Sneak Peek at the Past Two Weeks
Math: We are in the middle of our Fraction Unit, and my students are doing an amazing job learning our fraction standards. They have developed great fraction sense, which is helping them as we proceed with adding and subtracting fractions. My students should be able to explain the following questions.
1. How can I simplify fractions?
2. How can I find common denominators?
3. How can I compare fractions and justify the comparison?
4. How can I add/subtract fractions with unlike denominators?
Reading: We have been reviewing how to identify topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences in our informational guided reading books. My students will begin writing topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences for their research papers.
Language Arts: During Language Arts, my students have been learning about the following word parts: prefixes, root words, and suffixes. Your child should be able to identify if words have prefixes and suffixes, and he/she should be able to tell you what the following prefixes and suffixes mean.
Prefixes: re, dis, un, im Suffixes- ful, less, ed, es or s
Your child should be able to use prefixes and suffixes to figure out unknown words. For example, your child should be able to figure out the meaning of the following words based on their knowledge of the above prefixes and suffixes.
1. recapture 2. uncommon 3. disloyal 4. impatient
1. delightful 2. turkeys 3. restless 4. watched
Social Studies: We have begun our next social studies unit about how our nation changed after the Reconstrution time period. My students should be able to discuss the answers to the following questions:
1. Whydid African American men decide to become Black Cowboys?
2. How did the Black Cowboys get the cattle to the railroads?
3. How did westward expansion impact the lives of Native Americans?
Looking Ahead
November 21st-25th- No School/Thanksgiving Break
December 1st- Barnes and Noble Night
December 8th- 5:30-7:45 (Dinner-$3.00; 5:30-6:30) Performance @ 6:45
School Wide Reminders
1. Be sure to become a PTA member for only $5.00 to help our school.
2. Parents and students are not allowed to return to the classrooms after dismissal. My students have ample time to pack up and write in their agendas.
Reminders to Parents
1. Please send a note if you change the way your child will be going home. In order to ensure your child is safe, I need a note.
2. Please send in the permission slip for Performing Arts.
3. Please encourage your child to put his/her name on homework assignments. We do this at school, but I still have at least 4-5 "No Name" papers for each assignment I give. This worries me for middle school.
4. Please encourage your child to check his/her homework to ensure he/she has completed every question. I have many papers that are turned in, and they are incomplete. This has turned into a big problem in our classroom. My students are aware of it, and I have been giving "Captain's Consequences" to help my students learn from their mistakes. If they are not checking over their work, they are not following my verbal directions and this concerns me.
Crew Compliments!!
The "Turkey Dressing" projects are FABULOUS! I am very impressed with the amount of effort and creativity that was put into disguising the turkeys. I am proud of all of my crew members!
I would like to congratulate my crew for earning their 2nd round of 20 Brownie Points. Great job!
Ways to Help at Home
1. Please engage your child in a conversation every night about the skills he/she learned that day. They can use their agenda to help them remember everything we learned that day.
2. The following websites are good resources to help your child:
http://www.mrnussbaum.com/dolphins/index.html (equivalent fractions)
http://www.mathplayground.com/ASB_TugTeamFractions.html (comparing fractions)
http://www.mathplayground.com/Triplets/Triplets.html (equivalent fractions)
http://www.mathplayground.com/HauntedFractions/HFGameLoader.html (reasoning with fractions)
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/show_me/e622.htm (simplifying fractions)
Lisa Bower
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