It's finally beginning to feel like spring--for now at least! Hopefully May will have more sun and less rain for us! This is the last full month of school--yikes! Here is a look at our week ahead:
* it's MAP testing week! The results of your child's test will be sent home with June report cards. The students will be testing in reading and math. There is no way to study for these tests and each test will be individualized for the students. This will help show growth from fall to spring, but more importantly from spring of 2012 to spring of 2013. Our reading test will be Monday afternoon. Mrs. Galazka's math class will take their test on Wednesday morning and Miss Lee's math class will take their test on Thursday morning. The best thing you can do for your child is to help them get a good night's rest, make sure they eat a healthy breakfast/lunch/snack, and encourage him/her to do the best he/she can!
* We will begin wrapping up our unit on inferring in reading. The kids will do some work with inferring headings/subheadings in nonfiction text, reading with a question in mind, and we will also work to infer theme. After this, it's on to determining importance!
* In writing, the kids will have a chance to create a new character to work with. We will go through the same process with this character, as the other one we created. The kids will work to create a personality for their character, put their character in an everyday situation, and then create problems and rising actions to accompanying it. By the end of this character, the kids will choose which story line they would like to polish up for our final piece of writing in WEX.
* In math, we will review how to find the area of a triangle on Monday. Tuesday will be spent taking a practice test as a review of the chapter. Wednesday will be our math MAP test. Thursday we will review in class and apply our skills to problem solving. Friday will be our final test over the unit. A parent letter explaining Unit 9 will come home with your child later this week or the beginning of next week. The new unit will cover fractions, decimals, and percents (a more in-depth look!).
* In science, we experimented with rock abrasion and glaciers eroding the earth. This week we will take a closer look at what wind can do. We will create windstorm boxes to model wind erosion and wind depositing sand dunes. There is never a dull moment in science!
* Rather than have the kids read a specific genre this month, we are going to have the kids read Newbery Honors or Newbery Award winners. Detailed instructions for the project to accompany their reading will come home later this week, but I wanted to give you a heads up on the type of book we are requiring. Here is a link to some titles to look for. http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal The LMC will be pulling some books for the kids, but we also encourage you to access the AH Memorial Library as well.
* Have a great week! ~ Mrs. Galazka
