Weekly News - Update

• This has been a very emotional week. We finished reading Where the Red Fern Grows and the ending was very sad and difficult for many students. In a small group we discussed how books affect us all in different ways. In this book students grew close to the main character, Billy, and his two coon hound dogs and that is why it was difficult to see them die at the end of the story. We got through the many tears and talked about all the wonderful things that happened to Billy and his family because of the dogs.
• In Reading this week students summarized and discussed the theme of Where the Red Fern Grows.  They were also given a test about the whole book. Today we will be watching the movie with both fifth grades. Students will be comparing and contrasting the book and the movie. It's always interesting to see their reaction to the movie after having read the book. Most students agree that the book is so much better than the movie. I tell them that is because when they read the book it is their imagination that shows them how the story unfolds and when they watch the movie the story is being told by the writier and how they interpret it.
• In Math this week students have been converting weights and measurements. They have been doing a pretty good job with this. The second half of the week they solved word problems whole group and with partners. Next week we will be moving on to division with one and two digit divisiors.
• In Social Studies students watched a short video about slavery. This goes along with on Our Colonial Heritage. Our next unit will lead us through The American Revolution.
• In Science students are continuing to work on their natural disaster charts. They are just about done with reading the little books. They will get a 9'' by 12'' piece of paper to plan their chart and discuss how they will present their information to the class.
• Students have been completing easycbm's on the computer during math intervention. This program allows students to practice math skills that they will be tested on in May. Stuents usuall do one or two lesson a week. The skills covered are numbers and operations (basic math), numbers and operations algebra, geometry, measurement and algebra. Please hace your children continue to practice maultiplication and division facts.
• Please continue to have your children practice the reading examples of the PARCC test. A link to this site is in the left hand column of this Blog. I have showed the children how to get on and practice. We will be taking the PARCC Reading test only on April 2nd, 3rd and 4th. If you have any questions you can email or call me.

As always thank you for your support from the home front. It is very much appreciated. Please pray we do not have a snow storm on Monday. Let spring begin!