Friday, April 15, 2016

Week of April 18-22



 

Program of Inquiry
How the World Works

Central Idea:
Energy is generated, stored, and used in different ways.

Lines of Inquiry:
  • The relationship between forces and energy
  • Properties of electricity
  • Electricity is used in many ways

Teacher Questions and Key Concepts:
  1. Why are forces necessary to produce energy?  (connection)
  2. How is electricity created?  (function)
  3. How can we use use electricity effectively?  (responsibility)
  4. How is electricity used in society?  (connection)


Daily 5/CAFE  11:00-12:30
Reading: Daily 5/ CAFE
Daily 5/CAFE:  Our poetry unit will continue this week.  Our focus this week will be on shape poetry and the structure of poetry.  Students will explore lines, stanza, and rhyme scheme in poetry.

For extra practice with poetry click the following links below:

BOOK GENRE STUDY- Poetry
We will be working in class to create a Poetry Book Project.  More details will follow about students sharing their works of poetry.


VOCABULARY: Students will take  their Wordly Wise test this week. Students are encouraged to study their Wordly Wise vocabulary words at home for homework.  Students may use their books, or they can use Quizlet for practice.  The vocabulary test will be given on Friday.
3rd and 4th grade word lists vary for each student.  Your child can locate their Wordly Wise word lists in their student books.  Word lists can also be found on Quizlet.
Writing: VOICES
1:30-2:00
VOICES: Students will continue the 6+1 Traits of Writing. This is referred to as VOICES: voice, organization, ideas, conventions, expanded vocabulary, and sentence fluency.
This week students will continue preparing the WRaP assessment by writing to prompts and reviewing the process necessary to plan, write, and edit in order to complete the assignment to the best of their ability. Several prompt examples will be shared, student writing samples will be analyzed by the group, and the scoring process will be demonstrated. This will help to give the students a deeper understanding of the task and what is needed to complete it in the allotted time. We will continue writing to the following prompt:

You are outside one night looking at the sky. A very bright star approaches you. As you watch, you realize that the star is really a spaceship! Write a story about what happens next.

Students will complete their final copy by Friday.

When editing, students will be checking for proper use of capitalization, punctuation (including commas), and spelling.  We will be using proper editing marks when editing their writing. Each student will keep a editing reference guide in their home binders for them to use if needed for homework. You can also use the one located below:

You can also use these resources at home:

GRAMMAR: Students will begin exploring figurative language. This skill ties into our reading lessons with poetry and our writing skills. Figurative language is using figures of speech to be more effective, or to make a greater impact with what is being said. Figures of speech such as metaphors and similes go beyond the literal meanings of the words to give the readers new way of thinking about what is happening in a story. Alliterations and onomatopoeias are figurative word/s that appeal to the senses of the readers. Figurative language can appear in multiple forms. We will be focusing on alliterations, hyperboles, idioms, metaphors, personification, onomatopoeia, and similes.
This week's lessons will be centered around metaphors, idioms, and personification.
Examples:
A metaphor is a word or phrase that is used to make a comparison between two people, things, animals, or places.
  • The snow is a white blanket.
  • The hospital was a refrigerator.
  • The classroom was a zoo.
  • America is a melting pot.  
Idioms are word combinations that kids use which have a different meaning than the literal meanings of each word.
  • Give it a shot - Try
  • Speak your mind - Say what you really feel
  • A piece of cake - Very easy
  • Slipped my mind - I forgot
Personification is when you give human qualities to an object or animal.
  • Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name.
  • My alarm clock yells at me every morning.
  • The avalanche devoured anything standing in its way.
  • Traffic slowed to a crawl.

Videos and games to review  :

WORDS THEIR WAY SPELLING:
Students will be assessed on  their spelling sort this week. Students are responsible for knowing the sorting rules as well as the correct spelling for each word.  Your child’s list of words can be located in their agenda.  Please complete three DIFFERENT spelling jobs for homework.  Spelling HW is due on THURSDAY this week. This spelling test will be given on Thursday this week!


3rd Grade Math 9:15-10:15
Looking for extra practice at home?  Use the suggested practice information for each individual day.  Your child has their username and password for www.ixl.com.
Monday
Students will find the volume of a rectangular prism.
IXL Practice:U6, U15
Tuesday
Students will weigh objects using scales in customary and metric units.
IXL Practice:U5, U18
Wednesday
Students will participate in 3 exploration activities to order objects according to their volume, mass, and weight. (Day 1)
IXL Practice:U.21
Thursday
Students will participate in 3 exploration activities to order objects according to their volume, mass, and weight. (Day 2)
IXL Practice: U.21
Friday
Students will celebrate Earth Day!



4th Grade Math 8:15-9:15
Looking for extra practice at home?  Use the suggested practice information for each individual day.  Your child has their username and password for www.ixl.com.
Monday
Students will relate flips, slides, and turns to reflections, translations, and rotations.  Students will apply their knowledge of these math concepts and play “Entrapment”.  Within this game, students will recognize motion as a slide (translation), turn (rotation), or a flip (reflection).
IXL Practice:  5th Grade Z.8
Tuesday
Students will explore positive and negative numbers.  In this lesson, students will explore credit and debit activity to relate and connect to positive and negative numbers.
IXL Practice:  5th Grade A.8
Wednesday
Students will create a human number line to add and subtract positive and negative numbers.
IXL Practice:  5th Grade A.8
Thursday
Students will continue their explorations of negative numbers by adding negative integers.  Students will apply their knowledge of integers and play a “Gain/Loss” game.
IXL Practice:  5th Grade A.8
Friday
Students will celebrate Earth Day!



Science/Social Studies 2:00-3:00
Monday
How The World Works: Students will watch an informative film about the various types of energy.  Students will form definitions of different types of energy.
Tuesday
How The World Works: Students will complete three experiments in which they identify different types of energy.
Wednesday
How The World Works:  Students will explore magnets and magnetism through a variety of experiments and observations.
Thursday
How the World Works:  Students will inquire about the makeup and an atom.  Students will explore positive and negative charges.  Students will create a model of an atom.  (Two-day lesson)
Friday
How the World Works:  Students will Students will inquire about the makeup and an atom.  Students will explore positive and negative charges.  Students will create a model of an atom.  (Two-day lesson)



Extra! Extra! Chavura News

  • Students should be using Quizlet at home several times each week to practice their Wordly Wise vocabulary words.
  • Remember to check your child’s “Keep at Home” folder each Monday!


Friday, April 8, 2016

Week of April 11-15


 

Program of Inquiry
How the World Works

Central Idea:
Energy is generated, stored, and used in different ways.

Lines of Inquiry:
  • The relationship between forces and energy
  • Properties of electricity
  • Electricity is used in many ways

Teacher Questions and Key Concepts:
  1. Why are forces necessary to produce energy?  (connection)
  2. How is electricity created?  (function)
  3. How can we use use electricity effectively?  (responsibility)
  4. How is electricity used in society?  (connection)


Daily 5/CAFE  11:00-12:30
Reading: Daily 5/ CAFE
Daily 5/CAFE:  This week students will  wrap up sequencing events in text.  Over the next several weeks, we will begin our Poetry Unit.  Students will explore many aspects of poetry including structure (rhyme, meter, line, stanza, verse), language (simile, personification, rhyming sounds, metaphors), theme (the author’s message or point), and mood (feelings and emotions felt when reading poetry).  This week we will focus on introducing the elements of poetry, how to “read” poetry, where to get ideas for writing poetry, acrostic poetry, and shape poetry.

For extra practice with poetry click the following links below:

BOOK GENRE STUDY- Poetry
We will be working in class to create a Poetry Book Project.  More details will follow about students sharing their works of poetry.
VOCABULARY: Students will be introduced to their Wordly Wise unit this week. Students are encouraged to study their Wordly Wise vocabulary words at home for homework.  Students may use their books, or they can use Quizlet for practice.  The vocabulary test will be given on Friday.
3rd and 4th grade word lists vary for each student.  Your child can locate their Wordly Wise word lists in their student books.  Word lists can also be found on Quizlet.
Writing: VOICES
1:30-2:00
VOICES: Students will continue the 6+1 Traits of Writing. This is referred to as VOICES: voice, organization, ideas, conventions, expanded vocabulary, and sentence fluency.
This week students will be introduced to the WRaP writing prompts and review the process necessary to plan, write, and edit in order to complete the assignment to the best of their ability. Several prompt examples will be shared, student writing samples will be analyzed by the group, and the scoring process will be demonstrated. This will help to give the students a deeper understanding of the task and what is needed to complete it in the allotted time. We will model the process and then students will begin writing to the following prompt:

You are outside one night looking at the sky. A very bright star approaches you. As you watch, you realize that the star is really a spaceship! Write a story about what happens next.

Students will create a plan by the end of the week and will continue to conference with a teacher throughout.

When editing, students will be checking for proper use of capitalization, punctuation (including commas), and spelling.  We will be using proper editing marks when editing their writing. Each student will keep a editing reference guide in their home binders for them to use if needed for homework. You can also use the one located below:

You can also use these resources at home:

GRAMMAR: Students will begin exploring figurative language. This skill ties into our reading lessons with poetry and our writing skills. Figurative language is using figures of speech to be more effective, or to make a greater impact with what is being said. Figures of speech such as metaphors and similes go beyond the literal meanings of the words to give the readers new way of thinking about what is happening in a story. Alliterations and onomatopoeias are figurative word/s that appeal to the senses of the readers. Figurative language can appear in multiple forms. We will be focusing on alliterations, hyperboles, idioms, metaphors, personification, onomatopoeia, and similes.
This week's lessons will be centered around reviewing onomatopoeia, and introducing similes.
Examples:
A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things, and uses the words “like” or “as.”
  • Our soldiers are as brave as lions.
  • Her cheeks are red like a rose.

Onomatopoeia is a word which imitates the natural sounds of a thing. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting
  • Buzzz! The bee flew away.
  • The books fell on the table with a loud thump.


WORDS THEIR WAY SPELLING:
Students will be introduced to their spelling sort this week. Students are responsible for knowing the sorting rules as well as the correct spelling for each word.  Your child’s list of words can be located in their agenda.  Please complete three DIFFERENT spelling jobs for homework.  Spelling HW is due on FRIDAY this week.


3rd Grade Math 9:15-10:15
Looking for extra practice at home?  Use the suggested practice information for each individual day.  Your child has their username and password for www.ixl.com.
Monday
Students will review unit 9 skills for multi digit multiplication.
IXL Practice:H8, H10, H16 Multiplication
Tuesday
Students will take their unit 9 assessment.
IXL Practice:
Wednesday
Students will review the metric and US customary units for measuring length.
IXL Practice:U4, U13
Thursday
Students will find the volume of a rectangular prism.
IXL Practice: U6, U15
Friday
Students will explore US customary and metric units for measuring weight using scales.
IXL Practice: U5, U14
Math Facts Quiz!!!!!



4th Grade Math 8:15-9:15
Looking for extra practice at home?  Use the suggested practice information for each individual day.  Your child has their username and password for www.ixl.com.
Monday
Students will explore reflections and 2-Dimensional figures.
IXL Practice:  5th Grade Z.8
Tuesday
Students will locate lines of reflection.  Students will create an art piece in which they explore lines of reflection.
IXL Practice:  5th Grade Z.8
Wednesday
Students will explore properties of reflections.  Students will examine the relationships between an object and its reflected image.  
IXL Practice:  5th Grade Z.8
Thursday
Students will explore the connection between reflections and line symmetry.  Students will create symmetrical pictures, find lines of symmetry, and explore lines of symmetry in polygons.  
IXL Practice:  5th Grade Z.8
Friday
Students will apply their knowledge of reflections, rotations, and translations to create frieze patterns.  A frieze pattern is a design made of shapes that are in a line.
IXL Practice:  5th Grade Z.8



Science/Social Studies 2:00-3:00
Monday
How The World Works: Students will inquire about force and motion.  Students will puzzle read a book about force and motion.  Using this knowledge, students will work collaboratively to create a visual aid to share their findings.
Tuesday
How The World Works: Students will present their information about force and motion to the class.  Students will share information about the laws of motion, types of forces, potential and kinetic energy, and energy transfer.  
Wednesday
How The World Works:  Students will explore forces by completing a push and pull activity.  Students will work in small groups to discover the relationships between push and pull and how they relate to force/.
Thursday
How the World Works:  Students will watch an informative film about the various types of energy.  Students will form definitions of different types of energy.
Friday
How the World Works:  Students will complete three experiments in which they identify different types of energy.



Extra! Extra! Chavura News

  • Students should be using Quizlet at home several times each week to practice their Wordly Wise vocabulary words.
  • Remember to check your child’s “Keep at Home” folder each Monday!