Groundhog Day!

Hi Everyone,

Here's hoping for a quick end to winter no matter what the groundhog happens to predict!

In math we have completed our work on decimals.  This was a difficult test and if needed your son or daughter is welcome to retake the test.  We are now learning addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators.  An important concept in this unit is equivalency.   This is the understanding that 1/2 equals 2/4 equals 3/6 etc.  Understanding that there are more pieces but that the fractional amount remains the same is difficult to grasp .  I am available for extra math help as usual on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 8 am.

In language arts we are learning to apply Keys to Literacy comprehension strategies in both the reading of our core book Number the Stars and in our research on the planets.  We are using Two-Column Notes to compare and contrast the main characters in Number the Stars: Annemarie, Ellen, Mama, Papa, Kirsti and Uncle Henrik. We have broken our research on the planets down into categories such as Special Features, Interesting Facts, Moons etc.  We have accumulated research in each of these areas.  Next we will turn our notes into running text and draft our reports.  We have also written question poems based on space science.  Each poem begins with a question and the poem answers that question. We presented these in class.  They are fantastic!  Some of these will be shared Friday at our Curiosity and Creativity Assembly.

We continue our study of Earth and its Place in Our Universe in science.  Our current work has focused on creating kinesthetic models of the earth demonstrating its rotation and revolution.  With a light bulb in the center of the room (the sun) the children rotated with a sundial in their hands as they revolved around the sun.  We are currently looking at a scaled down size of the solar system and the stars studying the immense size of space and the relationship of our earth to the universe.