February News
Math:
Parts of a Whole Can be
Modeled and Represented in Different Ways
Our class is just beginning to develop an
understanding of fractions as numbers. Thanks to the help of Mrs. Fleet’s 5th
grade class, we began our exploration using egg fractions as a hands-on
manipulative representing 12 parts that together equal one whole. Students used
string to block off different parts and try to name different fractions. This
led to a basic understanding that fractions can have many names, and it’s
always important to think about each fraction as being part of a whole. As we
continue our unit, we will solve problems, describe fractions as numbers on a
number line, and explain equivalence of fractions. Through all activities, our
class is using critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in
solving. This requires them to interpret, evaluate, summarize and synthesize
every day!
Literacy:
Reading- Determining
Importance
Although we have already spent a few weeks focusing
on this strategy, we are nowhere near done! We want to make sure we understand
deeply how to recognize and clearly communicate what is important versus what
is interesting and unimportant, and then show that understanding through
summarizing and written explanation. We will continue to make meaning
strategically by learning how to find the main idea of the texts we read and
the events or ideas that are truly significant to what we are reading.
The students have learned how to use the structure
of Name It, Verb It, Big Idea to help write a strong topic sentence. They have
also learned that “Jot Dots” are great ways to capture big ideas and ensure
that our summaries are written in our own words. Additionally, they are making
sure to add transitions so their thoughts are organized and well written. We
will continue working on this strategy for the next few weeks learning more
about how to use information from illustrations (maps, photographs) and the
words in a text to create deeper understanding, as well as looking at pieces of
texts and considering author’s bias and point of view.
Writing- Informational
Writing
What
makes writing worth reading?
Each day we think about what we could include in
our writing to make it worth reading. Our class is always trying to create
meaning strategically with structure and craft. Through the study of mentor
texts, we continually jot down inspirational words or phrases and are trying to
figure out how to add our own unique craft to our informational pieces. Our
class has almost made it through Bend II of lessons from our new Lucy Calkins
curriculum. The second bend was all about elaboration, understanding how to
include more than just facts, and how to make writing even better by continuing
to add various structures, text features and paragraphs that link ideas
together to make sense. We’re making sure to use our checklists every
day to see what specific areas we need to focus on, and what weekly goals we
can set to improve in those areas. The students know that strong writing does
not happen overnight, and it’s important to continue to analyze different parts
of our writing (leads, transitions, spelling, etc.) to improve along the way.
Science:
Earth Systems
The third graders are finishing up their study of rocks and minerals. They
have spent lots of time utilizing a variety of media sources to collect and
analyze data around Earth’s materials and the processes by which they are
formed. Our class will be coming back to this later in the year with a project
that allows them to take an active role putting their science thinking to the
test. Our final project will focus on the Pikes Peak highway and will help
students gain a broader understanding of systems thinking by allowing them to
analyze the interaction within and between systems, evaluate the relationship
between cause and effect, and finally evaluate the relationship between
decisions and the impact on available resources in the community.
