Friday, December 22, 2023

Fieldtrip to the Tivoli!

 Tivoli Theater



This Past Week:

ELA:  

Writer's Workshop:  We continued revising our explanatory texts.

Reading Skills: We read about the holidays celebrated around the world.

Math: Students worked on their Unit 2 test corrections, and fraction reviews.

Science: We investigated why things explode. 

Social Studies:  Students finished Chapter 5, learning about the original 13 English colonies.

Important Days:

12/13-1/7- No School- Winter Break

Monday, 1/8- No School- Teacher Institute

Tuesday, 1/9- Back to School!


Friday, December 8, 2023

Hour of Code

Hour of Code
Mr. Sebby, a computer scientist from Argonne Labs came to talk to us about his job and coding.  Then students participated in a STEM coding challenge on code.org.  









 Reading our Play: "Miracle of Spring"






Look at Next Week:

ELA:  

Writer's Workshop:  We will be revising our explanatory texts.

Reading Skills: Students will finish discussing the "Miracle of Spring," and will begin reading "The Poem That Will Not End".  

Math: Students will review Unit 2, and will take their Unit 2 test on Thursday.

Science: This week we will be learning about gases and particle models.  We will be investigating the question:  why do some things explode?

Social Studies:  Students will finish Chapter 5, learning about the original 13 English colonies.

Important Days:

Tuesday- Math MAPs Testing

Wednesday- Reading MAPs Testing

Thursday- Unit 2 Math Test





Tuesday, October 24, 2023

This Week is Spirit Week

 Look at Next Week:

ELA:  

Writer's Workshop:  We will also begin brainstorming different problems we have in our school community and different solutions to these problems.  We will fill out graphic organizers in order to help us think through our plan before we begin writing our explanatory text.

Reading Skills: Students will be discussing the parts of a short story:  characters, setting, conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution.  We will continue to read the story, "Captain Arsenio".  

Word Work: Students will be focusing on using context clues to help them with unknown words.

Math: Students will begin Unit 2 on fractions.  They will finish their spooky Volume Village, where they will make spooky buildings, out of 3 boxes, and find the volume of all their creations.  We will be looking at adding fractions with unlike denominators using the money and clock models.

Science: This week we will be learning about the properties of acids, and how to identify an acid.

Social Studies:  Students will finish their Chapter 4 review and complete an Aztec activity.

Important Days:

Monday- Prairieview School Spirit Day

Tuesday- 80's Day; Parent/Teacher Conferences

Wednesday- Crazy Hair Day; Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday- Favorite Sports Team; Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday- Comfy Clothes/Pajama Day

Friday, October 6, 2023

Vocabulary Activities

Vocabulary Activities






 Look at Next Week:

ELA:  

Writer's Workshop:  We will continue to build our writing stamina in our notebooks.  We have worked our way up to 11 solid minutes of writing.  We will also begin brainstorming different problems we have in our school community and different solutions to these problems.  We will fill out graphic organizers in order to help us think through our plan before we begin writing our explanatory text.

Reading Skills: Students will be discussing the different types of text structure:  compare/contrast, problem/solution, cause/effect, and sequence.  We continue to read the story, "Captain Arsenio".  

Word Work: Students will be focusing on using context clues to help them with unknown words.

Math: Students will begin Unit 2 on fractions.  They will also start to build their spooky Volume Village, where they will make spooky buildings, out of 3 boxes, and find the volume of all their creations.

Science: This week we will be learning about the properties of acids, and how to identify an acid.

Social Studies:  Students will continue to read and discuss Lesson 4.3 "Life in New Spain."  We will continue to discuss New Spain's society in the new world.

Important Days:

Monday- No School- Indigenous Peoples Day

Tuesday-No School- (Parent/Teacher Conferences later in the month)

Wednesday- Early Dismissal (School Improvement Day)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Volume Breakout!

Volume Breakout! 






Look at this Week:

ELA:  

Writer's Workshop:  We will continue to build our writing stamina in our notebooks.  We have worked our way up to 10 solid minutes of writing.  We will also begin looking at expository writing.  We will be going over the parts of an expository or explanatory text.

Reading Skills: Students will be discussing the different types of text structure:  compare/contrast, problem/solution, cause/effect, and sequence.  We will begin reading the story, "Captain Arsenio".  

Word Work: Students will be focusing on using context clues to help them with unknown words.

Math: Students will review Unit 1 and will take a post-assessment on Thursday and Friday of this week.

Science: This week we will be continue to discuss dissolving and the particulate nature of matter when we explore the investigative question: Could you transform something worthless into gold?

Social Studies:  Students will continue to read and discuss Lesson 4.3 "Life in New Spain."  We will have discussions about New Spain's society in the new world.


Have a wonderful week!

Monday, September 25, 2023

Homecoming Parade

Center Cass 66 Homecoming Parade









 


Look at this Week:

ELA:  

Writer's Workshop:  We will continue to build our writing stamina in our notebooks.  We have worked our way up to 9 solid minutes of writing.  We will also begin looking at expository writing.

Reading Skills: Students will be discussing the different types of text structure:  compare/contrast, problem/solution, cause/effect, and sequential.  We will begin reading the story, "Wheelchair Sports."  

Word Work: Students will be focusing on using context clues to help them with unknown words.

Math: Students will review their multiplication strategies:  double and halving, partial product, the over strategy, and five is half of ten.  They will also begin to look at division problems, through the lens of multiplication.

Science: This week we will be discussing dissolving and the particulate nature of matter when we explore the investigative question: Could you transform something worthless into gold?

Social Studies:  Students will continue to read and discuss Lesson 4.2 "Different Worlds Collide."  We will be discussing how explorers (conquistadors) from Spain came and conquered the Aztecs.


Sunday, September 17, 2023

Ballon Cars

 Inventing and Creating:  Balloon Cars

Our first module in Reading is about inventing, inventors, and characteristics of great inventors.  Therefore Ms. Sanchez, our STEM coach, came in, and we talked about the process of inventing or creating new ideas.  We set our students the challenge to design and create a balloon powered car that could travel 30cm.  Students brainstormed ideas, created drawings, and listed needed materials.  This past week they created, tested, and re-designed their cars.  While many cars were able to make forward motion, we had one car that was able to successfully move forward 30cm.  Students worked through problem solving, team building, and revising their ideas and sketches.  I was very impressed with their determination and perseverance!















Look at this Week:

ELA:  

Writer's Workshop:  We will continue to build our writing stamina in our notebooks.  We have worked our way up to 8 solid minutes of writing.

Reading Skills: Students will continue to work on finding the central idea and summarizing the text.  We will begin reading the story, "Wind of Hope."  

Word Work: Students will be focusing on using context clues to help them with unknown words.

Essential Vocab: excel, illustrious, transcend, revere

Math: Students will continue to practice multiplication strategies (double and halving, the over strategy, and partial product).  They will also be focusing on finding the volume of rectangular prisms (length x width x height).

Science: After discussing the scientific method, we will begin our first unit in science, Chemical Magic.  This week we will be conducting an experiment using pennies.

Social Studies:  Students will be reading Lesson 4.2 "Different Worlds Collide."  We will be discussing how explorers (conquistadors) from Spain came and conquered the Aztecs.

Important Days:

Wednesday- Early Dismissal