We have reached the end of a wonderful school year! Thank you for your support throughout the year. I have enjoyed the opportunity to teach each of your children. I wish everyone a fun, safe, and relaxing summer break. See you in the fall!
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Weekly Update 5/23/14
Important Reminders:
There is no school on Monday, May 26th, due to Memorial Day. Friday, May 30th is the last day of school and is a half day. Lunch will not be served.
If students have an alto recorder from Mr. Kassulke, please return it to him by Tuesday, May 27th.
Students will slowly be bringing home everything from school next week, with all items returned by Thursday. The children will not need to bring a backpack to school with them on the last day.
I will be sending home a summer reading list of suggested books and a math enrichment packet with each student on Tuesday. These are great tools to use in helping students maintain and continue their growth over the summer months.
Class Updates:
In math, we continued to work on probability concepts this week. Students worked in pairs to predict and determine the mathematical probability of certain events. They were then able to write that probability as a fraction. All reading groups are on their final chapters of their literature circle books. Children are working on being "Intelligent Illustrators" where they draw an important scene from the story and explain its significance.
In science, we are exploring matter. The children learned how to measure the mass of various objects using a balance. We also explored the concepts of volume and density. Students made homemade lava lamps to see that water and oil have different densities. Currently, each child is working on their last science project, which is a poster illustrating the phases of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Next week, we will wrap up the unit with a review of mixtures and solutions. The class did a great job this week finishing their government mobile projects. Look for those to come home next week!
We took a field trip to St. Charles this week to visit the original State Capitol Building and the Lewis and Clark Museum. The students learned facts about early Missouri government and were able to view many artifacts related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Finally, we ended the week with field day. The students had a great time - just check out all of the fun activities:
Friday, May 16, 2014
Weekly Update 5/16/14
Important Reminders:
Our field trip to St. Charles is Monday. Please make sure your child arrives to school on time and is dressed for the weather. Comfortable walking shoes are suggested. We will be eating lunch when we return to school, so students will need to bring a sack lunch to school that day. It should be lots of fun!
Our last trip to the school library will be on Thursday. All library books need to be returned to school this week. On Thursday, we will be learning about the summer reading program offered by the county library. If students have borrowed books from my classroom library, please make sure these are also returned to school by the end of the week. Thank you!
Friday is our Long School Field Day. We still have several openings for parent volunteers to help with this day. If you are available to volunteer, please use this link to sign up. We appreciate your help!
There will be no school on Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day.
The last day of school is Friday, May 30 and it is a half day. Lunch will not be served.
Class Updates:
In math, we have finished up our unit on fractions and our last topic of study will be on probability. We started the unit learning about outcomes of experiments. Students worked with dice, spinners, and coins to figure out the total number of possible outcomes, as well as list the outcomes. Groups compared their results. This week the students will learn about predicting outcomes as impossible, certain, likely or unlikely. They will also write predictions as fractions and percentages.
In reading, the children did a great job asking questions about their literature circle books that required opinions and deep thinking. They are currently working on being "Perfect Predictors" as they work on the next sections of their novels.
Junior Achievement continued this week, and the kids learned about profits vs. losses as they played a game pretending they owned a hot dog business. Other topics covered included scarcity and supply and demand.
We had a fun end to the week with a visit from the ice cream truck and the bubble bus!
Friday, May 9, 2014
Weekly Update 5/9/14
Important Reminders:
There is no school on Friday, May 16th.
Strings students should make sure to bring their instruments to school on Monday to practice.
Allergy season has hit our classroom and we have run out of tissues. If you have an extra box of Kleenex you could spare to get us through our last few weeks, it would be much appreciated!
We are still in need of volunteers for field day. If you are interested in helping out, please use this link to sign up. Thank you!
There is no school on Friday, May 16th.
Strings students should make sure to bring their instruments to school on Monday to practice.
Allergy season has hit our classroom and we have run out of tissues. If you have an extra box of Kleenex you could spare to get us through our last few weeks, it would be much appreciated!
We are still in need of volunteers for field day. If you are interested in helping out, please use this link to sign up. Thank you!
Class Updates:
In math, we spent the week learning about improper fractions and mixed numbers. The students learned the steps to change back and forth between the two types. A fraction Go Fish Game and fraction activities on the laptops helped extend learning. Students also used Cuisenaire Rods to compare the sizes of fractions. We will be reviewing the unit on Monday and Tuesday and there will be a Chapter 21 test on Wednesday. Study guides will be sent home with students on Monday.
In reading, our literature circles are in full swing! Children are currently being "Discussion Directors" as they practice writing questions to ask their group members during their book talks. Next week, students will be "Perfect Predictors". In social studies, the difference between rights and responsibilities of United States citizens was explored and students learned many different examples of both. We also read and examined the meaning of the preamble of the Constitution. We are studying the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and will be working on making a mobile project to show what we learned next week.
We are so fortunate to have Mrs. VanCardo teaching Junior Achievement to our class this year. She taught two lessons this week about what it takes to plan and start your own business. The children learned the meaning of the word entrepreneur and what traits of good entrepreneurs are. Students worked in groups to brainstorm ideas for businesses they could create based on the resources available in different regions of the country. The children made poster collages illustrating the differences between human, natural, and capital resources. Using Missouri rock, the students made paperweights that they will be able to take home next week. Mrs. VanCardo even made the class cookies shaped like Missouri! We will finish up our Junior Achievement lessons next week.
In math, we spent the week learning about improper fractions and mixed numbers. The students learned the steps to change back and forth between the two types. A fraction Go Fish Game and fraction activities on the laptops helped extend learning. Students also used Cuisenaire Rods to compare the sizes of fractions. We will be reviewing the unit on Monday and Tuesday and there will be a Chapter 21 test on Wednesday. Study guides will be sent home with students on Monday.
In reading, our literature circles are in full swing! Children are currently being "Discussion Directors" as they practice writing questions to ask their group members during their book talks. Next week, students will be "Perfect Predictors". In social studies, the difference between rights and responsibilities of United States citizens was explored and students learned many different examples of both. We also read and examined the meaning of the preamble of the Constitution. We are studying the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and will be working on making a mobile project to show what we learned next week.
We are so fortunate to have Mrs. VanCardo teaching Junior Achievement to our class this year. She taught two lessons this week about what it takes to plan and start your own business. The children learned the meaning of the word entrepreneur and what traits of good entrepreneurs are. Students worked in groups to brainstorm ideas for businesses they could create based on the resources available in different regions of the country. The children made poster collages illustrating the differences between human, natural, and capital resources. Using Missouri rock, the students made paperweights that they will be able to take home next week. Mrs. VanCardo even made the class cookies shaped like Missouri! We will finish up our Junior Achievement lessons next week.
On Friday, we had a fun Science/Earth Day. Students rotated to a variety of presentations and activities throughout the day. The children learned all about bees and why they are important for pollination from the Department of Conservation. Next, they watched a Mad Science presentation and saw some cool experiments! The Wolf Sanctuary taught students facts about wolves and their importance in food chains. Kids were able to observe objects under microscopes and create their own slogans for Earth Day.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Weekly Update 5/3/14
Important Reminders:
Thank you to everyone who said they would help chaperone the upcoming field trip. We only need two volunteers for this trip, and ended up with more volunteers than we needed. I have sent an email to those parents who will be attending the field trip. If I have not contacted you to attend, please know that several other opportunities are available to help out with our upcoming Field Day and Earth/Science Day instead. I appreciate all of the parent involvement and support!
We have finished our state MAP Testing. The children worked very hard and gave it their all! I am very proud of them!
Class Updates:
In math, we are working on our fractions unit. Students have learned how to make equivalent fractions for a given fraction and how to change a fraction into its simplest form. The children are using many hands on activities and models to explore fractions, including pizza fraction pieces, fraction bars, and even egg cartons. This week we will practice comparing the sizes of fractions and putting them in order from least to greatest. The students will also study improper fractions and mixed numbers. Students enjoyed playing a game with dice that challenged them to make equivalent fractions in a race against a partner.
Our literature circles are up and running. Each reading group voted on a chapter book to read. This past week, students took on the role of "Creative Connector" and shared many meaningful connections with each other about what they read in the first few chapters of their books. The children are currently being "Word Wizards" in preparation for our next meetings this week. They are on the hunt for confusing words that they can clarify using context clues, word parts, or by looking up the definitions in the dictionary.
We reviewed our forces and motion chapter all week to prepare for a test on Chapter 10 in science on Monday. The children should study their vocabulary cards and study guides. We are also starting a unit on government in social studies. Students will be learning about the various rights and responsibilities of United States citizens. We will also be studying the three branches of government.
Thank you to everyone who said they would help chaperone the upcoming field trip. We only need two volunteers for this trip, and ended up with more volunteers than we needed. I have sent an email to those parents who will be attending the field trip. If I have not contacted you to attend, please know that several other opportunities are available to help out with our upcoming Field Day and Earth/Science Day instead. I appreciate all of the parent involvement and support!
We have finished our state MAP Testing. The children worked very hard and gave it their all! I am very proud of them!
Class Updates:
In math, we are working on our fractions unit. Students have learned how to make equivalent fractions for a given fraction and how to change a fraction into its simplest form. The children are using many hands on activities and models to explore fractions, including pizza fraction pieces, fraction bars, and even egg cartons. This week we will practice comparing the sizes of fractions and putting them in order from least to greatest. The students will also study improper fractions and mixed numbers. Students enjoyed playing a game with dice that challenged them to make equivalent fractions in a race against a partner.
Our literature circles are up and running. Each reading group voted on a chapter book to read. This past week, students took on the role of "Creative Connector" and shared many meaningful connections with each other about what they read in the first few chapters of their books. The children are currently being "Word Wizards" in preparation for our next meetings this week. They are on the hunt for confusing words that they can clarify using context clues, word parts, or by looking up the definitions in the dictionary.
We reviewed our forces and motion chapter all week to prepare for a test on Chapter 10 in science on Monday. The children should study their vocabulary cards and study guides. We are also starting a unit on government in social studies. Students will be learning about the various rights and responsibilities of United States citizens. We will also be studying the three branches of government.
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