Reading/ELA Overview:

We will move into U2.1 this week. After we practice skills in our Reading/Writing Companion books, we will begin our first novel study! Our focus skills will be central (main) ideas and supporting details, and character development. Our vocab skill will deal with affixes (prefixes and suffixes). We will work with possessive nouns more this week, and then move on to verbs. 

There will be a vocabulary quiz on Friday for the words introduced on Monday. There will be additional vocabulary words directly related to the novel study.

Spelling Week 4 word list will be introduced and tested this week. Homework is due on Thursday, the test will be Friday.

Spelling will always follow the same routine. We will typically only have Spelling on full five-day school weeks. The Pre-Test will be on Monday, with homework assigned based on errors. We will do some work in school. Thursday homework will be due, and Friday will be the test. If 100% is scored on the Pre-Test, they do not need to take the test on Friday.

Vocabulary and Grammar Assessments will always fall around the same time as the Reading Assessment. Reading Assessments (Progress Monitoring Assessments or PMAs) are "cold reads," passages the students have not seen before; they test the students on their ability to apply the skills that they have learned throughout the unit. **Students are permitted to use their reading/ELA notebooks as a resource for all assessments, with the exception of vocabulary.**

Math Overview:

We will continue work with Topic 3. Topic 3 skills include different strategies to multiply large numbers by single-digit numbers, and how estimating products can help us determine whether answers are reasonable.

We will always have a practice test (red bordered pages titled "Assessment Practice" at the end of the Topic in the math book). This will done in school or for homework, and we will review it very carefully before the topic assessment. This can also be used as a study guide to help prepare for the actual assessment. Students will be permitted (and strongly encouraged) to use their math notebooks as a resource when taking assessments.

Knowing multiplication facts is very important now, as multiplication facts will be used for all upcoming math skills. Please practice multiplication facts at home, or upcoming math skills will become very difficult as they all rely on knowing multiplication facts.

IXLs and Practice Buddies must be at a certain percentage to be considered "completed" as classwork or homework; however, the students should take those scores as high as they can as they become more comfortable with the content. These scores are averaged and entered as grades, and can help boost the students' overall math scores.

Math grades are compiled from formative assignments such as assigned IXLs and Practice Buddies, and summative assignments including fact tests, basic concept quizzes, and the final topic assessment. Homework completion will also play a part in the final grade for the marking period.

Science Overview:

The students are currently with Ms. Moran for SS.