Pumpkin Jack Decay Project

Last week we read a story called Pumpkin Jack.  The main character has a jack-o-lantern named Jack which begins to rot.  His mother makes him put Jack in the compost heap. The pumpkin begins to decay but not without leaving behind some seeds.  These seeds are replanted and the life cycle continues!  We were so inspired we began our own experiment. Today we created a control to watch the process of decay in once living things.  We created a lab report, documented the experiment with photos and took notes in our science journal.  This should be so fun!



November 7 - November 10

We’ll listen to Nights of the Pufflings.  This text  will let us dive deeper into how to read non-fiction.  On Heimaey Island, near Iceland, a community works together to help young birds called pufflings return safely to sea.

                This week’s topics:

·         Writing – Write a satisfying paragraph about the most serious problem our town is facing (character education – citizenship)

·         Comprehension – re-tell the story using a re-tell rope

·         Vocabulary –uninhabited, burrows, stranded, venture, instinctively, nestles

·         Spelling – /ar/ as in cared, airplane, everywhere

 I was very impressed with the math scores for chapter 4.  Our students are doing much better on word problems and it’s clear many have been practicing their facts!  Chapter 6 will focus on how to apply those new strategies and concepts about multiplying.  We’ll apply each concept to word problems to make the math relevant to us.  

                This week’s topics:

·         Rounding to estimate products  using mental math

·         Multiply two digit numbers

This week we’ll relate upcoming Election Day (Nov. 8^th) with democracy in the Native American culture.  Our nation’s confederacy was based loosely on those cultural traditions of the Native Americans. We will also begin a Tribal Sign Project which will be completed in small groups at school.  Each group will focus closely on one particular tribe and share out the interesting information learned.

Thank you!

Thank you parents for your help and support with our first project!  ALL students handed in their book project and are extremely proud of their effort.  We'll be presenting our work in the library Monday morning.  Look for pictures!

Fin Friday

Where green tomorrow for Fin Friday - Support Shen!!

Halloween Week Newsletter

Oct 31 - Nov 4

Reminders:

11/ 8 – Picture retake day

11/11 – No School Veterans Day

11/24 & 11/25 – No School Thanksgiving

ELA - This week we’ll focus on a folk-tale called The Emperor and the Kite. Djeow Seow is so tiny that her father, the Emperor, hardly knows she exists. His attitude changes when she saves his life!

                This week’s topics:

·         Writing – Finishing a personal narrative and creating satisfying paragraphs.

·         Comprehension – monitor reading and fix up when needed

·         Vocabulary – insignificant, steely, unyielding, twined, neglected, loyal, plotting, encircling

·         Spelling – /or/ as in pour and orbit

Math -  This week we’ll finish up chapter 4 and skip ahead to chapter 6 multiply by one-digit numbers.  It has become clear to most students they must memorize their facts.  Using strategies like arrays and fingers can help but students should know their multiplication facts to 9 within 3 seconds.  Here is a link to print out flashcards http://www.mathfactcafe.com/view/view.aspx?t=F&g=4 . There are many great ways to study facts online such as http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/web/2000/heal/mathsites.htm .

                This week’s topics:

·         Review multiplication and division properties, factors, multiples and three digit multiplication

·         Chapter 4 test (Wednesday)

·         Begin chapter 6 multiples of 10, 100, and 1,000

·         Problem solving:  Is that a reasonable answer

Social Studies - This week we’ll have our first quiz on Native Americans, specifically the Iroquois (Friday).  Watch out for homework and review sheets aimed at helping studying become easier.  I’ve encouraged students to re-read for understanding as well as search for alternate sources for material.  This is a great way to use the database on Shatekon’s library website.  

Collaborative Poem

Our students worked with Ms. Sweeney this week and created the MOST BEAUTIFUL POEM! I had to share it with you!

Our Quiet Poem

The lonely tiger sits

under a peaceful

rainforest tree breathing

slowly,

The silent Redwood

softly soothes the ocean

of sparkling water,

The mysterious playground

protects its ghost children.

All we can see are

faintly

fading

footprints...





October 17-21

Reminders:

It’s bully prevention week! Check agenda for what color to wear each day.

10/19 PTA meeting at 6:30 in the library

10/21 Monster Mash – If you haven’t yet, please send in 2 bags of candy

 The Daily 5 is up in full swing and the students are doing wonderful!  They have so much time to practice their skills.  Our focus story this week is Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride. This historical fiction book is based on an actual event; first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and aviator Amelia Earhart share an adventure in a plane after dinner at the White House.

                This week’s topics:

·         Writing – personal narrative, Thank you letters to Officer Morabito

·         Comprehension – using the text to find information

·         Vocabulary – outspoken, practical, elegant, elevations, brisk, starstruck, miniatures, marveled

·         Spelling – oo as in room

 This week we’ll apply our study of organizing, displaying and interpreting data.  We will continue to practice scale, intervals, and interpreting data as this proved very difficult for most students on the test.  This week’s homework in math will focus mainly and creating various graphs.

                This week’s topics:

·         Collecting and organizing data

·         Making tables

·         Bar graphs

·         Line graphs

We had the opportunity to have a visit from fire fighters and police officers this week.  We’ve talked a lot about personal safety and the responsibilities of community helpers. Check out my blog for pictures.

                We will begin using our social studies text to continue our study of Native Americans. We’ll tie in our comprehension strategy of using the text to find information by taking notes on what we learned.  Also, students will begin using the glossary to look up the meanings of key words and phrases.