It's hard to believe that Christmas and the holidays are here. The students are so excited. We have been working on a number of holiday activities.
We read a modern version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Students enjoyed reading this classic tale. They were quick to determine the theme of caring and giving, rather than wanting and getting. We talked about paying it forward and doing the right thing. The story prompted some lively discussion that included all.
We have also been working on holiday themed writing. Students have been making entries to their writing journals daily for the past two weeks. This week they chose their favorite to improve and publish. Their results are full of fun and excitement reflecting their views of the season.
Math class has brought some challenges this Christmas. We are working with fractions. Since our class is still making those multiplication and division facts automatic, we will need to continue of fraction work into the New Year.
Merry Christmas everyone. May you have a Happy, Healthy Holiday!
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
December 1, 2015
The excitement is in the air! Each day builds and builds on the anticipation of Christmas Day approaching. The holiday spirit is contagious and everyone has something to share.
We continue to talk about our "attitude of gratitude" and that it is important to have a giving, thankful attitude instead of a "me-first" getting attitude. Based off research, we are told that those who have a grateful attitude are satisfied with what they have, not what they don't have, and are better students and citizens.
In class this week we are reading about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. We are once again reading from our Journey's anchor text. Our vocabulary/comprehension test will be Thursday, with our spelling test on Friday
We have worked on the "doubling" rule in grammar which connects directly with our spelling this week. Students have been practicing when to double the final consonant in a word based on letters that may or may not follow it.
Our writing will concentrate on each student's ability to follow directions and use textual evidence in their responses. Inference also continues to be one of our goals.
Spelling words: rising, dancing, winning, snapping, bragging, hitting, spinning, traced, striped, handled, dared, raced, escaped, stripped, slammed, skipped, spotted, dimmed, dripped, begged
Bonus: possessions, trembles, debris
Vocabulary words: debris, possessions, trembles, wreckage, tenement, crushing, timbers, constructed, slab, rubble
As the Crusaders always say, "Have a great week!"
We continue to talk about our "attitude of gratitude" and that it is important to have a giving, thankful attitude instead of a "me-first" getting attitude. Based off research, we are told that those who have a grateful attitude are satisfied with what they have, not what they don't have, and are better students and citizens.
In class this week we are reading about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. We are once again reading from our Journey's anchor text. Our vocabulary/comprehension test will be Thursday, with our spelling test on Friday
We have worked on the "doubling" rule in grammar which connects directly with our spelling this week. Students have been practicing when to double the final consonant in a word based on letters that may or may not follow it.
Our writing will concentrate on each student's ability to follow directions and use textual evidence in their responses. Inference also continues to be one of our goals.
Spelling words: rising, dancing, winning, snapping, bragging, hitting, spinning, traced, striped, handled, dared, raced, escaped, stripped, slammed, skipped, spotted, dimmed, dripped, begged
Bonus: possessions, trembles, debris
Vocabulary words: debris, possessions, trembles, wreckage, tenement, crushing, timbers, constructed, slab, rubble
As the Crusaders always say, "Have a great week!"
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Happy Thanksgiving
This week our CORRECT program is talking about the importance of having an "attitude of gratitude"! What a great way to look at things. Did you know that research proves a gratitude attitude helps students both at home and in school? When we are grateful for what we have and not looking for what we don't have, we are more content and have more successful lives. It's important to appreciate friends and family and be thankful for what we do have instead of always unhappy because we want more. After all, the holiday is called "Thanksgiving" not "Thanksgetting".
The ELA class is working with the "Into the Book" website. This site has interactive features that explore important components of English Language Arts. It can also be accessed at home and is free to use. (When logging in you do not need to create an account and can bypass most login prompts). We are learning about writing good summaries. Summarizing is an important skill for the students to learn. It will serve them in future grades and in life. We will be summarizing a "Turkey" story. Along the way we will learn many interesting facts about our "turkey" traditions (told from the perspective of the turkey). Ask your student some fascinating facts they have learned about turkeys during Thanksgiving dinner. They should surprise you with all that they've learned.
We are once again using review words for spelling this week. As we have practiced, many students are very comfortable with these words.
Upon our return from Thanksgiving break we will go back to our Journey's textbook. We will pick up with Unit 12. We will also get back to our research projects (to be completed in school).
Math students have put their "Favorite Number" project on hold. We have currently switched gears to plan a Thanksgiving feast for our families. Based on the number of persons they will be having dinner with, students are creating the menu, deciding how much of everything they need to buy, and costing out the price of the total dinner. We will even break down the per person cost!
May you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and may your "attitude of gratitude" last all year long!
Mrs. Carr
The ELA class is working with the "Into the Book" website. This site has interactive features that explore important components of English Language Arts. It can also be accessed at home and is free to use. (When logging in you do not need to create an account and can bypass most login prompts). We are learning about writing good summaries. Summarizing is an important skill for the students to learn. It will serve them in future grades and in life. We will be summarizing a "Turkey" story. Along the way we will learn many interesting facts about our "turkey" traditions (told from the perspective of the turkey). Ask your student some fascinating facts they have learned about turkeys during Thanksgiving dinner. They should surprise you with all that they've learned.
We are once again using review words for spelling this week. As we have practiced, many students are very comfortable with these words.
Upon our return from Thanksgiving break we will go back to our Journey's textbook. We will pick up with Unit 12. We will also get back to our research projects (to be completed in school).
Math students have put their "Favorite Number" project on hold. We have currently switched gears to plan a Thanksgiving feast for our families. Based on the number of persons they will be having dinner with, students are creating the menu, deciding how much of everything they need to buy, and costing out the price of the total dinner. We will even break down the per person cost!
May you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and may your "attitude of gratitude" last all year long!
Mrs. Carr
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
November 16, 2015
The month of November is quickly passing by. Before we know it the holidays will be here!
We are continuing our work with decimals and money. This week we will be working addition, subtraction of decimals/money. Our assessment this week will be held on Thursday. We will be working with the Shop Rite circular planning and pricing a Thanksgiving Dinner. Students will also be researching their "Favorite Number" project.
Homework:
Monday- Practice 5 & 6
Tuesday- Practice 7& 8
Wednesday- Practice 13 & 16
Review for assessment
Thursday- Thanksgiving Dinner appetizers (list, price, total)
Favorite Number Project
Friday- Favorite Number Project
English Language Arts-
This week we are reading an article from our Storyworks magazine entitled "Malala the Powerful". This article tells the story of a courageous Pakistani girl who risks everything to take a stand against the Taliban. Malala inspires the world in her quest to gain freedoms for women; specifically for girls to be able to attend school. As we examine the details of her story, we reflect on our freedoms and the benefits we as Americans take for granted.
Vocabulary:
crusade- intense struggle for a cause you believe in
cultural- having to do with a group of people's way of life, ideas, and traditions.
defied- resisted or refused to obey
determination- a decision to keep doing something although it may be very difficult
extreme- beyond the usual; drastic
forbidding- threatening or scary
grave- very serious; likely to do harm
tolerate- accept that other people have beliefs or behavior that is different from yours
We will be working with figurative language with the companion poem "In the Darkest Hour" and comparing it to our reading of "Malala the Powerful". Writing activities this week include opinion writing and writing a summary.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
November 11- Veteran's Day
Today was a very special day here at OCS. Veterans' Day!!! It was a perfect day for our students to learn about the importance of respect and how that connects to our veterans and to the noble deeds and service to our country they took part in to insure we truly live in the "land of the free". Our Red Ribbon Committee did a wonderful job inviting veterans to our school and having them, our heroes, deliver the message of making wise choices and saying NO to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Thank you to all the veterans that came to share their stories. We thank them for caring and serving our country.
Math class has been busy working with decimals and money. Decimals add another whole dimension to place value. Students should continue "fast facts" practice every day in order to make this skill an automatic part of our everyday life. We will continue with decimals and money throughout this week.
Upcoming math project: My Favorite Number
Students will represent their number in 50+ ways. It can be your sports jersey number, your street number, your lucky number... only you can decide. How creative can you be when you create "My Favorite Number" poster. Resources may include the internet, magazines, newspapers, and your mind!!!! Can't wait to learn your "Favorite Number".
ELA class has taken a different path these past few weeks. With our shortened schedules and days off, instead of reading from our anchor text, we have been work from our Scholastics Storyworks magazine. Storyworks is a wealth of reading material. Last week we read a non-fiction piece about "Dolphins" and a story with a lesson (literature piece) "The Worm Turns". This week we are working with a play based on Greek Mythology. Our play "The Monster in the Cave" traces Odysesus's travels towards home after the Trojan War. The class enjoyed taking on roles and reading through the play. We also viewed a video that told the story from the monster's point of view. The students were amazed how the same story could be seen in two completely different ways. We will continue to analyze our "hero" and "monster". Could they possibly change roles? How would they measure up to our CORRECT traits.
Vocabulary words include: legion, hospitality, sufficient, mercy, treachery, swift
We are enjoying learning them with "paint strips" that allow us to separate synonyms, antonyms, part of speech, and use in a sentence. Our "double" index cards help us make sure we understand the definitions.
Writing- due to the shortened classes and days, we have put our research report on hold. Thursday and Friday this week we will revisit our rubric and checklists to make sure we understand expectations. Next week its back to work. It is important that we follow all the steps to turn out a quality report.
We will not have a spelling test this week.
Our grammar assessment will include the homophones their, there, and they're.
Our reading assessment will be on our play "The Monster in the Cave"
Math class has been busy working with decimals and money. Decimals add another whole dimension to place value. Students should continue "fast facts" practice every day in order to make this skill an automatic part of our everyday life. We will continue with decimals and money throughout this week.
Upcoming math project: My Favorite Number
Students will represent their number in 50+ ways. It can be your sports jersey number, your street number, your lucky number... only you can decide. How creative can you be when you create "My Favorite Number" poster. Resources may include the internet, magazines, newspapers, and your mind!!!! Can't wait to learn your "Favorite Number".
ELA class has taken a different path these past few weeks. With our shortened schedules and days off, instead of reading from our anchor text, we have been work from our Scholastics Storyworks magazine. Storyworks is a wealth of reading material. Last week we read a non-fiction piece about "Dolphins" and a story with a lesson (literature piece) "The Worm Turns". This week we are working with a play based on Greek Mythology. Our play "The Monster in the Cave" traces Odysesus's travels towards home after the Trojan War. The class enjoyed taking on roles and reading through the play. We also viewed a video that told the story from the monster's point of view. The students were amazed how the same story could be seen in two completely different ways. We will continue to analyze our "hero" and "monster". Could they possibly change roles? How would they measure up to our CORRECT traits.
Vocabulary words include: legion, hospitality, sufficient, mercy, treachery, swift
We are enjoying learning them with "paint strips" that allow us to separate synonyms, antonyms, part of speech, and use in a sentence. Our "double" index cards help us make sure we understand the definitions.
Writing- due to the shortened classes and days, we have put our research report on hold. Thursday and Friday this week we will revisit our rubric and checklists to make sure we understand expectations. Next week its back to work. It is important that we follow all the steps to turn out a quality report.
We will not have a spelling test this week.
Our grammar assessment will include the homophones their, there, and they're.
Our reading assessment will be on our play "The Monster in the Cave"
Monday, October 12, 2015
October 12- 19
Happy Columbus Day!
This week we will be reviewing spelling, conventions (used with our writing) and reading strategies that we have covered to this point this year. As we spiral back to these words, writing, grammar concepts and comprehension focus to our reading, it is important to reflect their importance.
Spelling for the week:
all right, among, autumn, awareness, course, current, driveway, false, forehead, friendly, government, haircut, make-believe, portion, sentence, thorough, thought, twenty-two, United States, write,
There will be no bonus words this week as these are review words.
Spelling test will be Friday. There will only be word dictation this week.
Writing:
What are pronouns and when do we use them?
What descriptive words help make our writing more interesting? How do we help our nouns? How do we make our verbs more powerful?
Understanding homophones (to, two, too, they're, their, there, your, you're, it's, its)
Reading Comprehension
We will revisit the structure of nonfiction or informational text verses fiction / literature.
We will also explore the importance of the characters in the stories we read. Can we use inference to better understand them and what we read? How does recognizing the problem help us to understand our characters or do our characters better help us understand our problem?
Understanding our reading structure helps us to understand what we read.
We will read Storyworks articles: "How Candy Conquered America", "When Candy Was a Healthy Meal (not really!), "How Bad Could It Be?", "The Lion and the Mouse", "An Unlikely Friendship".
Grammar assessment this week (pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, homophones) will be Monday, 10/19. Reading assessment for above articles will not be until Tuesday, 10/20.
This week we will be reviewing spelling, conventions (used with our writing) and reading strategies that we have covered to this point this year. As we spiral back to these words, writing, grammar concepts and comprehension focus to our reading, it is important to reflect their importance.
Spelling for the week:
all right, among, autumn, awareness, course, current, driveway, false, forehead, friendly, government, haircut, make-believe, portion, sentence, thorough, thought, twenty-two, United States, write,
There will be no bonus words this week as these are review words.
Spelling test will be Friday. There will only be word dictation this week.
Writing:
What are pronouns and when do we use them?
What descriptive words help make our writing more interesting? How do we help our nouns? How do we make our verbs more powerful?
Understanding homophones (to, two, too, they're, their, there, your, you're, it's, its)
Reading Comprehension
We will revisit the structure of nonfiction or informational text verses fiction / literature.
We will also explore the importance of the characters in the stories we read. Can we use inference to better understand them and what we read? How does recognizing the problem help us to understand our characters or do our characters better help us understand our problem?
Understanding our reading structure helps us to understand what we read.
We will read Storyworks articles: "How Candy Conquered America", "When Candy Was a Healthy Meal (not really!), "How Bad Could It Be?", "The Lion and the Mouse", "An Unlikely Friendship".
Grammar assessment this week (pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, homophones) will be Monday, 10/19. Reading assessment for above articles will not be until Tuesday, 10/20.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Week of September 28- October 2, 2015
ELA
This week we are
reading about the arts. Our anchor text José Born to Dance, is a
biography. We will be discussing
biographies and autobiographies throughout the week. These terms will also be added to our vocabulary
words (listed below).
Our companion text
this week is a collection of poetry about the art of dance. We will be reading “The Song of the Night”
and “Lines Written for Gene Kelly to Dance To.” As poetry is the perfect vessel to reinforce fluency, we will
practice reading these poems aloud. Our
goal will be to perfect our phrasing and
analyze the best delivery methods emphasizing meaning and intonation for effect.
Our grammar
challenge for the week will be identifying and working with pronouns.
This should be review as it was covered last year and in previous
years. Ask your child what they know
about pronouns. What are they? When do we use them? Remember, a pronoun is a word that takes the
place of a noun. Common pronouns include
I, she, her, him, he, us, we, they, their, it, etc.
Vocabulary words: debut,
stubborn, permission, hauling, mournful, towered, triumph, discouraged, toured,
border. Additional: biography, autobiography, simile, metaphor
Spelling words: sentence,
picture, among, English, it’s, its (Level 4 Core Words); learn, dirty, worn,
sore, thirst, burn, record, cure, board, course, worth, early, return, pure,
world, search, thirteen, worse, sport, current, curious. Bonus:
thorough, earnest, portion, foreign
Homework this week:
Monday- Readers' Notebook page 6 (Targeting Vocabulary); 3x each misspelled spelling
Tuesday- Readers' Notebook pages 112 & 113; Spelling- Write a paragraph using as many words as
possible (underline the spelling words.)
Wednesday- Readers' Notebook pages 114 & 118; Rebecca Sitton "Parent Page"; Review RN pages on pronouns for Thursday's Grammar Test
Thursday- Readers' Notebook pages 119 & 120 (if not finished in class); Review notes/story for
Reading Comprehension/Vocabulary Test; Study spelling
Friday- Select book for 1st book project- bring in on Monday
Wednesday- Readers' Notebook pages 114 & 118; Rebecca Sitton "Parent Page"; Review RN pages on pronouns for Thursday's Grammar Test
Thursday- Readers' Notebook pages 119 & 120 (if not finished in class); Review notes/story for
Reading Comprehension/Vocabulary Test; Study spelling
Friday- Select book for 1st book project- bring in on Monday
MATHEMATICS
Last week’s (first)
math test of the year went very well.
From the grades on the test we can see that students actually know more
than they think they do. It’s time to
build up some confidence. Remember when
we are hesitant about what we know, we take much longer than we need to and we
can make careless mistakes. Confidence
builds speed and accuracy. We will be
continuing to practice our fast facts and double digits activities to build
that confidence we need to make us more secure moving forward.
Our lessons will
build off our work with place value and move on to order of operations and
working with exponents. Remember that successfully
performing multi-digit operations will continue to be one of our goals also. Please
contact me if you see your child struggling with this.
Homework this week:
Monday- Double Digits Multiplication; completion of Fast Facts (as needed)
Tuesday- Practice book pages 7 & 8
Wednesday- Double Digits Multiplication; completion of Fast Facts (as needed)
Thursday- Practice book pages 9 & 10; Study for test (exponents)
Friday- Practice fast facts; make flash cards of problem facts
Homework this week:
Monday- Double Digits Multiplication; completion of Fast Facts (as needed)
Tuesday- Practice book pages 7 & 8
Wednesday- Double Digits Multiplication; completion of Fast Facts (as needed)
Thursday- Practice book pages 9 & 10; Study for test (exponents)
Friday- Practice fast facts; make flash cards of problem facts
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Welcome Back Everyone!!!
Another school year is upon us! Let's focus on making this one the best one yet! We are very excited to be back together again.... another year older and another year wiser!
Looking forward to seeing everyone at Back to School Night, September 15th!
ELA
We are beginning our studies with Unit 8 in our Journeys' textbook. Both the anchor text and companion text will be read throughout the week with our assessment given on Fridays. Spelling tests will also be given every Friday. The students are anxious to do well in spelling and make "Mrs. Carr's Wall of Fame".
Our first essay entitled "Proud to be an American" is being proudly displayed in the hallway. We worked hard researching American symbols and vocabulary to assist with our display.
Spelling words this week include: turned, wind, autumn, among, along, because, leaves, need, sure, government, false, pause, bald, faucet, and stalk.
Vocabulary words: studio, smeared, glorious, concerned, model, ruined, yanked, streak, schedule, feast
MATH
Math class has gotten into its regular routine. We do fast facts and double digits daily followed by our lesson and practice. Currently we are working on place value. With play-offs and the World Series being just around the corner, what better way to look at the numbers then to compare the salaries of major league baseball and the NFL. Students have had fun placing our footballs and baseballs on our chart.
Another school year is upon us! Let's focus on making this one the best one yet! We are very excited to be back together again.... another year older and another year wiser!
Looking forward to seeing everyone at Back to School Night, September 15th!
ELA
We are beginning our studies with Unit 8 in our Journeys' textbook. Both the anchor text and companion text will be read throughout the week with our assessment given on Fridays. Spelling tests will also be given every Friday. The students are anxious to do well in spelling and make "Mrs. Carr's Wall of Fame".
Our first essay entitled "Proud to be an American" is being proudly displayed in the hallway. We worked hard researching American symbols and vocabulary to assist with our display.
Spelling words this week include: turned, wind, autumn, among, along, because, leaves, need, sure, government, false, pause, bald, faucet, and stalk.
Vocabulary words: studio, smeared, glorious, concerned, model, ruined, yanked, streak, schedule, feast
MATH
Math class has gotten into its regular routine. We do fast facts and double digits daily followed by our lesson and practice. Currently we are working on place value. With play-offs and the World Series being just around the corner, what better way to look at the numbers then to compare the salaries of major league baseball and the NFL. Students have had fun placing our footballs and baseballs on our chart.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Happy Memorial Day!
As we pause to honor those who died in service to our country, we recognize the importance of responsibility to ourselves, our school, our families, and our community. This is responsibility week at OCS. Responsibility is one of our most important values.
It is easy to do the responsible thing to do when all is going well; in hard times, that's another story.
Make wise choices. Be responsible. Say what you mean and do what you say!
Spelling words: opinion, directions, stretch, practice, introduction, participate, activity, reflection, travel, remembered, circle, describe, listen, education, experiences, wouldn’t, chapter, review, awesome, coyote.
It is easy to do the responsible thing to do when all is going well; in hard times, that's another story.
Make wise choices. Be responsible. Say what you mean and do what you say!
Spelling words: opinion, directions, stretch, practice, introduction, participate, activity, reflection, travel, remembered, circle, describe, listen, education, experiences, wouldn’t, chapter, review, awesome, coyote.
Bonus: trustworthiness, citizenship, presentations,
appreciation
We are working on MARE posters and projects. Students are researching some very unusual animals.
Adverbs continue!
Happy warm weather!!!
Mrs. Carr
Monday, May 18, 2015
Adverbs and parts of Speech!
This week we are reviewing the parts of speech we have worked on throughout the year and are adding a new one...... adverbs!
We are reviewing
- nouns- persons, places, things, or ideas (two types= proper and common nouns)
- verbs- action or state of being words (some are helping or linking verbs)
- pronouns- takes the place of a noun
- adjectives- describing words that provide description for nouns
New this week- adverbs (words that tell us how, where, when).
Spelling words:
opinion, directions, stretch, practice, introduction,
participate, activity, reflection, everyone, explain, travel, time, long, remembered,
friends, whose, circle, describe, listen, first, whole, education.
Bonus: wouldn’t, trustworthiness, citizenship, experiences
We continue to read about the antics of Louis the swan.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Writing, Writing, Writing.....
We are working on writing FOCUSED narratives this week. No "fuzzy writing" or "zig-zagging" allowed! Students got their turn to develop rubrics that assessed their work and are now gaining invaluable insights to common mistake s and writing problems. Topics we've been writing about have included "How I Made Mom Feel Special on Mother's Day", "My Morning", "School Is.....", "Clubs and Activities at OCS", and "CORRECT".
In reading we have watched the genre of our book "Trumpet of the Swan" switch from what we first labeled "realistic fiction" to "fantasy" as the we've read about the cob robbing a Billings, Montana music store of a brass trumpet (in order to give Louis his voice). We just can't wait to read what happens next.
Spelling words this week include:
there’s, its, little, another, every,
without, country, usually, upon, English, certain, special, area, beautiful,
easy, language, energy, explain, quest, trumpet
Bonus: capitalization, punctuation, organization,
reputation
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
April 27- May 1, 2015
We are continuing our reading of E.B. White's "Trumpet of the Swans". Our test on Chapters 5-8 will be on Friday. We have been writing all important details in our packets and have included many of the vocabulary words in with our spelling.
We are reviewing the components of writing a good, focused paragraph. Remember, it is very important to follow directions when we are asked to write. We must respond to the questions asked in a way that we always restate the question! Our writing must be on-task and not off topic! Good writers "SHRINK" and "Don't zig-zag!"
Spelling words this week include:
captivity, desperation, quest, procure,
peculiar, fault, amount, dangerous, prepare, repair, usually, right, because, soon,
others, morning, body, several, I’m, thought,
Bonus: disappointed, communicate, enthusiastic, applause
Have a great week!
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
The Sun is Shining!
The snow is finally gone and the sun is shining. Spring fever has certainly arrived.
Thank you to all of you who sent congratulatory wishes for my daughters- Rebecca now has a beautiful new baby girl- McKenna and Amanda's wedding was picture-perfect last Saturday!
In class we are completing "DARE" essays (5th grade) and personal narratives about the recent field trip to the Morris Museum (4th grade). In writing we are also practicing question responses that restate the question.
Our current reading selection is E.B. White's "Trumpet of the Swan". Since this is a complex text for the class's reading abilities, this is being approached as a teacher-read-aloud. Students follow along with their "Trumpet" packets that require chapter by chapter comprehension questions and activities as well as weekly vocabulary. My students are very much enjoying this action adventure fantasy!
Our grammar studies are revisiting capitalization and the rules that we must follow when we write. We have completed many practice exercises.
Wednesday, the 22nd, will find us teaming up with the 4th grade classes to meet and greet the "Therapy Dog". We are all very excited about this!
Spelling Words for the week include:
Enjoy the sunshine!
Mrs. Carr
Thank you to all of you who sent congratulatory wishes for my daughters- Rebecca now has a beautiful new baby girl- McKenna and Amanda's wedding was picture-perfect last Saturday!
In class we are completing "DARE" essays (5th grade) and personal narratives about the recent field trip to the Morris Museum (4th grade). In writing we are also practicing question responses that restate the question.
Our current reading selection is E.B. White's "Trumpet of the Swan". Since this is a complex text for the class's reading abilities, this is being approached as a teacher-read-aloud. Students follow along with their "Trumpet" packets that require chapter by chapter comprehension questions and activities as well as weekly vocabulary. My students are very much enjoying this action adventure fantasy!
Our grammar studies are revisiting capitalization and the rules that we must follow when we write. We have completed many practice exercises.
Wednesday, the 22nd, will find us teaming up with the 4th grade classes to meet and greet the "Therapy Dog". We are all very excited about this!
Spelling Words for the week include:
himself, there, would, number, money,
special, seconds, try, tries, example, usually,
sure, its, usually, defective, compel, frolic, captivity, help, answer, kind
Bonus: endearment, sustained, solitary, desperation
Enjoy the sunshine!
Mrs. Carr
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Verbs and More Verbs!
We are continuing our study of verbs. Some of us are approaching full bloom (according to our classroom rubric- connecting seeds to no understanding; stems, stalks, and leaves to some understanding; flowers in full bloom to complete understanding).
It is important for students to be able to define and identify verbs understanding action, helping, and linking verbs. We have also discussed verb tenses (present, past, future). Going forward we will be addressing subject/verb agreement, and progressive tenses. We even have spelling rules to cover regarding verbs!
Spelling words this week include:
It is important for students to be able to define and identify verbs understanding action, helping, and linking verbs. We have also discussed verb tenses (present, past, future). Going forward we will be addressing subject/verb agreement, and progressive tenses. We even have spelling rules to cover regarding verbs!
Spelling words this week include:
promote, jolts, critics, angles, there, said,
would, could, very, why, air, don’t, during, laughing, question, future,
present, however, above, tense, adjective
BONUS: generated,
thrilling
This week we will finish up Unit 7 and conclude with an "open-book" test on Friday. This will be in addition to our spelling assessment.
Battle of the Books (grades 3/4) need to be turned in by Friday. Please remember, this is a big commitment. Students will be part of a team and need to be responsible, reliable, and dedicated to reading. If you feel your student is a candidate please email me. pcarr@oxfordcentral.org
Have a great week!:)
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Verbs, Verbs, Verbs!
This week we began working with verbs. Students are reviewing action, helping, and linking verbs. We are practicing writing sentences using "vivid" verbs in the present, past, and future tenses as well.
Play a verb game with you student at home. Give them a verb and a tense. Ask them to make up a sentence. Next have them change it to a different tense. Remember to make it future tense you need to add the helping verb "will". Let's hope they "will" surprise you with their verb expertise!
Spelling words this week include:
Play a verb game with you student at home. Give them a verb and a tense. Ask them to make up a sentence. Next have them change it to a different tense. Remember to make it future tense you need to add the helping verb "will". Let's hope they "will" surprise you with their verb expertise!
Spelling words this week include:
rafting, something, summer, things, try, several,
together, through, white, write, through, though, were, where, again, example,
progress, essay, promote, focus,
Bonus: entertaining,
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Thursday, February 26, 2015
Will March come in like a lion????
Another busy month is scheduled for March. The students are anxiously awaiting PARCC.
This past week along with our regular studies we have been preparing for PARCC. All of the students are handling the changes in test structure well. We all need to remember to take a deep breath and push on! This will be a new experience for us all!
The ELA class will be reading from our textbook this week. We are exploring the genres of tall tales and folktales. Fantasy is a favorite for all:) The class will have a selection test assessment on Friday.
Writing- We are continuing to practice writing focused sentences using the appropriate conventions.
Our spelling words for the week include:
This past week along with our regular studies we have been preparing for PARCC. All of the students are handling the changes in test structure well. We all need to remember to take a deep breath and push on! This will be a new experience for us all!
The ELA class will be reading from our textbook this week. We are exploring the genres of tall tales and folktales. Fantasy is a favorite for all:) The class will have a selection test assessment on Friday.
Writing- We are continuing to practice writing focused sentences using the appropriate conventions.
Our spelling words for the week include:
thought, high, knot, mighty, above, talkative,
know, write, place, together, light, country, folktale, characters, scene,
song, condition, shortage, outcast, betrayed, tidal, seafaring, next, while,
progress
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
Wow, another snowy Monday! It seems that each year the weatherman picks a special day of the week to present us with what seems like mountains of snow and ice!
This week we will be doing a final wrap-up with our Lisa Funari Willover books, Garden State Adventure and For Hire. We have been discussing each chapter as we have read; completing a short summary and answering "essential" questions. It is time to look at the "big picture". Our look-back will culminate with a written assessment Wednesday/Thursday.
We will also be taking our Reading and Writing Skills Midterm Assessment. This is nothing new and not something to study for. It is simply a snapshot of what skills are solid and what needs to be revisited. Some of the topics included for reading are main idea, characters, setting, using graphic sources, compare/contrast, following directions, and determining theme. Writing topics will include spelling, capitalization, transition words, verbs and verb tense, punctuation, sentence types, supporting details, word choice, idioms, run-on sentences and fragments.
We have a new addition to our class! Olaf (more than six feet tall) has come to help us learn. On our bulletin board we have large snowballs (with the end result being our Olaf snowman). Students are now indicating understanding by raising their hand with one, two, or three fingers in the air. One finger relates to one ball of a snowman (I don't understand, I'm confused). A raised hand with two fingers up demonstrates learning (I'm building my skills, but need more practice). A raised hand with three fingers raised demonstrates mastery (I've built my snowman, I get it). We are having lots of fun learning with Olaf this winter season.
Spelling words this week: bunch, fruit, argue, crumb, tune, crew, juice, refuse, truth, young, clue, trunk, amuse, suit, rude, trust, dew, stuck, rescue, brush, tissue, attitude.
Bonus: computer, mustard, customer
This week we will be doing a final wrap-up with our Lisa Funari Willover books, Garden State Adventure and For Hire. We have been discussing each chapter as we have read; completing a short summary and answering "essential" questions. It is time to look at the "big picture". Our look-back will culminate with a written assessment Wednesday/Thursday.
We will also be taking our Reading and Writing Skills Midterm Assessment. This is nothing new and not something to study for. It is simply a snapshot of what skills are solid and what needs to be revisited. Some of the topics included for reading are main idea, characters, setting, using graphic sources, compare/contrast, following directions, and determining theme. Writing topics will include spelling, capitalization, transition words, verbs and verb tense, punctuation, sentence types, supporting details, word choice, idioms, run-on sentences and fragments.
We have a new addition to our class! Olaf (more than six feet tall) has come to help us learn. On our bulletin board we have large snowballs (with the end result being our Olaf snowman). Students are now indicating understanding by raising their hand with one, two, or three fingers in the air. One finger relates to one ball of a snowman (I don't understand, I'm confused). A raised hand with two fingers up demonstrates learning (I'm building my skills, but need more practice). A raised hand with three fingers raised demonstrates mastery (I've built my snowman, I get it). We are having lots of fun learning with Olaf this winter season.
Spelling words this week: bunch, fruit, argue, crumb, tune, crew, juice, refuse, truth, young, clue, trunk, amuse, suit, rude, trust, dew, stuck, rescue, brush, tissue, attitude.
Bonus: computer, mustard, customer
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Winter, Winter, WINTER
What a winter our New Year has brought in! Snow, snow, SNOW!!!!
I would first like to offer a big thank-you for your kind words and offerings of sympathy to me and my family on the recent passing of my father. He was an amazing man, who left a legacy of faith, family, fun, and doing "the right thing when no one else was watching." He will certainly be missed.
The class has been finishing up the reading of our Garden State Adventure and For Hire books. I know everyone has had fun reading about New Jersey and many of the places visited by Nicky Fifth and T-Bone. I'm sure some of the students will be asking to trace the NJ day trips they've read about!
In writing we have been working on personal narratives. Our challenge has been to choose a topic that is not too big and write in a way that is not too fuzzy! Topics must be focused and streamlined! We have used Lisa Funeri Willover's shrinking strategies to come up with topics that are just the right size.
Spelling words for this week include primarily a homophone review:
I would first like to offer a big thank-you for your kind words and offerings of sympathy to me and my family on the recent passing of my father. He was an amazing man, who left a legacy of faith, family, fun, and doing "the right thing when no one else was watching." He will certainly be missed.
The class has been finishing up the reading of our Garden State Adventure and For Hire books. I know everyone has had fun reading about New Jersey and many of the places visited by Nicky Fifth and T-Bone. I'm sure some of the students will be asking to trace the NJ day trips they've read about!
In writing we have been working on personal narratives. Our challenge has been to choose a topic that is not too big and write in a way that is not too fuzzy! Topics must be focused and streamlined! We have used Lisa Funeri Willover's shrinking strategies to come up with topics that are just the right size.
Spelling words for this week include primarily a homophone review:
wait, weight, heard, herd, days, daze, heel, heal, peak, peek, sent, cent, scent, feet, feat,
vain, vane, vein, miner, minor, dispose, harbor, mine. Bonus:
principal, principle, valuable, mineral
Coming up next week: Midterm Skills Assessment and PARCC Review
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