12/15/09
As the holiday break draws nearer, please be thinking about the activities
you plan for your children to facilitate retention of skills. I have added a
link to the Links page that will help you review math skills with your
child. Some of the concepts have not been taught formally yet, but please
feel free to explore all the concepts on the site. If your child has time on
their hands, reading would be a great way to pass the time. Remember that
reading on their own should be easy. A great way to keep children thinking
about meaning and comprehension strategies is to read the text with them,
pausing after a few passages, and asking questions that require the child to
think. If you are reading the book to your child the level doesn't really
matter as long as the content is engaging and the child can use their
experiences to comprehend the text. Be flexible with your questions. Some
questions should be, "right there" questions and some should elicite
inferential thinking.
Have a blessed holiday!
11/23/09
The Turkey Dressing stories and camouflaged turkeys are due tomorrow. I can
not wait to see what the students have done with the turkeys. the stories I
have read thus far are very creative.
Paper Bag books
We have been working on a class matrix/graphic organizer and paper bag book to
compliment our study of Explorers and Native Americans. The paper bag books
are due Monday, 11/30/09. Most of the work should already be completed. I
have given students time in class to complete the activity for more than a
week. Each student also has a direction sheet for the assignment. If there is
a section not already completed, the students need to finish those sections at
home. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Math
We are moving full speed ahead with our current unit in EDM. Most of the
students are catching on quickly to the multiplication options presented in
the text. If you have never tried Lattice, ask your child to show you a
sample. Keep in mind that Lattice is only an option and not a required skill.
Our objective is to learn how to multiple and divide two and three digit
numbers. The procedure used to find the correct answer is not important.
Homework
I try to be very mindful of all the responsibilities my students have when
assigning homework. I know that the third week of every month the Challenge
students have quite a bit of homework assigned outside of this class. I also
knew that the Science Fair project would require a lot of preparation and
research. The Turkey Dressing story is another assignment that required
several days of preparation as did the Wax Museum. During these time periods
I tried to limit the homework I assigned. Now that all of these projects are
completed, I will be assigning book reports. Students will have time to
design the reports here in class and may have time to create the report.
However, the bulk of the work will be completed at home. I will send home
more specifics about the reports after Christmas.
We have completed our Science unit on ecosystems and have begun a Social
Studies unit on Native Americans. While your child is responsible for only
one of the six tribes for his/her book (in class), each student is
responsible for learning information about all 6 tribes. Please ask your
child to see the rubric for the Native American game they are creating in
class. This rubric lists all of the information each student is required to
know in order to pass the unit assessment.
9/28/09
1. If your child has not completed the 5 paragraph report on the endangered
animal they selected for their report, this report and graphic organizer
should have come home with him or her this afternoon. The report is due
Wednesday. We have been writing this report in class for TWO WEEKS.
2. Study Link 3.3 and 3.4
9/24/09
Study vocabulary words in chapters 7 & 8 in the Science text. Students will
take a voc. quiz Tuesday.
Continue to study multiplication facts. Review factors and multiples.
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9/23/09
1. Study Chapter 8 in Science text. We will have a quiz tomorrow. The
Ecosystem unit will be completed this week. Our next IB unit is a Social
Studies unit.
Students had 30 minutes to review the chapter in class today and I will have
a short oral review tomorrow right before the quiz.
2. Study and learn multiplication facts!!!!!
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9/11/09 NO HOMEWORK except to HAVE FUN this weekend.
Please sign your child's checkbook math folder and if you notice withdrawals,
please discuss why the withdrawal was made.
The International Day of Peace dove is due Monday. If our class has 100%
participation we will celebrate Thursday, 9/17/09, by having a pizza party.
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9/02/09
Math Study Link 2.1
Science Study Lessons 3-4 in Science Text; quiz Friday
Endangered Animal Report is due Friday September 4, 2009--10pts will be
deducted for each day the report is late. The assignment will not be
accepted after Wednesday 9/9/09
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8/28/09
We are going to have a unit assessment in Math Tuesday and a Science Quiz
covering Lesson 3 and 4 in chapter 7 Friday; pages 322-345. The students
should have brought home their Science text to review what we have covered so
far.
Please have your child to continue to work on the Endangered Animal report
that is due Friday, 9/4/09. Remember that they may choose to complete the
paper pencil task or create their report using the computer.
If at all possible, please send a water bottle to school Monday; the dry-
erase board and scissors too.
8/25/09
Math
Study Link 1.7
Science Georgia Performance Standards Book
Please refer to your child's agenda for specific page numbers.
Endangered Animal Information packet; assigned Wednesday 8/26. This
assignment is due Friday, September 4, 2009. Your child may use the packet
to record his/her information or create an electronic version of the packet
using PowerPoint or any software program that is available to them. The
information should be copied to a Flash Drive.
