Classroom Update: September 19, 2014

In English Language Arts, we continued to practice writing summaries for both picture books and chapter books. Specifically, we wrote summaries of Karen Hesse’s Come on, Rain! and the first chapter of Judy Blume’s Freckle Juice using the “Someone-Wanted-But-So-Then” organizer introduced last week. Using the organizer, we have been isolating key story elements such as the main characters and problem/solution. In doing so, we been working on capturing the “big picture” of a story, rather than focusing on less significant events when summarizing.

This week, we launched a “Listening to Reading” center. We listened to an audio recording of Patricia Polacco’s My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother to serve as a model of fluent oral reading. Afterwards, students performed this text in readers’ theatre, with a goal of reading expressively.

Finally, we introduced the reading strategy of “Finding Evidence” (this is one of eight reading strategies for fiction texts that we will be learning about this year). We compared finding evidence in a text to a detective looking for clues in a mystery. We find “clues” in books that tell us more about characters, setting, and events. Students reread My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, with the objective of finding evidence to support either the claim that “Richard is an annoying brother” or “Richard is a good brother.” Students recorded evidence on sticky notes and tagged them to the whiteboard. We will revisit these pieces of evidence next week.

In social studies, we began the week by researching some of the state symbols of Massachusetts. Then, we narrowed our study of Massachusetts to the town of Arlington. We read about Arlington landmarks such as the Robbins Library, Jason Russell House, Old Schwamb Mill, the Minuteman Bikeway, and the Cyrus E. Dallin Museum. Students chose one of these landmarks and created a postcard about it.

In writing, we finalized topics for personal narratives.  Students practiced writing leads using action and dialogue. Then, we outlined the events of the story and began drafting. We practiced the strategy of making a quick sketch to transfer the mental picture in our minds to the page. 

In math, we continued to practice strategies for addition with two-digit numbers. Some of our favorite strategies include using number strings (“Add Tens, Add Ones, Then Combine”) and using number lines (“Add on Tens, Then Ones”). We also completed a “broken calculator” activity. Students were tasked to find 49+83 on the calculator, without using the “nine” key. Some of the student responses from our class may be found to the left. The activity prompted students to think flexibly about numbers and to apply properties of addition. An online version of the broken calculator activity may be found here: http://seeingmath.concord.org/broken_calculator/.  At the end of the week we began a new math unit, in which we will practice addition and subtraction with three-digit numbers.

Below you will find an optional homework math challenge. If your child chooses to complete it, it is due on Monday, September 29.

Please note that Tuesday, September 23 is an early release AND picture day. Dismissal is at 1:00 and lunch will be served. In addition, there will be no school on Thursday, September 25.
 

Have a great weekend!