Science, Reading, Math & Writing OH MY!

Full Steam Ahead!

We are learning so much in our classroom right now!  Students are eager to get into the classroom each day to be scientists, explorers, mathematicians, authors and discussers of literature.  It has been fun to watch them grow and mature over the past few months.  I hope that you are starting to see growth in your child because I am certainly seeing it!

RAH Expectations

Students are expected to be reading the same book at home and at school.  This allows us to focus on one set of characters, one plot, one problem and one setting.  Having one book at school to read and one at home can create confusion.  Sometimes, families want to share special books at home that deviate from what their children are reading in school.  This is fine!  It just shouldn't be happening all of the time.

Reader's Notebook

Students have been learning to read and notice points in the book that require them to stop and read with more intensity.  The stopping points they have learned so far are included in a picture below.  We are also learning that we can jot down our thinking so that we can reflect on it, share it with others, and grow new ideas.  Tonight, students will be bringing home their Reader's Notebooks to share with you and to continue to jot their thinking as they read.  Students shouldn't be writing the entire time, but should stop at least twice to jot down their thinking as they are reading.  This is new so please feel free to email me with any questions! 

Math

We are well into multiplication and division and studying those multiplication facts at home are really helping students be more successful in school with these concepts.  Please don't forget that your child will be quizzed on December 15th on 1-6's.  Also, if you are in need of the math websites that include videos and examples of what we are learning in school, please let me know and I can email them to you.

Writing

We are currently wrapping up our literary essay unit and will be making portions of our literary essays into iMovies.  Stay tuned for these thought provoking premiers!

Science

We are learning about weathering and erosion and will become engineers in the near future.  We are in need of some recyclables for an upcoming project.  Here are some things we are looking for....
1. egg cartons
2. bottle caps
3. random pieces of plastic
4. plastic lids & containers
5. toilet paper & paper towel tubes
6. anything you think a child may use to invent something!

Any help you could I give us in collecting these items would be greatly appreciated!

Here are some pictures of students utilizing erosion tables and observing the process of weathering and erosion.  They were trying to figure out what may have caused the massive weathering and erosion of the Grand Canyon and apply this learning to their own weathered and eroded play dough sculptures.