Classroom Summary for October 13 - 16

Ava R.

Here's what we did this week...

In math we completed our unit on subtraction strategies. We will take our Topic 3 test on Monday after a quick review. We continue to practice our math facts daily in class using Xtramath and Reflex Math. Regardless of the app, program or traditional study method used at home, practicing math facts daily at home helps to reinforce and build confidence with math facts learned at school.

In Fundations we completed our third unit where we learned the final group of glued/welded sounds (-ild, -ind, -old, -olt, -ost). We learned that unlike the other glued sounds we learned in Unit 2, these welded sounds belong to a different syllable type called the closed syllable exception. The purpose of understanding and recognizing different syllable types is to be able to decode and encode words based on the combinations of letters in a syllable.

For example:

• a closed syllable is segment of a word or a whole word where there is a short vowel sound immediately followed by a consonant: cab-in-et, ring, blob
• a closed syllable exception is a segment of a word or a whole word where there is a long vowel sound immediately followed by a consonant: wild, cold-er, re-wind

In Miss Varrell's reading group we worked on a read-pause-reflect comprehension strategy. We began with a read-aloud where Miss Varrell paused after reading a few pages and we worked with our reading partners to turn and talk about what we were thinking as we heard each section of the story. Then Miss Varrell modeled what it would look like to do the same thing independently. We then practiced the strategy with our independent reading books and Post-It notes. Later, we shared our comments with the group to showcase our understanding of the strategy and to highlight our understanding of the books we read. By the end of the week we were able to distinguish the difference between retelling what we read and reflecting on what we read: two very important differences when comprehending a text.

In writing workshop, science and technology we used a graphic organizer called a web to help us pre-write some sentences about trees for our Explain Everything project. We learned that prewriting is the first part of the writing process where all writers focus on are the ideas they want to communicate--not the spelling or punctuation. Capitalization, punctuation and spelling are very important parts of the writing process, but they happen nearer the end of the writing process and should not keep us from recording our ideas. An organizational mini lesson this week was learning to look for and sort out like-sentences in our web. We drew symbols or shapes inside each web bubble to to show which sentences would work well when written together. We then used our graphic organizers in science class when we were working in the Explain Everything project about trees. We will finish up our tree projects in the coming week.

Weekly Challenge Activity: Map-making! You will need: A map of the united states, drawing paper, writing utensils. Directions: Look at a map of the United States. Find and locate Massachusetts on the map. Look at its shape and trace it with your finger. On a piece of drawing paper, try to recreate the shape of Massachusetts by drawing an outline of our state. Color in the outline you made and bring your map to school on Monday. We will share your maps on Monday afternoon!

Parent F.Y.I.

• If you, your child or someone you know was a lucky student or colleague of Mrs. Babajtis over the past three decades, please be sure to pass along Pine Glen's invitation to Mrs. B's retirement party being held Wednesday, October 21 at 3:30PM in the Pine Glen cafetorium. RSVPs are appreciated as treats and drinks will be served. We hope all of Mrs. B's colleagues and alumni will be able to stop by and wish her well as she enters her retirement. We will miss her dearly.