Ms. Harris' Weekly Update
November 5th-9th
What's Going On This Week:
- Ms. Harris' Social Studies: This week we will finish up Lesson 1: Reasons for Exploration. Students will be working in groups in class to examine the reasons that Europeans set out to explore the New World. On Thursday 8th, they will take a quiz over Lesson 1. They've had their notes for this quiz since last Wednesday. Please remind your child to read over these notes carefully, especially the part on "economic, political, and technological factors." On Friday we will start Lesson 2 on the first 3 explorers, Leif Erikson, Christopher Columbus, and Ferdinand Magellan. There will be a short test over just these 3 explorers on Thursday the 15th. Students will receive a study guide this Friday (9th) to help them prepare.
- Mrs. Thurston and Ms. Uhlenhake's ELA/Math:We are going to continue establishing a reading life and thinking deeply about characters in the books we are reading. We will also continue reading “The Tiger Rising” as a whole class. After Thanksgiving we will start our new unit: Boxes and Bullets! We will focus on context clues and inferencing this week while reading a few mentor texts. In writing, we will finish our Realistic Fiction stories. Spelling will be postponed until after Thanksgiving! In math this week we will review 4 digit by 1 digit and start 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication. Timed tests are given on Fridays as practice. Students are encouraged to study their facts nightly for at least 10 minutes. They can use flash cards, reflex, ixl, or multiplication.com.
- Ms. Harris' GT ELA/Math: In ELA this week we are wrapping up our novel, "The Westing Game". On Thursday and Friday we will start looking at the characteristics of a folktale. Students will spend time this week and next reading different folktales and analyzing the story elements of each. There is no spelling this week. Students will test over their words next week. They will also need to turn in 5 different spelling activities on their specific spelling day. Students should also be gathering research on their specific expert for the Expert Exhibit. This research is due on Monday the 12th. In math, we will continue working on 2x2 digit multiplication. This is especially difficult for students, as there are many steps to remember. Please have her child practice his or her multiplication facts nightly to help when multiplying larger numbers.
Greenway Field Trip is Wednesday
Students are encouraged to dress in layers, wear comfortable shoes, and bring a bag lunch unless they ordered originally from the cafeteria. Information for chaperones will go out this afternoon.
Thankful Turkeys are Due Wednesday
Thank you to everyone who has returned the top secret turkeys we sent home last week. Please return yours with your child by Wednesday so I can start displaying them in the hallway.
NO SCHOOL TOMORROW
Schools are closed tomorrow for Election Day. In class, we've talked today about the importance of voting and the responsibility we have to make our voices heard in America. Hope you spend this day voting and showing the students democracy in action.