Last Week in Review

Literacy & Science:  This week was a busy one!  We continue our science reading with nonfiction texts and strategies including making inferences and supporting claims with evidence, and identifying and using key vocabulary terms, including adaptations, genes and species  Students practiced their comparison writing strategies describing similarities and differences between a set of identical twins.  

Math:  Third Grade mathematicians are  tackling the multiplication chart.   This activity helps everyone make sense of multiplication by looking at regularity and patterns.   The December calendar focuses on fractions and this month’s Number Corner work involves creating a classroom collection of objects to accumulate a total mass of 1,000 g.   Fourth grade mathematicians are also working on fractions!   Students are making fraction tool-kits with various pieces.   

In Fourth Grade math students took a pretest and reflected on it.  They have begun a unit on fractions.  There has been a lot of work with equivalent fractions as well as some work with the terms improper fraction, mixed number as well as a whole unit.  

Writing:  Authors are working hard to finish the first draft of their realistic fiction drafts.  Next step is tying them into Google Drive.  We reviewed the “checklist” that outlines the narrative standards for writing for both third and fourth graders.  Students will use this tool to self-monitor and self-assess as they work to bring their story to a close. Later this week, students will use the collaborative nature of Google Docs to share their writing with a partner, and support each other in revising and editing using the comment feature.

Engineering, what?:  For the next four weeks we’ll be working through an integrated science/art/engineering project with Ms. Rogers, Mrs. Baker and two engineers who are retired from IBM.  These volunteers and colleagues have been working with Equinox teachers and Mrs. Trasciatti-Holmberg to design a unit of study on sound.  Each student will end up building a Kalimba (thumb heart originally designed in Africa) and learning to play it.  Our class will be working with these folks on Tuesdays only.    

Notes:

• It’s that time of year...please make sure your child comes prepared for outdoor recess each day.  As the temperature drops, it is imperative that all children have appropriate clothing and gear (coat, hat, gloves, snowpants, boots) for outdoor play.     Tomorrow is supposed to be snowy!  I hope everyone will bring snow pants.             
• If your child did not bring home a class picture, please let me know.

• Pajama day was fun!
• We have a sound track for Wonder now, which we have finished reading.  We have begun reading The BFG by Roald Dahl.
• Ask your child about claims and evidence regarding the shark, the dolphin and a tiger.  A full account of this scientific discovery can be found on our Kidblog.