This past Monday students were able to meet two-time Newbury Award winning author, Katherine Paterson. She has written over 30 books, notably Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins, a book students in grades 2-6 all read together this fall. Ms. Paterson shared with students various inspirations for her books. Two of her books have been turned into movies and students learned about that process as well. It was a great opportunity for all of our students to meet her!
Fourth graders were visited by our first Mystery Reader, Luke's grandmother Mary. She really went to town and the students loved it. If you are interested in being a Mystery Reader in our classroom we would love to have you. Check out the button on the right side of the page for information.
In literacy, we concluded our Character Unit and students wrote book responses describing the characters from their book group books. Students paid attention to writing a controlling idea (thesis statement) and making sure all of the ideas in the response related to that main idea. Students are almost finished with their creative writing stories. They are turning them into books, so they are working on illustrations during read aloud. Later in the week we began our short Intro to Nonfiction unit. Students are focusing on finding main ideas and supporting details within nonfiction texts. We are focusing this study on bats. There was interest due to our current read aloud, Silverwing. We will be learning about reading and writing nonfiction while learning a lot about bats! We have also invited a biologist from the state in to talk with us about bats. She can't wait to tell the students about one of the rarest species of bats she has found in the state and where she found it last summer…you guessed it, Salisbury!
Shakespeare parts were passed out and scripts were sent home. I have received many of the ticket requests, but am still waiting for a few more. I will be handing these over to Lindsay from Town Hall Theater this week. Students should be studying their lines every night. If they feel they know their lines really well and would like to add a few more they should let me know this week. A few students already have. Please let me know if you know your 4th/5th grader cannot make it that evening. There are many other students counting on them to make the show a success!
I have added some math games to the math button the right side of the page. I am trying to tweak it, but for right now the button is linked to a Word Document. This will download and then you will have the list of links.
Both grades are beginning new units within the next week, so here are the unit overviews:
Grade 4
www.mathlearningcenter.org/sites/default/files/documents/family/PAR-BR4-U3.pdf
Grade 5
www.mathlearningcenter.org/sites/default/files/documents/family/PAR-BR5-U3.pdf
This Week: (11/14-11/18)
Moday-Act 1 with Willow and Shakespeare
Wednesday-Final Act 1 with Willow
Friday-Picture Retakes and Instrument/Band
Next Week: (11/21-11/22)
Monday-Shakespeare
Tuesday-Character Day
Wednesday-Friday-NO SCHOOL
We are also collecting food for the food shelf in Middlebury. Just send in any nonperishable food items, toiletries, etc. with your learner and we will get them to the food shelf.
Thanks so much for all you do to support your learner!
The photos below are from all different parts of the week, enjoy!
In literacy, we concluded our Character Unit and students wrote book responses describing the characters from their book group books. Students paid attention to writing a controlling idea (thesis statement) and making sure all of the ideas in the response related to that main idea. Students are almost finished with their creative writing stories. They are turning them into books, so they are working on illustrations during read aloud. Later in the week we began our short Intro to Nonfiction unit. Students are focusing on finding main ideas and supporting details within nonfiction texts. We are focusing this study on bats. There was interest due to our current read aloud, Silverwing. We will be learning about reading and writing nonfiction while learning a lot about bats! We have also invited a biologist from the state in to talk with us about bats. She can't wait to tell the students about one of the rarest species of bats she has found in the state and where she found it last summer…you guessed it, Salisbury!
Shakespeare parts were passed out and scripts were sent home. I have received many of the ticket requests, but am still waiting for a few more. I will be handing these over to Lindsay from Town Hall Theater this week. Students should be studying their lines every night. If they feel they know their lines really well and would like to add a few more they should let me know this week. A few students already have. Please let me know if you know your 4th/5th grader cannot make it that evening. There are many other students counting on them to make the show a success!
I have added some math games to the math button the right side of the page. I am trying to tweak it, but for right now the button is linked to a Word Document. This will download and then you will have the list of links.
Both grades are beginning new units within the next week, so here are the unit overviews:
Grade 4
www.mathlearningcenter.org/sites/default/files/documents/family/PAR-BR4-U3.pdf
Grade 5
www.mathlearningcenter.org/sites/default/files/documents/family/PAR-BR5-U3.pdf
This Week: (11/14-11/18)
Moday-Act 1 with Willow and Shakespeare
Wednesday-Final Act 1 with Willow
Friday-Picture Retakes and Instrument/Band
Next Week: (11/21-11/22)
Monday-Shakespeare
Tuesday-Character Day
Wednesday-Friday-NO SCHOOL
We are also collecting food for the food shelf in Middlebury. Just send in any nonperishable food items, toiletries, etc. with your learner and we will get them to the food shelf.
Thanks so much for all you do to support your learner!
The photos below are from all different parts of the week, enjoy!