Spring is in the air and the end of the year is in sight! We're doing our best to stay focused on our learning in the classroom :) Please take some time to read important reminders and updates from the classroom.
The MAP testing window will be opening this week. Our class will take their final MAP Tests for the year on Monday and Tuesday. Please make sure your child comes to school well rested and has eaten a healthy breakfast.
The Ivy Hall ABC countdown will begin on Monday! We will count down the school days using the letters in the alphabet. Here is the upcoming weeks themes. You can also click here to download the full calendar.
5/1 - A - America Day: Wear red, white, and blue
5/2 - B - Baseball Day: Wear your favorite baseball team apparel
5/3 - C - Crazy Hair Day: Do your hair CRAZY today
5/4 - D - Disney Day: Wear your favorite Disney apparel
5/5 - E - Exercise Day: Put in some extra exercise today
Check out the PTO Blog for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities!
Reading
Our class just wrapped up Unit 5 where we learned extensively about our solar system. Students read many non-fiction texts on the same topic. We used text features to identify additional information and then compared the texts.
This week we began our final reading unit! This unit's theme is culture and diversity. We will be reading both fiction and non-fiction books. Students should be able to identify what type of book they're reading (fiction or non-fiction) and give reasons how they know. While reading fiction stories, students should be able to retell the story in sequential order and be use adjectives to describe specific characters. Students should also be able to compare and contrast character's experiences. You can practice these skills at home, too!
Writing
Students have just finished their planet books this week! They worked hard to research a their favorite planet on an app called PebbleGo. They took notes on what they learned and organized their notes into a t-chart. They then took that information and created a book! We are in the publishing stage, so look for their books to come home soon! Our next unit will focus on opinion writing. Students will be reminded how to state their opinion and support it with reasons. Students will also be expected to include a closing in their writing as well.
Math
We are currently in our final math unit. Students have made great progress in counting and representing coins! The quarter has been introduced so students should be able to count and represent a variety of mixed coins up to $1.00. We've discussed that there are multiple ways to represent a value, however, we usually want to use the least amount of coins. For example, if I have to come up with $0.86, I would not want to count out 86 pennies. I would start with the greatest value coin. Our next topic will be measurement.
Science
Students have been studying sky patterns in science. We studied the pattern of the sun and now are looking for moon patterns. Students created a flip book to show the moon's path across the sky. They also worked in teams to create a moon calendar to show the different phases of the moon throughout the month. Students can use these patterns to predict the shape of the moon and where it will be in the sky. If you are filling out your moon calendar each night, we will compare it to what we've learned in class! I know that it has been cloudy several nights, however that can turn into a great conversation in the classroom! Students can use what they've learned to make an assumption of what the moon should have been!
Social Studies
Students are learning their place in the world. We've discussed how we fit on Earth in terms of geography. Students should be able to identify North America on the map and the 2 oceans surrounding it, the Pacific and Atlantic.
May 1 - ABC Countdown Begins
May 1/2 - MAP Testing
May 9 - Early Release (2:00 Dismissal)
May 9 - Final Library Check-Out
May 12 - Student Council Spirit Day - Blue Day
May 19 - Family Picnic
May 26 - 1/2 Day Release (11:45 Dismissal)
May 26 - Fun Run
May 29 - No School (Memorial Day)
May 30 - Special Lunch, Papa John's (Pre-Order required)
May 30 - Special Lunch, Papa John's (Pre-Order required)
June 2 - Field Day (rain date 6/5)
June 6 - Last Day of School (2:00 Dismissal)
