Week of 1/21

Reading
Students are beginning to learn about the central message of stories. One way to determine an author's message is to first figure out the problem and solution of the story, then think about what the author is trying to teach us. We read the folktale Ant & Grasshopper and students found the problem and solution in the text - Grasshopper played his fiddle instead of gathering food for winter, then he was unprepared, cold and hungry when winter came. Ant offered to share his supply of food and reminded Grasshopper to work first, then play after. Students were able describe the message of this story as "It is important to get your work done before you play."

Writing
We spent time finishing and sharing our first personal narratives. Students worked extremely hard to write these stories. They made sure to draw detailed illustrations on each page of text. They even put titles on their stories! Lots of authors were interested in sharing. It is so exciting to have proud writers wanting to read their stories aloud to the entire class! The audience members practiced respectful listening and gave positive, specific feedback to each author.

We completed a mid-year primary spelling inventory for a formal check on student spelling. Students were given a set of 26 words with a variety of spelling features (short and long vowels, blends, digraphs, etc.) After reviewing them, I made some minor adjustments to spelling groups. Please remember that your child's spelling work is uploaded to Seesaw and sent home in red totes each week. Please let me know if you have any questions about your child's spelling progress.

Math
We wrapped up unit 4 on measurement. Over the past few weeks, students learned about fractions (equal parts of a whole) including halves and fourths. They practiced dividing shapes into halves and fourths using vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines. They spent time measuring the length of short and long objects using non-standard units of measurement including tiles, paper clips and connecting cubes. In addition, we practiced solving story problems using both addition AND subtraction equations (they're related!) and telling time to the hour and half hour.

Library
We kicked off a bridge building challenge with Mrs. Stanbro. This challenge will put our problem solving and critical thinking skills to the test! After listening to The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Jerry Pinkney, students learned about different types of bridges. They watched a video and then compared and contrasted three different types of bridges (truss, beam and suspension). Then, students were challenged to design a strong bridge that could hold a certain amount of weight. Our young engineers used graph paper to sketch out their bridges. Next week, they will have access to a variety of materials to build their designs.

Upcoming Dates

• There is an early release on Wednesday, February 5th. Students will be dismissed at 12:35pm.
• There is no school Monday, February 17th - Friday, February 21st for February vacation.

Thank you,
Mrs. Bradstreet