Miss. Flett: November 2013

LANGUAGE

READING

Students are continuing to write letters on a bi-weekly basis to communicate their comprehension of the reading they do doing read to self times.

A sample letter students wrote as a class.

Grade 4

Wednesday October 23, 2013

Dear: Mr. Mayotte,

We are reading a realistic fiction book called No Talking by Andrew Clements. As we were reading we made some predictions and asked ourselves questions as we read to ensure we understood what we were reading.

In Chapter 10 we predicted that in science class Mrs. Marlow would ask a lot of questions, and when the students only responded using three words she will probably figure out what is going on. Adults tend to pick up on changes in student behaviour and since the Grade 5’s typically are loud and chatty the fact that they are only responding using three words will most likely stand out to the teachers. As we read further into Chapter 10 we discovered our prediction was correct that Mrs. Marlow would ask her students questions to get them to respond however she has not figured out why they are being so quiet. She seems to be enjoying figuring out why probably because she is a science teacher and she mentioned experiments are one of her favourite things to do.

Whistling, farting noises, burping, and screaming was all teachers could hear at recess in Chapter 9. As we read we wondered if the teachers were going to get annoyed with the sounds that the kids were making because they can make sounds just not say words. We think that if we were out on that playground we would be getting annoyed by all of the screams and whistling and random sounds that the fifth graders were making. We find it difficult to focus in class when noises are being made if the kids are making noises and sounds for a few days in a row student’s might start to get frustrated with each other.

So far we thoroughly enjoy reading No Talking by Andrew Clements. We are curious to find out if the girls or the boys will win in the competition or if it will be a tie.

Sincerely,

4-1 FI

Grade 5

Wednesday October 16^th, 2013

Dear: Mr. Mayotte,

The book we have been reading in class is called The Top Ten Ways to Ruin the First Day of School by Ken Derby. As we were reading we made predictions, connections and asked ourselves questions.

While we were reading we stopped and jotted a prediction that Tony and Mo would try to make a run for it after they made the photocopies of Tony’s hinder. While they were making an escape they would run into Mr. Gore. We made this prediction because Mr. Gore has caught Tony and Mo in every other situation so far and they always knock him down. Mr. Gore gets covered in some type of liquid, for example Mr. Gore has already been covered in toilet water, coffee and jello. As we read on our prediction was correct Mr. Gore got knocked down by the boys and covered in paint this time.

As we were reading we also made some connections. One of our text to self connections was about Tony while he was in the photocopy room. We put ourselves in Tony’s shoes. If we were Tony we would pull up our pants and flip over the photocopies so that if we got caught we could pretend that we were photocopying for another teacher. Hopefully the teacher would believe us or else we would be in a lot of trouble!

As we continue to read we wonder if Mo will continue to get in trouble with Tony or if he will stand up to Tony and say enough is enough. Mo seems to just go along with what Tony wants however gets frustrated when he gets into trouble. That reminds us of how in school we are constantly reflecting on the choices we make and have to remember that we decide what we do. Following along with a friend even when we know it is wrong is a choice that we can decide to say no, and choose a different path. We cannot wait to find out what happens next!!!

Sincerely,

Class 5-1 FI

As a class we will focus on mini lessons this week to continue to get students to stop and jot their thinking (inner conversations) but also to find examples and evidence in the text to support our ideas.

WRITING

We have started our first writing form. For Grade 4 we are focusing on Recount in Grade 5 we are looking at persuasive writing. Last week students were given exemplars (samples) of the writing form they are learning. In groups they pulled out the success criteria and we discussed as a class what a Recount/Persuasive Writing Piece needs to have in it.

MATH

We have finished Division and Multiplication for now but will be using those skills through out the whole year and will continue to offer math help to refresh the skills.

Math Help

Wednesdays (1^st break) and Fridays (2^nd break)

We started a new unit in math. We will be looking at Number Patterns. Here are the expectations for the Grade 4’s and Grade 5’s.

Grade 4

* extend, describe, repeating, growing, and shrinking number patterns (e.g., “I created the pattern 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, .... I started at 1, then added 2, then added 1, then added 2, then added 1, and I kept repeating this.”);

*connect each term in a growing or shrinking pattern with its term number (e.g., in the sequence 1, 4, 7, 10,

record the patterns in a table of values that shows the term number and the term;

*extend repeating patterns that result from reflections, through investigation using a variety of tools (e.g., pattern blocks, dynamic geometry software, dot paper).

*make predictions related to repeating geo- metric and numeric patterns (Sample problem: Create a pattern block train by alternating one green triangle with one red trapezoid. Predict which block will be in the 30th place.);

*create a number pattern involving addition, subtraction, or multiplication, given a pattern rule expressed in words (e.g., the pattern rule “start at 1 and multiply each term by 2 to get the next term” generates the sequence 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, ...);

* create repeating patterns that result from reflections, through investigation using a variety of tools (e.g., pattern blocks, dynamic geometry software, dot paper).

Grade 5

*identify, and extend numeric and geometric patterns, using a variety of tools (e.g., concrete materials, paper and pencil, calculators, spreadsheets);

*extend repeating patterns that result from translations, through investigation using a variety of tools (e.g., pattern blocks, dynamic geometry software, dot paper).

*build a model to represent a number pattern presented in a table of values that shows the term number and the term

*make predictions related to growing and shrinking geometric and numeric patterns (Sample problem: Create growing L’s using tiles. The first L has 3 tiles, the second L has 5 Predict the number of tiles you would need to build the 10th L in the pattern.)

*create geometric patterns, using a variety of tools (e.g., concrete materials, paper and pencil, calculators, spreadsheets)

*make a table of values for a pattern that is generated by adding or subtracting a number (i.e., a constant) to get the next term, or by multiplying or dividing by a constant to get the next term, given either the sequence

Math

We are continuing with Number Sense in math starting Division this week. Students are reminded to continue to practice their multiplication skills.

Grade 4: – up to their 9 times tables

- multiply a 2 digit by a 1 digit number

Grade 5: - up to their 12 times tables

- multiply a 2 digit by a 2 digit number

In Division we will come up with a variety of strategies that I will post later that students can use to help them solve word problems and division questions.

Grade 4: - divide up to 81

- divide a 2 digit number by a 1 digit number

Grade 5: - divide up to 144

- divide a 3 digit number by a 1 digit number

Language

This week in writing students will be using the traits that I modeled and they practiced in a writing piece. Looking at Harris Burdick photos students will be writing a story about a picture using all of the traits outlined in the rubric below. Students will be provided the rubric and reminded to check their work to ensure all aspects of the writing traits are met.