and completed our partner spelling tests on Unit 11, practicing different spellings of long i words with -igh, -y, -ie and -i/C/e.
This week in reading groups we concentrated on a writing activity called a self assessment where we responded to sentence starters and had to use reasoning to back up our statements. Miss Varrell wanted to give us a chance to tell how we felt about our progress in school so far. The literacy skills we worked on this week revolved around long vowel sounds and spellings and using capitals with names of holidays and important places. We now know that when we capitalize the name of a holiday, we have to include a capital on the word "day" as well. For example: Thanksgiving Day. Names of continents, countries, states and cities all get capitals too. Sometimes the word city gets capitalized. For example: New York City.
In math this week we began a new unit on geometry. We have been learning LOTS of new math words. We added eight words to our math word wall this week! Here they are: two-dimensional, three-dimensional, side, face, geometry, polygon, figure and attribute. We had a chance to work with geoblocks (blocks that help us learn the names of specific math shapes) in two different activities this week. We will continue to work with shapes throughout the coming weeks. In number corner we did some more work with time, money and math facts. Keep practicing at home!
In social studies we finished working on our maps of Brazil and we learned what Brazil's flag looks like. Next week we will work on some activities about the Amazon Rainforest. We are looking forward to decorating our room with some rainforest characteristics! In science we began learning about the moon. Miss Varrell read the book called What the Moon Is Like by Franklyn Branley. We learned that the moon is not a planet and it is not a star. It is a dead world. It has no air, no water (although recently scientists think they may have found some http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/11/water-on-the-moon-lcross-kicks-ice/) and therefore no life. There is less gravity on the moon as well, which is why things appear to "float" on/near the moon!
Because next week will be a very short school week, there will be no new spelling unit words sent home on Monday. Please practice the five new November No Excuse Words instead and we will resume our regular spelling units beginning the week after Thanksgiving. Also, please be aware that the children will be dismissed early on Wednesday. Dismissal time is approximately 11:30am.
Thank you for all that you do each day to make your child's education a priority. It is greatly appreciated. I look forward to meeting you all on Friday for your conference. If for some reason you know in advance that you will be unable to make your conference on Friday, please contact the office so that they can let me know. Unfortunately I will not be able to check my email or phone messages once conferences have begun.
Enjoy the weekend and don't forget to continue working on the moon calendars, practice math facts, study the November No Excuse Words and of course...READ, READ, READ!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment