Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe that we are already into our third quarter of the school year. The weeks seem to be flying by as we stay busy with all the fun activities going on at our school. I am listing below some information regarding our curriculum and upcoming events for the week ahead. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
READING - Students are enjoying learning about the elements of mysteries and some of the specific vocabulary (suspects, alibi, red herring, etc.) specific to this genre. Last week, we read some one minute mysteries and used our inferring skills to solve these mysteries. I have encouraged your child to check a mystery out of the class library or school library so that they may practice the skills they are learning in their own book. This week, I will be sharing a couple of fun mystery read alouds entitled Grandpa's Teeth and Private I. Guana to help my students understand the elements of mysteries. The mid-year reading assessments are almost completed, and I will be sending a letter home soon to let you know your child's fluency and comprehension levels at this point in the year.
WRITING - Students are now writing the rough draft of their animal informational paper. They have researched the appearance, diet, habitat, care of the young, and interesting fun facts on the animal they chose. Now, they are learning how to write a main idea sentence for each paragraph supported with details. We will continue writing the rough draft this week, and I am hoping to have students "publish" (write final copies) these by the early part of next week.
SCIENCE - In science, students are building upon the study of solids, liquids, and gases from second grade by exploring the ways matter changes. We have been reviewing the properties of solids, liquids, and gases by doing some kinesthetic activities in class. This past Friday, students created a poster to distinguish the differences between the three states of matter using fruit loops to represent the molecules. This is a fun unit with some really cool experiments that students will enjoy.
MATH - We will continue our study of area and perimeter in math for the upcoming week. We have been using manipulatives such as tiles and Cheez-Its to understand area, as well as apply area in real life situations to make it more applicable to the students. On Monday, we will be creating rectangles using graph paper and colored pencils to explore rectilinear area. When talking with your child at home, please relate area and perimeter to items around the house to help students distinguish the difference between the two.
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, February 1 - PTA Boosterthon begins
Friday, February 5 - Superbowl Spirit Day - Wear Carolina Panthers or Denver Broncos colors/team gear or wear your Douglas shirts.
Friday, February 12 - Music, Dance, and Science Informance
Friday, February 12 - Early Release Day
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
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