~ HAPPY FRIDAY ~

~Happy Saint Patrick's Day ~

AROUND THE SCHOOL

March 16th: Wear Green &
 End of 3rd Quarter
March 23rd:  Reports Card Day!
March 26th - March 30th:  Spring Break
April 2nd:  School Resumes






KINDERGARTEN COGAT RESULTS
Letters went home Friday in their binders with CogAT results.  No one has been identified for high ability yet.  End of the year NWEA data is needed before final decisions are made.  Please remember, CogAT is a test with zero reading.  It is a test which shows how students think.  It often identifies your out-of-the-box thinkers.  If your child did not do well on this test, no worries.  CogAT is only one of two ways into high ability.  NWEA data from the end of the year is an achievement test.  This becomes the second path into the high ability program.  Remember, you do not need to to do well on both tests.  While waiting on NWEA scores, a suggestion would be to look at your child's Fall and Winter NWEA scores.  The score you would look at would be the middle number: 97-98-99 .  This is the number used to identify for high ability - it needs to be 95 or higher to be considered for HA.


LANGUAGE ARTS

1ST GRADE:  PRESENTATIONS:  They took some time to finish their persuasive writing.  When they finished they traded with a partner to work on peer editing.  The partner looked at a yes/no form to help evaluate a friend's work.  We had a discussion on the benefit of an extra set of eyes looking over our writing.  Next they spread out around the room to practice for the presentation.  Each student took a turn reading their writing to the class.  I was surprised that this group all thought first graders should receive cell phones!  They focused on the fun and having them in case of emergencies. 

2ND GRADE:  THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX:  This week they completed their study guide on chapters 10 & 11.  We read aloud chapter 12 & 13.  Next, they completed a reading analyzer on one of the 2 chapters they read.  We used the reading analyzer as a tool from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  

We discussed the importance of this tool and how it helps us look further at the author's message.  I asked them to focus on the details, imagery - connections and message.  These are the areas they can improve on from our last book study.  We will have just enough time to complete Book the 1st before Spring Break - a perfect stopping point.

HOMEWORK:  Please read chapters 14 & 15.



3RD GRADE:  SPARK:  This week it was all about the plan for the proposed solution.  The students took the time to calculate the details to the plan.  They have proposed an ambitious project and have lots of items to think about.  They would like to create a Science Stations.  The idea would be that 4th graders would be at different stations, while the kindergartners came to each one (in small groups).  The 4th graders would be leaders at each station by running it, teaching it and exploring it with the kindergartners.  The kindergartners would rotate to each station in small groups.  Next week we will backtrack one more time to see if the plan still fits the parameters as a final test.


MATH

1ST GRADE:  CONGRUENT:  We started with some review fun by playing Win, Lose or Draw - Geometry Style.  Students took turns drawing different math shapes or different attributes for the other students to guess.  Next we received a new letter from Imi and Zani that introduced a new math term for us - congruent.  We looked over at our word wall to help us define this word as figures having the same size and shape.  This led us into a discussion on the position of a shape.  We discussed and concluded that rotating the shape doesn't change the size and shape.


2ND GRADE:  CHAPTER CHECK-UP:  This group started our week by taking the chapter 2 check-up.  We also took time after the test to go over their responses.  The kids were confident in their responses - although some said they were tricked on one of the questions.  


We heard back from Dru and Teller and they have another assignment for us to complete for the SMILE gallery.  First though they would like us to become familiar with building 3D shapes with our foam blocks.  First we split into two groups - worked perfectly for boys verse girls.  Then they would rotate between building rectangular prisms and triangular prisms. 
 The catch was the two groups could not have the same design.  I would let them know if they had a duplicate and the groups would quickly change them.  By the end, we weren't getting duplicate designs as they were thinking outside the box with their designs.  To end the day, both groups worked together to try and utilize all the blocks to form a new 3D shape.



3RD GRADE:  MENTAL MATH:  This week we focused on choosing the right strategy for our mental math.  When reviewing our work from last week, we had students just saying one property all the way through, when the other property would have been the better choice.  They reminded me that the commutative property allows you to flip-flop numbers and the associative will focus on regrouping.  As we went through a group of problems it really started clicking on selecting the right property.  I also heard some great strategies for solving the problems.  We will wrap up this lesson next week with our Think Deeply question.

4TH GRADE:  MAKE 1 - FRACTION FUN:  This week was all about independent practice from our lesson last week.  It was all about taking different fraction strips and finding different combinations to add up to 1 whole yard.  The first challenge was finding the total number of combinations they could make with 2 fraction strips.


 
 Then they were challenged to come up with 3 combinations using 3 or more fraction strips.  However, I let them turn the page and read their Think Deeply question which takes this same question further by coming up with 5 combinations. 



 I allowed them to begin to work on their Think Deeply, with a catch - I wanted them to find as many combinations as they could to this problem.  Our student to find the highest number was 14 - pretty impressive as there were a possible of 24 different combinations.  We will look at the second Think Deeply question next week.



Have a Wonderful Weekend,

Ms. Losinski