Jeffrey/Mead Team Blog
March 2 - 11
Math
Each day students participate in a Number Talk which are designed to help students become flexible, accurate and efficient when making calculations. The strategies we are teaching help students solve problems across all four operations. Right now Ms. Jeffrey's class is working on multiplication with partial products as well as halving and doubling. Mrs. Mead's class is working on multiplying up and the big seven. We are also doing some fraction number talks.
We began March Calendar Grid which focuses on multiplying whole numbers and decimals. Students are seeing the relationship between expressions such as 101 x 224 and 10.1 x 224. Miss Soprano is doing Calendar Collector which includes measuring to the nearest 1/8" and creating line plots.
Students continue their learning in Unit 3. The students are learning how to convert within the metric system through multiplying and dividing by powers of ten. They have also begun more learning on while number division. They are using grid paper as well as other strategies. Ms. Jeffrey's students are tentatively scheduled to complete Unit 3 next week. Mrs. Mead's class will likely be finishing Unit 3 the week after next.
Math Stars
Read Aloud
Mrs. Mead's class finished the "Julian Chapter" from Auggie & Me. This is a companion book to Wonder. This book gives the perspective of three people we didn't hear from in Wonder. By the end of the book Julian realized the impact of his actions thanks to his grandmother telling her story of her experience in World War II. There is another companion book that is a graphic novel of Julian's conversation with his grandmother. This book is call White Bird.
We are now reading When You Trap a Tiger which is a book from this year's Golden Dome list. Lily, her sister Sam and her mother have moved to Seattle to be with their halmoni (grandmother). Sam is not happy with her mother that they have had to move and Lily often feels caught between Sam and her mom. On the drive there Lily sees a massive tiger in the road and is surprised that her mom and Sam do not see it while they are arguing. Lily realized she is the only one who could see the tiger and decides to tell Halmoni. We learn that Halmoni has experience with the tigers and has taken something from them. She also warns that they are not to be trusted. This book weaves Korean folktales throughout the plot of the book and is the winner of last year's Newberry Award.
Writing
Ms. Jeffrey's students continued with informational writing. They are finishing up their South American postcards. In addition, they have begun to work informational responses to articles, which is good preparation for SBAC. One current assignment is in response to an article about stink bugs. Students have to write about how stink bugs are pests based on what they read. Their writing has to include a clear focus, several supporting details and a conclusion.
Mrs. Mead's class is continuing to work on informational writing. We are wrapping up our writing on South America and will responding to our nonfiction reading throughout this week.
Reading
After break, Ms. Jeffrey's class began a unit on nonfiction text. They began with narrative nonfiction. The focus is identifying themes and messages. Next up is biographies. For both mini units students have choice boards in their reader's notebooks which guide their daily reflections.
Mrs. Mead's students have started focusing on nonfiction text. Throughout this past week they dove into expository texts and looked for common characteristics between texts. We then compared these characteristics and sorted them into "always" and "often" which helped us to define expository text. We have also discussed graphics and tools in non-fiction texts. We will continue to read non-fiction and will begin exploring different text structures within nonfiction writing.
Social Studies/Science
Students are wrapping up their Dash and Dot postcards.
Next up is an earth science unit. Students will learn about Earth's place in the universe including seasons, stars, gravity and the moon. We will use Mystery Science which the students greatly enjoy. We may get to some Science Court lessons if time allows.
SBAC
If at all possible please schedule student appointments around those SBAC testing sessions. Thank you!
School Wide SEL
UVM Student Teacher
Student Technology Tools
The following is a list of online programs students may use this year. Others could be added as the year progresses. Individual student password documents will be shared with students. We will be send home a permission form regarding student technology programs in the first weeks of school.
Safari Montage
Scholastic News
eSpark
BrainPop
Spelling City
Book Creator
Typing Club
IXL
Khan Academy
Prodigy
Masks
Masks are now optional at school. We will still have masks available in classrooms if students decide they want them during the day. In our classrooms we have talked about what it looks like and sounds like to be respectful of other decisions around masking.
FMS Newsletter
Celebrations
Early Dismissal Procedure
IMPORTANT! Procedure for Early Dismissal
In the event that your child needs to be dismissed early, the following protocol must be followed:
On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday - you must pick up by 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday- you must pick up by 1:00pm.
Send your child’s teacher and Kim Kedzierski (kkedzierski@ewsd.org) an email first thing in the morning letting them know what time your child needs to be dismissed, the reason why and the name of the person picking them up. Or, you can also call the attendance line at 879-6326 and leave a message stating your child’s name, time leaving, the name of the teacher, the reason why, and the name of the person picking them up.
When you arrive to pick up your child, please pull up to the front of the building and call Kim at 879-6326 to let her know you’re here
Important Dates
March 18 Conference Day (no school for students)
March 21 Inservice Day (no school for students)
March 22 - April 1 SBAC
March 25 Favorite Color Day
Contact Us
Karen Jeffrey: kjeffrey@ewsd.org
Kelsey Mead: kmead@ewsd.org
Website: https://www.ewsd.org/Domain/379
Location: Founders Memorial School, Founders Road, Essex Junction, VT, USA
Phone: 802-879-6326