Hansen/Rinkus
December News
Important December Dates:
December 7: Early release at 10:35
December 11: Report Cards Online
December 22: Holiday Centers/Volunteers
December 23: Book Swap (see information below)
December 24-January 3: Winter Break
Literacy
The students will continue reading Because of Winn Dixie for our literature unit. We will be reading a few chapters each week within our assigned groups. Each week we will focus on some skills & strategies, along with summarizing what we have read. The students will have a packet to fill out with comprehension questions, vocabulary and open responses. We will correct these together in groups. We have also begun to use our spelling books. A new list will be cut out each week along with five challenge words written in their agendas. Some of their homework will be pages from the book and each list will follow a certain rule.
The students have been working through mini-lessons using Empowering Writers. We have been focusing on narratives and all of the elements, including recognizing genre, writing entertaining beginnings, using elaborative detail, creating suspense, describing the main event, and writing satisfying endings.
Math
Students are continuing to persevere through the enVision 2.0 Math Program! We are in Topic 5: Using Strategies and Properties to Divide by 1-Digit Numbers. In this topic your child will learn how to divide by one-digit divisors. Learning this skill will require his or her understanding of estimating quotients and remainders and connecting models and symbols. You can expect to see work that provides practice in dividing whole numbers by one-digit divisors and checking the answer by estimation.
Science
We have finished our Unit on Electricity and Magnetism. The kids did a wondereful job on their tests and experiments. I hope they have shared their knowledge with you. We will be beginning our next big Life Science Unit on Animals. We will learn about invertebrates/vertebrates, classifying animals according to the physical characteristics they share, recognizing that animals go through predictable life cycles and describing how animal characteristics adapt to changes in the environment. Be on the lookout soon for an exciting animal project!!!
Social Studies
Mrs. Hansen is currently teaching about features and resources of the Midwest Region. They will begin labeling the states and capitals on a map. Keep your eyes open for a states and capitals quiz on this region (Hansen’s Quiz is Dec. 16th, Rinkus is Dec. 17). A study guide will go home.
-Hour of Code
We are participating in the HOUR OF CODE which takes place the week of December 7-11 during Computer Science Education Week
- The Hour of Code is a self-guided activity for students of all ages, kindergarten and up. No experience is needed prior to doing this. Click on the following link for more information:
Holiday Book Swap
As part of our class Holiday celebration this year, we are going to have a book swap. Each student who chooses to participate will bring in a new grade-level appropriate book (price limit $10.00). You will need to wrap the book and if you’re a boy, label your gift “boy” and if you’re a girl, label your gift “girl”. Each student will come home with a new book to enjoy over the holiday vacation.
Please send your child in with a wrapped book by Monday, December 21st. Our swap will be Wednesday, December 23rd.
Remember you can always contact us with questions, comments, or concerns. Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Shannon Hansen
Lynne Rinkus
Jamie Rossetti