5E NEWS - Unit 5
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5E NEWS Sept. 12, 2014 Thank you to PIECE! Since students practiced reading nonfiction, looked for main ideas, and got caught up on current events by reading several editions of Scholastic News this week, we should take a minute to thank our PIECE parent group that agreed to purchase these classroom magazines so that we could enjoy them all year long. Thank you, PIECE! Homework and Test Policies This might be an opportune time to clarify the homework policy. If students score a D or F grade on any assignment, I generally write “redo” on the assignment and strongly encourage them to correct their errors for additional points. Make sure your child is taking advantage of this policy! If your child does poorly on an exam or quiz, remember that he or she can take the exam over and will receive the higher of the two scores. Additional studying between the two exams usually ensures that the second exam is significantly better than the first. Tests, Tests, Tests Since we are discussing test policies, let’s mention this week’s science and math exams. You should have seen the science test come home on Monday and the math exam on Tuesday. By signing and returning these exams, you are simply verifying that you know what we are studying and how well your child is acquiring the skills and concepts. Thanks so much! Buddy Walk – Sept. 27 Don’t forget that the Central Illinois Down Syndrome Organization is conducting its annual “buddy walk” around Carden Park behind Prairieland, on Sat., Sept. 27! In addition to the walk, which begins at 10:00, there is a basket raffle (much like the one at the Prairieland carnival), face painting, a jump house, a climbing wall, and other activities. Registration begins at 8:30. Box Tops If you have been saving Box Tops, please feel free to send them in with your child. There will be a fall collection contest, so let’s see how many our class can accumulate. After all, these Box Tops translate into money for our classroom materials and activities! What We Are Doing: Math: This week in math we finished reviewing unit 1 and then took an exam over this material. Hopefully, your child has already happily shared his or her exam with you. In our new chapter, we are reviewing a variety of addition, subtraction, and multiplication algorithms, along with solving word problems, and working with data landmarks. We will also continue to practice our problem solving each morning, and students again took a problem solving quiz on Friday. Science: In science, our class is continuing with our astronomy focus as we examine Earth’s movements, the planets in our solar system, Earth’s moon, comets, and asteroids in chapter 17. Social Studies: We are now discussing Native Americans and looking at the various cultural regions that developed in North America. We also created our own winter counts and dream catchers, and will wrap up our focus on early American tribes next week. Reading: Since we wrapped up Night of the Twisters last week, we have been reading nonfiction as we worked on identifying main ideas using Scholastic News. The students also examined a variety of adventure books and practiced selecting appropriate books at their levels as we began our first literature circles this week. So far we have focused on story elements, characters, summarizing, and acquiring new vocabulary in our literature circle groups. Language / Writing: In language we reviewed adding noun endings and proper nouns. Students also worked on word choice and closings as they wrote short essays about “Pets” for the Flying Horse, narratives about their “Red Letter Days” or their “Black Letter Days,” and expository papers about this week’s V.I.P., Gabe Holderby! Spelling: Students resumed studying word patterns in their Words Their Way groups this week, and I appreciate parents providing them with any extra practice on their weekly rules that they may need at home.
Transcript of 5E NEWS - Unit 5
5E News 1
5E NEWS Sept. 12, 2014
Thank you to PIECE! Since students practiced reading nonfiction,
looked for main ideas, and got caught up on current events by reading several editions of Scholastic News this week, we should take a minute to thank our PIECE parent group that agreed to purchase these classroom magazines so that we could enjoy them all year long. Thank you, PIECE!
Homework and Test Policies
This might be an opportune time to clarify the homework policy. If students score a D or F grade on any assignment, I generally write “redo” on the assignment and strongly encourage them to correct their errors for additional points. Make sure your child is taking advantage of this policy!
If your child does poorly on an exam or quiz, remember that he or she can take the exam over and will receive the higher of the two scores. Additional studying between the two exams usually ensures that the second exam is significantly better than the first.
Tests, Tests, Tests
Since we are discussing test policies, let’s mention this week’s science and math exams. You should have seen the science test come home on Monday and the math exam on Tuesday. By signing and returning these exams, you are simply verifying that you know what we are studying and how well your child is acquiring the skills and concepts. Thanks so much!
Buddy Walk – Sept. 27
Don’t forget that the Central Illinois Down Syndrome Organization is conducting its annual “buddy walk” around Carden Park behind Prairieland, on Sat., Sept. 27! In addition to the walk, which begins at 10:00, there is a basket raffle (much like the one at the Prairieland carnival), face painting, a jump house, a climbing wall, and other activities. Registration begins at 8:30.
Box Tops If you have been saving Box Tops, please feel free to
send them in with your child. There will be a fall collection contest, so let’s see how many our class can accumulate. After all, these Box Tops translate into money for our classroom materials and activities!
What We Are Doing: Math: This week in math we finished reviewing unit 1 and then took an exam over this material. Hopefully, your child has already happily shared his or her exam with you. In our new chapter, we are reviewing a variety of addition, subtraction, and multiplication algorithms, along with solving word problems, and working with data landmarks. We will also continue to practice our problem solving each morning, and students again took a problem solving quiz on Friday. Science: In science, our class is continuing with our astronomy focus as we examine Earth’s movements, the planets in our solar system, Earth’s moon, comets, and asteroids in chapter 17. Social Studies: We are now discussing Native Americans and looking at the various cultural regions that developed in North America. We also created our own winter counts and dream catchers, and will wrap up our focus on early American tribes next week. Reading: Since we wrapped up Night of the Twisters last week, we have been reading nonfiction as we worked on identifying main ideas using Scholastic News. The students also examined a variety of adventure books and practiced selecting appropriate books at their levels as we began our first literature circles this week. So far we have focused on story elements, characters, summarizing, and acquiring new vocabulary in our literature circle groups. Language / Writing: In language we reviewed adding noun endings and proper nouns. Students also worked on word choice and closings as they wrote short essays about “Pets” for the Flying Horse, narratives about their “Red Letter Days” or their “Black Letter Days,” and expository papers about this week’s V.I.P., Gabe Holderby! Spelling: Students resumed studying word patterns in their Words Their Way groups this week, and I appreciate parents providing them with any extra practice on their weekly rules that they may need at home.
5E News 2
Important Upcoming Dates
and events
Thur., Sept. 11 Magazine Sale Begins
Wed., Sept. 24 Late Start (9:45)
Sat., Sept. 27 CIDSO Buddy Walk
Wed., Oct. 8 Late Start (9:45)
Mon., Oct.13 NO SCHOOL –
Columbus Day
If you have any questions or concerns,
please feel free to contact me at home or at
school. My home number is 663-8001, the school
number is 557-4424, and my school email address
is [email protected]. For any homework
questions, you may want to check out our
classroom website on the Prairieland website!
Mrs. Elston
Making Ice Cream – A measurement Activity!
