We’ve made it to Spring Break!   I can’t believe how fast this school year is flying by, but we still have a lot of learning to do over these next couple months.

During morning math, we are transitioning into exploring the relationship between fractions and decimals.  We will be working with numbers that have one or two digits after the decimal point.  We will use money relationships to help students understand tenths (dimes) and hundredths (pennies).  When we return from break, we will begin continue exploring decimals, begin comparing decimals, and looking at decimals greater than one.  The plan is to finish decimals the week we return from break, and then test Unit 7 (Fractions and Decimals) the following week.

For reading, we are finishing up our unit on Historical Fiction today, and will move into ELA M-STEP review when we return from break.  We will review genres, elements of fiction, author’s purpose, and go through some test-taking strategies.  If you would like your child to do some extra practice, there are links on this blog under “M-STEP” that they can do at home.  By completing these, it might help eliminate some text anxiety.

For writing, we have wrapped up our informational writing and students should be bringing home their state books today.  They did wonderful jobs completing these books and really teaching their readers about their state.  This week students finished their final informational writing, which will be used to determine their report card grades for this genre of writing.  There are a few students who were unable to complete this task this week due to absences, so they are expected to complete this over break and bring it back the day we return.  When we come back from Spring Break, students will be working on Literary Essays, which is writing about books and stories they have read.

During afternoon math, we have wrapped up our Geometry lessons, but have not had time to assess this unit yet.  Students will have Spring Break to review Geometry skills, and practice those skills using the links I have posted on Clever.  We will spend the Monday we return reviewing skills, then take our test the next day.  We will then have a day to review any skills they’re still struggling with before moving to the final Geometry test that Thursday.  The following week we will begin our final math unit of the school year: measurement.

As you can see, we have a lot of material to still cover between now and M-STEP.  I know that there have been some nasty bugs going around, but I can’t stress the importance of attendance enough.  When students are out for multiple days, it is difficult for them to catch up as well as understand the new content being taught on a daily basis.  Please help remind your child to wash their hands often, not to share drinks with anyone else, and overall just try to keep their distance from those that are sick.  We want all of use to remain as healthy as possible to finish out the school year.

A Quick Reminder:

• Spring Carnival will be April 12, the Friday we return from break.  Our classroom basket is Gift Cards and we have only received one donation so far.  If you plan to donate, please send those in as soon as we return from break.

 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.  Enjoy your Spring Break!

Last call for ordering field trip sack lunches.  I must submit orders today, so unless I hear from you, I will assume you will be sending a disposable sack lunch with your child.

I will let all of our chaperone volunteers know tomorrow whether or not your name was drawn.  Thank you so much to all parents who volunteered.  I wish we could bring all of you!

Also, please get field trip money in as soon as possible so that we can ensure all students are paid for.  Thank you so much!

It’s conferences week!  I look forward to meeting with all of you tomorrow or Wednesday.  Please log in to Signup.com or email me if you cannot remember your conference time.

 

We are in the home-stretch before M-STEP, which means we are very busy during the day here at school.  Unless you child is ill, please help ensure they are in school every day.  We are trying to fit in as much as we can before testing, which is hard after all of those snow days.  Hopefully we have spring weather coming our way and this crazy winter can be left in the past.

 

During morning math, we are taking our Unit 6 (fractions) review test today.  Students will then have tomorrow to review and ask questions, and we will take the final test on Wednesday.  As a reminder, they only need to complete the questions missed on their final test, so they should be using the review test as a study tool.  They can also use the Big Idea 1-3 papers as review material as well.  On Thursday, we will begin Unit 7, which is another fractions unit.  This unit will focus on fractions on a number line, equivalent fractions, and operations with fractions that have unlike denominators.  This unit will take us through Spring Break and will be tested the week after we return from break.

In reading, we are digging into our read-aloud of Number the Stars for our historical fiction unit.  Students are also working in small groups to read an additional historical fiction novel that is on their reading level.  Ask your child about their book.  They seem to really be enjoying it.  The hope is to wrap this historical fiction unit up by Spring Break so that we can focus on M-STEP prep when we return.

For writing, students are finishing up writing their informational books on their state this week.  They will work on publishing them next week, and will be sent home once they’re finished.  They will then be given one week to work on a final informational essay on a topic of those choosing.  They are encouraged to pick a topic they’re already an expert on as they will only be given one class period to gather additional research.  The week before spring break they will work on writing this final informational piece.  After spring break, we will be focused on M-STEP prep.

During afternoon math, we are working on our geometry unit.  There are many links that have been added to the teacher page on their Clever accounts that will allow them to practice the skills being taught.  Our first quiz of the unit will be this afternoon, covering basic geometric terms (points, rays, angles, lines, etc) and measuring angles using a protractor.  This week we will focus on triangles: classifying them by their sides and angles, as well as finding unknown angle measures, and looking at using addition and subtraction to solve real-world problems using triangles.  Next week we’ll shift our focus to quadrilaterals, and then finally polygons and symmetry the week before spring break.  Unfortunately, this unit will not be able to be tested until after spring break, so I encourage students to utilize the tools on Clever to practice their skills while on spring break so that we don’t lose any momentum.  The plan is to assess this unit the Tuesday we return from break.

 

Field Trip: Our field trip to the Grand Rapids Science Museum is quickly approaching.  If you still wish to volunteer as a chaperone, I need to know ASAP as we plan to choose chaperones this week.  We already have 8 parents who have volunteered and we can only bring 5, so we will be drawing names.  I apologize if you are not chosen, but please know how much I appreciate the offer.  Some years I find myself begging for chaperones, so this is a nice change.  Also, if you haven’t yet sent in money, please do so as soon as possible so that I can get things squared away with the museum.  It is $7 per child.  If you cannot financially afford this, please let me know ASAP and we will make arrangements to cover your child.  We want every child to be able to participate.  Finally, all children will need a sack lunch for the day of our field trip.  If you do not want to deal with the hassle of packing a lunch, please let me know and we can order a school sack lunch for your child.

Yearbook: Yearbooks were delivered last week.  If you did not order one, but would like to, please use this link to order a yearbook online.

Baby Update:  As of right now, baby Hawks is due to arrive April 28th.  This is the weekend before M-STEP testing begins.  As long as baby doesn’t make a surprise early arrival, I should be here up until testing.  Mr. Caleb Kigar, a parapro who currently works in the building, will be my long term sub.  He is extremely capable and ready to jump in when needed.  I will keep you updated if anything should change.

 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.  I look forward to seeing all of you this week at conferences!