Classroom Update!

So much has happened in the first two months of school I thought it would be a good time to update everyone.

In math we have covered the first two topics in our enVision Math program and are currently working on advanced multiplication.  Estimation is an important part of this unit. When supporting your child at home ask them to estimate an answer and then ask them if the estimate is near the actual answer they got.  For example, when solving 439 x 62 a good way to estimate is to think: 400 x 60 = 24,000. In terms of the Practice Buddy: Homework that I assign online please note that there is question help with each problem.  By choosing this help (clicking on it) the kids can be walked through a similar problem.

In ELA we have been developing our skills as active readers.  We are currently reading the book Gossamer by Lois Lowry.  Students are asking questions, making predictions, making inferences and visualizing the text as they read.  They are noting their responses to the text on post-it notes and sharing those in class.  In reading groups we are learning to summarize literature by noting the characters, setting, problem and solution to the problem found in a given chapter.  We are writing personal narratives during our writing time.  We have studied how to write engaging leads, use powerful verbs and craft meaningful conclusions that show writers reflecting on personal experiences.

Our technology integration class has focused on supporting science and social studies lessons.  The children have answered MCAS science open-response questions using Explain Everything.  Explain Everything allows the kids to give written and verbal answers on their projects as well as mark up key words in the text question.  The children have also published blog posts comparing Maya and Aztec civilizations.  The process of publishing their posts has helped the kids to gain a new facility with technology which will help them as we progress through the fifth grade curriculum this year.

I would like to remind everyone that I will continue offering math support on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings 8-8:20 beginning again on November 15th.  I will not be offering morning math support next week. Please always check this blog the night before and morning of math support.  I will post a message stating that I cannot meet if that is the case.