March 3-7

Reading

This week in reading students will compare the different versions of the same story—attending closely to characters, settings, and plot. We will be reading different versions of Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Three Little Pigs. Later in the week, we will be describing similarities and differences in the plots and settings of several works by the same author.

Writing

This week we will become crafty with our writing by “Showing- Not Telling” about a feeling.  We will learn how to use words to show how a feeling is instead of telling about it.  This can be tricky so we will work on some as a class to begin and then finish off the week by writing independently on a particular feeling.  

Spelling

We will practice taking the singular form of a word and making it plural by adding -s or -es.  We will practice throughout the week and check for understanding on Friday.  

Math

We need a few more days of 3 digit addition and subtraction practice! We will review on Monday and assess our learning on Tuesday. The rest of the week will be spent on reviewing previous skills such as place value, money and fractions. Our new geometry unit will start after Spring Break.

Science:

This week students will explore the processes in the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.  They will learn that the water cycle is connected to weather conditions and begins when the Sun’s heat evaporates water.  Students will make their own water cycle and experiment on how clouds are formed when water vapor condenses and then water falls back to the Earth as rain, snow, and other forms of precipitation.  The key questions we will answer this week are:

• What is the water cycle?

• Where does the water cycle begin?
• How are weather conditions affected by the water cycle?

Reminders

• Field Trip to Laguna Gloria is on March 7th
• Life Journals due Friday
• Spelling check on Friday
• Library day is Wednesday
• Family Dinner Night is on March 1st
• Spring Break starts March 8th

February 24-28

Reading

This week students will experience a variety of folktales, myths, and legends. Students will identify moral lessons as themes in these well known stories and use text evidence to support their understanding.

Writing

This week we will work on addressing a prompt with a written story.  There will be a variety of prompts on academic areas and narratives.  We will focus on writing a clear beginning, middle and end.  We will also use correct sentence structure, capital letters, and punctuation.  We plan to study synonyms and antonyms this week too.  We will play “I Have, Who Has?” and practice in pairs throughout the week.  

Spelling

Our words have different types of syllables this week.  We will practice throughout the week and check for understanding on Friday.  

Math

We are moving into 3 digit addition and subtraction this week. We will practice with games and word problems before reviewing everything we’ve learned and assessing at the end of the week.

Science:

What’s the weather going to be like this week?  We’ll find out as we move into weather in science.  Students will  learn about patterns in the natural world.  We’ll measure, record, and graph weather information, including temperature, wind conditions, precipitation, and cloud coverage.  Students will identify the importance of weather and seasonal information to make choices in clothing, activities, and transportation.  We’ll have fun looking at different types of weather and decide what’s the best clothing to wear for the type of weather and discuss how to decide how to dress each day.  In Texas, of course, what you wear one hour may not work the next!  Students will have fun singing songs about weather too!  An exciting experiment will be when we try to explore what the best fabric for a raincoat would be and why.  At the end of the week, we’ll become meteorologists and write a weather reports using the words we’ve learned all week.  Students will present to the class and be true reporters.

Reminders:

• Marathon Kids Final Mile is on Saturday at 11:00 AM at Burger Stadium
• 6 Flags Reading Minutes are due on February 26th
• Life Journals due Friday
• Spelling check on Friday
• Library day is Thursday
• Family Dinner Night is on March 1st

February 17-21

Reading

This week students will be exposed to many wonderful books to understand sensory language. Students will learn that sensory language in writing helps the reader create mental images in their head. This is because the author does a great job describing some if not all of the five senses. Students will not only identify sensory language, but will also have the opportunity to hear a story and draw the illustrations based on what it being read.

Writing

Our poetry this week will study specific types of poetry.  We will read and write acrostic, concrete (shape), alliteration, and rhyming poems.  These will all be kept in our poetry books and at the end of the week we will get to read our favorite one to the class.  We will also work on contractions this week.  

Spelling

Our words are contractions this week.  We will practice throughout the week and check for understanding on Friday.  

Math

This week will be a review of 2 digit addition and subtraction. We will review what to do when you need to regroup and practice noticing the difference between regrouping and non-regrouping problems. We will also move into multi-step problem solving as well as 3 digit addition and subtraction.

Science:

This week will be exploring the properties of saltwater vs. freshwater.  We will learn which bodies of water are freshwater or saltwater.  Students will discover how little freshwater the earth has compared to saltwater and why it’s important to conserve this natural resource. We’ll also investigate the difference between freshwater and saltwater and which objects sink or float in either waters.

Reminders:

• Life Journals due Friday
• Spelling check on Friday
• Library day is Thursday

February 10-14

Reading

This week students will be exposed to many wonderful books to understand sensory language. Students will learn that sensory language in writing helps the reader create mental images in their head. This is because the author does a great job describing some if not all of the five senses. Students will not only identify sensory language, but will also have the opportunity to hear a story and draw the illustrations based on what it being read.

Writing

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I love Poetry- How About You!?  Our poetry unit begins this week.  We will focus on writing using “poets’ eyes”.  Line breaks, mood, voice, rhythm, and imagery will be used in writing our poems.  We’ll also work on using words in our poems that “show, not tell” about feelings.  

Spelling

Our words have the long “u” sound again this week.  We will practice throughout the week and check for understanding on Friday.  

Math

This week will be a review of 2 digit addition and subtraction. We will review what to do when you need to regroup and practice noticing the difference between regrouping and non-regrouping problems. We will play a game called Math Monkey and work on our problem solving skills.

Social Studies:

This week we will be discussing the positive and negative consequences of human changes to the environment.   Changes such as dams, irrigations, roads, new homes, subdivisions and clearing trees.  We’ll read  The Great Kapok Tree and discuss the point of view of the animals in the forest.  Students will draw their own environment with only plants and animals, then add changes to it and see how they affect their beautiful environment.  We’ll also learn how people conserve and replenish natural resources.  Students will brainstorm ideas for conserving natural resources and talk about being proactive in helping mother nature.

Reminders:

• Life Journals due Friday
• Spelling check on Friday
• Library day is Wednesday
• Valentine’s Boxes due Monday, February 10th
• Valentine’s Day parties- February 14th at 1:45