April News

Dates to Remember

School-to-Home Connection

This month

Work with your child to try to find examples of measurement & geometry in the real world.  Have your child search out examples of the three types of angles in your home: right (90°), obtuse (greater than 90°), acute (less than 90°).  They can also be on the look out for parallel, perpendicular and intersecting lines.

After vacation, ask your child about the book he/she is reading.  Can they identify the historical time period? What are the traits of the main character?

Classroom Update

Math

We are beginning new units involving Geometry and Measurement.  During this month he children will explore, measure and draw angles, classify shapes using their properties and solve problems while applying their knowledge of geometry.  They will also apply all that they have learned about addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to their study of angles and shapes.

Reading

Our work this month (after vacation) will focus on Historical Fiction Book Clubs.  Each club will be assigned an era and will read books within the era - all while preparing for, and participating in Book Club discussions.  Similar to the other "club" units, students will identify a club name, set up club rules and a reading/discussion schedule.  Students will use the support of their book clubs to keep track of the characters and the plot as they read books that may have unfamiliar settings and time periods.  The class read aloud will be Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, which usually ends up to be a class favorite!

Writing 

This month the class will participate in a relatively new unit where they will write Historical Fiction.  The children will draw on narrative writing strategies from the fall, their knowledge of a particular historical period, and the insights they gain from reading this genre, to write powerful historical fiction stories.  They will decide on a time period, create a character who wants something but encounters a problem, and then write a solution. I am eager to read what they craft!

Social Studies 

This month we will wrap up our study of the US regions. Students will be working in groups to complete a research packet, as well as create a Regions poster displaying all that they learned!

SBAC

We will spend some time this month becoming familiar with the statewide SBAC test by practicing on the iPads.  This allows students to feel confident, both with the content and the format of the test. Please note, we will be keeping all student iPads in school during April, and until testing is completed. (There will be no homework during the two weeks of testing time.)