Ms. Magnotta’s Class Newsletter

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

Hello again! We have been very busy since our last newsletter, and I am excited to update you on all that the students are learning and experiencing in the classroom.

In reading, we are working on utilizing various reading strategies, which will assist the students in improving their reading comprehension. The students have been instructed to ask themselves questions as they read, in order to better understand the text. This internal questioning allows the students to probe the text, and gain a deeper understanding of the characters and events within the text. Furthermore, these internal questions assist students in seeking clarification and in identifying important literary elements such as author’s purpose, character motives and lessons learned.

The class has also been learning about character development. The students have been instructed to pay careful attention to the characters within a literary text. More specifically, the students have been asked to observe the characters and their actions, dialogue, interactions with other characters, internal thought processes, and body language/feelings. Furthermore, the students analyze how the characters change throughout the text, from beginning to end.

As a class, we have been working diligently on writing summaries for both fiction and nonfiction texts. When summarizing a text, the students are asked to write a short description where they include the most important events within the text. To summarize a fictional story, the students are

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instructed to identify the important literary elements (i.e. characters, plot, setting, etc.) and utilize them within their summary. The students are also continuing to learn many new vocabulary words from our “Wordly Wise” vocabulary program. They are learning different strategies, which will assist them in better understanding the origin and meaning of the designated words. The students are working on identifying synonyms, antonyms, utilizing the vocabulary words orally, and writing sentences with the vocabulary words. We are continuing to study various spelling patterns. Presently, we are studying the dipthongs /oi/ and /ou/, the vowel sounds /or/ and /o/, and the R-controlled vowels /ir/, /ur/, and /ar/. In math, we have begun our study of fractions. The students have been exposed to the skills listed below.

! Writing Fractional Notation ! Adding fractions ! Subtracting fractions ! Placing fractions in order ! Equivalent fractions ! Writing Fractions in Simplest Form ! Decomposing fractions

Over the next few weeks, we will continue to learn

about fractions. As a class, we will discuss improper fractions, fraction sets, and mixed numbers.

In writing, the class is working on their personal narratives. The students are learning to incorporate narrative techniques, such as dialogue, sensory details, sequence and figurative language into their narratives. We have also discussed the importance of a strong lead.

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In science, the class has joined their terrarium and aquarium. We are currently observing how the creatures interact with their environment and the living organisms within their habitat. We have been discussing the factors that affect an organism’s behavior. For example, the availability of food and other resources within a habitat, the physical characteristics of the environment, and the number of organisms present within that environment all contribute to the behavior of the organisms that live within that habitat.

In social studies, we have begun our study of explorers. We have discussed the term “history” and its importance in understanding the world around us. The class has observed pictures of the local community, state and country during the time of the Native Americans. The students have viewed and worked with world maps, where they have become familiar with identifying the seven continents and major bodies of water. The students have also become adept at utilizing map keys, map scales and the compass rose. We have discussed Ptolemy and his contributions to geography. The students have also learned about the “Sea of Darkness”. In the coming weeks, we will discuss other historically important explorers and study their respective contributions to our present society.

On a personal note, I would like to thank you for all the help and support you have provided over the past few months. Please continue to contact me with any questions or concerns. Enjoy the break!