Happy November everyone! We made it through Halloween week and now we are moving our way to Thanksgiving Break! I am so thrilled with how much learning and growing the kids are engaging in in our classroom! Below I have included important November dates, curriculum updates, and pictures from our current learning! Please always email or Dojo message me with any questions or concerns!
Important Dates:
- November 9: AUTHOR VISIT WITH MICHELLE BARONE! (Don't forget to send in form with $13 if your student wants a signed copy of Capitol Ghost Mystery)
- **We will not be able to go on a field trip to the Capitol this year. Unfortunately, when we reached out at the beginning of the year, they had all of their school tours booked --- we were shocked! We tried to figure out a way to still get us to the Capitol and give the kids the full experience of seeing the dome and learning all the same information as a guided tour. Unfortunately, we were unable to make this work, so we extended an invitation to the author, Michelle Barone, to come visit our classes. Please read this IMPORTANT letter regarding her visit.
- November 10: End of Trimester 1
- November 13: NO SCHOOL Teacher Work Day
- November 16: Open House 5:30-8:00
- November 17: Report Cards Go Home - check your students' Bulldog Folder!
- November 20-24: Thanksgiving Break! Enjoy time with your loved ones!
- November 30: Math Menu and November Reading Logs due
Curriculum Updates:
- Math: We have completed 2 whole units in math and are well on our way through our third! This unit is all about wrapping up our learning around addition and subtraction. In this unit, kids are discovering new and different ways to add and subract with 3-digit numbers. Students are encouraged to find a way to add and subtract that works for them - with the goal of eventually reaching an understaning of the standard algorithm (how we learned to add and subtract in school). We have learned expanded form, base ten manipulatives, stacking, and standard algorithms for addition. We have now moved into subtraction strategies with base ten manipulatives and drawing pictures. Soon we will be using expanded form and the standard algorithm.
- Reading: We just started our 4th Module all about dramas and plays! Throughout this unit, we will be reading a variety of dramas and plays that include tall tales, classic tales, and myths. Among the many reading skills we have already practiced this year, we will expand our knowledge of literary features, elements of drama, identifying theme, and summarizing/retelling.
- Writing: We have switched gears in writing again and have been focusing on writing responses to text based prompts. We have been practicing the RACE strategy. This strategy is a way to help students remember how to write a thorough and high level response. It also prepares them for CMAS constructed response items, where many aspects of writing are analyzed. This acronym stands for the following... R: restate the question (as a sentence) A: answer the question C: cite text evidence E: explain your evidence. We will continue working on this strategy through Thanksgiving Break. I hope you begin to see improvements in what your student can write!
- Science: We wrapped up our science unit on forces and motion and have moved into our unit on animal life cycles and inheritance/traits. The kids absolutely LOVED our unit on forces and motion! We learned all about gravity, bouyancy, magnetic force, and friction through creating boats to hold treasure and playing with magnetic slime and magnets! In this current unit, students will be examining the life cycles of many living things. We will also explore how different traits help animals survive. Finally, we will examine different inherited traits and discuss how traits are passed from parents to offspring. We may need supplies for a few experiements, so keep your eyes peeled for a message about that!
- Cursive! I have started teaching the kids cursive throughout the week when we find some time in between subjects! They are so very excited to be learning this skill and I absolutely LOVE teaching handwriting! I hope the kids stay as excited as they are now as we keep learning more letters!