Math
As we are now successfully reading and writing numbers to one million, we will shift our focus to comparing two or more numbers. We will look for what the numbers have in common and how they differ. We will use the words greater than, less than, and equal to in order to compare.
To integrate our geography unit and make real world connections in math, students will use current and previous US Census population data to compare the population across states, age groups, regions, etc. Our goal is to be able to read and analyze large numbers (to the millions) so that we can round numbers the following two weeks. By using Census data, we will be able to infer why population in each state varies. We will be able to infer how geography plays a huge part is the disbursement of US Population.
A helpful website that we will be using in class is http://www.census.gov/schools/census_for_kids/
Our goal is to have weekly quizzes that will assess student progress with each section of material taught. The day we have the quiz will depend on how far we get in teaching the concept. Quizzes will be announced and written in agenda books each week. Math homework will be assigned Monday through Thursday to reinforce concepts students are learning in their small groups that week. If your child is frustrated by the homework and unable to determine a strategy for completion, please write a note on the paper and we will review with him/her the following day.
In addition, students should be practicing their basic facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication) each night. Students must be fluent in all four operations by the end of this year. Two great websites we use in class are:
www.multiplication.com
www.thinkingblocks.com
Over the next two weeks, students will be taking the Measures of Academic Progress Math (MAP-M) so that we can get baseline data to help us meet the needs of each student. Later in the month we will take this computerized assessment for Reading as well.
Reading/Science
This week students will engage in reading informational texts to make generalizations and analyze relationships. We will read various text to determine distinctions between decomposition and competition among various plants and animals that share a habitat.
Each day students will practice what is taught in the mini-lesson in their guided reading group. Teachers will continue to complete reading assessments with students to gain an accurate reading levels to form groups. In guided groups we will read various informational texts to make generalizations about how plants/animals co-exist in the same habitat.
This week each class will take the MAP-R (Measures of Academic Progress, Reading). Our schedule is as follows:
Tuesday: Mr. Bidwick, 1:00
Wednesday: Ms. Hudson, 1:00
Thursday: Mrs. Dynda, 1:00
Social Studies/Media/Writing
In math, we will look at geographic characteristics of various states in order to help us determine present day settlement patterns based on US population.
In Media we will begin to research the geography and settlement patterns of Native Americans before 1400. As a class we will generate research questions to guide our inquiry projects. Each student will select a native culture group to research. We will look to identify the geographic characteristics of the land settled, how the culture shaped the roles of men and women, as well as various other questions once generated. After gathering our research, students will use what they have learned about native culture to craft a historical fiction piece of writing.
Our media time will be flexible and based on the needs of each class. Mr. Bidwick's class is gathering research this week followed by Mrs. Dynda's class the first week of October. Our media time has moved from 11:15 to 1:00 in order to accommodate each grade level's needs. We will also have book check out during that time.
As we prepare for gathering research about various Native tribes in media, in social studies students will gather research about the various regions of settlement of Native people. We will gather as much information as we can about the geography of the land (setting) so that we have enough background information to write our historical fiction narratives about life in a Native tribe pre-European exploration.
In writing, students will analyze research gathered about the region chosen in order to compose a paragraph about setting. The goal is to describe the geographic characteristics of the land and then explain the human characteristics of the settlement/tribe due to the physical characteristics. This setting paragraph will be our second graded writing assignment.
For example, students who research the Eastern Woodlands would be able to note that Native people used the bark from trees to make wigwams for housing. Since trees were an abundant natural resource, there was a ready supply to support the survival of the tribes. Some tribes even made a bark stew to eat!
Science
During this marking period we will study ecosystems, particularly the Chesapeake Bay.
We will observe each animal (cricket, isopod, snail, guppy) and the plants that will provide nourishment for survival. We will examine our habitats (eco-columns) to determine how well our plants/animals are surviving based on our design.
We will also use bread to analyze the process and importance of decomposition. In reading, we will make generalizations about the need for competition and decomposition of specific habitats in order for the successful survival of the ecosystem.
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