February Highlights

Reading Workshop

This month in Reading Workshop, we will continue to apply the comprehension strategy of making inferences as we read non-fiction texts.  As a class, we have been reading about Mt. Everest and the Cheyenne while exploring how we can make meaning out of inferential headings, how we can infer to answer our questions about the text, and how we can take our background knowledge, add it to information we learned from the text, and then make a strong and meaningful inference from our reading.  We can then continue reading the text and either affirm the validity of our inferences or make changes to them after acquiring new knowledge.  As always, these techniques are modeled during reading workshop.  The kids practice them together as a class and are then off to read their leveled text and apply their strategies independently while I circulate around the room and read with them.  Additionally, I have been modeling how to write a reading response using information from the text.  We are just beginning this response to reading and will work on enhancing our skills as the year progresses.

Writing Workshop

Our unit on informational writing will continue this month.  Thus far, the students have completed their note taking on their selected topic.  They worked very hard paraphrasing notes and quoting notes when necessary.  We then moved on to organizing our notes into an outline in order to plan for the drafting process.  Some students are still organizing their writing while others have moved on to the drafting process.  As they draft, I will model how to write with a teaching tone, how to incorporate transition words to make their writing flow, and how to write complex sentences and detailed paragraphs.  The next step will be adding text features such as charts or tables to each of their chapters.

Math

By the second week of February the students will have demonstrated their knowledge of measurement and geometry and will have begun to explore parts of a whole as we begin our study of fractions and decimals.  As always, support with be provided as needed as will enrichment opportunities.

Social Studies

Our unit on financial literacy, Young Ameritowne, has begun.  The students are learning how to manage a budget, invest, weigh opportunity costs, and how to successfully interview and maximize their abilities, to name just a few.  This is an exciting unit that has the kids very intrigued.  There are many opportunities for parental involvement with volunteer positions as you have seen with recent emails.  As always, thank you for your support.

Technology

This week we will be back in the S.T.E.A.M. lab using our knowledge of area and perimeter as we write code with Dash.