Language Arts and Social Studies

Parents and Families, Here's what we will be working on for the next two weeks... READING In Reading this week 10/22-10/26, we will finish up our work with non-fiction. We have looked at text features that are specific to non-fiction sources. Students have learned some helpful note taking strategies to use with non-fiction sources. This week we will continue working on these ideas and strategies. Next week, 10/29-11/2, students will begin working on FIX-UP STRATEGIES. These are reading strategies that help us read and understand fiction and non-fiction resources. As the week continues, they will dive deep into the strategy of context clues, using information in the text to help us understand new vocabulary. Students will also take the reading district benchmark Wednesday, October 31. WRITING We are working on verbs this week. Students will use the information they have learned while reading non-fiction sources on bats and their new knowledge of verbs to create a bat diamante or cinquain poem. Next week we will take our memory of Clutch's visit and write a guided narrative. We will make sure to follow the narrative arc and include components that we think make for a strong narrative. SPELLING There is NO SPELLING HOMEWORK 10/22-10/26. Next week, 10/29-11/2: Please remember that they are responsible for completing 8 points and turning in their homework on Thursday mornings. SOCIAL STUDIES We are taking the Social Studies Benchmark Wednesday, October 24. This week we are celebrating our freedom and reviewing important documents to United States History. These include the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Emancipation Proclamation. We've all challenged ourselves to memorize part of the Declaration by Friday! Next week, students will start a new unit in Social Studies on Economics. Now is the time to start talking at home about vocabulary and trying to use it in your everyday language. Some words that students will first be introduced to are: income, savings, wants, needs, interest, investment, budget, consumer and producer.