Please look for your child’s update on the week in Seesaw today. We had an assembly with author and puppeteer, Kevin Kammeraad. It was interactive and fun!

A quick overview of our week: In reading we have wrapped up our character unit and are in nonfiction-research book clubs with the focus on animals. We have started by noticing what a researcher does and are beginning those steps. Many students are also reaching their reading goals they are making each week! It’s great to see!

In writing, we will begin All About books on a topic that each child already knows a lot about. We will go through the process of planning, organizing, revising, editing, and including tools that make our writing more detailed and interesting.

In math, we are about to wrap up our unit on measurement. We have worked on telling time to the nearest minute, elapsed time, and metric measurement of volume and mass. The math test will be before Spring Break begins. When we return, we will begin a unit on geometric figures.

In science we are learning about plants. I hope that your child did their homework–sharing with you the different plant parts and functions of them! 🙂 We also learned about photosynthesis and pollination. After Spring Break, we will begin investigating animal habitats and adaptations.

Next week is a 4 day week! Have a wonderful weekend!

I hope your family is enjoying The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester! Since March is Reading Month, we also began setting our own personal reading goals to help us become stronger readers. Several students have already achieved 2-3 goals!

We watched the movie, “Because of Winn-Dixie” and compared and contrasted it with our book. This week in Reading Workshop, we worked on comparing and contrasting traits and actions of two characters from different books. We also looked at ways characters react to problems that they face and lessons that our characters have learned. Students learned about book club expectations and how to conduct meaningful conversations. I was very impressed with their book club work this week!

In writing, we have wrapped up publishing of our fractured fairy tales. Early finishers were challenged to create a fairy tale of their own that does not follow a traditional fairy tale story line.

In math, we are moving right along with learning how to identify and draw fractions on a number line beginning with 1/2s and 1/3s and moving to fourths, eighths, and sixths. This week we took on the challenge of comparing fractions with the same denominator (ex. 4/6 and 5/6) and fractions with the same numerator but different denominator (ex. 4/6 and 4/8).

In social studies, we have learned about the French and Indian War, the impact of the British in Michigan, and are approaching the year when Michigan became a state.

I look forward to meeting with you at conference time, either March 9, 10 or 13th. Remember, students have an 11:50 dismissal Thursday and Friday (9th & 10th). The Book Fair is open during conference times, and our class will visit the Book Fair as well on Monday, March 13th.