Week of April 3rd - 7th

Posted on Apr 04, 2017

Hello!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!

In Reading last week, we continued our study of Unit 4 by continuing to focus on the play: Blame It on the Wolf.  Our skill that we continued to focus on for last week was: Compare and Contrast. We learned about strategies for comparing and contrasting and worked with examples that focused on this skill. We worked with the Vocabulary for our story last week as well. We also worked on workbook pages that focused on practice with compare and contrast as well as the vocabulary words for our story. We focused on a word study last week (Word Study: Contractions) as well as worked and practiced with certain kinds of text that can be found throughout the play: Blame It on the Wolf. Students located examples of these kinds of words in our play and discussed the different ways that these kinds of words are formed. Last week, we worked with how we can find evidence in our play. We also performed our play from the week before: Blame It on the Wolf. Students worked in their small groups, and were assigned some scenes from our play to perform for the class. Students also chose their roles and characters for their performance of our play. Students in the audience were assigned to work on writing and recording two interesting facts about each group's scene performance as well as their favorite part for each scene of the play performance in their Reading notebooks. As a class, we also discussed the different themes that related to our play. Students did not have a Reading test this past Friday. We also worked on practicing with SLAM last week. Last week, we also worked with Raz Kids for Reading Comprehension practice on the ipads as well as worked on some other activities.  

In Reading this week, we will continue our study of Unit 4 by beginning to focus on the story: The Disguise.  Our skill that we will be focusing on for this week is: Summarizing. We will be learning about strategies for summarizing and working with examples that focus on this skill. We will be taking notes on information that focuses on our skill for this week. We will also be reading, discussing and focusing on our summarizing skill passage and questions for this week. We will be working with the Vocabulary for our story this week as well. We will also be working on workbook pages that focus on practice with summarizing as well as the vocabulary words for our story. We will be focusing on a word study this week (Word Study: Contractions and Suffixes) as well as working and practicing with certain kinds of text that can be found throughout the story: The Disguise. Students will be locating examples of these kinds of words in our story and discussing the different ways that these kinds of words are formed. This week, we will be working with answering the discussion and comprehension questions that relate to our story, as well as focusing on how we can find evidence and examples in our story. We will also be working on how we can find our evidence for our answers to the story review questions as well as locating our evidence for our questions that focus on our story for this week. We will also review for our test this week. *Students will have their Reading test that will focus on our story: The Disguise, on Friday, April 7th.* Students should study their vocabulary, notes, discussion questions, and comprehension review questions in preparation for the test on Friday. We will also be working on practicing with SLAM this week. This week, we will also be working with Raz Kids for Reading Comprehension practice on the ipads as well as working on some other activities.

*A variety of different book reports will be assigned throughout the school year in Reading. Students were assigned their seventh book report this year, for the month of March. *For this seventh “March Book Report,” students chose a Fantasy (fiction) book of their choice.* Students were also given the format for the March Book Report. *The March Fantasy Book Report was due by this past Tuesday, March 28th.* *Students are encouraged to turn in their book reports early, before the scheduled due date, if they are ready to be turned in.*

*Also, students will be required to read and take quizzes on 8 books per trimester for Accelerated Reading. At least 1 of the 8 total books for the trimester needs to be a nonfiction book. There will also be due dates within the trimester for how many books should be read and AR quizzes taken.

*Students should now be working on reading books and taking AR quizzes for their 3rd trimester AR requirement.*

4th Grade – Accelerated Reader – The Due Dates for the 3rd Trimester are:

2 books and AR quizzes were due by this past Friday, March 17th.

*2 more books and AR quizzes (total of 4 books all together) are due by this Monday, April 3rd.*

*2 more books and AR quizzes (for a total of 6 books all together) are due by Friday, April 28th.*

2 more books and AR quizzes (for a total of 8 books all together including at least one nonfiction book) are due by Friday, May 26th.

Happy Reading!

In Social Studies last week, we continued focusing on the different regions of the United States. Last week, we began to focus on the capitals of the Midwest Region. Students were given a study guide, map and flashcard sheets for the states and capitals of the Midwest Region. Students used their sheets to make their flashcards last week, and these should all continue to be kept together in a Ziploc or plastic baggie. Students worked with some practice sheets and maps of the capitals for this region as well. We also reviewed and prepared for our quiz last week. To prepare for our quiz, we focused on a MW Region map review sheet and practiced our capitals flashcards. We also worked on the study guide sheets for this region. We also discussed and went over these review sheets together. Last week, we reviewed and practiced to prepare for our quiz as well. We also played a review game to get ready for our MW Region Capitals Quiz on Thursday of last week. Students should have studied their maps, study guide review sheets and flashcards in preparation for that quiz.

Last week, we also continued to focus on our study of Lesson 1 of Unit 3 of our textbook. We continued to review our material and Vocabulary for Unit 3 - Lesson 1. This lesson focused on the Geography of the Midwest Region of the United States. Last week, we continued focusing on Sections A-D of Unit 3 - Lesson 1 by working on the Check Understanding Questions. We worked on answering the Check Understanding Questions for Sections A-D of Lesson 1 in a paragraph format using complete sentences in our notebook. Students also worked on answering an extended response question for Lesson 1 that focused on the geography (of our region-the Midwest Region) where we live. The extended response question focused on some ways in which the geography of the Midwest region drew people to settle in this region. Students wrote and answered about different aspects that describe the geography of the Midwest Region. To review and prepare for our test on Wednesday of this week, students worked on the Check Understanding Review Questions for Lesson 1 of Unit 3. We will finish working on the Check Understanding questions this week, as well as continue to review for our test on Wednesday.

In Social Studies this week, we will continue to focus on our study of Lesson 1 of Unit 3 of our textbook. We will continue to review our material and Vocabulary for Unit 3 - Lesson 1. This week, we will continue focusing on this lesson and to prepare for our test on Wednesday, we will finish up working on the Check Understanding Review Questions for Lesson 1 that we began working on in our notebook last week. Students will also finish up working on an extended response question for this lesson that we started working on last week, that focuses on some ways in which the geography of our region drew people to settle there. Students will be finishing up writing about different aspects that describe the geography of the MW Region. This week, we will also continue focusing on the states and capitals of the different regions of the U.S. We will continue to focus on the geography, states and capitals of the Midwest Region. Students will be given a study guide for the geography information for the MW Region. Students were given a study guide and maps for the states and capitals of the MW Region last week. Students should also have their flashcards that we made last week, and these should all continue to be kept together in a Ziploc or plastic baggie. Students will be working with some practice sheets and maps for the states and capitals for this region as well. We will also be reviewing, practicing and preparing for our test this week on the MW Region. To prepare for our test, we will focus on a MW Region map review sheet and practice our flashcards. We will also work on the study guide review sheets for this region, and discuss and go over these review sheets together. We will play a review game to get ready for our test as well. *We will have our test on the geography information, states and capitals of the Midwest Region this week on Wednesday, April 5th.* Students should study their MW region maps, review sheets, geography study guide as well as their states and capitals flashcards in preparation for the test on Wednesday of this week.

Also, in Social Studies this week, we will begin to focus on our study of the states of the Northeast Region. Students will be given a study guide, map and flashcard sheets for the states of the NE Region. Students will be using their sheets to make their flashcards, and these should all be kept together in a Ziploc or plastic baggie. Students will be working with some practice sheets and maps of this region as well. We will also be preparing for our quiz next week. To prepare for our quiz, we will focus on a NE Region map sheet and practice our flashcards. We will also work on the study guide sheets for this region, and discuss and go over these sheets together. This week, we will practice locating and labeling. We will have our quiz on the states of the NE Region next week on Wednesday, April 12th. Students should study their maps, study guide review sheets and state flashcards in preparation for the quiz next week.

In Spelling this week, we will begin with our Unit 29 spelling words. We will have our twenty-ninth spelling test this Friday, April 7th on Unit 29.

*Reminders*

• We have the School Band Concert on Tuesday of this week.
• Also, there will be Special Lunch on Wednesday, April 5th.
• Friday Folders will go home this week. Please look over the contents of the folder and discuss your child's progress with him/her. You may keep the quizzes/tests that are in the folder. Also, the Friday Folder should be signed and returned on Monday of next week.

I hope you have a fantastic week!! :)