Another week is complete. Our class is already off to an amazing pace. Last week our class finished the story “Earthquake Terror” by Peg Kehret. We focused on the literary elements in the story, sequence of events and making predictions as learning targets. Can you name all of the literary elements? Remember these elements really help to describe a fictional story. Also, if you can explain literary elements you have Knowledge for this skill on your matrix for Theme 1. Make sure you mark it off. Check out the video to jog your memory.

In math we’re getting a better idea of how well we’ve mastered our basic math skills. These are facts like 8 x 4. These facts are really helpful when we start to work on more challenging problems for math later in the school year. Also, our class studied place value. It’s important to see the patterns in place value. These patterns help us to decode numbers. Do you remember how many numbers equal a period? Yes, three. Every three numbers and the pattern starts over again. We separate these sets with a comma. Check out the video to refresh your mind.

Finally, we made it to science this week. Kids began to study environments. I was super impressed to see so many kids excited for our first investigation. We looked at all of the factors of an aquatic environment. Kids defined if these factors were living or non-living. Can you recall all of these factors for our aquariums? Kids setup these environmental systems on their desks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For our challenge question this week, what’s the difference between fact and opinion? This will be important for both reading and science this school year. Play Binky’s Facts and Opinons to review this concept.

In review, during the last few days we worked very hard on building the supports that will help us to be successful with our learning. We watched a video about how 2 monkeys worked together to solve a problem. If monkeys can cooperate we should be able to as well. Together we developed a Code of Cooperation. These are the guidelines that will give us the “know-how” to act with one another. Jarell was the author for this document and helped to lead the activity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In order to create more meaning behind why we’re at school we challenged ourselves to think of other reasons why attending school is important. The Portable People came up with some great answers.

“To learn about math, reading, writing…..”

“To go to college.”

“To get a good job after college.”

“To have a better life.”

This reflection helped us to form a better purpose for being in room 35 each school day.

Recently, our class had a discussion about why it’s important to read. We used an exercise called “The 5 Why’s” to help develop more meaning once again. I was pleased to see the responses our class came up with. The photo below illustrates our thinking.

In the next few weeks we will be focused on a Theme for reading, Nature’s Fury. Nature is the world around us. It’s the living organisms, the geology, the weather, etc… This theme focuses on how powerful, unpredictable and devastating the world we live in can be on a daily basis. Based on the way I explained nature, what images come to mind when I say Nature’s Fury?  Think about the state we live in. Tell your folks about the first story we read, “Earthquake Terror.”  Maybe they remember the earthquake in 1989 that shook the stadium during the World Series.

Also, we just started to investigate our math curriculum. Place value will be the big idea. You’ll be excited to know that there are quite a few online resources free to students at the Math Connects site.  Students can use these activities to supplement their learning. Sometimes there are tutors.  So, if you don’t understand something you might find a math tutor video for a lesson that will help you to make more sense for you learning.

Get ready to learn more about environments and the scientific process. 5th Grade science is just about to begin.  For a challenge question, “What comes to mind after looking at the picture below?”