What's Happening in Room 34....

Things You Should Know....

• Mid-Quarter reports will be sent home on Monday.  Please review, sign and return the bottom portion of the form.

• Your child will have time this week when they arrive to school to create a Valentine's Day bag to collect his/her cards on Wednesday.  If your child chooses to create a decorated box or bag at home, they can bring them to school any time.

• A few of our parents are busy planning the upcoming Valentine's Day party!  A flyer was sent home regarding the party a couple weeks ago.  The room parents are requesting that the students contribute $5 to cover the cost of the food, craft and goody bag.  Thank you!

Dates to Remember.....  
Monday:  Afternoon presentation from Liv Bit, a 10 year old girl who shares her                       love of books through spunky videos and Twitter. Your child will be ready to                share some things they learned from her!
Wednesday:Valentine's Day Party at 2:00
Friday: No School - Professional Development Day for Teachers
Monday:  No School - Presidents Day

What's Going on in Our Classroom....

Reader's Workshop:

• This week, the students are reading articles about the New England, Middle and Southern colonies.  They are learning the differences of each of the colonies and the impact they had on the development of the United States.  This will lead the students into understanding and learning about the events that led to the American Revolution; which we will begin studying this week in Social Studies.
• Our class read aloud this week and next week will be two books, Hidden Figures: the True Story of Four Black Women in the Space Race and 28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World.

Writer's Workshop:

• The students will continue to take notes and write their informational writing piece using the different text structures we have been studying (description, compare/contrast, cause/effect, order/sequence and problem/solution).  They are doing a wonderful job working with the structures to create their paragraphs.  As they finish, they will begin including different text features in their slideshow to enhance their writing.

Math:

• We will continue to work with fractions this week as the students master adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers.  They will also learn how to multiply fractions by a whole number.  

• The students should continue to practice their facts at home.  Having them mastered will greatly help them while working with fractions.

Science:

• The students will conduct a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) project this week.  They will use what they have learned about density and mass to create a cargo ship out of tin foil that will hold cargo equivalent to 25 pennies.  They will be working with 2 partners to research, design, test and modify their cargo ship.