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: 

rafting, something, summer, things, try, several, together, through, white, write, through, though, were, where, again, example, progress, essay, promote, focus,

Bonus:  entertaining, advertisement

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:

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

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

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:

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

Ho Ho Ho! The Holidays are Here!

Our classrooms been humming with thoughts of the holiday.  Each day brings new enthusiasm to our room. 


The students have been working on becoming better writers by expanding their word choice.  We are exploring the importance of using "fat"  words when we write; words that address our senses and provide description.  Our author, Lisa Funeri-Willover's writing journal, has guided us.  New words have been added to our vocabulary collection.  We no longer use good, go, great, sad, or happy.  We choose words such as spectacular, travel, fantastic, tearful, and elated.  Our class is having fun while learning as we explore using descriptive words.


This week we will learn about writing descriptive paragraphs that address our who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.  The familiar story of "Rudolph" will help us with our lessons.


Spelling words:  holiday, icicle, tinsel, sleigh, snowman, Rudolph, twenty-fifth, wreath, elves, mistletoe, garland, reindeer, abominable, castle, frozen, misfit, toys,  sparkling


bonus:  toboggan, snowmobile

November Notes

It was wonderful to see all my ELA parents during conferences.  Please remember that if the need should arise for a conversation there is no need to wait for a conference or meeting.  Please send me an email or call me at school.  It is important for us to work together to promote student success.


  As I do every marking period, we will have a spelling test on all our words to date.  Today (11/12) word lists will be sent home.  These lists were compiled from the words we had each week during the marking period.  The spelling packet that is being sent home breaks the words into two groups of 32.  We will be tested on the first 32 on Friday and the second 32 on Monday.  Any student that receives a 100% will have their name added to Mrs. Carr's Wall of Fame (beginning this year). 


  Homework in spelling this week will simply be placing the words in alphabetical order.  I have included the templates (attached to the back of the packet) to help put words in order.  Students will then place words on the sheets 1-32 (there are two of them).


Due dates:    ABC order 1-32 due Friday, 11/13;  ABC order 33-64 due Monday, 11/16


Next week we will begin spelling as we did Marking Period #1 with words from our upcoming story and Rebecca Sitton Level 3 core words.  Lists/packet will be sent home on Monday.


We interrupted our Journeys' reading/writing this week to acknowledge Veterans' Day.  Students learned about this special day and how it differs from Memorial Day.  We also discussed how we can be of service to our country and how we can show our country respect. 


Another important area we worked on this week is how to turn class discussion into a meaningful learning experience.  We established classroom rules for good discussion.  Students will be evaluated on their oral participation (following the rules).


A special note to add about my trip to Washington, DC.  It was my honor and privilege to participate in the National School of Character program.  We are a wonderful, caring, school community.  I was proud to be a member of the group that accepted this acknowledgement on behalf of our school.  Now that we have achieved National School of Character status, it is important for us to spread the word and work even harder to be as CORRECT as we can be:)

October 20, 2014

The leaves are falling fast now!  Our school year is certainly well under way!


We just finished the informational text "My Librarian is a Camel."   It was certainly interesting reading about how children got access to books throughout the world.  The class took for granted that everyone had access to books just as they do.  They were certainly surprised to learn that some children receive reading materials by camel and even by elephant!  We are fortunate.


As we mark Red Ribbon Week and continue to talk about wise choices, our writing addresses focus.  Often students get so excited about what they write they include too much information that is not on target and confuses the reader.  We are working on writing single focus narratives with descriptive words and examples.


Spelling Words this week include (long o pattern)- shown, known, wrote, remote, oatmeal, fellow, scold, coast, boast, locate, throat, host, slope, remote, globe, wait, hall, lunch, ready, which, first
Bonus:  bonus, approach, motion


Vocabulary for the next two weeks:  assist, burglaries, innocent, scheme, regretfully, misjudged, suspect, favor, speculated, prior


Dictation Sentences:
1.  Keep the children together in one place.
2.  Ask them to form two long lines down the hall.
3.  They all must wait until their food is ready.
4.  Lunch is always very good at our school


Also, starting up soon!  Book IT!  Our class will be participating in the motivational Book IT program affiliated with Pizza Hut.  We will be following the 4th grade class guidelines asking students to read 20 minutes each night (even on weekends).  A reading log will be sent home for parents to sign.  This will validate the students time reading at home.  Pizza Hut reward certificates will be awarded for students reaching monthly reading goals.  Hope all of you join us!