Coming up in Math, we are going to be moving into 2-digit adding and subtracting with and without regrouping.  This can be very challenging for students as it can sometimes require a lot of steps.  Watch below as I show you the steps we take in both adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers.  Also, here are some websites to help your child practice these tricky skills.  

Addition without Regrouping                       Subtraction without Regrouping
Addition with Regrouping                             Subtraction with Regrouping
Addition Number Sentences                        Subtraction Number Sentences

Cool Math For Kids
Cool Math for Kids with Regrouping

     In our reading unit, we have been talking about character traits.  I thought Martin Luther King Jr. Day was a great time to integrate reading, writing, and social studies.  Students already had a great understanding of character traits before this lesson.  So, I started with an introduction, who was MLK?  Students obviously had learned about him in previous grades as they clearly stated many facts about him.  After our discussion we watched a video on MLK.  It provided more details about MLK's life.  Next, we made a list of character traits King portrayed.  They had made a list with many ideas from trustworthy to caring to helpful.  The writing portion of this lesson was to prove that MLK really portrayed these character traits.  They had to use a written text, facts from the movie, and their prior knowledge to write an expository paragraph explaining why MLK was a certain character trait.  Below are two videos of some groups working together on this project.   The final project is still being worked on and I hope to hang them in the hallway for the month of February, African American History Month.

After reviewing our expository writing, we needed help with narrowing our topics.  When writing about a certain topic, the students would write down every fact they knew about it.  We completed a series of lessons that focused on this skill.  We discussed BIG ideas were ideas like dogs, elephants, school, and vacations.  Then after reading resources, both digital and traditional ones, students learned more about their animal and were taught how to narrow a topic to be more specific.  The example you will see in my lesson here is the importance of an elephant's trunk.  Click here to see our SmartBoard Notes.  Below are their final projects.  We are still working on it, but I think they are becoming excellent writers!

From their website:  "Class Dojo is a classroom tool that helps teachers improve behavior in their classrooms quickly and easily. It also captures and generates data on behavior that teachers can share with parents and administrators...Instantly reinforce good behavior... Engage students in minutes... Get hassle-free reports and data"  Check out their website here: http://www.classdojo.com/about.  

This is a new behavior system for us that started just before our winter break.  The kids have responded well to it and have embraced it.  Now that they have a good grasp of it and how it works, I have decided to give you access to their information so you can follow their behavior from home.  It gives some more specific information on positive and negative behaviors your child displays in class.  Please feel free to check it out and let me know what you think.   

Today we discussed our math store and the kids decided on a Loom Store.  They are really excited about it!  Instead of collecting BUG tickets for the rest of the year, students will be earning money for their good behavior in class.  They will save their money to use at our class loom store.  I am hoping with your support that we can have a successful store.  I am looking for your help for donations for our store.  Today, we made the list of items we need for our class.  They are the bands (any color), "s" clips, "c" clips, and already made items (bracelets, necklaces, anklets).  If you would like to donate, please send in any items on or before January 13th (next Monday).  Thanks in advance for your support!  The kids really seem enthusiastic for this real-world application of money.  p

Happy New Year!  Well the weather is so unpredictable these days, but I am glad we are back at school and ready to move into some new and exciting studies.  In math we are starting a new unit on Time and Graphing.  Students will learn to tell time to 5-minute intervals and solving problems involving time.  In addition, students will learn to interpret data using bar graphs, pictographs, line plots, and tally charts.  In writing, we are continuing our narrative story unit which is focusing on finding inspiration for writing and the different elements of a narrative.  In reading, we are close to completing our unit of study on characters in fiction stories.  Here are some ways to extend this learning at home:

1.  Math - Practice telling times (to the hour, half hour, quarter after, quarter of/to, and 5 minute intervals); Write down your daily schedule suing times of the day at which each starts

2.  Writing - Talk with you child about your family traditions, celebrations, and special things you do together.  Students will be asked to write about these in class.

3.  Reading - Discuss the characters within fiction stories.  You can discuss their wants, problems, feelings, and/or traits.  Compare one character to another character using a Venn Diagram.