MATH\SOCIAL STUDIES\SCIENCE MAR. 28 - APR. 1, 2011

MATH: We will complete a one week unit on capacity. This will include customary units (cups, pints, quarts & gallons) and metric units (milliliter and liter). The corresponding pages in Math Connects text are pages 423-434. There will be a test on Friday covering both customary and metric units. Our weekly time test will be divide by 8 on Wednesday.



SCIENCE: Our unit on air pollution will continue with all pertinent information in our science notebooks. The class is discussing Earth's atmosphere, air as a mixture of gasses, the causes of our pollution, the ozone layer, smog, the effects of air pollution on humans and solutions to this problem. The test will not be until Tuesday, April 5th. This will give the class a chance to take home their notebooks over the coming weekend (Protect our Earth, Part 1, Air Pollution).

Have a good week,

Kathy Vega

Literacy News for Week of March 28-April 1

Literacy News

March 28-April 1

Word Wall Words:
1. picture
2. several
3. learn
4. being
5. heard
*The test will be on Friday/April 1, and the grammar skill we will assess is identifying nouns.



Reading Goals:
This week students will continue working on summarizing fiction text. We will read a non-fiction book and start working on creating a summary. First, I will model how to do it, while asking students to help. Then, we will do it together (I will help and guide students). Finally, students will work on doing their own summaries of non-fiction text.

Language Goals:
This week students will learn about adjectives (words that describe nouns). We will be looking at adjectives that tell what kind and how many. They will learn to identify adjectives in sentences. To reinforce this skill at home, look at Language book pages: 398-401

Writing:
Students are very excited about writing their own fables. As we do, we are going over the 6 Writing traits. This week they will proofread and publish the fables they have been working on.

Thank you,
Mrs. Lila Paredes

Literacy News for Week of March 21-25

Literacy News for the

Week of March 21-25

The new word wall words for this week are:
1. down
2. been
3. find
4. necessary
5. possible


Reading Goals:
This week students will learn what is a summary, and how to make a summary of fiction stories. We will start by modeling, then we will do it together, and finally, students will write a short summary on their own. We will be using fables to make summaries. A good way to teach how to summarize fiction stories is by using the 4 W + 1H. Who is in the story? Where did it take place? What happened (problem)? Why? How is the problem solved? On Friday/March 25, students will have a test to show their summarizing skills. They will be expected to write a 3-4 sentence summary of a fiction text.


Writing and Language:
This week and the next, students will be working on writing a fable. We will be reviewing the 6 Traits of writing that students have learned throughout the year. They will write a fable, completing and revising and editing one step at a time. They will create their plan, they will create a great lead, and they will organize the story before they write it. The story will be written in steps: beginning, middle, and end. After each step, we will revise and edit. Our goal is to have a final writing piece with an excellent performance in all the 6 Writing Traits: organization, ideas, voice, sentence structure, word choice, and conventions.

News and Announcements:

1. Parent- Teacher Conferences are on Friday/March 25, from 11:30-3:00. The signup sheet is already outside our door. Please come sign up. Students will be dismissed at 11:15 am.
2. Color's day will be on Thursday/March 24. Again, Moto Minutas will be here on this day selling snow cones for Lps.15. Students may pay Lps. 5 for colors day only, or they can pay Lps.20 for both the color's day and a snow cone ticket. In this hot weather, children enjoy the snow cones so much!
3. This Friday, during Parent -Teacher conferences, there will be a Scholastic Book sale taking place. It's a great opportunity to buy books for your children at very good prices. Make sure you stop by!
4. Earth Hour is coming up soon: Saturday/March 26 from 8:30-9:30. It is a time to turn off the lights to save electricity. It is a world wide event. Join in and help our planet!


Thank you,
Mrs. Lila Paredes

MATH\SOCIAL STUDIES\SCIENCE MAR. 21-25, 2011

MATH: This week we will continue our unit on fractions. Our focus will be equivalent fractions, ordering and comparing fractions and mixed numbers. There will be a test on Thursday, March 24th. Our time test will be on Wednesday, dividing by 7.

SCIENCE: Our new science unit will be on protecting the Earth. We will begin with pollution. All information for this unit will be entered in their science notebook.

I look forward to speaking with you at parent conferences on Friday.

Have a great week,

Kathy Vega

MATH\SOCIAL STUDIES\SCIENCE MAR. 14-18, 2011

MATH: Next week the class will begin a unit on fractions, The corresponding pages for our two week unit are in the old green math book; pages 411-431.

The first test will be to identify fractions, and divide a whole into equal parts, and equivalent fractions on Thursday, March 17th. Our division test will be / 6 on Wednesday, March 16th.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We will continue organizing data with a week unit on probability. The corresponding pages in the old green math book are pages 499-507. A basic test will be given on Friday, March 18th.

Happy Fathers Day,

Mrs. Vega

Literacy News for Week of March 14-18

Literacy News: March 14-18

The new word wall words for this week are:

1. nothing

2. anything

3. someone

4. however

5. ready

The word wall test will be on Friday, March 18. The grammar grade will come from applying language rules learned so far (conventions).

Reading Goals:

This week students will continue working on reading with fluency and expression in their reader's theaters. They will also be exposed to different types of Literature including folk tales, fables, fairy tales, myths, legends, and poetry.

Language Goals:

Students will continue practicing writing, applying the rules for using commas and quotation marks.

Writing Goals:

Students have already learned about the 6 traits of writing. The next writing project is very exciting! Students will be writing a fable of their own, applying what they have learned in class. We will be checking for good and clear ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.

News/Announcements:

1. The Miles for Smiles' final mile will be after school on Thursday!! Many students have signed up to help with this good cause. After the students complete the final mile, there will be refreshments and treats waiting for them. Please see the announcement on the right. The donations for Operation Smile (given by the sponsors) is due on Wednesday, March 16, the day before the race. See you there!

2. Father's Day celebration is this Friday, March 18. It will be from 10:30 to 11:20a.m. Do not miss it, dads! Your children have a special surprise planned for you!

Thank you,

Mrs. Lila Paredes

Lit. News: Week of March 7-11, 2011

Literacy News: March 7-11

The new word wall words are:

1. between

2. practice

3. lonely

4. each

5. turn

Please continue practicing these and all other words on a regular basis. The test will be on Friday, and we will be focusing on following all grammar rules taught this year (conventions). Use of capitals, puntuation marks, commas, quotation marks, etc...)

Reading Goals:

This week students are going to be working on reading with fluency and expression. We will be share reading two different plays, to practice this skill. Then, a part will be assigned to each student. They will be participating the Readers' Theater in class. They will get an oral language grade in the final presentation of their part, which will be next week.

Language and Writing Goals:

As part of the last writing trait: CONVENTIONS, we will be reviewing different language rules students must master before 4th grade. This review will be helpful for them to write their final writing piece for CONVENTIONS. They will be working on this piece throughout the week.

News/Announcements:

1. March 10 is the last day of the 3rd quarter.

2. Mark your calendar: Spring break is on Friday/March 11. Enjoy the long weekend.

3. Mark your calendar: Father's Day Celebration will be Friday/March 18 from 10:30-11:20a.m.

Thank you,

Mrs. Lila Paredes

MATH\SOCIAL STUDIES\SCIENCE MAR. 7-11, 2011

MATH: In math we will continue to review area and volume. Our division test will be divide by 0 to 5 on Wednesday, March 9th.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We will be looking at coordinate grids and completing activities that will be graded in class. The reference pages in the new Math Connect text book are 494-496. We will also be working with input and output tables. The reference pages for input and output tables are 348-351.

Please keep in mind that Friday, March 11th is a school holiday.

Have a great week,

Kathy Vega