Thursday, April 19, 2012

Rockin' Tale of Snow White

A friendly reminder that tickets for next week's presentations of The Rockin' Tale of Snow White are on sale here in school.  Adults are $5 and children are $3.  Some of our very own students from Mrs. Cushman's class will be in the show!  Come out and support our community.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Newsletter 4-16-12

Reminders:
ELA NYS testing – 4/17, 4/18, 4/19
Math NYS testing – 4/25, 4/26, 4/27
Rocking Tale of Snow White Performance – 4/27, 4/28


This week’s ELA topics:

·         We’ll be finalizing our preparations for the ELA state testing.  The whole class has worked very hard.  I am extremely proud of them!  Please make sure that each student has a good breakfast either at home or in school, a good night’s rest and is on time to school.  Thanks for your continued support!

This week’s Math topics:

·         We’ll continue spiraling through our math concepts that have been taught this year. 
·         NYS math test preparations
·         Word problem review – “How do I explain my answer?”

This week’s Science topics:

·         The Animal Unit test was a great success!  Please look over the test with your student.
·         Make sure to join us tomorrow at 1:15 to view our “Ask the Animal” research project PowerPoint.
·         We’ll begin exploring simple machines this week.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

CMOST - Children's Museum of Science and Technology

Today I sent home a schedule of the CMOST's April break week hours.  These topics directly relate to the topics we've been discussing in school!  I hope you can take advantage of these great opportunities. Here is a link to their website so you can investigate further.  http://www.cmost.org/

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Newsletter 4-2-12

Reminders:
4/6-4/15 – Spring Recess
ELA NYS testing – 4/17, 4/18, 4/19
Math NYS testing – 4/25, 4/26, 4/27
Rocking Tale of Snow White Performance – 4/27, 4/28


This week’s ELA topics:

·         We will be preparing for the upcoming NYS tests.  We’ll practice all the different “Books” (1,2,3).  Students must be able to read passages and respond to questions about main idea, details, characters, setting as well as infer meaning.  They must listen to a passage, take notes and then write an essay response.  Finally, they must read two passages, plan for an essay comparing the two and then write the essay. 
·         To help you student succeed please insist they have breakfast at home or in school.  They also need a good night’s rest and to be on time.  Thanks for your continued support.

This week’s Math topics:

·         Review chapter 14& 15 test
·         Begin review for Math NYS assessments
·         Fact test Wednesday April 4th!!!

This week’s Science topics:

·         This week we’ll talk about life cycles.  We’ll explore frog, butterfly and human life cycles and read different texts on the subject.  We will be having the unit test on Thursday.  I’m sending home a JEOPARDY game that you can play at home as well as a unit review guide.  Make sure to take a look each night at the information.  

Monday, March 26, 2012

Newsletter 3-26 to 3-30

Reminders:
3/28 – CapCom writing contest entry due
3/28 – Scotia-Glenville presentation on Simple Machines
3/30 – Third Quarter Ends
4/6-4/15 – Spring Recess


This week’s topics:
·         Writing – During our writing time we’ll be completing out final product in our animal research project
·         CafĂ© – main idea, detail, theme, and inference review within ELA test preparation   
·         Vocabulary –food chain, web, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, predator, prey, consumer, producer
·         Spelling – /el/ using le or al at the end of a word (list 22)
·         Grammar – adjectives

This week’s topics:
·         Rounding decimals
·         Word problem strategy – working backwards
·         Estimate sums and differences in decimals
·         Adding and subtracting decimals
·         Review
·         Test Friday
·         Fact test Wednesday April 4th!!!


          This week we’ll discuss the food chain and web in depth.  We’ll watch videos on the subject as well as create our own chains and webs. This is a very exciting topic!  We’ll tie in the idea of life cycle as well, which we’ll study more in-depth soon.    Please be on the lookout for an invitation to our Animal Research Presentation.  The date will be after spring recess.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Book Order Due

Today is the last day to enter your Scholastic book orders on-line! : )

Monday, March 19, 2012

Newsletter 3-19 to 3-22

Reminders:
3/20 – First day of spring
3/21 – PTA meeting 6:30 in library
3/22 – Book order due
3/23 – No school
3/28 – CapCom writing contest entry due


This week’s topics:
·         Writing – We’ll be taking a Venn diagram we completed about animals who have adapted to glow and create an essay using the IBBC format (intro, body, body conclusion)
·         CafĂ© – note taking  
·         Vocabulary – decimal, decimal point, tenth, hundredth, habitat, food chain, web
·         Spelling – r controlled vowels ar, ir, or, ur, er all saying /er/
·         Grammar – adjectives

This week’s topics:
·         Introduction to decimals
·         10th and 100th
·         Comparing and ordering decimals
·         Fact test Wednesday March 21st!!!


          Our NYS animal research got off to a great start!  We’ve learned how to use indexes to make good use of searching both books and encyclopedias.  We’ve also learned the importance of citing our work and giving credit to other authors.  This week we’ll finish our research using the computer lab and the internet.