This week has been off to a great start!  We launched right back into biographies, learning about various changemakers in small expert groups and focusing especially on Ruby Bridges as a whole class.  Later this week, we will transition into learning about landforms.  Students will become experts on a certain landform, and next week we will teach one another and our friends in room 2.

In math this week, we will continue to focus on arrays.  Students are learning that a given number of objects can only be arranged into certain arrays.  We are also looking at what happens to an equation when we remove or add a row or column on an array.  Iin addition, we have been looking at arrays in real life. I would encourage your child to find examples of arrays at home.  It's amazing how many arrays we have in our homes, from cans in a cabinet to tiles on a floor to tops of Lego bricks.  

For word work this week, we will be focusing on hard and soft g and c both in reading words and in spelling them.  Today we learned that most of the time the c and g will be soft if followed by an i, e, or y.  We have also started to learn about the common contractions and, but, or, so, yet, nor.  We are learning how to use these contractions to connect ideas and make our sentences more complex.

In writing, we are focusing on opinion writing and things that are AWESOME!  Students are working to add many details and reasons to support their opinions.  In reading we will be working to ask and answer why? questions to get our brains ready for inference.  This is a big jump from surface-level questioning about a story to going below the surface and infer why a character makes certain decisions or acts in a certain way.    

It has been so wonderful to share in learning about so many people for Black History Month.  I have been so proud of the students who have shared so far!  We have been hearing from a few friends each day, and we have practiced being good audience members as well as public speakers.

As a reminder, the challenge assignment is due by this Friday.  Students will learn about three people for Black History Month.  They need to gather and record five facts for each person.  Students will share their learning with the class.  Nothing elaborate is needed.  A list of facts on paper will do just fine.  If your child would like to make a Google Slides presentation or a poster, that is fine as well.  If your student needs help getting started, here is a list to choose from (students may choose other people as well):

• Rosa Parks — helped change laws by saying "no" to unfair rules on buses.

• Harriet Tubman — helped people escape slavery using the Underground Railroad.

• George Washington Carver — a scientist who taught farmers new ways to grow crops.

• Mae Jemison — the first Black woman astronaut to travel to space.

• Wilma Rudolph — an Olympic runner who won gold medals and inspired others.

• Barack Obama — the first Black president of the United States.

• Jackie Robinson — broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball and showed courage.

• Bessie Coleman — the first Black woman pilot who loved flying and inspired others.