Here are a few reminders:
Students have done a fantastic job of staying focused during the time of year when we do a lot of testing and also ask students to complete "final" assignments for their work samples. Except for a few lingering assignments students are finished with SBAC testing, STAR tests and their math, writing, science and speaking work samples. Work sample grades and STAR grades will be sent home to you by Hoover. SBAC grades will also be sent to your home sometime this summer. Oregon Trail Students are cruising on the Oregon Trail! And by that I mean moving a few centimeters a day. Currently it is May 1, 1844 in our Oregon Trail world and students have recently passed Fort Kearney. They will be passing chimney rock tomorrow. As we move along we read about the land marks we are passing, experience the fates the emigrants experienced and write journal entries about our experiences. Writing We have finished our opinion writing unit. Look for students to bring home some awesome persuasive essays this week. We are beginning a unit on Poetry.
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Important reminders and upcoming events:
This week in reading students will be demonstrating their speaking skills with their their final current events presentation. They will be practicing listening to their peers as they take notes on other presentations. Oregon Trail A big focus this week will be our movement on the Oregon Trail! Students began to move on the trail on Friday and Monday will be their 2nd day on the trail. Students move on the trail by earning points by writing thoughtful journal entries about their Oregon Trail experience and by completing cooperative activities with their wagon train. Science In science this week students are completing their work sample by analyzing and drawing conclusions from the data they have collected on their plants' growth over the last three weeks. Writing At the beginning of this week students are completing their opinion essays if they have not already. Then we will move to our poetry unit. Classroom and school updates:
Testing Update This week we have SBAC math CAT testing Wednesday May 17th and Thursday May 18th. We test at 8:20 in the morning. I am inviting students to come to class 10 minutes early (at 8:00) on Wednesday and Thursday so we can all feel and get ready for the day before we leave for testing. Also, we have traditionally run the track before going to testing and I would love to give students the opportunity to do this even though our testing is early. If there is a parent, or two, available to supervise track running from 8:10 to 8:20ish, as other students are arriving please let me know. It would be a great help. Next week we take Math Performance Task. Students will take their Math STAR test in their math class. This may happen this next week or anytime during May. Their teacher will be sure to schedule the test on a day when no students have SBAC testing. Check with your student's individual math teacher. Reading In reading this week we continue with our study of Non-Fiction Narrative. We will be reading a book called In My Own Backyard by Judi Kurjian. Students will practice making inferences about the text, summarizing the text and discussing their opinion of the text. We will review summarizing, setting and point of view this week. Also, students are working on their final current events presentation for the year. Students will present these the week of May 22nd. As usual, students do have class time to work on these and they can also get some help with them at home. Student’s presentations should reflect the growth they have made this year as presenters. Writing This week students are working on drafting, revising, editing and publishing their persuasive essays! Science This week in science students will finish collecting the data for their science work sample and begin the write up of their results and conclusion. Oregon Trail Last week students got to see a real Prairie Schooner (type of wagon used on the Oregon Trail) but they also got their own "wagons" and joined up with a wagon train. Students had a lot of fun developing their identities, but they also explored the names and lives of real people who chose to take on the difficult journey across the country . This week they will start facing the trials as well as celebrating successes as they begin a simulated journey on the Oregon Trail. This week they will gather supplies, write in their journey, and travel their first miles! Thank you so much for an amazing week of Teacher Appreciation. I have felt so lucky all year to work with such amazing students and families, and you made me feel even more appreciated this past week. Thank you all for all you do at home to send students who are ready to learn, as well as kind and thoughtful young people. I enjoy working with them everyday!
Classroom and school updates:
For the next week we do not have further SBAC testing. In the third week of May we will take the Math CAT test (17th and 18th) and in the 4th week we will take the Math Performance Task. Students will take their Math STAR test in their math class. This may happen this next week or anytime during May. Their teacher will be sure to schedule the test on a day when no students have SBAC testing. Check with your student's individual math teacher. Reading In reading this week we continue with our study of Non-Fiction Narrative. This week we will read about Amelia Earhart. Students will practice making inferences about the text, summarizing the text and discussing their opinion of the text. Also, students are working on their final current events presentation for the year. Students will present these the week of May 22nd. As usual, students do have class time to work on these and they can also get some help with them at home. Students presentations should reflect the growth they have made this year as presenters. Science Students continue to collect data for their science work sample/inquiry. Additionally this week we began our study of energy. We made wind-up cars which we will test this week on our race track. Oregon Trail This week we continue with our study of the Oregon Trail. We will be ready to begin our simulation experience after our field trip next week. I am happy to see that May has ushered in some nice weather and it is ushering in many exciting classroom and school wide events.
Testing Update As a class almost everyone is finished the ELA Performance Task. We received a big compliment about our testing skills from Mrs. Patton, our testing coordinator. She said that all students were taking their time, reading directions carefully and clearly working hard to do their best! For the next two weeks we do not have further SBAC testing. In the third week of May we will take the Math CAT test and in the 4th week we will take the Math Performance Task. However, this week and next week we will take our final STAR screening tests for the year. Remember these tests are more for our internal use as a school to make sure that students continue to grow in reading and math. This Thursday, May 4th, we will take STAR Reading in the morning and next week we will take STAR math. Reading This week in reading we will be beginning a new unit in which we will read a variety of interesting texts, primarily Narrative Non-Fiction, to review many of the reading skills we have learned throughout the year. Particularly it will focus on making inferences, identifying important ideas and supporting details, forming and giving opinions about a text and summarizing. This week we will be reading Flight, by Robert Burleigh, which tells the story of Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic. This will give us an opportunity to discuss first and second hand accounts of events. Writing This week we continue with out persuasive essay unit. Students will begin drafting a persuasive essay by identifying a clear opinion and strong supporting reasons for their opinion. Science Students began their science inquiry projects last week with an investigation of bulbs. By Friday most students had formed inquiry questions, chosen what variable they will be testing and many have planted their bulbs and are beginning their experiment. Oregon Trail This week we continue with our study of the Oregon Trail. We will be ready to begin our simulation experience after our field trip next week. |
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