9.2.14

Homework
This weeks homework will be sent home Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in their GATOR notebooks. Homework should not last for more than 30-40 minutes. Have your child complete as much as they are able. If that means they only complete half the homework, that is okay.

Math

This week students compared and ordered 2 and 3-digit numbers. This upcoming week we will review the importance of estimating and learn how to estimate the sum.

ELA

This past week we learned how to use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast. 

We then used our Venn Diagrams to help us write our opinion paragraphs.This past weekend I sent home writing binders so you can see what your child is working on. Please make sure students bring their binders back on Tuesday as we use them daily.

"My favorites were the sweet gummy bears."

Science

This week we will be digging a little deeper into rocks and minerals! We will create mini-books on each type of rock and learn the difference between metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary. We also have science lab this week with Mrs. Knobbe. Students will be performing tests on minerals to learn to classify them. 

 

Our Friday Speech/OT lesson was a huge hit! Students were asked to create something original with marshmallows and tooth picks. They then had to write about what the created. Together they completed a 5 senses word sort. Students also came up with their own adjectives to describe the marshmallows. Students then worked together to build a marshmallow city! 

 

 

8.25.14

Math
This upcoming week, students will learn to compare numbers and order them using number lines and the understanding of place value. We will continue to use base-ten blocks to help show which number is greater. We have some fun partner games ahead of us this week. Along with learning to order and compare numbers we will practice taking turns and working with others.

3rd graders using base-ten blocks to learn about place value:

ELA
This past week students used their 5 senses to explore the difference between fresh figs and dried figs. Every student was brave enough to try these new things! Students are getting much better at their ability to describe new objects. We will continue to work on adjectives to help describe the world around us to increase our written expression. In writing we will continue working on opinion writing. Our focus this week will be adding transition words to our writing.

This week students will start using a new program called Language Live. This programs provides intensive intervention in reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary, spelling and grammar.

Science
We had so much fun in the science lab this week! We learned the rules of the science lab and explored how to use some of the scientific equipment. This past week we learned more about the water cycle: accumulation, evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Students will take a post test on the water cycle on Wednesday. Then we will move into learning about rocks and minerals (3rd grade standard).

Photos from the Science Lab:

Homework
Math
If you have dice at home have your child use them to create their own numbers. If you don't have dice, students are more than welcome to borrow classroom dice for this weeks homework.

Have your child create 3 numbers and order the numbers from least to greatest. Depending on your child they can work on ordering 2-digit numbers up to 4-digit numbers.

Have your child complete 5-15 problems per night.

ELA
Write a basic sentence for your child, 1-3 sentences per night. Have them "stretch" the sentence by adding adjectives and verbs. Some students will need blanks to fill in and options of words to choose from. Other students will just need prompting to continue adding to their sentence.

Example:
Write: I have a dog.

Student adds:
1.  I have a brown dog.
2.  I have a fluffy brown dog.
3.  I have a fluffy brown dog who likes to play fetch.
4.  I have a fluffy brown dog who likes to play fetch with his dirty green ball. 

Use "wh" questions to prompt for more detail:
What color is it?
What does it feel/look/smell like?
What is it doing?
Why is it doing the activity?
Where is it?

Reading
Reading expectation remains the same, 10-20 minutes of reading either a book of their own on their level or reading RAZ-kids. Try to discuss with your child what they read. Ask them to explain what they read or which character is their favorite and why.

8.18.14

What a wonderful 2 weeks we have had! Students have learned classroom rules and expectations. We also have gone over routines, routines and more routines! We have already seen so much progress in just 2 weeks and I am so excited to see what we will accomplish in an entire school year! My goal is to update the blog each weekend so you will get an overview of the past week and a heads up for the week to come. Hopefully in the near future our technology leader will be writing the blog informing you what we have done in the past week!

Math
This past week we have worked with base ten blocks. Some of the students are counting, some are adding and some are multiplying double digit by double digit! Each student is on their own level and that is okay! We are also working on rounding to the nearest 10. All students took a pre-test and when they show me they are ready they will take their post test independently. Both will be sent home for you to see the progress.

ELA
We have also been working on literacy work boxes, reading on RAZkids.com and writing opinion paragraphs. I will send home RAZkid logins this week so that your child can read at home. We are still working on DRA (developmental reading assessments) to determine the correct reading level for your child. Last week we went to the media center to check out books and to listen to a read-aloud from Mrs. McCoy. At this time all library books will stay at school in their desks.

Science/Social Studies
We learned about our 5 senses and how to describe an object with more interesting adjectives. We will be describing figs this week! Students will get to touch, smell and taste fresh and sun-dried figs. We will be writing opinion pieces on which is better. We also started learning about the water cycle and will be continuing to learn about the different aspects of the water cycle. This week we will be going to the science lab with Mrs. Knobbe. We will go to the science lab every other week. Our whole class will go on Tuesdays and our 4th/5th graders will also go on Thursdays with Mrs. Stewart's 4th grade class. This week the 4th/5th graders will make a mini-water cycle out of a 2 liter bottle that they will bring back to our class. Addison is always looking for science lab volunteers so please let me know if you would be interested in working with Mrs. Knobbe in the science lab.

Homework
Starting this week, homework will be posted weekly on the blog before Monday night. We will be teaching students how to access the blog and check what they have for homework, but some students will need assistance from parents. Since each student in our class is on their own level, the homework will have a range of problems or sentences for the expectation. It will be parents discretion of how many problems and or sentences your child should complete. Students should not be doing more than 30-40 minutes of homework per night. Send completed homework in their GATOR notebook.

Math: Give your child 5-15 numbers per night and have them write the number in expanded form and then have them draw the number in base-ten blocks. Here is a picture of what is expected:

Writing: Mid-line paper will be in the back of their GATOR notebook. Write 2-8 sentence about objects around the house. Choose one object per night from their bedroom, the bathroom, the yard or your fridge. Get creative!

Reading: Students should also be reading a book on their level or on RAZkids for 10-20 minutes each night, either out loud to you or on their own.

Please email me with any questions regarding homework at Kimberly.Kistler@Cobbk12.org.

Photos of some of the 4th/5th graders: