May & June Update
Esther's Class
Reading Workshop
It is hard to believe that the year is almost complete! Readers are blossoming in their fluency and thinking skills as readers. It is wonderful to see this growth. Students spent the past few weeks immersed in non-fiction. They also enjoyed reader's theatre and especially had fun acting out, "Fox in Luck. " This month readers will embark upon book clubs! They will begin friendship themed book clubs this week and we will finish the year with mystery book clubs. During book clubs, the kids read buddy books and have a chance to talk and think more about these books with their buddies. It is a great way to finish reading workshop for the year! Later in May, we also will focus on questioning and notice the difference between a thin and a thick question. We will finish the year with our "Super Reader" project to celebrate our reading. As you may already know, Super Readers are readers who read to small groups and later to the whole class. In June we will concentrate on making summer reading plans and reading lists.
Math
This month in math, we will be focusing on fractions, telling time, recognizing coin and dollar values and working with one hundred. Using the Judy clocks, we will practice telling time to the hour and to the half hour. Later in the month, we will focus on the 100's chart. We will notice relationships on the one hundreds chart and review tens and ones. Finally, we will finish the month by working with money. We will be very busy!
Writing Workshop
This week, we will complete our poetry unit with a poetry slam. Students will get a chance to share their favorite poem! Next week, we will begin persuasive writing. Students will have a chance to judge small collections and write reviews about them. They will work to explain their judgements in convincing ways, write creative leads, and bolster their arguments. They will also be writing about their reading and and working to make comparisons in their writing. Sounds like a lot for the end of the year, but we will do our best!
Social Studies
We are finishing up our study of the Plains Indians and working on our play, Big Turtle, which comes from the Eastern Woodlands. In addition to our play rehearsals, we will study the land, the climate, the foods and some of the traditions of the Pacific Northwest. Our play scripts will be going home next week. Please help your child to learn their lines. The date for the play is coming!