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Class activities for Wednesday, February 22

Christian Howd — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:50:31 +0000

Spelling: None today due to a preview of our next writing project.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles.

Writing: Students worked on their persuasive “letter to the editor” about a way to improve our school or community. Here is more information about this project, and here’s a checklist to help with writing the letter. This piece will be due Monday, February 27.

Math: Students reviewed multiplying with the standard method today. Homework is to finish Journal P6-3.

Science: Students completed an experiment to learn the size of the moon compared to the earth. Homework is to finish the Big Earth, Small Moon experiment if not done in class.

Social Studies: None today due to our math and reading skills time.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 0
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 2
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Spring Parent Teacher Conferences are in March. Grab your spot here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Tuesday, February 21

Christian Howd — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:52:35 +0000

Spelling: None today due to extra time with writing.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles; some groups worked on chunking as a reading strategy for solving larger words.

Writing: Students worked on their prewriting conference today. They also worked on the draft of the their letter by typing it using Google Docs.

Our next writing project is a persuasive “letter to the editor” about a way to improve our school or community. Here is more information about this project, and here’s a checklist to help with writing the letter. This piece will be due Monday, February 27.

Math: We reviewed partial products and the standard method today. Homework is to finish Math Book pp. 142-143, 2-30 (even-numbered problems).

Science: None today due to our math skills time.

Social Studies: We labeled landforms on a map of the United States.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 0
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 2
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Spring Parent Teacher Conferences are in March. Grab your spot here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Friday, February 17

Christian Howd — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:15:53 +0000

Spelling: We practiced adding and removing suffixes to remember that suffixes are parts added onto the end of a word.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Students completed a narrative reading test today.

Writing: Students collected data to support their persuasive letter idea today. We also looked at some example letters to get ideas.

Math: None today due to STAR Friday.

Science: Students received new science books today and we starting learning about our next science unit about space.

Social Studies: We reviewed common physical features of the United States.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 0
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 2
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Spring Parent Teacher Conferences are in March. Grab your spot here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Thursday, February 16

Christian Howd — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:20:42 +0000

Spelling: We reviewed the idea that some words have silent letters:

cut/cute
rat/rate
hug/huge

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles.

Writing: Students worked on the draft of their persuasive letter today. Homework is to continue drafting the letter.

Math: We reviewed the partial products method of multiplication today (the book calls this the expanded algorithm). The students also learned or reviewed the standard method of multiplication. Homework is to finish Journal P6-2.

Science: None today due to extra time with writing.

Social Studies: We listened to the songs, This is Your Land and American, the Beautiful and looked at maps to find physical characteristics of the United States. Homework is to finish the Physical Characteristics page if not done in class.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 3
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 0
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Spring Parent Teacher Conferences are in March. Grab your spot here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Wednesday, February 15

Christian Howd — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:00:44 +0000

Spelling: None today due to working on a student satisfaction survey.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles; some groups worked on synthesizing and making connections as reading strategies.

Writing: None today due to extra time with science. We’ll have extra time tomorrow to continue our writing project.

Math: Students practiced making arrays and multiplying with partial products today. Homework is to finish Journal P6-1.

Science: Students completed a test about matter and energy today. We also played a game to review a previous test about electricity and magnetism.

Social Studies: None today due to our reading and math skills time.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 0
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 0
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 1

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Spring Parent Teacher Conferences are in March. Grab your spot here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Tuesday, February 14

Christian Howd — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:03:31 +0000

Our Feb Factor Valentine’s party was so good, it was scary, literally! We sang some love songs (brotherly love songs!), passed out our cards and ate sloppy joes, chips, fruit and veggies.

Feb Factor games included sticking conversation hearts, slurping gummy cherry slices, gulping strawberry banana pudding, passing love notes, tossing bouncy balls and making Valentine’s sock puppets! Stay tuned for pictures!

Thanks to everyone who donated food and supplies; we had more than enough! A big thanks to all the family members that helped with serving food, cleanup and games!

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 1
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 0
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 2

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Spring Parent Teacher Conferences are in March. Grab your spot here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Monday, February 13

Christian Howd — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:26:22 +0000

Spelling: Students made Words to Learn lists by correcting words they missed on the last test.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Students received their last STAR Reading test score today and we looked at our class progress. We noticed that our class average reading level dropped this time. We talked about ways that students could continue to improve their reading level by reading at home at least 20 minutes a night and working carefully during Literature Circles at school.

You can see the rest of our class data in our Data Center.

Writing: Students started prewriting conferences today by discussing the question they would like to have as their letter topic.

Math: Students started working on a math test today.

Science: Today was a physical education and nutrition lesson.

Social Studies: We started to learn about the physical land and water features of the United States. Students also completed a MiniQuiz about the relative location of the US.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 1
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 0
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 1

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Our Feb Factor Valentine’s Party is Tuesday, February 14 from 10:00-noon. Family members are invited to help with food serving and games. See our volunteer list or add your name to the guest list.
Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Friday, February 10

Christian Howd — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:02:59 +0000

Spelling: Students completed a spelling and skill test today.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a reading and discussion day in Literature Circles.

Writing: We learned about the core democratic values of justice, equality, common good and diversity today.

Our next writing project is a persuasive “letter to the editor” about a way to improve our school or community. We’re reviewing core democratic values this week and students will start their letter next week. Here is more information about this project, and here’s a checklist to help with writing the letter. This piece will be due Monday, February 27.

Math: None today due to STAR Friday.

We will have a math test on Monday about these ideas:

Multiplying by tens and hundreds
Breaking apart to multiply
Using mental math to multiply
Estimating by rounding
Problem solving by thinking about reasonable answers

There is a practice test on p. 132 in the math book.

Science: We reviewed matter and energy today. There will be a science test over this topic on Monday.

Social Studies: We reviewed core democratic values today as part of our social studies and writing project.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 0
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 0
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 3

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Our Feb Factor Valentine’s Party is Tuesday, February 14 from 10:00-noon. Family members are invited to help with food serving and games. See our volunteer list or add your name to the guest list.
Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Thursday, February 9

Christian Howd — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:49:09 +0000

Spelling: None today. We will have a spelling test tomorrow. The skill tested will be about common spelling patterns for the /j/ sound.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles; some groups worked on questioning as a reading strategy.

Writing: We learned about the core democratic value of pursuit of happiness today.

Math: We reviewed estimating by rounding today. We also practiced for the math test we will have on Monday about these ideas:

Multiplying by tens and hundreds
Breaking apart to multiply
Using mental math to multiply
Estimating by rounding
Problem solving by thinking about reasonable answers

Science: We added notes in our minibooks about temperature benchmarks, volume, graduated cylinders and the water cycle. Homework is to complete the matter Investigation Review if not completed in class.

Social Studies: We reviewed finding the relative location of the United States. Students completed a MiniQuiz about the continents today.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 0
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 0
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 3

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Our Valentine’s Party is Tuesday, February 14 from 10:00-noon. Family members are invited to help with food serving and games. See our volunteer list or add your name to the guest list.
Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Class activities for Wednesday, February 8

Christian Howd — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:27:11 +0000

Spelling: We reviewed prefixes and suffixes today.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: None today due to working on a building writing assessment.

Writing: We learned about the core democratic values of life and liberty today.

Math: None today due to working on a building writing assessment.

We’ll have a math test Monday about these ideas:

Multiplying by tens and hundreds
Breaking apart to multiply
Using mental math to multiply
Estimating by rounding
Problem solving by thinking about reasonable answers

Science: We reviewed temperature benchmarks and practiced measuring with a thermometer today.

Social Studies: None today.

Behavior Update:

Yellow magnets: 0
Orange magnets: 0
Red magnets: 0
STAR Awards: 0
Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 3

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

Our Valentine’s Party is Tuesday, February 14 from 10:00-noon. Family members are invited to help with food serving and games. See our volunteer list or add your name to the guest list.
Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.