Weekly Updates 12/5-12/9

NEWS/EVENTS

• Our next Family Friday is Friday December 23rd! Our theme of the day will be using a main idea tool kit to help tackle and identify main idea in nonfiction texts.
• Please return portfolios if you have not yet done so! Our next round of updated materials is going home Friday the 23rd, so we will need them returned to prepare them.
• We are going to start using Google Classroom as a way to share assignments and create projects with students! Please see the attached letter for more information about policies and how it will be used. More information to come!

CURRICULUM

Reading: This week we launched our first nonfiction reading unit of the year: Reading to Learn. Throughout the next few weeks students will immerse themselves in informational texts and read with the intention of learning new information and capturing that information through various jot structures. We will spend a great deal of time reflecting on main idea. Although readers are reading nonfiction during the independent reading block at school, at home we are going to ask them to continue to read at least 30 minutes of fiction a day. 

Writing: For the past week and a half students have been publishing pages that will go into their informational writing books. If students did not finish this work, we are asking them to spend some time at home finalizing chapters and sections. We will glue all chapters, pages, and text features into books later this week/early next week. We are asking students to try to finish publishing by next Monday 12/12. This week we are launching our next unit- opinion writing! We started this unit by watching a real student address the UN to call for action regarding global pollution. After watching this students created lists of topics (locally and globally) that they have strong feelings about. Later this week we will start to develop a thesis statement that captures the big idea of a speech, and will work on backing those ideas with evidence/reasons.

Math: Both math groups are continuing to explore the relationship between multiplication and division and properties that can help with this work such as the distributive, associative, and commutative properties. Students are using a wide variety or models to understand when each property can be used, and will transfer this work into building fact fluency.

Social Studies: Students will take what they have learned from nonfiction jot structures and apply it to taking notes about the United States. This year we will engage in several country case studies, starting first with our own. We will explore how the land, culture, economy, and history impacts a country.

Weekly Updates 11/14-11/18

NEWS/EVENTS

THANKSGIVING PLAY:

• On Wednesday November 23rd  the third grade is performing the Thanksgiving Play! Families are invited to view the play at 9:30 am that morning! PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS THE ONLY FAMILY PERFORMANCE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN YOUR CHILD OUT AFTER THE SHOW (due to travel for Thanksgiving), PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS MR. BENDER RECOMMENDED FROM AN EMAIL I FORWARDED ON MONDAY.  Thank you!
• On Monday November 21st we are going on a walking field trip to The Hudson Guild to perform the play for local senior citizens. We will eat at PS 11 and then leave at 12:30. Any parents interested in chaperoning are welcome to join us! The walking trip slip is due back by Friday.
• Our class costume is a yellow shirt and jeans. We are asking students to bring this to school for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Thanks for your support!

A Special Note About Reviewing Student work:

One topic that frequently came up during conferences was finding strategies to frequently stay updated with student work. Here are some ideas we are putting into place:

1) One day each week reading notebooks will be collected by Ms. B. On those designated days I will provide student feedback. My hope is that this will encourage students to make notebooking part of student life at home and in school. Here is my schedule:

Red Herrings: Monday

Gumshoes: Tuesday

Crime Solvers: Wednesday

Sleuths: Thursday

2) Each week I am going to post charts and tools I've used to help teach students concepts during minilessons.

3) I've encouraged students to lead a weekly family conference. During this time, ask students to bring home their reading, writing, and math notebooks, and discuss the work and goals they've been focusing on throughout the week. I might enlist some student to help me create a video to model this! I'll keep you posted!

CURRICULUM

Reading: This week we started our second bend of mystery book clubs. Students are recognizing patterns and trends in mystery books that will help them set expectations for next books. We are encouraging partners to jot clues, predictions, suspects lists, and ideas while reading in order to bring rich conversation topics to partner meetings.

Writing: This week we reflecting on a range of strategies to elaborate within chapters of our informational texts. We are adding facts, examples, statistics, anecdotes, and trying to balance facts vs. opinions. Towards the end of the week we will start to develop book introduction and conclusions. I've attached a link to a PS 11 Showme tutorial I made to help students with elaboration.

Math: This week we are continuing to exploring the inverse relationship between multiplication and division, and using properties (property of zero, commutative property, associative property) to help tackle problems.

Social Studies: We are working on note-taking and are rotating through a variety of US centers.

Weekly Updates 11/7-11

NEWS/EVENTS

• It has been so lovely meeting with families over the past week for Parent Teacher Conferences. I look forward to chatting with many of you in the week to come!
• Today I sent out an email with some information regarding the Thanksgiving play from Ms. Sarah, Ms. Golub, and Ms. Wurman. Please check this out, as it contains information about the class costume colors and rehearsals.
• On Monday November 21st we are going on a walking trip to the Hudson Guild Senior Center to perform (and practice) the Thanksgiving play. A trip slip will go home for this tomorrow.
• The Third Grade Thanksgiving Play is right around the corner! The show is open to parents on Wednesday November 23rd at 9:00. The Thanksgiving play is our Family Friday celebration for the month of November.
• Today the kids came into school sharing a range of emotions from the election. We started off the day with an opportunity for them to privately free write about their thoughts, and then we had a brief class meeting and an opportunity for students to reflect on feelings (without getting into politics and specifics). We linked this conversation to the importance of listening to PS 11 Student Council candidates as they work to make changes on a local level.
• Each week I am going to start to attach strategy charts referenced in the classroom to give families a clearer picture of the work we are doing in the classroom!

CURRICULUM

Reading- Last week we launched our next reading unit- Mystery Reading! Students are working in partners to read several books across a series, paying attention to the mystery, the crime solver, and other important aspects of mystery texts.

Writing- Last week we started our newest writing unit as well- Informational Writing! Students have selected an informational topic they are deeply committed to and will create a book about this topic over the next 4 weeks. After creating a table of contents students crafted mini tables of contents within chapters to help structure the contents of each section. Next week we are going to work on integrating expert terminology into our informational books.

Math- We have also launched our next math unit this year- Multiplication and Division. This week mathematicians are exploring the different ways products are interpreted in a multiplication problem. We are creating a running list of strategies to use when calculating such as using an array.

Weekly Updates 10/24-10/26

NEWS/EVENTS

• Our Parent Teacher Conference sign up is live! Please visit www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090B4DACA82FABFF2-fall to schedule an appointment.
• This Friday October 28th is Family Friday! The theme of this month's session is visiting math centers to reach our math goals. The kids will teach you how to play a game from a center that has helped them review/prepare for the post assessment.
• Tuesday 11/8 is a non- attendance day for students (Election Day).
• Friday 11/11 Is Veterans Day (no school)
• Next Thursday 11/3 is a half day. Dismissal is at 11:50 sharp. We will have third grade play practice all morning- book bags are not necessary that day.

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week we are launching Mystery Reading with our students! Today we are launching with a real world mystery. We will take a look at how the presentation of evidence helps us grow ideas about our stories.

Writing- This week we are launching our next writing unit- informational writing! Students will select a nonfiction topic start to develop a table of contents covering all subcategories of their expertise. Then, they write long within that sub-topic.

**Most students have finished publishing their Narrative pieces. If they have not, I told them it could be a HOP option. I would like all work returned by Friday.

**We are celebrating the end of their narrative unit with a 2 part session on Friday. We are reviewing and complimenting each other's work AND decorating their writing and reading notebooks. I will send an email about this later.

Math- Friday all math groups are taking the post assessment for unit #1. On Monday we are launching the next unit- multiplication and division of times tables 0-9. 

Social Studies- This week we are exploring different ways to take notes about various Maps, and will work on a performance task involving map reading skills.

Weekly Updates 10/10-10/14

NEWS/EVENTS

• IMPORTANT: Next Wednesday October 19th is the rescheduled date for our trip to Stoneledge Farm. Please drop students off to PS 11 no later than 7:45 am that morning as the bus is leaving at 8:00 sharp. Tomorrow I will email announcing parents joining us for the trip. We are expected back at PS 11 at 5:00 pm. Please make sure that all individuals arriving for pick-up are on blue cards. Students that attend afterschool until 6:00 will be dismissed to afterschool.
• This week we are continuing our residency with Circle in the Square from now until the holidays! We will meet with actors every Tuesday and Thursday.
• We are visiting the Scholastic book fair Friday October 28th.

CURRICULUM

Reading: Now that students are assigned to the right "Just Right" books after weeks of running record assessments, we are spending the last few days of our first reading unit thinking about author's purpose and deeper questions that texts trigger. We will celebrate the end of this unit by reflecting on our jotting structures and goal setting.

Writing: This week we are walking through the revision and editing portions of the writing process. Students will use checklists and meet with partners to discuss their writing. We will focus on the correct placement of quotation marks and commas, and step back and look at our pieces with to consider the heart of the story.

Math: This week math groups are continuing to review regrouping (especially while subtracting and across zeroes). Groups will also start to investigate multistep word problems, and will use bar modeling as a strategy to identify operations needed in a given problem.

Social Studies: This week we are continuing to explore regions of the United States. 

Weekly Updates 10/5-10/7

NEWS/EVENTS

• A big thanks to Priya and Courtney for sending a Farm Stand reminder! Our kids had a great time today!
• Our rescheduled trip to the farm is Wednesday October 19th. Trip slips were sent home today. 
• This week we start our residency with Circle in the Square!
• We started differentiated math groups!
• Courtney and Priya had the great idea of setting up a class mailing list for the "Remind" app. I will look into this and send out more information shortly.

CURRICULUM:

Reading: This week we are moving into bend three of our current reading unit, which focuses on ways to challenge more complicated texts. We will study context clues and figurative language to determine meaning.

Writing: This week we are learning sophisticated ways to revise and organize our writing by paragraphing, integrating different types of details, and using various forms of punctuation (including punctuating dialogue).

Math: Students have started switching to differentiated math groups. Ms. Mackenzie and I studied student preassessment data and grouped students by areas of needs. We are in the midst of engaging in rounding center word practicing strategies like using a number line to plot a number and determine the nearest 10 or 100. Next week all groups will explore regrouping.

Social Studies: Students are starting to explore the different regions within the United States, starting with the Northeast.

Our Next Scheduled Farm Stand Date- Next Wednesday 10/5 from 8-8:50

Hi Families,

Just a friendly reminder that next Wednesday (10/5)  3-509 is running the farm stand from 8-8:50 before school. I forgot to add this to our upcoming events/dates from last week's post.

See you there!

Weekly Updates 9/26-9/30

NEWS/EVENTS

• Our rescheduled trip to the farm is Wednesday October 19th. If you are interested in chaperoning, please email Ms. Bouchard. More info to come next week!
• Next week we start our residency with Circle in the Square!
• Our first day of swim is tomorrow first period (remind kids)
• We started differentiated math groups this week!
• Family Friday is tomorrow! Come join us from 8:50-9:35 to learn how to use a narrative toolkit to help students lift the level of their writing.
• There is no school Monday and Tuesday in observance of Rosh Hashanah.

CURRICULUM:

Reading: This week we are moving into bend three of our current reading unit, which focuses on ways to challenge more complicated texts. We will study context clues and figurative language to determine meaning.

Writing: After brainstorming and focusing on a wide variety of pieces, we committed to one narrative piece to take through the writing process. After many oral rehearsals we are looking at ways to pull our audience into our stories and lift the level of our preliminary drafts.

Math: This week Ms. Mackenzie and I launched differentiated math. We studied student preassessment data and grouped students by areas of needs. This week all groups explored rounding. Next week our topic of focus is adding and subtracting with regrouping.

Social Studies: This week we focused on legends, keys, compasses, and other tools to read maps. Students engaged in a cross curricular activity of planning a trip on route 66 and using rounding to calculate the total distance with a partner.

Weekly Updates September 19th-23rd

Hi Everyone,

Each week I will post weekly class updates by Wednesday morning! A huge thanks to Courtney and Priya for helping our parents stay informed. Please double check the distribution list and let us know if anyone else should be added to emails.

NEWS/EVENTS

• Our farm trip date has changed to October 19th! More information about this is on the way in the upcoming weeks. Mark your calendars- we will not be home that day until around 5pm.
• Next Friday September 30th is Family Friday. I will be sending a note with further details next week with more specifics.
• Next Friday September 30th is 3-509's first day of swim class. Please send swim materials to school that day-towel, bathing suit, etc. Swim will be 4th period that day.
• Our weekly special schedule is the following:
• Monday: Computer
• Tuesday: Music
• Wednesday: Science
• Thursday: Science
• Friday: Gym (swim)

CURRICULUM

Reading: This week we are continuing to work on goal setting, building reading habits, and increasing stamina. We are also learning about ways to share ideas with others.

Writing: This week we are generating ideas for our writing pieces by making lists and then writing long about those ideas.

Math: This week students will use place value as a means to compare, order, and rank numbers.

Social Studies: We are continuing to learn about continents and major bodies of water.

IMPORTANT NEWS: NEW DATE FOR STONELEDGE FARM TRIP

Hi Everyone,

After carefully considering families that will be observing Yom Yippur, we decided to move our trip to Stoneledge Farm to Wednesday October 19th!

Please update your calendars!


Thank you!

Meet Ali Gabriele, Our Fantastic Teachers College Intern

Hello!  My name is Ms. Gabriele and I will be working with Ms. Bouchard throughout the next few months as her literacy intern.  I am a graduate student at Teachers College at Columbia University and I will be in the classroom about four times a week helping the students to become the best readers and writers that they can possibly be.  I am both excited and eager to work with this fantastic group of 3rd graders and watch them grow as learners! 

Some fun facts about Ms. Gabriele:

Favorite food: Mac and cheese

Favorite place I've traveled to:  Greece

Favorite sport: Lacrosse (I played in college and have been a coach!)

Favorite sports teams: Jets, Yankees, Islanders

Favorite book: Wonder by: RJ Palacio

Favorite singer: Billy Joel

Favorite movie: Forrest Gump

Favorite hobby: drawing and painting

Welcome to 3-509!

Welcome families! It was so nice to meet many of you this morning! For those of you that couldn't make it, I have attached a link to our presentation. 

Thank you again to Courtney and Priya for volunteering to be our class parents. We are working on a distribution list and will be in touch shortly. In the meantime, I look forward to a fantastic year.

A few important reminders:

• Return welcome packets at your earliest convenience
• Our first trip is this Tuesday September 20th! The cost of this trip is $8. Please return the trip slip and $8 amount ASAP.
• Our first farm stand date is tomorrow from 8-8:50!

Thank you!

Dear Families of 3-509,

It has been a privilege to work with you this year and watch our amazing kids grow and blossom. I can't thank you enough for your support- from chaperoning trips to volunteering to guest lecture, our class community would not be the same without your ongoing presence. Your collaboration has been the key to our students' success, and their eagerness to learn.

Thank you to Colette and Amanda for being the most amazing classroom parents. Our community was always informed of events and important information because of your efforts, and your organization of special events (book fairs, mystery readers, etc) has given everyone opportunities to get involved. You're amazing.

I was incredibly touched and moved by your thoughtful end of the year class gift. We are excited to use it towards some additional things to prepare for our little girl's arrival! Dev and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Please know that you are all my inspiration to be an amazing parent. Every day I watch you make parenting in New York City look exciting and an adventure that I am ready to partake in. It's not an easy place to live, but you have shown me that the best kids come from our incredible city, and now our little girl can be part of this unique crowd of kids that are so open to the world.

Please keep in touch- I would love to continue to hear about what your families have been up to!

A few last updates regarding the end of the year before I embark on my next adventure...

• Ms. Lampf and Ms. Mackenzie will be coordinating with Ms. Penn (and reaching out to Colette and Amanda) to set up an end of the year picnic for the kids at the water park on the river near 23rd street for June 22nd. Please keep your eyes open for information about this.
• All report cards and portfolio contents will be sent home on Friday June 24th. PLEASE RETURN PORTFOLIOS TO MS. PENN by next week!
• Next Friday June 17th is Field Day.
• Meet your new teacher day is Tuesday June 21st.
• The last day of school is Tuesday June 28th. This is a half day. Dismissal will be at 11:50.
• If you have questions or concerns please forward them to Ms. Penn via a handwritten note directly delivered by the kids, or call the main office.

Have a wonderful summer with your families, and take care!

Much love,

Aimee Bouchard

Meet Ms. Penn :)

Meet Ms. Penn!

I am absolutely thrilled to introduce you to Ms. Penn, the fantastic teacher that will be with our kids for the last 10.5 days of school! She will take the helm of 3-509 starting this upcoming Monday, June 13th. I have known Ms. Penn for quite some time now, and not only is she a pleasure to work with- she has an amazing connection with the kids.

A little background information about Ms. Penn:

She has subbed at PS 11 for the past three years. She has two masters degrees in Social Studies Education and Special Education, and has worked with a wide range of students of all abilities. In her spare time she loves photography (especially photos of her son), and loves to scrapbook. She enjoys vegan cooking and is interested in writing literature for children.

She is so excited to work with our class these last few days, and will be joining us on Wednesday and Friday for an amazing transition. Welcome, Ms. Penn!

Weekly Updates 6/6-6/10

NEWS/EVENTS

Hi Everyone!

Today I met with the kids to share my end of the year plans with them. I'm sad to say that my last day with them will be this Friday, June 10th. It has been a great year, and I told them that although it makes me sad to good bye for now, I feel really good about the work we've done and the end of the year plan we have in place. They were overjoyed to learn that Ms. Penn is going to be with them for their last 10.5 days of school. She is one of the kindest, most hard working substitutes I have worked with, and the kids will have a great last few days with her. Shortly I will be posting an introduction! I will be reaching out to you again before the end of the week. Thanks for all of your ongoing support.

• Tomorrow we are harvesting some plants from the PS 11 Garden (little yard) at 10:30. Please come join us if you are free!
• Wednesday we are running the PS 11 Farm Stand from 9-10 am. Parents are welcome to join us if you'd like. The kids will drop off their things and then we will meet you in front of the school.
• There is no school this Thursday 6/9 or next Tuesday 6/14. These are staff clerical days.
• Field Day is next Friday June 17th!
• Meet your new teacher day is Tuesday 6/21
• The last day of school is 6/28, this is a half day
• All portfolio contents and report cards will most likely be sent home Friday 6/24. PLEASE RETURN PORTFOLIOS ASAP. 
• The end of the year potluck dinner and dance is Friday 6/24 after school

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week is Social Issue book clubs students are looking at specific moments (turning points) that teach us how our characters work through struggles and face different Social Issues. Throughout this unit we will refer to Each Kindness, The Can Man, and Junkyard Wonders as mentor texts to help guide these conversations.

Writing- Students have been working on drafting Fairy Tale Adaptations of Cinderella. The steps for doing this involve:

• Picking an element to change (character, setting, event)
• Plotting out the domino effect of that change
• Stitching scenes together with thoughtful narration

Later in the week students will have a chance to develop an adaptation of one of their own favorite Fairy Tales. They will select one of these tales to bring to their fourth grade teachers on "Meet your new teacher" day.

Math- This week in our Geometry unit we are going over the various attributes of shapes and broadening our descriptions with more sophisticated comparisons.

As always, email me with any questions!

Weekly Updates 5/23- 5/27

NEWS/EVENTS

• This Wednesday is Poetry night at PS 11! Our own Julia G. was nominated as our class poet and will be doing a reading. All other students will have a poem on display as part of a gallery to celebrate their work. 
• Family Friday is this Friday, and the theme is Enrichment activities! All parents will report directly to student enrichment locations for a presentation and celebration of the work over the last 10 weeks.
• Keep yours eyes open for a letter about third graders launching HOP- Homework Based Options. We will pilot this for our last units in June! The letter will be sent out at the end of the week.
• Portfolios will be send home on Friday!

HOMEWORK

Word Study Groups:

Humble: Sort 14

Determined: Sort 38

Ambitious: Sort 36

Monday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, use the Graphing and Data Review as a study guide to go over concepts on tomorrow's Post Assessment

Tuesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, select a word study menu option

Wednesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, complete practice pages in purple word study workbook

Thursday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, study for  spelling test

Friday: Have a wonderful 3 day weekend :)

CURRICULUM

Reading: This week we are launching the last unit of the year- Social Issue book clubs. In the first bend we will explore different Social Issues students face, and consider reading with the lens of Social Issues in club books.

Writing: This week we are finalizing the publishing of our "Countries Around the World" books. Students have thoughtfully selected paper choices to highlight text features and best capture ideas presented in their research.

Math: Tomorrow we are taking the "The Data Collection and Graphing Process" Post Assessment. Later in the week we will take the pre assessment for our next unit- Geometry.

Weekly Updates 5/16-5/20

NEWS/EVENTS

• Tonight is the PS 11 Gala at Hudson Terrace! I will be there from 6-9, and I will keep my eyes peeled for you!
• Next Tuesday May 24th our class is visiting the Scholastic Book Fair.
• Next Friday May 27th the theme of Family Friday is Enrichment classes! Parents will be invited to visit the enrichment group students have been visiting for the past 10 weeks. Families will report directly to enrichment groups- not regular classrooms.
• Next Friday May 27th portfolios will be sent home to families with updated work.

HOMEWORK

Word Sorts

Humble: Sort 13

Determined: Sort 37

Ambitious: Sort 35

Monday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, categorize words in word study notebook (if you haven't done so already), math group HW

Tuesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, math group HW

Wednesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, Word Study practice page that accompanies sort (in purple workbook), math group HW

Thursday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, glue and paste word into categories in purple workbook and study for spelling test, math group HW

Friday: Work on publishing country books for 30-45 minutes,  Data Review (end of unit test is next Tuesday)

CURRICULUM

Reading: This week we are wrapping up the final bend in our reading unit, Countries Around the World. We are reading Folk Tales from our countries with the lens of considering material from the perspective of culture, economy, history, land, power, and morals/lessons learned. We will start our next and final unit of the year on May 23rd (one of my favorites)- Social Issues Books Clubs.

Writing: This week we are revising our drafts and moving towards publishing our country books by next Wednesday. Our next unit will start on June 1st- Fairy Tale adaptations!

Math: This week all math groups are reviewing line plots and measurements to the nearest 1/2 and 1/4, and going through one more cycle of the data collection process. We will review next Friday and Monday, and take the Post Assessment on Tuesday 5/24.

Weekly Updates 5/9-5/13

NEWS/EVENTS

• Tomorrow students selected from the lottery will be participating in the track meet with Mr. Nichols.
• Next Monday 5/16 the annual PS 11 Gala is taking place at Hudson Terrace. I look forward to seeing many of you there!
• This month Family Friday is taking place May 27th- the theme is grades 3-5 Enrichment groups! Families will be visiting the enrichment groups of their students from 8:50-9:30.
• Portfolios will be sent home again on May 27th. If your family still has yours at home, please send it back to school!

Homework

This week's word sorts:
Humble: Sort 12
Determined: Sort 36
Ambitious: Sort 34

Monday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW, Sort Word Study Words into categories if you did not complete this in class

Tuesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW

Wednesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW, Word Study Practice Activity in Purple Workbook

Thursday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW, Glue words in word study workbook, study for spelling test

Friday: Reading Response

** A general note about reading responses going forward: I would love for the kids to complete one a week. It does not have to be on the weekend, if their schedules don't allow it.

CURRICULUM

Reading- Today many students brought in artifacts from the countries we have been learning about (a big thanks for help in gathering these items) and continued to compare and contrast their observations. The final bend of this unit involves learning about the countries we are studying through the lens of Folktales from these countries. We will consider what the folktale teaches us about the land, economy, culture, and history of a country. This unit will end by next Tuesday (5/17).

Writing- After creating a main table of contents and mini tables of contents for each chapter, students will embark on drafting their chapters, particularly focusing on elaboration. They will consider how to add facts, details, observations, and many other examples to strengthen their expertise. We will also start to think about the layout and structure of different chapters.

Math: We are repeating the data collection process of asking a question, collecting data, organizing and representing data, describing and summarizing data, and interpreting the data but this time pictographs. We are considering the process as a whole and are working to develop more sophisticated questions that have a meaningful purpose.

Social Studies: The work we have been doing around Folk Tales is now integrated into the reading workshop. 

Weekly Updates 4/18-4/22

NEWS/EVENTS

• This Friday is Family Friday! Our theme is countries around the world in reading and writing! Please look out for an email from me this evening about this event!
• Next week is April Vacation!
• The spring gala is Monday May 16th!

HOMEWORK

Word Sorts:

Humble: Sort 10

Determined: Sort 34

Ambitious: Sort 32

Monday: Finish Folk Tale Project For Ms. Wurman.

Tuesday: Read and Jot for 30 minutes, write words from sort into categories in word study notebooks, Math Group HW

Wednesday: Read and Jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW

Thursday: Read and Jot for 30 minutes, glue word sorts into categories in purple workbook, study for spelling test, Math Group HW

Over break: TBD, email soon to follow (it will be minimal)

CURRICULUM

Reading: This week we are starting bend two of our "Reading in a Content Area" unit. This time around students will research a second country with their groups using everything they know to create meaningful jots and teach others about new ideas.

Writing: This week we are launching our next writing unit- Informational Writing in a Content Area, specifically focusing on a country from around the world. Students will collect research about a country of their choice and paraphrase notes into their own words. They will then start to develop a table of contents and plan a book focusing on many unique aspects of their chosen countries.

Math: This week we are launching our next math unit- The Data Collection Process and Graphing. In this unit students will develop questions, conduct surveys, display collected data, summarize it, and draw conclusions. We will conduct three cycles of this around bar graphs, picture graphs, and line plots.

Social Studies: As we learn more about specific countries researched, we will read folk tales from these countries to learn about the culture.

Weekly Updates 4/11- 4/15

Hi Everyone,

One set of exams down, one to go! 3-509 has been working hard, and is ready to take the State Math Exams this Wednesday-Friday (April 13th-15th). Like last week, please encourage the kids to get to bed at a good hour, eat a great breakfast, and arrive with enough time so sprinting up to the 5th floor is not needed. We will start each day at 9:00 am.

This week I am not assigning homework once again. I want the kids to feel rested and refreshed for the end of the week. If the weather is nice, fresh air is the best medicine!

I AM SO PROUD of the work our kids have been doing. Their grit and resilience is truly inspiring, and last week I saw students truly giving 100%. They were calm, prepared, and confident, and I can't thank you enough for reinforcing this mentality at home. Let's do it one more time!

NEWS/EVENTS

• The Spring Gala Fundraiser is coming up on Monday May 16th at the Hudson Terrace.
• Family Friday will take place April 22nd.
• The Math State exams are this week, Wednesday April 13th- Friday April 15th.
• Spring break is around the corner! We are on vacation the week of April 25th-29th.

CURRICULUM

Reading: This week we are launching our next reading unit- Learning Through Reading, Countries Around the World! We are thrilled to dive back into nonfiction. This week we are revisiting how jot and take notes about a country, and explore various text features to help us do so. Students will also continue to work on their independent projects. All independent project work will be completed in class, and we will share our work on April 22nd.

Writing: Next week we will launch our next writing unit- Information Writing, Reading, Research and Writing in a Content Area. For this unit students will develop books about one of the countries they have chosen to focus on.

Math: We are finishing up our marathon training to prepare for this week's exams. Next week we are launching our Data and Graphing Unit.

Have a great week!

Ms. Bouchard

Weekly Updates 4/4-4/8

Hi Families of 3-509,

The time has finally come. This week we are taking the State ELA exam on Tuesday April 5th, Wednesday April 6th, and Thursday April 7th. This kids have worked so hard this year, and I couldn't be prouder.

This week there will be no homework. I told the kids this morning that I want them to get a good night's sleep, have a good breakfast, and plan to arrive to school a little earlier than usual (because nothing is worse than frantically trying to get to the 5th floor). I will start to let students come in to calmly unpack, relax, meditate, and use the bathroom around 8:40. We plan to start promptly at 9:00 each day.

Here are some tips for tonight- make a pump up play list! I told the class that before any race or marathon I run I make a play list of my favorite "pick me up" songs that inspire me and make me feel good (ahem- eye of the tiger, we are the champions, one moment in time). They are ready.

Thank you for all of your support, and as always email me with any questions and concerns. 

Ms. B

NEWS/EVENTS

• The State ELA Exams will take place April 5th-7th (Tues- Thursday, this week)
• The State Math Exams will take place April 13th-15th (Wed- Fri, next week)
• Family Friday will take place on April 22nd

CURRICULUM

Reading and Writing: NY State Exams. Students will have time for independent reading after the exams, so please make sure they bring all just right books back to school. We are also spending time working on independent projects each day once the tests are done!

Math: Throughout the week we are reviewing strategies for showing our work and solving multistep problems. On Friday we will take the preassessment for our next Math unit- Data, Measurement and Graphing This will start Monday April 18th).

Weekly Updates 3/28- 4/1

NEWS/EVENTS

• Next week our marathoners are taking the ELA exams on Tuesday April 5th, Wednesday April 6th, and Thursday April 7th! Our philosophy is to go into testing days feeling cool, calm, prepared, and confident. Please support students by making sure they arrive to school on time, well rested, and having a good breakfast.
• There will be no assigned homework during the exams (except for getting rest!).
• The following week students will take the math state exams on Wednesday April 13th, Thursday April 14th, and Friday April 15th.

HOMEWORK

Monday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the short response question for "Exotic Animals Are not Pets" (this was distributed separately from the packet), fraction homework

Tuesday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the short response questions for "Following the Stars" (this was distributed separately from the packet), Mass/Volume Math Marathon homework

Wednesday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the short response questions for "Sleep and the Brain" (this was distributed separately from the packet), Mass/Volume Math Marathon homework

Thursday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the short response questions for "First in Flight" (this was distributed separately from the packet), Fraction Post Assessment takes place tomorrow (4/1)

Friday: Read for 30 minutes each day, Read and answer the short response question for "The Gift of Light" (this was distributed separately from the packet)

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week students will spend the majority of their time visiting centers based on highlighted areas where practice is needed. We will also revisit a few other genres such as poetry and narrative nonfiction, and look at features of these texts. On Friday we will have our last big reading marathon- sweats and track clothes are encouraged!

We are also launching some independent reading projects. Students are taking a close look at an area within their lives they would like to learn more about (dance, WWII, origami, ANYTHING) and will create a plan for collecting research and information. This enrichment project is meant to be fun, and will take place in school.

Writing- This week we will continue to explore extended response questions and will practice devising and rehearsing a plan, tying ideas together with strong evidence, and ranking and prioritizing the best details. Students will do this work in partnerships and independently.

Math- This is our last week in our fractions unit. All groups are reviewing content, and the post assessment will take place on Friday.

Social Studies- We are continuing to immerse ourselves in different folktales, and are noticing the differences between myths, legends, fables, and tall tales.

Weekly Updates 3/21-3/24

NEWS/EVENTS

• "Art to Remember" Forms are due no later than Wednesday
• There is no school Friday in observance of Good Friday

HOMEWORK:

Monday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and use the blue informational bookmark to mark up "Patriotic Pizza," and answer only the short response question attached, Fractions math HW

Tuesday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and use the blue informational bookmark to mark up "Living in the Clouds," and answer only the short response question attached, 

Wednesday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and use the blue informational bookmark to mark up "How Benny West Learned to be a Painter" answer only the short response questions attached, Fraction Group HW.

Thursday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and use the blue informational bookmark to mark up "Sea Turtles" and answer only the short response question attached (DO NOT DO THE EXTENDED), Fraction Group HW, Elapsed Time Marathon Practice HW.

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week we are exploring texts with unique structures from across a variety of different genres. We are exploring texts that are set up sequentially, showing a cause/effect relationship, as well as compare contrast. We are examining how one part of a text build on another. Students are continuing to mark up and annotate the text using the blue card stock bookmark in their training folders as they read, and use these annotations when revisiting parts of the text later on.

Writing- This week we are learning how to construct an extended response using a checklist to guide our planning. Today we did an inquiry, and explored previous students' examples to find out, "What makes a powerful extended response?" As the week progresses we will practice planning our work and then will shift into writing full responses.

Math- This week math students are exploring strategies to create equivalent fractions, and we are also learning about fractions of a set (as well as other fraction based word problems).

Social Studies: This week as we visit Folk Tale Centers we are learning about the differences between a fable, myth, legend, and fairytale.

Weekly Updates 3/14-3/18

NEWS/EVENTS

• Enrichment groups start meeting 7th period this Thursday, 3/17! Students will find out their placements tomorrow.
• This week we are launching Math Marathon Training in addition to what we have started with ELA.
• The 2016 ELA and Math Exams are coming up. The ELA will take place April 5th-7th, and the Math will take place April 13th-15th. If you missed the Curriculum Connection regarding the tests at the beginning of the month, you can find out more information at http://ps11chelsea.org/curriculum-connections/
• Our attitude towards the test is that the work we have done all year has prepared us, and that will be confident, calm, and ready!

HOMEWORK

*Starting this week we will alternate between fraction group homework and marathon math homework each night

*A note on Marathon Homework- if you want to review work with students, please encourage them to lead the review- let them show you their process. For short response work, encourage students to take out the short response checklist to self assess their work.

Monday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the questions for "Copycat Elephant," Fraction Group Homework

Tuesday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the questions for "Teeny Tiny Tardigrades," Marathon Graphing Homework p. 3-5

Wednesday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the questions for "Crazy Critters," Fraction Group HW

Thursday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the questions for "Horses Helping Others," Marathon Graphing Homework p. 6-9

Friday: Read for 30 minutes, Read and answer the questions for "Sand Castle," Fraction Group HW

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week our focus has shifted to informational reading passages. This week we will explore how to determine the main idea, reflect on the author's purpose, use text features, study context clues, and compare different text structures (compare/contrast, cause/effect, sequential)

Writing- This week we are visiting centers to practice short response questions and will have opportunities to receive feedback from our peers and Ms. Bouchard. On Thursday we will start to look at extended response style questions.

Math- This week in addition to rotating to our fractions groups, we are adding an additional period of marathon math training to the school day. Marathon math whole group instruction focuses on trends Ms. Bouchard has found in student data that students would benefit from practice in. This week our marathon focus is on creating and interpreting picture and bar graphs.

Social Studies- Students are visiting centers to explore different Folk Tales from around the world.

Weekly Updates 3/7-3/11

NEWS/UPDATES

• It was lovely meeting with you over the past week to discuss the progress of our students!
• Please read below for important information pertaining to our "Marathon Training" for the upcoming NY State ELA and Math exams.
• The deadline for permission slips highlighting students interested in participating in a track and field meet are due to Mr. Nichols by Wednesday March 9th. Slips were sent home a week and a half ago. Not all students will be selected in this lottery.
• Family Friday is this Friday- our theme is poetry! More information to come.

Homework

During our "marathon training" for state exams, I am giving students a break from nightly jotting and word study. In it's place, I am asking students to complete some practice homework to support strategies learned during the day. Students are still asked to read for 30 minutes each night to build stamina. Please follow the schedule below for this week's homework, and do not have students complete passages/problems beyond what is assigned. Students must return yellow marathon training folders to school each day. Many thanks!

Monday: Read for 30 minutes (no jotting required), Read "The Old Man and His Grandson" and answer the supporting short response question

Tuesday: Read for 30 minutes (no jotting required), Read "Secrets are Hard to Keep" and answer the supporting questions, Fraction Group HW

Wednesday: Read for 30 minutes (no jotting required), Read "Go Fish" and answer the supporting questions, Fraction Group HW

Thursday: Read for 30 minutes (no jotting required), Read "Sulka Saves the Savannah" and answer the supporting questions, Fraction Group HW

Friday: Read for 30 minutes (no jotting required), Read "Campfire Song" and answer the supporting questions, Fraction Group HW

CURRICULUM

Reading: Today we launched our "Marathon Training" for the ELA by reviewing strategies and skills tied to Narrative Passages (Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Fables, Folk Tales, Myths). Our week started with a shared experience as a class, and over the course of each day we move towards greater independence.

Writing: This week we are focusing on using all we know about writing to answer short response questions. Students will use a series of checklists and student examples to understand the components of a short response, and will work as a whole class, in partnerships, and independently for practice.

Math: This week we are continuing to explore fractions on a number line, and will study how to use number lines to compare unlike fractions. Later in the week we will review different ways to identify equivalent fractions.

Social Studies: We are continuing to explore Folk Tales, and are looking closely at the differences between myths, fairy tales, and legends.

Many thanks for all of your support!

Ms. Bouchard

Weekly Updates 2/29-3/4

NEWS/EVENTS

• This week (and next) parent teacher conferences will take place. If you arrive early to your conference, please take the green NYC schools survey, fill it out, and seal it. You can return this to me, and I will submit all sealed envelopes to the office to be mailed. PS 11 is shooting for a 100% participation rate, and your help with this is very much appreciated. If we have already met, I will send this home with your child.
• Next Friday March 11th is Family Friday- Our theme is poetry.
• On Wednesday March 9th there is a Curriculum Connection from 8:45-9:30 about the state exam.
• Our March Newsletter was emailed to all families yesterday. Please reach out to me if you did not receive it.

HOMEWORK

Word Study

Humble: Sort 9

Determined: Sort 33

Ambitious: Sort 32

Monday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, write words in word study notebook, math group HW

Tuesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, pick a word study menu options, math group HW

Wednesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, word study practice page (goes with sort in purple book), math group homework

Thursday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, glue words in purple workbook, study for spelling test

Friday: Reading response, math group HW

CURRICULUM

Reading- We are wrapping up our two week mini unit on mystery book clubs. This week we are piecing together evidence and clues to solve the mystery, and considering suspect motivations. Towards the end of the week we will think about lessons learned.

Writing- This week we are also wrapping up a two week poetry writing unit. After generating possible topics for poems we are spending the next days revising using a range of strategies to add depth to our work, such as weaving in figurative language, and considering white space and line breaks. Students will look through poems and search for a theme that could be highlighted in a poetry anthology.

Math- Students are learning about unit fractions and are using toolkits to compare, rank, and order fractions.

Social Studies: By the end of this week we are launching Literature Around the World- Folk Tales. Students will read a wide variety of Folk Tales and visit centers to consider how tales continue to teach us about the culture, economy, land, and history of a country.

Weekly Updates 2/22-2/26

NEWS/EVENTS

• Our African dance performance is in two days (Thursday February 25th at 8:50!- this is our "Family Thursday for the month) and the kids are so excited. A few reminders-
  • Tomorrow is a dress rehearsal first and second periods. Students should report directly to the auditorium. Please have students bring the same outfits they are wearing on Thursday to school tomorrow. Our assigned costumes:
    
    
    • Dance of the earth attire will be red and brown . Any type of shirt / pants are ok.
    • Girls should have a LAPA / sarong wrap / scarf around their waste preferably brown or red but can be another color as well ( close to that color palette if possible ) 
    • boys should have a head band / bandana tied around their head ( ninja turtle / samurai style ) 
• If you have not yet signed up for parent teacher conferences next week, please visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0f4babab2aa6fa7-spring to find a time.
• Several families have still not returned portfolios. Please send these back ASAP as we are stuffing them with updated student work by the end of the week.
• Several students have still not turned in completed published Opinion Writing Pieces. Please submit them ASAP as I would like to include them in portfolios.

HOMEWORK

Monday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, select a reading response to include in your portfolio and complete the reflection to accompany your work, write words into categories in your word study notebook.
              Humble: Sort 8
              Determined: Sort 32
              Ambitious: Sort 31

Tuesday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, math group HW, remember to bring in clothes for African Dress Rehearsal

Wednesday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, math group HW, word study practice pages (following sort #), African performance is tomorrow!

Thursday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, math group HW, glue words into word study notebook, study for spelling test.

Friday- Math group HW and reading response

CURRICULUM

• Reading- For the next two weeks we are engaging in a Mystery Book Clubs "mini" unit. During this time we will revisit and reflect on everything we know about fiction books (story elements) and use that to collect evidence and clues to solve mysteries. This week we are sharpening our skills to grow ideas and make predictions.
• Writing- We are also engaging in a two week "mini" unit of poetry writing. During this time students will immerse themselves in rich examples of poetry. After visiting centers to tap into their senses, students will write after brainstorming and finding inspiration. Next week we will look closely at specific strategies like using metaphor, simile, alliteration, and other ways to play with words and space.
• Math-Today we launched our next math unit- fractions. During this unit students will once again meet with math groups to study unit fractions, equivalent fractions, compare and contrast numbers on a number line, and solve real world problems.
• Social Studies- This week we are wrapping up our Nigeria unit with a notetaking performance task and a last round of center visits.

Spring Special Schedule

Monday- Science (6th)

Tuesday- Art (7th)

Wednesday- Dance (3rd)

Thursday- Science (6th)

Friday- Gym/Swim (1st- on family Friday days it will be 4th)

Weekly Updates 2/1-2/5

NEWS/EVENTS

• This Friday is Family Friday! Our focus this week is area. We are asking families to help students create floor plans. It will be a lot of fun, and students will have the opportunity to practice the many strategies they have learned for calculating area and perimeter.
• Next Friday we are going to the Central Park Zoo as a culminating activity for our research book club unit. the cost of this trip is $5.00 for students and $10.50 for chaperones. Please indicate on the field trip slip if you are interested in joining us! Slips and fees are due Tuesday, but will be accepted through Friday morning.
• There is no school next Monday 2/8 due to the observance of Chinese New Year.
• The annual box top collection fundraiser is taking place. Students should place box tops on the provided sheet, and should be either glued or taped into place at home.
• This year I am participating in a Digital Literacy specialty group at Teachers College, and I am excited to try some new tech related ideas with the kids. Please take a moment to fill out a 30 second survey about student access to technology at home. This will help me with my planning!
• February break is the week of 2/13-2/21.
• Our African Dance performance will be our "Family Friday" event for February. The performance is on Thursday 2/25 at 8:50 am.

HOMEWORK

Monday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, categorize new words in Word Study notebook, math group HW, practice African Dance 2 times

          Humble: Sort 7

          Determined: Sort 31

          Ambitious: Sort 30

Tuesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, have parents sign spelling test from last week, math group HW, practice African Dance 2 times

Wednesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, select a word study menu option, math group HW, practice African Dance 2 times

Thursday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, glue words into categories in purple word study workbook and study for spelling test, math hw from regular classroom teacher, practice African Dance 2 times

Friday: Reading response and math group HW

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week students will dive into the second bend of our research book club nonfiction unit. Within this cycle students will apply what they know about researching to another animal topic, but this time with more independence. Students are still practicing book club strategies using a variety of "talk tools" to get the conversation going.

Writing- After selecting a "seed idea" (an opinion claim to be taken through the writing process) students will work on organizing and categorizing information. They will continue to integrate word choice to evoke emotion from readers.

Math- With only a little over a week left in our multiplication and area unit, over the next days student will understand how to tackle word problems asking for perimeter and area, and will plan how to solve problems where composite shapes miss certain dimensions. Students will cycle through review centers to work on areas of weakness.

Social Studies- This week we will explore some of the multimodal feature of interactive texts (hyperlinks, infographics, images, video) as we continue to rotate through centers focusing on Nigeria. We are starting to discuss how resources often lead to economic and political tension in an area (how oil impacts the region, among other resources).

Weekly Updates 1/25- 1/29

NEWS/EVENTS

• Today Caitlin Johnson, our fabulous spring intern from Teacher's College, joined our classroom! Caitlin will be with us four days a week during literacy blocks, and will be joining us for reading and writing minilessons, small groups, book clubs, and more. We are thrilled to have her with us.
• Next Friday from 8:50-9:35 the third grade Science Fair is taking place. Families of participating students are invited to attend.
• On February 5th Family Friday is taking place!
• We are in the process of planning a field trip to the Central Park Zoo for the week of 2/9. Our visit is to support and enrich research in animal book clubs. For the trip we will be looking for 5-6 chaperones (one per book club) so we can move about the zoo with greater ease. Once final paperwork is approved a trip slip will go home as soon as possible.
• Spelling tests will be passed back on Tuesdays from now on. Students will glue old tests in Word Study notebooks.

HOMEWORK

Monday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, write words in categories in word study notebook, Group Math HW

Tuesday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, Have spelling test signed, Group Math HW

Wednesday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, Word Study Menu Option, Group Math HW

Thursday- Read and jot for 30 minutes, Glue words into categories in purple word study notebook and study for spelling test, Group Math HW

Friday- Reading Response, Group Math HW

CURRICULUM

Reading- Now that students have been researching animals in their research book clubs, they are compiling notes and growing ideas about their observations. 

Writing- After analyzing mentor texts of opinion based writing, students are generating their own possible claims by considering problems and solutions that could make the world around them a better place. We will draw on strategies from Baby Literary Essays to develop and craft our speeches (reasons with supporting evidence).

Math- Students have been learning about using the distributive property as a strategy to calculate area for quadrilaterals and other composite shapes.

Social Studies- We plan to visit two more Nigeria centers this week (statistics, maps, comparing and contrasting, artifacts, photographs, video clips of student life). Students are learning how to categorize notes into sections.

Weekly Updates 1/19-1/22

NEWS/EVENTS

• A big thanks to all that could make it to our Circle in the Square performances! A special thanks to Amy, Rachel, and Sofia for joining us as chaperones. The kids worked hard, and their plays were amazing.
• Young artist fliers were sent home last Friday.
• The Third Grade science fair is taking place Friday January 29th from 8:50-9:35 (open to participating student families)
• Our next Family Friday will take place Friday February 5th.

HOMEWORK

Word Study Groups:

• Humble: Sort 5
• Determined: Sort 29
• Ambitious: Sort 28

Tuesday- Write new word sorts in Word Study Notebook, Math Group HW, Read and jot for 30 minutes

Wednesday- Finish publishing Baby Literary Essays (if not finished already)

Thursday- Glue word sorts, study for spelling test, Math Group HW, Read and jot for 30 minutes

Friday- Math Group HW, reading response

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week we are launching a new reading unit- Research Book Clubs! Throughout this unit students will cycle through two research clubs learning about and studying specific animals. Tomorrow we are launching new reading partnerships and clubs.

Writing- Towards the end of last week students used a variety of checklists and tools to revise and edit their selected Literary Essays for publishing. Today they were given 50 minutes to start the publishing process, and are asked to complete publishing Wednesday night. Later this week we are starting our next writing unit- "Changing the World." We are writing speeches to address changes needed!

Math- Students are continuing to learn strategies for calculating area such as tiling, the length x width= area formula, and using the distributive property to decompose/partition rectangles into smaller partial products and add them together.

Social Studies- This month (and until our February break) we are doing a case study of Nigeria, and are exploring how the culture, land, and economy impact life in Nigeria. We will cycle through centers focusing on reading, comparing/contrasting, studying artifacts, examining maps, and analyzing statistics.

Weekly Updates 1/4-1/8

Happy New Year Families of 3-509!

NEWS/EVENTS

• Next week we are traveling to Circle in the Square to see all student plays performed! 3-509 is visiting on Monday January 11th, and we our plays will be performed from 12-2. All parents are welcome to come to the theatre to see performances. If you are interested in chaperoning please indicate this on the permission slip sent home today.
• If you still haven't had the opportunity to type student plays we have an additional two more days. Your help with this is incredibly appreciated!!! Please email me ASAP if you are unable to type for some reason. 
• Our African Dance residency is starting this week.

HOMEWORK

Word Study Groups:

• Humble- Sort 3
• Determined- Sort 27
• Ambitious- Sort 26

Monday: Write word sorts in Word Study Notebooks, Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW

Tuesday: Select a menu option from Word Study NB, Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW, Last day to bring typed Circle Plays

Wednesday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW

Thursday: Read and jot for 30 minutes, Math Group HW, Study for spelling test

Friday: First reading response, Math HW (Sending another email about this later this week)

CURRICULUM

Reading- This week students are continuing to design reading plans with book clubs and are using a variety of "talk tools" to get their conversations moving. We are also using story mountains as a way to predict and anticipate ways our stories might go.

Writing- After creating a variety of "flash drafts" students are selecting their favorites to take through the revision and editing process. This week we are introducing an "opinion writing" checklist as a tool to help narrow down specific parts of essays to zoom into and change. We are also using phrases to connect ideas such as "for instance," or "for example."

Math- Today we launched the start of our next math unit- Multiplication and Area. Throughout this unit students will learn how to calculate area in square units, decompose irregular shapes to determine area, and find the perimeter of objects (sometimes missing the length/width of dimensions).

Social Studies- To accompany our African Dance residency, students will learn about the culture, land, and economy of Nigeria. Students will visit a variety of centers and continue to practice their jotting skills.