Classroom Update

We've been very busy the last couple of weeks!  Here are some highlights:

• In Reader's Workshop, we have been studying characters and inferring character traits.  Students have also been working on being word solvers!  This means that students are learning what to do when they get to a word they don't know.  Instead of mumbling over the word or making up a word, students can break words into parts, think about what the word could say and think about what's happening in the story.  Sometimes looking at the picture can also help a reader decide what a word is. 
• In Writer's Workshop, students have been writing about lots of topics, including pets, funny characters and something they either like or dislike.  They have a lot of enthusiasm for the stories they are writing! 
• In Science, we are now studying gravity!  Students have had fun doing experiments and reading about gravity and how gravity affects falling objects through air, water and solids.
• We finished up Unit 5 in math and our now studying time.  They are learning to tell time to five minute intervals.  This can be a very difficult skill for some students, so practicing at home is very beneficial.  We also continue to take weekly timed math fact tests.  We will be taking one more test before the end of second quarter.  In order to receive a "3" on the report card, students should be able to do 95 or more addition problems in 8 minutes.  Please help your child practice their math facts at home whenever you can.