Hard Work all Week = Dance Party Friday!!!

Happy Friday!!!  After SBAC testing and Science NECAP testing we were ready to DANCE today!!!  Check out the video we made in the outdoor classroom.  

Every student has a published “book” showcasing their informational writing.  Students included various text features (photos with captions, tables of contents, glossary, etc) and are very proud of their hard work.  Many students have also published a painted essay format report about their peacemaker.  A major focus this week has been on paragraphing and sentence variety.  Next week, students will enjoy the more constructive aspects of creating a visual component to their report in preparation for our open house.  With the end of the year nearing, students are also all being assessed on their reading growth using the Benchmark Assessment System (BAS).  Results from these assessments will inform our report card writing.  

Fourth graders worked diligently on Science NECAP testing over the course of three sessions this week. During their limited time in math, fourth graders reviewed multiplication and division strategies.  We are working on partial products, the bow-tie method, and the area model.  Third graders steadily wrapped up unit 6, geometry, on Friday with the unit 6 post assessment.  Students explored various ways to divide a geoboard (square) into two equal halves, both congruent and not congruent.  

In other news, the Equinox May/June master calendar will be emailed to families.  Please note the upcoming special events and specifically, the date change for our Peacemakers open house.  There will not be an event on 5/27 - it has been rescheduled for the morning of  Friday, 6/12.     

• All Library books and materials are due before Friday 5/29.  Please help our class meet our challenge of having everything returned by 5/28!  
• Equinox field trip to ECHO on 6/2.  Stay tuned for a permission slip and details!          

Teacher Appreciation Week

All third and fourth graders in Equinox are currently working on a research project about a peacemaker of their choice.  Students are using a variety of resources both in print and online to support at least 2 reasons why the person is considered a peacemaker.  Students are practicing close reading and notetaking strategies and are taking notes/beginning their writing using tools that work best for them (recording notes in their reader’s notebook, using Google Slides template, etc).     

With 3 sessions of SBAC testing in math, we only had 3 “regular” math sessions this week.  Third grade math students are exploring early probability concepts through the calendar collector this month, and our calendar has some interesting and complex details including area, perimeter and fractions of rectilinear figures.  Fourth graders worked on solidifying multiplication and division strategies.  Students will be learning multiple double digit by double digit multiplication strategies!  Ask them to show you at home.

 

Our information writing is nearing completion.  Most students are in the editing phase, and have shared their work in a common shared “class” folder.  All students have at least 3 chapters (or equivalent) about the topic of their choice.  

 

Thank you so much for all of the love in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.  The special treats, breakfasts, flowers, snacks, desserts and gifts really made us all feel like superheroes!  Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. 

There is still at least one confirmed case of lice in Equinox.  Please check your child’s head regularly and keep long hair pulled back.  Hair product (spray, gel, etc) is also a great ‘repellent.’ Thanks for your attention to detail!  Also, Save the Date: the morning of Wednesday, 5/27 there will be an open house and brief performance to celebrate our learning and work accomplishments about Peacemakers.  More details will be forthcoming.

SBAC is Underway!

The English Language Arts (ELA) component of the SBAC tests were administered during our reading blocks this week.  Students had the opportunity to utilize learned skills in close reading, comprehension and synthesis of new information, and the writing process to complete a series of challenging tasks.  Both third and fourth grader should be commended for their positive attitudes, perseverance and stamina!

In Math, third graders focused on attributes of quadrilaterals this week.  Students worked collaboratively to create and share “shape posters,” identifying and describing the unique characteristics of squares, rhombuses, rectangles and parallelograms.  Our May number corner “workouts” take area and perimeter to the next level on the calendar grid, and offer a “chance” for students to explore probability by rolling 2 dice five times  each school day, multiplying to find the product, and analyzing odd vs. even products.  Fourth graders are working on unit 6 as well.  Students worked through problem strings involving ratio tables while solving problems about packs of pens and cases of water.  They are using partial products to solve two by two digit multiplication problems.

Students are nearing publication of their informational texts writing pieces. Students have added cover pages, bold key vocabulary words and included glossaries.  They are currently working on "digitizing" their pieces. We will be continuing our research about our peacemakers over the next few weeks, and will be publishing these pieces as well.

Third and fourth grade students completed their first week of SBAC testing Friday.  Thank you

for remembering to have consistent, early bedtimes next week, as well as encouraging your third or fourth

grader to relax and do their very best in the testing sessions. We have one more week of testing sessions, which will all be math.  Please help make sure your child has plenty of water and a protein-rich breakfast and snack(s) especially over the course of next week.

Please note that there is at least one confirmed case of lice in Equinox.  Please check your child’s head regularly and keep long hair pulled back.  Hair product (spray, gel, etc) is also a great ‘repellent.’  Thanks for your attention to detail!     

Lots of Learning!

Reading groups who have been working with Ms. Gray wrapped up their work this week and we will shuffle and consolidate groups a bit next week. Students are reading various texts, including fiction and nonfiction selections, and are practicing oral reading fluency and comprehension strategies, specifically summarizing and inferences.

Third and fourth graders mathematicians are beginning unit 6. Fourth graders finished their work with geometry and angles with a unit 5 assessment on Friday. In grade three, unit 6 focuses on geometry and in grade four, the unit is about multiplication & division, data & fractions. Third graders completed and reflected on a pre-assessment for the unit, and finished April number corner activities with a bang! Please encourage and remind your mathematician to practice his/her math facts at home. Third graders have weekly “quick facts” checkups, and are working to master all of their multiplication facts.

After constructing a working definition for what a ‘peacemaker’ is the week before break, students learned about large-scale peace efforts over the past several decades. Students have selected a peacemaker to study and will be completing a research project over the next several weeks, which will eventually culminate in a celebration with families. So far, students have selected their person/topic, and have started reading about and gathering information about why this person was/is considered a peacemaker. Ask your child who s/he has chosen and what s/he’s learned so far. This project will be a good counterbalance with our SBAC testing schedule over the next couple of weeks.

Our informational text pieces are becoming more and more sophisticated each day! Students are working hard to include elaboration to their writing, including relevant facts and details from both background knowledge and current research. Students were expected to have first drafts finished by this Friday. The next two weeks will include revision, editing and opportunities to add nonfiction text features (photos and captions, diagrams, maps, glossary, etc) to their finished product.

SBAC News: Third and fourth grade students will be taking SBAC tests beginning next week. Thank you for remembering to have consistent, early bedtimes next week, as well as encouraging your third or fourth grader to relax and do their very best in the testing sessions beginning next Tuesday. Stamina, stamina, stamina!! Please help make sure your child has plenty of water and a protein-rich breakfast and snack(s) especially over the course of the next few weeks.