Newsletter: January 8-21

Literacy

Reading Workshop: Content Area Reading
(See Science below)

Writing Workshop: Expository Nonfiction
In this unit, students will be learning research skills, such as taking notes, categorizing information by subtopic, and conducting effective Internet searches. They will take the information they gather and write an expository text with features such as a table of contents, an engaging introduction and thoughtful conclusion, a glossary, a bibliography, and an author biography section.

January Genre of the Month: Realistic Fiction
During Reader's Choice time, students have begun to read their selected novel with their book club. All book club books are realistic fiction and share a common theme of empathy. Each group's reading schedule can be found on KidBlog. Book clubs will be meeting every Tuesday to discuss that week's reading assignment. Meeting dates are January 14, 21, and 28, and February 4. All work should be posted to KidBlog by the start of school each Tuesday in preparation for these meetings. 

Math

Unit 6: Adding and Subtracting Fractions
Students will conclude their work with fractions with a focus on problem solving. Students are asked to continue to practice their basic facts every night for 5-10 minutes. The Unit 6, Part 3 test will be on Friday, January 17.

Advanced Math

Unit 5: Algebra
In this next unit, students will learn about variables. They will learn to simplify algebraic expressions and to solve inequalities and equations. There will be a test on Unit 5 on Friday, January 17.

Science: Energy Transfers

We will be wrapping up our Energy Transfers unit in these next three weeks. Students are designing experiments to test theories about energy transfers and drawing conclusions from their data.  The final performance task will have students inventing machines using multiple energy transfers to complete a simple task, much like a Rube Goldberg invention.

As part of our science unit, we have been focusing our reading on content area reading. Through our mini-lessons we have been building our technical vocabulary and adding to our schema about energy. Students continue to read about different forms of energy in order to compare and contrast, understand big ideas about energy usage, and formulate opinions of their own. The science/reading unit will conclude in January with our renewable energy debates. With the help of Mrs. Melamed, we will be teaching the students how to form an opinion supported by fact, formulate questions, and brainstorm possible solutions for problems that exist with current renewable energy resources.

Upcoming Events...

January 8 Happy 1/2 Birthday, Drew!
January 9 Happy 1/2 Birthday, Max!
January 14 VIP/Book Talk: Drew
January 20 No School: MLK Jr. Day