Weekly News - Update

• This was a very busy week in room 19. We started the week off by finishing the Gates McGinitie comprehension subtest. This reading test will be one tool used to place students in reading programs at the middle school.
• In math students are practicing multiplying and dividing fractions. This week they learned about order of operations through the acronym GEMS (groupings, exponents, multiplication/division, and subtraction/addition). Ask them to tell you about it.
• In reading we are continuing to read Hatchet. Both boys and girls are loving the adventure. Please ask them to share this lively adventure with you. Along with the story students are completing a variety of comprehension activities. In Reader's Workshop students are reading ability level passages, leveled books and Science topic leveled books. These books can be read individually, with a partner or in a small group. They are loving the non-fiction topics.
• In Social Studies this week students watched Liberty's Kids, This is a series of videos about most of the topics covered in our Social Studies curriculum. Our first video taught students about The Boston Tea Party and the Battle at Lexington and Concord. Students learned many facts that were listed in the Social Studies Books and they enjoyed it!
•  Power Point projects are moving right long. Most groups have completed several slides. Other's are researching their topics. Students get on the computer two to three times a week to develop power point presentations that they will use to teach their classmates about current Social Studies, Science or Health concepts. Please ask them questions about their research and slides.
• Dibels End of Year testing will begin soon. You can help your child do well on this test by having them read for one minute several times a day. This will help to increase their reading fluency. By the end of the year your child should be reading 130 word per minute. Once they finish reading please ask them to retell you what they have read. Ask them to tell you three or more facts in sequential order. Your child should begin by saying this story is about or the main idea is. Thank you for your help in this area.

As always thank you for you support from the home front!