Language Arts Loop
Your News for What's Happening in Room 404-Jan 11, 2016
Reading News
Writing News
In writing, we are continuing on with our study of how to write for a testing situation. Thus far, students have learned how to break apart the prompt page to find the charge. We then do the brainstorming necessary to arrive at a topic that fits the prompt. The next step is organizing our information, thoughts, main ideas to prepare for drafting. This week we will draft our main ideas and try adding our introduction and conclusion. We have taken our knowledge of the expository writing pillar and altered it to the expository I, which helps us shrink and zoom in on our focus to fit the 26 line writing paper that will be used on the STAAR writing test. This week we are writing about a special place and explaining why it is important to us.
Grammar/Spelling News
We will not start a new spelling rule or pattern this week. We will continue to work with previous rules. Spelling lists have either gone home or are coming home to those of you that requested them. One of the activities we do with our words is sort them by parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs
Below students are sorting their words and using dictionary.com to check their sort.
Staying Connected
Just a reminder about reading log homework: Students are expected to decide on a book and carry the book between school and home as many nights as necessary until the book has been completed. Students are encouraged not to have too many books going but rather, to work to build stamina within the same text over time. Reading Logs are checked each morning for out of class reading. You can help your child by setting aside some nightly reading time. Reading Logs are kept in the red Homework folder and are to be filled in daily. Remember you can check book levels at http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/
There is even a handy app that can be downloaded to your phone, iPad or other device.
Monday, January 18 - MLK Day, School Holiday
Wednesday, January 27 - Early Release
Tuesday, February 2 - Practice Writing STAAR Test
Monday, February 15 - Staff Development, Student Holiday