Week of October 21 - 25, 2013

Thursday HW
1.  Test packs back on Monday, October 28, with corrections and a parent signature on the top of the first page. See yesterday's blog note for more detail.
2.  The final Unit 2 Math test is on Monday, October 28, first thing in the morning.  Students should review the types of problems they had on the quizzes and also review the types of instructions and questions we used in the text and the MMS booklet.  As always, they show use a long division format when asked to divide.
3.  Our class will have a visit in our Library with Ms. Irene Atkinson, our school trustee, on Friday morning.   She will talk to the students about her work in this area of local governance.  There should be some useful crossover with our citizenship study in Social Studies.  I asked the boys and girls to think of questions they might ask her.
4.  MMS pages 2 and 3. We've introduced patterns for 2 days now.  The main types are growing, shrinking and repeating (also called alternating).  The vocabulary for the unit is very important.  We describe the numbers, letters or shapes in the patterns as "terms".  Repeating patterns have a "core" that "alternates".  Pattern rules are written with a familiar, repeated style as shown at the top of page 2 in the MMS duo-tang ("Start at...  each time.")  The code for a pattern is usually cracked by subtracting the first term from the second and finding the difference.  Doing this three times (2nd minus 1st, 3rd minus 2nd, 4th minus 3rd) usually reveals the operations at play.  We modeled at least eight examples of this as a class yesterday and today.  Students with questions should ask them.  I know I am checking for understanding regularly in large groups and individually but it is a big class and I may miss someone's confusion.
5.  Spelling Dictation #4 is tomorrow afternoon.  Students should remember to bring their books back to school for the test.  If a student is absent I expect him/her to make it up the next school day.
6.  Pizza day tomorrow.


Wednesday HW
1.  Test packs were returned today.  I would like them back on Monday, October 28, with corrections and a parent signature on the top of the first page.  The package contains three dictations, three problems of the week, four Math quizzes and a CASI evaluation.  I tried to supply a generous amount of feedback on most of the pieces.  In Math I notice that the students are reluctant to estimate and that multiplication (times tables and by two digit factors) continues to be a challenge for some students.  This was a much longer period (5-6 weeks) than I usually spend on a single Math unit.  We have to move on to Patterning, which I introduced today.
2.  The final Unit 2 Math test is on Monday, October 28, first thing in the morning.  Students should review the types of problems they had on the quizzes and also review the types of instructions and questions we used in the text and the MMS booklet.  As always, they show use a long division format when asked to divide.
3.  Our class will have a visit in our Library with Ms. Irene Atkinson, our school trustee, on Friday morning.   She will talk to the students about her work in this area of local governance.  There should be some useful crossover with our citizenship study in Social Studies.  I asked the boys and girls to think of questions they might ask her.
4.  The parent council has asked that we remind families to consider handing in the fundraising envelope this week.

Tuesday HW
1.  Spelling text page 21 #1; page 22 # 4,5,6,7; page 23 #1.

Monday HW
1.  MMS pages 34-35.  If division is required, used the long division format.  Recall that word problems should be answered with a sentence that uses words from the original question.
2.  Spelling Cycle #4 activities.
3.  Photo retakes on November 5.

Music on a Monday:  Mickey, the Firefighting Cat.