Math Workshop: Next week we continue with multiplication. We will be multiplying 2 digits by 2 digits and 3 digits by 2 digits. The students have been shown partial products, area model, and standard algorithm (traditional). We will focus a lot next week on the actual place and value of each digit in the problem. We will also use number lines to estimate for reasonableness.
Writing Workshop: We are finished with narratives for a while and we now move into expository writing (writing to express your thoughts on a specific topic). Next week we will really focus on the structure of expository writing (introduction that includes an attention grabbing lead and topic sentence, 2 main idea paragraphs supported with examples/details, and a conclusion paragraph. We will do a lot of work with dissecting pre-written pieces to look at each of those components as well as teach them how to plan their pieces.
Grammar: Our grammar focus next week will be compound and complex sentences. We will review how to make a compound sentence using conjunctions and how to write a complex sentence (includes a dependent and independent clause).
Reading/Daily 5: In reading we will review cause and effect. Students will determine how to pick cause and effects out of a picture book, novel, or even in a spoken sentence. Students will do several activities to reinforce this learning. We have started a new read aloud- The Watson's go to Birmingham, 1963. It's an excellent book and also ties in lots of history regarding Civil Rights and segregation.
Science: We continue learning about matter. Next week we will focus on how temperature affects matter by looking at how water changes state based on the addition or removal of heat energy. We will review the basic terms of evaporation, condensation, freezing, and melting. Students should be able to identify each of these states.
**For extra fun, students will do a “candy corn” lab in class on Monday where they observe a candy corn in oil, water, and vinegar and determine which liquid will make the candy corn dissolve first.
Social Studies: We are really having fun learning about and discussing government. For the next two weeks our focus will be on the three branches of governments. We will discuss the roles of each branch as well as checks and balances. Students will work in groups to make a “Branches of Government Tree” based on one branch. They will then share out to the class. Students will take notes on the branches, read lots of informational pieces, and watch videos on the three branches. We will also learn how a bill becomes a law.
Upcoming Dates
November 1- Report cards go home
November 4- Fun Run
November 16- 12:30 dismissal