Week in Review, April 22-26, 2024

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What a FUN week! We started our ABC Countdown and enjoyed the company of a stuffed animal at school, came to school in backwards dress, and crazy hair. Our ABC Countdown continues this week with only 23 days of school till summer!

In Writing, we learned fun ways to end our story (by having a lesson learned, sharing how characters feel, or by making our reader laugh). We fixed and fancied up Book 1 and are ready to start book 2 next week. We also learned how to do the following, to bring our stories to life:

• Unfreeze people-make them move and make them talk.
• Bring out the inside-make feel and think.
• Tell small steps.
• Add POP-OUT words.

In Reading, we picked a character for our Character Study. Over the next couple weeks we will be reading all the books in their series to get to know them even better. This week we worked to identify some traits of the character we have been looking at for our Character Study. We also learned how to find evidence of our character's feelings (making inferences).

In Word Study, we learned diphthong "ou" and "ow". They make the same sound. The "ou" spelling can come at the beginning or end of a word, like in the word "out" or "loud". The "ow" spelling can come in the middle or end of a word, like in the word "town" or "now". We also learned about the silent letter in the following combinations: "kn", "wn" and "mb". Please practice the new heart words "eye", "heart" and "about". 

In Math, we sorted and described two-dimensional shapes. We also learned how to draw two-dimensional shapes based on shared attributes. We zoomed in on the defining attributes of the triangle, rectangles and squares. We learned that a square is a special kind of rectangle. 

In Science, we used what we've learned about sound and vibration to design a musical instrument. Student went to the STEAM Lab, and used the design process, to construct their instrument. We also conducted our final sound investigation. Students worked to prove that sound makes material vibrate.

 

We also started the light bend of our Sound and Light unit. We entered a dark Science Lab on Monday and found a note over the light switches that read, "Do NOT turn on the lights! We are experiencing an electrical circuit issue!" We found that we couldn't see in the dark and brainstormed some ways to see. We found some flashlights to help us complete our lab work. We learned that we need light to see (light illuminates objects).

Upcoming Events:

• April 29-D Day! Donuts and Dance Party!
• April 30-E Day! Exercise Day!
• Music Informance from 12:40-1:20 in Ms. Sawada's Music Classroom (C207). 
• May 1-No School! Labor Day!
• May 2-F Day! Free Choice Time (extra)!
• May 3-G Day! Go Noodle and Games!
• May 11-Mother's Day!
• May 20-Eagle Field Day!
• May 22-Vesak Day! No School!
• May 23-Reading and Writing Celebration! Parents, please join us at 1:30 for a Readers Theater and Book Series share. 

Week in Review, April 15-19, 2024

 

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Thank you Explorer parents and students for the lovely Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you for the Grab voucher and donations to the PTA Faculty & Staff Lunch. 

In Writing, we learned how to write a good introduction by sharing the when and where right away.  

• One sunny Saturday in the park...
• On a storm night in January Annie was at home with her mom and dad...
• It was September in the Netherlands when...

Here is an example of a strong introduction:

"Dad, I'm ready!" shouted Annie. One snowy Saturday in January, Annie and her dad were getting ready to go sledding. "Don't forget your gloves," dad said. Annie and her dad bundled up, grabbed the sleds from the shed, and started walking to the big hill just behind their house. 

We also learned how to get our character into a bit of trouble and how to get them out of trouble. We saw that a character might try to solve their problem in multiple ways (maybe the first few didn't work). By the end of the story the character needs to solve the problem in a realistic way.

We were also introduced to other words to use in the place of said (said is dead=use asked, replied, cried, etc.). For a review, please watch these videos:

• What is Realistic Fiction?
• Brainstorming
• Writing an Introduction
• Writing a Draft

In Reading, we learned how to notice when character's feelings change, how to put on the character's face according to the feelings they are feeling, and how to better understand the characters feelings by finding the evidence. We also learned about character traits. Characters, and real people, have physical traits and personality traits. Physical traits are what a character or person looks like on the outside. Personality traits are what the character or person acts like (inside). We also enjoyed an assembly with visiting author Kate Messner. 

In Word Study, we learned that "ea" spells the long "e" sound like in the word "team". In some words "ea" spells the short "e" sound like in the word "head". We also learned that "a" can make a short "o" sound like in the word "watch". This usually happens when "a" follows "w" like in the word "water". We also learned diphthong "oi" and "oy". The "oi" can be found at the beginning or in the middle of words and "oy" can be found at the end. Please practice the new heart words "Monday", "Wednesday" and "February". 

In Math, we we took our U6 Assessment and started Unit 7-Geometry and Telling Time. Watch for the U6 Assessment coming home in your child's zippy. In Unit 7, so far, we have learned the names of three-dimensional (solid) shapes, how to sort them, and how to compose shapes from other three-dimensional shapes.  

In Science, we conducted our final sound student led investigation. Students worked to prove that sound makes material vibrate. Ask your child about their Cause and Effect Model and what they were able to prove. 

Next week we will use what we've learned about sound and vibration to design a musical instrument. Student will use the design process, go to the Makespace and construct their instrument. 

Upcoming Events:

• April 22-Earth Day!
• April 23-Math AIMSweb Assessment at 10:15. Please go to bed early the night before, eat a good breakfast and send a healthy AM snack.
• April 24-Reading AIMSweb Assessment at 10:15. Please go to bed early the night before, eat a good breakfast and send a healthy AM snack.
• ABC Countdown begins! A Day: Bring a stuffed animal to school today!

• April 25-B Day: Wear your school uniform backward.

• April 26-Duru sharing Birthday treats during PM snack today.
• C Day: Crazy hair day! Come to school with a crazy hair style/things in your hair.

• April 30-Music Informance from 12:40-1:20 in Ms. Sawada's Music Classroom (C207). 
• May 1-No School! Labor Day!

Week in Review, April 8-12, 2024

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In Writing, we worked to develop our series. We thought of a main character and their likes and dislikes. We also thought about their character traits, supporting characters, and some problems and solutions they may face throughout our series. Next week we will start writing our first book. 

In Reading, we continued reading realistic fiction stories. If you hear your child talking about a series they are enjoying, we encourage you to purchase some of the books for home reading. This week we learned to do the following, while reading realistic fiction:

• Reread to see more
• Learn about the characters
• Pay attention to other characters too
• Reread to learn more about the characters

In Word Study, we continued to work on other vowel teams. A vowel team is a combination of letters that represent a vowel sound. We learned the vowel teams "ew", "ue", "ue", "au", "aw", and "augh". The vowel teams "ew", "ue", "ue" all make the "oo" sound. The "ew" and "ue" spelling comes at the end of words, while "ui" comes in the middle of words. The vowel teams "au", "aw" and "augh" all make the short "o" sound. The "au" and "augh" spelling can be found in the middle of words, while "aw" can be found at the beginning, middle or end. Please practice the new heart words "month", "hour" and "minute". 

In Math, we measured our friends and learned how to solve compare story problems and take from story problems, with unknowns in all positions.

We also learned how to analyze story problems with unknowns in all positions and match addition and subtraction equations to story problems.

In Science, we conducted a couple sound investigations. Student made the following claim: Vibrating materials make sound.

Ask your child what makes sound and how sound travels. Ask them about some of the items in the basket and what they discovered.

We also had a field trip to the Zoo, enjoyed a Grade 1 Assembly to watch the Mountain Film Festival, had a class sleepover party and learned about and celebrated Ramadan. Matty's Aunty, from Indonesia, shared some festive snacks with us. We also read a story and made a Ramadan craft. 

Upcoming Events:

• April 17-Teacher Appreciation Day!
• April 19-Junyoung sharing a Birthday treat during PM snack. 
• April 22-Earth Day!
• April 23-Math AIMSweb Assessment today.
• April 24-Reading AIMSweb Assessment today.
• ABC Countdown begins! A Day: Bring a stuffed animal to school today!

• April 25-B Day: Wear your school uniform backward.

• April 26-C Day: Crazy hair day! Come to school with a crazy hair style/things in your hair.

• April 30-Music Informance from 12:40-1:20 in Ms. Sawada's Music Classroom (C207). 
• May 1-No School! Labor Day!