Word Study
We covered a lot of learning this week. Students focused on identifying and classifying nouns, including proper nouns. We learned and applied four new vocabulary words and their associated parts of speech. Students continue to learn about closed syllables and use this knowledge for spelling and reading closed syllables. Students were introduced to initial consonant blends (two consonants) and clusters (three consonants) that make a new sound. Click on this link to learn more about blends
Reading
Students continue to work on identifying and stating the main idea of a passage. They have two strategies: looking for the topic sentence (which is not necessarily at the beginning of the passage) and using the five W's. This is linked to our writing where we are learning to construct topic sentences and distinguish between supporting details and the main idea.
Writing
Students began planning a single paragraph personal narrative. While there is great desire from many students to write the next Harry Potter series, fiction is far more challenging to write than non-fiction narratives, which allow young writers to focus on planning and revision.
Math
I introduced multi-digit addition via partial sums this week. Here is a nice video link which will explain partial sums and some of its benefits: partial sums
We are also continuing to explore "entry points" for authentic problems. Entry points provide students with an array of possible starting points for solving any problem, using their strengths wherever they are in the curriculum. We then discuss which entry points are more efficient and what skills and knowledge are necessary for using each. Entry points include:
- Highlight important words
- Act it out
- Counters or other manipulatives
- Draw a picture
- Write an equation
Science
We continue to study natural resources in earth science. Students are learning (but have not mastered and understanding of) what natural resources are and which natural resources we use as energy sources. These are further categorized into renewable and non-renewable resources. We will revisit this learning goal next week. We used National Geographic magazines (Thank you for all of the donations!) to find images and start collages. While this did bear out the end products I had hoped for, they provided us with great discussion and the realization that we need to spend more time on these concepts.
Important Dates and Reminders
New dates and times are indicated in red.
Fall conferences will be the second week of November. Please visit the signup genius page to choose your date and time by clicking on this link.
Visit the link below to learn more about Science Sundays at The Ohio State University. These are great student appropriate science experiences.
Important 1st Quarter Dates & Reminders
September 22 through 26, 2014 - PTO Book Sale
September 26, 2014 - Wacky hair day
September 26, 2014 - Fall Family Fun Night from 5 till 7pm
September 30, 2014 - Walk-A-Mile (Windermere service learning project led by Ms. Dobies)
October 3, 2014 - Hat day
October 6 through 10, 2014 - Hawk Walk for the Playground
October 8, 2014 - Ohio Reading Achievement Assessment (Please avoid scheduling absences on this date)
October 10, 2014 - Blue and Green Day: Show your Windermere Hawk Pride
October 13 through 17, 2014 - Collection days for Box Tops for Education
October 17, 2014 - Blue and Green Day: Show your Windermere Hawk Pride
October 17, 2014- Field Trip to Thompson Park (please email if you would like to volunteer)
October 23, 2014 - Fall picture retakes
October 24, 2014 - End of the first quarter
October 27, 2014 - No school, teacher grading day
Important 2nd Quarter Dates & Reminders
October 30, 2014 - UA Trick or Treating from 5:30 till 8pm
October 31, 2014 - Halloween party (extended lunch from 12 till 1:30pm, most students go home to change into costumes)
November 3 through 7, 2014 - First quarter conferences
November 4, 2014 - No School for Students, Teacher Development Day
November 5, 2014 - Progress Reports sent home
November 6, 2014 - Early Dismissal/Conferences at 11am
November 10 through 13, 2014 - Fall conferences
November 17 through 21, 2014 - District Gifted Screening
November 25, 2014 - Scarlet and Gray Day
November 26 through 28, 2014 - No School Thanksgiving
December 1 through January 9, 2015 - STAR Reading and Math Diagnostic Testing
December 3, 2014 - Early Dismissal/Teacher Development at 1pm
December 19, 2014 - Holiday parties 2pm
December 22 through January 2, 2015 - No School Winter Break
January 16, 2015 - End of second quarter
January 19, 2015 - No School Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 20, 2015 - No school, teacher grading day
Important 3rd Quarter Dates & Reminders
January 27, 2015 - Progress Reports sent home
January 29, 2015 - Early Dismissal/Conferences at 11am
February 2 through 13, 2015 - Ohio Wildlife Center donation drive
February 4, 2015 - Early Dismissal/Teacher Development at 1pm
February 9 through 13, 2015 - Collection days for Box Tops for Education
February 16, 2015 - No School Presidents' Day
February 17, 2015 - Math State PBA
February 23, 2015 - English Language Arts State PBA
February 23, 2015 - AASCD
March 9 through 13, 2015 - PTO Book Sale
March 17, 2015 - 3rd Grade Musical
March 20 through 27, 2015 - No School Spring Break
April 2, 2015 - End of third quarter
April 3, 2015 - No School
April 6, 2015 - No School, teacher grading day
Important 4th Quarter Dates & Reminders
April 8, 2015 - Early Dismissal/Teacher Development at 1pm
April 9, 2015 - Spring Picture Day
April 13 through May 22, 2015 - District Writing Diagnostic Testing
April 14, 2015 - Progress Reports sent home
April 21 through 22, 2015 - English Language Arts State EOY
April 22, 2015 - Ohio Reading Achievement Assessment
April 24, 2015 - Kid Fest
April 28 through 29, 2015 - Math State EOY
May 1 through 29, 2015 - STAR Reading and Math Diagnostic Testing
May 9, 2015 - Wish Run
May 25, 2015 - No School Memorial Day
June 1, 2015 - Field Day
June 3, 2015 - End of fourth quarter/Last day for students, Classroom parties 12:05 till 1:05pm
June 9, 2015 - Progress Reports sent home
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