Weekly Update

Writing Workshop
Last week students worked on developing the "internal" story where they added their thoughts and feelings to their small moments rather than just telling the events that happened in the story.  They were also introduced to 4 leads.  A good lead at the beginning of a story draws the audience in and makes the reader want to keep reading.  Below are examples of the 4 leads we taught our student writers last week.

Reading Workshop

Much of our reading time this week was spent doing MEAP testing.  Students took the MEAP reading test on Tuesday and Wednesday.  On the test, they were asked to read both fiction and nonfiction texts, answer multiple choice questions about the selections, and write constructed responses.  After the reading portion of the MEAP testing was completed, we returned to our regular reading workshop routine where students reviewed how to retell a story and identify important events.

Math Workshop:

We have added a new component to our math workshop this week.  As a way for students to begin memorizing their multiplication facts, students have been assigned "fluency fact partners."  Each day, partners will practice their facts by reciting them to their partner.  Partners will keep track of the facts that they miss so that each student know which facts need more practice.  Students will practice the facts in the order that they have been taught (5s, 2s, 10, 9s, 3s, 4s, 1s, 0s).  In order to pass a level, students must be able to recite both the multiplication and division facts to their partners from memory and then pass timed one-minute quizzes for both multiplication and division facts.  More information will be coming home this week to explain the process in more detail and provide you with materials to use for practicing at home.

This is what the study sheet looks like that fluency partners use to practice their facts on a daily basis.

Math partners, Brett and Jordan, work together.  Jordan calls out multiplication equations for Brett to answer.

Gloria and Alex study independently to prepare for their next partner check.

Social Studies

We began a new unit this week called The Peopling of The United States.  In this unit, students will understand the meaning of diversity as they learn about the first 5 groups of Americans who migrated to the United States: Native Americans, Latino Americans, European Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans.  This is a short unit that we will finish up this week.

All-Star of the Week

Calin was our All-Star of the Week!  We loved seeing his baseball trophy and his iPad that he brought in the sharing sack and listening to him read his favorite book aloud to the class.  He is still looking forward to his Lunch Buddy Day!