February 3, 2012

Important Dates

Feb. 7 Math Practice STAAR Test

Feb. 10 Donuts for Dads

              Vocabulary Test 10

February 11 MDE Auction

Februrary 14 Valentine's Day Party 2:00-2:45

Social Studies

We have been working on a project about 1800s history. We have studied about Stephen F. Austin and all of the people who came to Texas.  The students now are writing a newspaper to show what they learned about it. They will include why people should have come to Texas at the time, and a persuasuive letter will be written persuading Stephen F. Austin to let them come to the colony.  We are typing the newspaper in the computer project room and  then the students are each drawing a picture of what their land would look like if they were part of the old 300 who came to Texas.

Math

We have be focusing on measurement. We have studied Customary and Metric measurements such as: temperature, mass, weight, length, and capacity. We are also making conversions within each type of measurement.  For example: How many ounces would equal 6 pounds?  

The students will take a practice STAAR Math test on Tuesday, Feb. 7. 

Reading

We have been working in our book clubs together and focusing on character traits. The topic of theme has also been studied, and we have talked about how it is the underlying idea that usually runs throughout a book.  If we took away the plot, setting, and characters, the theme would he what is left.  Theme is sort of abstract, so sometimes it is harder for students to grasp. We will continue studying it as the year progresses.

We are contiuing to read our read aloud titled Ruby Slippers and the students are given silent reading as well, to be able to enjoy their own self selected books.

Writing

We have been working with adjectives and studying how they can fall after a linking verb in a sentence. We have also studied articles: a, an, the.  Our expository paper will be finished this week and we are going to focus again on narratives next week.

Science

We have been learning about Life Science.  We have been studying ecosystems, habitats and biomes and how they all interact with each other.  Food chains and food webs are going to be part of our study for this unit too.

January 12, 2012

Important Dates

January 13 - Field Trip Permission Slip Due

January 16 - School Holiday

January 17 - Fine Arts Field Trip

January 20 - Spelling Test

January 20 - Science Enrichment

February 10 - Donuts For Dads

February 11 - Auction at the Raquet Club

Social Studies

We have started studying 1800s Texas. This unit will tie in well with our George Ranch Field Trip we took back in November.  The students are already beginning to see the connection of the type of homes they lived and their everyday lives.  We have learned about Moses Austin and how he had a plan to settle Texas, but then he died and his son Stephen F. Austin carried out the plan.  He brought many families to Texas to live and thrive on the land building their own homes and planting their own crops for food.  The children also had chores that they were expected to do when they were not in school.

Math

We have been studying decimals to the tenths and hundredths places.  The students have learned how to represent decimals using tenths and hundredths models by coloring in the amount needed to represent a given decimal.  We have also written decimals in words as we have studied them. we have made the connection with money as we have looked at decimals in the hundredths.  Decimals are also connected to fractions, and the students were able to show how a fraction or a mixed number can be used to represent a decimal.  I love seeing our students use their previous knowledge to make connection a nd how they have applied this during our lessons!

Reading

We are getting more into our read aloud titled Ruby Slippers and learning how the character and plot are developing more and more.  It is fun! Ask your child to share this with you.

We have also been reviewing main idea and supporting details. We read a group read aloud/play and the students were able to see that any kind of genre in reading will have a main idea and supporting details.  

New book clubs are on the way.  The students will be making their choices today for their new book.

Writing

We are working on Expository Writing, which is nonfiction writing.  The students have studied many prompts and worked to create a central idea and supporting details for each one.  Each student has also picked one of the prompts to begin drafting their own paper.  After drafting, the students will conference with each other and me, and then a final copy will be written.

Science
We have been studying about how to take care of our earth.  We have learned ways of conserving our resources such as turning off the water while brushing our teeth and just turning it back on when we need it. Also,  remembering to turn out the lights when we leave a room is helpful too.  The students are working in groups to create conservation posters that focus on reduce, reuse, and recycle for our environment.  The posters will be placed around the school as a reminder to all of us here at MDE.