News From Room 116
February 2016
Halfway There!
Math
In math, we have begun our unit on fractions. Students are developing their understanding of fractions as a number, rather than a part of a shape. They will show fractions on a number line, compare fractions, and explain equivalent fractions.
Students are still taking multiplication and/or division timed quizzes several times each week. It is very important that students practice their math facts each day at home for at least 10 minutes. There are many websites that can be used for facts practice. Other ideas for practice are: flash cards, writing facts out on paper, playing dice games for practice, even being quizzed by a parent or older sibling in the car is a great way to learn those facts!
Students have been introduced to the website www.ixl.com to help them strengthen their math skills. They are able to access this at home, as they do have their own username and password in their assignment notebooks. Below is a list of topics students should practice, as they relate to our current and past units of study.
IXL Topics:
Addition
Subtraction
Understand Multiplication
Understand Division
Estimation and Rounding (P1-P2)
Fractions (W9-W13)
Reading
In reading, we are working on a new unit: Social Studies: Communities: Past and Present. We are using a variety of content-based literature to answer the question, "How and why do communities change over time?" Later in the unit, students will research a building located in Chicago, studying how it has changed over the last 100 years.
Please make sure your child reads every day at home for at least 30 minutes. You can view their progress toward AR goals, and see how they did on all AR tests taken at school by visiting the Murphy School website, navigating to "Students," then "Renaissance Place." You can log in with your child's username and password, which are in their assignment notebooks.
Science
Mrs. Van Horn's class is now going to Mrs. Bretwisch (Mrs. Rooney's substitute) for Science on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Currently, they are studying predators and prey. Students will continue with Science three times per week until the end of the year.
Writing
Important Dates
Thursday, 2/11: Students may pass out valentine cards to students (see separate note)
Thursday, 2/11: Dismissal at 11:40. Parent/Teacher conferences 3:00-8:00 p.m.
Friday, 2/12: No School - Parent/Teacher conferences 11:00-4:00 p.m.
Monday, 2/15: No School - President's Day
Friday, 2/19: Murphy Spirit Day
Friday, 3/4: No School - Teacher Institute
Tuesday, 3/15: No School - Teacher Inservice
3/28 - 4/1: No School - Spring Break
Contact
Email: vanhornk@woodridge68.org
Website: www.woodridge68.org
Phone: 630-985-3797
Twitter: @MrsVanHornClass