Week of November 9-13

MATH:
We have been working on Mixed Fractions and Improper Fractions, and going between the two. This was something we learned last Wednesday, continued Thursday, and reviewed today. Tomorrow will be a small quiz on these concepts. Students will need to know how to change a mixed number into an improper fraction and change an improper fraction into a mixed number.

Wednesday we will be reviewing all of the things we've learned about fractions so far, before moving onto the next concepts.

Thursday will be the start of section B in the chapter of fractions (Chapter 9). We will be looking at equivalent fractions on Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. This will include reducing fractions to their simplest form as well. There will be a quiz on this concept sometime next week.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
We have started the actual game play of the Social Studies Simulation. All colonies have found land to settle on. This week the simulation will continue and colonies will make decisions about farming, fishing, hunting, and settling the land. Towards the end of this week, students will write a journal entry, pretending that they are the characters that have just landed in the New World. These journals of reflection will be graded for understanding of settlement.

MEETINGS:
If there are any parents who did not get a chance to meet with me (Ms. Willett) on Friday, and would still like to do so, please e-mail me (swillett@amschool.org) to set up an appointment for this week.

LITERACY:
Read Aloud:
“Why Frog and Snake Never Played Together”, by focus on Character and Plot.
“What is a Life Cycle?” by Bobie Kalman, focus on reading and interpreting diagrams and features of nonfiction text.
Shared Reading:
An excerpt from “Why Frog and Snake Never Played Together”, by focus on quotation marks.
A text about reptiles and amphibians.
Interactive Writing:
We will brainstorm ideas, write an introduction, body paragraph and conclusion for We are Grateful for…
We will write a Venn diagram to compare and contrast frogs and reptiles.
Independent Writing: Students will begin to write a five paragraph essay: I am Grateful for…
Student will also participate in Independent Reading, Guides Reading Groups, and Centers.