be using throughout the unit. In writing, we are continuing our opinion writing unit. We will be learning how to research articles to use as evidence in support of our opinion. The students will be choosing their own topic to research and form an opinion on. Once they’ve researched articles and found one to use, they will write another opinion essay.

Social Studies: We’re continuing to learn how Chicago came to be the city it is today. We will be investigating why Chicago was a great place to build a community, what attracted people to Chicago, and who Chicago can thank for its beginning. We will continue to use the book Just Add Water as we go through our investigations. The students will be introduced to a choice board where they will choose one of our first three investigations and do a mini project on it.

Wednesday, November 28th Skinner North will have a Better Together Festival from 1:10-3:05.

Please send in any old catalogs you may have lying around the house!  We need them for a project.

Winter Decimal Project

In December students will work on a cumulative decimal project in which they will apply key concepts learned from the unit.  

We will need lots of CATALOGS for this project!  Since the holiday season is near, if there are extra catalogs you have at home, and don't want, please have your child bring them in to use for this project.  Please check the appropriateness of the catalog before you send it in too.  

Picture Make-Ups and Retakes

Picture make-ups and retakes will take place on December 4th. 

Science and Social Studies

Getting reading for our next social studies unit: How Chicago Came to Be.  Students are studying photos and  making predictions based on photos from long ago.  

Wrapping up our Energy unit at the Museum of Science and Industry.  

Happy Thanksgiving

We are so grateful to have your thoughtful, funny, smart, creative, and exceptionally kind children in our classroom this year.  Thank you for all of your support and encouragement.  Enjoy the holiday with your family.   

Field Trip Tomorrow

Tomorrow we will visit the Museum of Science and Industry.  The busses will arrive promptly at 9:00am.  We will eat lunch at the museum.  Please pack a brown bag disposable lunch for your child.

A Sneak Peek Into Our Week...

Literacy:  Over the final five days of school before Thanksgiving break, students will participate in Literature Circles during the reading block in addition to our normal small group rotations.  I will assess students on their word study list next Thursday, and the following Tuesday students will take their final unit assessment for our Main Idea & Summarizing unit.  During the writing block, students will work on writing a second opinion piece.  Students will learn to support their thesis with research, reasons, and examples.  

Math: The Unit 2 assessment will be administered on Tuesday.  Students received a study guide to prepare for the assessment.  Following the assessment, students will begin Unit 3.  In this unit, students explore fraction equivalence and compare and order fractions using different representations. They then extend their understanding of fractions to decimals, comparing and ordering decimals using the same methods as for comparing fractions.   

Science:  We are wrapping up our investigation of magnetism in Science.  Students will review the content, update Science Notebooks, and take a final assessment next week.  The following week, we'll begin our 2nd social studies unit.  Students will use a text titled, Just Add Water.  They will need this to reference often during the unit.  I've linked the title to Amazon if you'd like to purchase a book to keep at home.  

Social Thinking: Please ask your child to tell you about our Social Thinking time with Ms. Jacobson.  She visits our classroom every Friday afternoon to teach us about Super-Flex and the Unthinkables.  The curriculum helps students develop further awareness of their own thinking and social behaviors and learn strategies to help them develop better self-regulation across a range of behaviors.

Other Reminders: 

No School Monday 11/12  Thank you to all of you who have proudly served our country.  

Conferences are next Wednesday (11/14).  If you have not sent in your conference time request, please send it immediately.  The end of the day and the beginning of the day are completely full.  

We are going on a field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry next Friday 11/16.  Make sure you've returned your child's permission slip.