This Week's Focus- Reference Sources
Monday: I gave students a new Focus Wall. It is green and is titled, Synonyms and Antonyms. Print and Cursive are due Wednesday and Connect Four is due on Monday, March 16. That will also be the day of the test. Students have been working on a writing assignment called "The Perfect Pet". This is an opinion paragraph that should have at least seven sentences: an introduction sentence giving the student's opinion, five sentences containing facts about the pet they chose showing why that pet would be a good choice, and a conclusion sentence restating the student's opinion. They may work on this at home, looking up facts about the pet, filling in the graphic organizer they began in class, writing a rough draft, and typing the final copy on Study Island in the assignment listed in their homeroom class.
Tuesday: Students learned a new procedure for ABC order to determine if an entry word would be found on a page for a certain set of guide words. Some need to finish the short assignment to show they understand this procedure. They had the guide words seal and stare and they had to use the procedure to determine which of these words would be found on a dictionary page containing these guide words: suddenly, scanty, steady, succeed, and special. Here is a video I made that shows the procedure. It does not have sound, unfortunately. I have also posted it on Edmodo for students to access. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKW067VJnWE
Students enjoyed the NED assembly today. Be sure to ask your child what NED stands for! Oh, and they will also probably want to purchase a Yo-Yo. I made a suggestion to some this afternoon to try to earn money for the Yo-Yo. They will be on sale during breakfast in the cafeteria through Tuesday.
Wednesday: I will collect print & cursive and the guide words grid paper activity. Students will be working on activity sheets on various reference sources. The first page of the packet is a practice sheet for the guide words grid paper strategy. They may have a portion of this packet to finish for homework.
Thursday: I will be at the Virginia State Reading Conference today and tomorrow. While I am away, students will work on dictionary skills today. The STAR Activity bowling trip will be 8:45-11:00 for the fourth & fifth graders. They will have lunch about ten minutes late due to the trip. Then they will have one period of each of their classes in the afternoon (Language Arts, Science/Social Studies, and Math). They may have a portion of the dictionary skills packet to complete for homework. Report Cards will come home today, also.
Friday: Students will be working on encyclopedia skills today. They may have a portion of this packet to complete at home for homework. Also, the spelling test will be Monday and the Connect Four assignment is due that day as well.There will be an awards assembly today in the gym at 2:15.
On Study Island, I have created a practice assignment for Fact & Opinion and one for Reference Materials. These would be great for your child to work on at home. They will also have the opportunity to work on these practice exercises during 8th period remediation. Next week, I will give a test on these two areas.
I am attaching a list of information about our trip next Friday. I will also send a hard copy home with your child, along with an official permission slip. On the permission slip, please be sure to put at least two contact phone numbers in case of emergency and so you can be notified when your child will arrive at HRMS on Friday night. I had students write in their planners yesterday the amount they still need to pay towards their trip. Please send this in as soon as possible. I had told them they would need to bring additional money for dinner, however, a few additional students have paid a deposit to attend the trip. Yay! So, as it stands, your child will have $8 for dinner that evening. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions.