| Have a wonderful summer!
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May 19, 2008
We are still working on our fractured fairy tales. Mrs. Prince and Mrs.
Lively came in last week to help us edit and fine tune our stories. Every
student has finished typing their stories on the laptops and are working hard
on completing their illustrations. The fractured fairy tales are due
Wednesday May 21st. I would like to have them laminated and if they are not
in to the “laminating queens” by Wednesdays then they will not be able to be
laminated. Students are continuing to read at home and at school. We will
not start another literature group due to time and field trips that up
coming. We will be reading short stories out of their CQ books. We are
continuing to work hard on compliment letters. We want to make sure all
students get a letter from everyone in the class. Ask to read these letters
they are so sincere and sweet!
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May 2, 2008
We made it! All students successfully complete their LA CAAP tests and the
DRP reading test. It was a long week but the kids really worked hard on
putting their best effort into their assessments. They finished their Rough
Drafts for their Fractured Fairy tales this week. Next week they will work
on laying out the stories into a book format. They will start brainstorming
ideas for illustrations as well. The students love this activity they are
having so much fun! I have scheduled to have the laptops so students can
type up their stories so it looks even more like a real book. We will
continue to work in Literature Groups reading and completing projects.
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April 25, 2008
The students will have their reading tested Monday by forms of a DRP test.
They will also take their Language Arts CAAP test Mon. through Wednesday of
next week. The students are reading Literature group books right now and
many are working on their brochure project for their book. In writing we are
studying fairy tales and working slowly into creating our own fractured fairy
tale. This will be a large project that the students will have to create a
modified fairy tale, type up the story line and create illustrations for
their book. This is one of my favorite projects and the students are really
looking forward to it as well. We have been reading The Grim Brothers fairy
tales, which are a bit different from the fairy tales they are used to
reading. When you talk with your child next ask them about the version of
Cinderella we read.
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April 18, 2008
In language arts some students are starting to finish up their literature
group books. When the students are finished with their books they will then
create a project about their book. The topic for this project is a brochure
that will entice people to want to read this book. The students have been
having weekly Friday discussions in regards to their books with their
groups. They have really come a long way in their conversations and
questions they ask about their books. We will continue with spelling and
writing on a daily basis. We have really been working on public speaking to
the class. This is very easy for most but a few struggle to speak out loud
in front of others. We try to each share at least 2 writing samples a week.
The more the practice the more comfortable they are getting in front of the
class.
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April 7th
All students (except students in read 180) received new literature group
books today. Please make sure to ask them about their new book they are
reading. Students are eager to have another compliment letter. I am waiting
for more students to come back from their extended spring break before we
complete another compliment letter. Our focus this week in writing is
writing longer sentences using proper punctuation.
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March 24th
Language Arts has been very fun and exciting these last few weeks. We have
had an opportunity to use the holidays we come across to write very
insightful poems. The students had to share each of the poems with the class
and they all loved the poems. This week we will be reading from our textbook
and our grade appropriate library books. We will start new Literature group
books when we get back from Spring break. We will be starting our poem unit
this week. Look for interesting poems your students are writing and learning
about. We are also moving into our expository writing unit.
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March 7th
In reading we have moved out of our old literture groups and into class work
out of a CQ book. This book has a lot of short stories that the students
read daily. They seem to enjoy this as a change and it has a lot of
interactive activities that go along with each story. We are really focusing
on different genres and understanding them better. In writing we are
focusing on grammer for the next few weeks. We are also working on our
cursive writing. Some students are at a lost in how to write in cursive so i
thought i would review this again.
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February 15, 2008
This week in Language Arts we are working in our Literature Groups. This
time the students are paired up with another student instead of a whole
group. The students are working on word fluency and comprehension of the
text. Students read out loud to their partners at least once a week. When
reading out loud it helps the students work on their fluency and “voice”
while reading. I always encourage you to have your child read to you as
often as possible. It is a good bonding time between child and parent and it
really improves their reading.
In writing we have started a new routine of writing compliment letters to
each student in the class. The students love this lesson. Their letters
were incredible insightful and sincere. When I took the letters home to read
to make sure they were appropriate my eyes were tearing up because the
students were so sweet. I am very proud of all students and they loved
receiving a letter from a former student telling them all the qualities they
like and appreciate about each other. We talked about our letters later on
that same day and the student indicated that they felt very happy, liked and
important. I feel by continuing this activity it will bring the students
closer together and build up their self-confidence. Your student has saved
their letters in their binder. Ask you child if they mind sharing the
letters with you. Have an awesome week!
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January 27th
The entire class just finished their Literature Group books. They will have
their last literature group meeting for this book on Monday. We will focus
on a “newspaper” project starting on Tuesday. This is kind of like a book
report but written in a newspaper format. This should be a fun project!
Next week each student will jump into a new literature group book.
In writing this week we are going to focus on opinions. We will learn how
to write a proper opinion and analyzing other opinions from articles,
newspapers and short stories. Each child will be required to write a full
one page paper stating their opinion on a certain topic. This could get
interesting..but fun!
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January 13th
Our Literature group discussions were a hit last week! I am so happy that
the students enjoyed the discussions and they all did a wonderful job! We
will continue to work in our literature groups this week. Students will
discuss on Tuesday and Friday. Each time there is a new discussion day
there is also a new role for each student. The main roles for each
discussion is leader, comparison and summary. The students are also working
on a large poster for their books which will hopefully prompt student
interest in reading these particular books.
The students are writing everyday in their journals and through other
assignments. We are still working very hard revising and reflecting in our
daily work.
I started a new book that I am reading out loud to the students. The series
is written by Margaret Haddix. The first book I am reading to the students
is called "Among the Hidden". This is a really good series and the students
enjoy me reading to them at snack time.
WE will continue to stay busy in Language Arts this week reading, writing
and reflecting.
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January 3rd
Currently in language arts we are starting a new literature group book. All
students will have a new book by this Friday (Jan. 4). The L.G. groups will
be mixed up slightly according to each students reading ability. During the
reading of their books each student creates a packet about their book. They
have various assignments and discussions they include into these packets.
They complete a packet for every book they read so I’m sure you’ve
seen them before. After they complete their book they will create a project
about their book. It’s a lot of fun the kids really enjoy their books.
The students are currently writing daily in their journals. This week they
are working on a writing assignment called “An Important Lesson Learned”.
This paper entails the students to use the entire writing process. After
reviewing their “pre-write” today I was amazed at their topics. Ask you
student about what important lesson they have learned and why. You’ll be
amazed at how many of these lessons pertain to you (mom and dad). Next week
we are tackling different tecniques on revising their written work. It will
be a fun week. :)
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