Optional Home Project

For social studies we have been working on neighborhood maps. At this point in the year it is suggested that parents direct students to a mapping program (Google Maps) on the Internet and locate their home's satellite photograph. Magnify the view to approximately 100ft/inch. Size to show their block and a portion of surrounding blocks. Have your child make a simple map (a sample is available in the classroom) with legend (key) under your direction but in their hand. On your child's map, buildings could be shown as simple rectangles. Print a view of the satellite picture (preferably w/o address and real estate information, which can be blackened out if necessary) and attach to the hand-drawn map and send with your child to class.

Unit 4 Week 5 Preview

We will explore animals working in teams. Insects in colonies, cleaner fish, and the protective nature of herds are a few examples. Our oral vocabulary words are behavior, group, plead, soar, vivid. In phonics we will work with long-vowel 'e' and use its spellings 'y' (sunny) and 'ey' (monkey). Our high frequency focus words are also, because, blue, or, other, until. We will analyze text structure in order to hone our retelling comprehension skill.

Topic 10 Math Test

Of 23 Students taking the test 19 students passed with a score of 12 or better. Three students achieved a perfect score.

One-Hundred Tenth Day of School

Today we learned about comparatives and superlatives to compare two or more objects.

In Math we began Topic 11 (Subtracting Tens ands Ones).

In Social Science we learned the important elements of a map and began work on our own small scale maps. In later lessons we will be constructing maps of increasingly larger areas.

Unit 4 Week 4 Preview

Continuing with our exploration of teams, we will ask how teams accomplish big goals (The Wright Brothers, The Kite: Days with Frog and Toad). We will also discuss how teammates encourage and support one another. We wil use visualization as a comprehension strategy to analyze problem and solution, our comprehension skill. Our oral vocabulary words are approach, assist, determined, quarrel, view. Our sight words are ball, head, never, should, shout, meadow, perhaps.

One-Hundred Seventh Day of School

World maps went home with students today to be studied for a test next week. This is basically a pass/fail type of a test and a significant portion of the Social Science grade for this reporting period. All information asked for has to be placed correctly on a blank copy of the world map which students will be given at testing time.

Topic 10 Math Test will also be taken next week. This topic includes the concept of regrouping which some students usually find challenging.

Due to changes in the school calendar, plans have changed for this year's culminating project. Information will be posted following upcoming grade-level planning meetings.

One-Hundred Fifth Day of School

World maps will be sent home soon for students to study the oceans, continent, and Los Angles for a Social Science test.

There will be no math lesson on Friday in order to save time for Science and our Valentine's message exchange.

Teachers will meet and decide tomorrow which of the sportsmanship speeches will be read at the citizenship assembly at the end of the month. The parents of the winning student will be notified later this week so they may make plans.

Unit 4 Week 3 Preview

This week we explore how we can work cooperatively to improve a community. We learn through the examples of leaders like Cesar Chavez. We use the comprehension strategy of rereading to sharpen our comprehension skill of retelling. Our oral vocabulary words are: accomplish, agree, argue, attempt, goal. Our sight words are: better, buy, change, move, difficult, ripe. We will emphasize various spellings of the long-o sound in phonics and spelling.

We will begin the study of constructing an informational text. For the parents who requested a copy of the writing scoring guide, please note that the requirements for the final writing exam are very similar to those on the scoring guide you already have. The only difference is the genre. So students will need to introduce a specific topic, support their opening statement with reasons, then write a concluding remark in order to pass.

Topic 9 Math Test

Of 22 students taking this test, 21 students passed with a score of 17 or better. Three students achieved a perfect score and 19 scored 20 or better.

Unit 4 Week 2 Preview

For our current week of instruction we are discussing how families are the most important team we will be a part of. Our oral vocabulary words are concerned, fortunate, member, share, trust. Our sight words are about, give, pretty, were, write. We are spelling with the long-vowel patterns 'ee', and 'ea'. Our comprehension strategy is asking questions; our comprehension skill is character and setting analysis. Recalling what characters do in particular settings helps us to recall events in a story and improves our ability to retell. For grammar we are continuing our work with subject verb agreement with the verb to have.