Reading:
Please continue to read at home to
and with your child in English or ensure daily time is allocated to reading in
English. In class students are learning to summarize (retell) a story and
include all the characteristics of a story (characters, setting, problem,
solution, plot) in their summary. Grade 4 students are identifying the
characteristics of a narrative while Grade 5 students are identifying the
characteristics of a mystery.
Students are also learning about
using surrounding words in a sentence and the context of a sentence
to help determine an unknown word.
Students have learned how to partner
read and have made their own partner reading bookmarks.
Good readers make connections while
they read to better understand and enjoy a text. As a class, we have developed
an anchor for relating to a text based on The Name Jar. Students will continue
to practice the skill of making connections using prompts such as:
& This
reminds me of… (a movie, personal experience, a friend, another book, a song, a
place, etc.)
& I
remember…
& It
makes me think of…
& This
(character/setting, event) reminds me of… because…
& It
makes me feel…
& That
happened to me…
& This
(setting, character, problem) is different/similar…
& This
sounds like…
& I
identify with…
Writing: Students are learning to use order words
(First, Then, Next, Third, Finally) when explaining their work. In addition, we
have reviewed examples for their Writer’s Notebook and the expectations for
their journals. We have focused on beginning a piece of writing in an
interesting way so the reader will be invited to read on.
My Writer’s Notebook Expectations
ü I always begin with the date.
ü For ideas I can use my own ideas/feelings/ observations, a writing
prompt, or a picture.
ü Each entry has a main idea and is focused.
ü I begin my writing in an interesting way (see the 6 great ways to start
my writing).
ü I can include pictures or diagrams.
ü I include a variety of writing forms (short story, persuasive, poem, procedure, recount, movie review,
letter, charts, lists, observations, thinking webs, journal, lists).
ü I have written about different topics in my notebook.
ü I always reread my writing. It is thoughtful and I have added ideas
when necessary.
ü I edit using the CUPS strategy (see the inside of your folder).
Students shared their creativity with
others this week (poems, stories, lists, charts, webs, journals).
Students are also learning how to use
a thesaurus to expand their word choice and use rich vocabulary when writing.
Parents may want to show their child
how to access a thesaurus on a word processing program on the computers at home
(Word, etc.).
Homework:
English homework now ‘lives’ in a red
duotang. Making Words homework is assigned on Thursday and due back by the next
Thursday. Students are required to cut out the letters and manipulate the
letters to ensure they can ‘make’ the word they believe makes ‘sense’ in the
sentence.
At home ideas:
·
Read a picture book with your child and have
them retell the story, including beginning, middle and end.
·
Incorporate reading time before bed.
·
After reading a book – ask your child – What was
the author’s purpose in writing this book (persuade, inform, entertain)? Who is
the author’s audience? What is the author’s message?
·
While reading, discuss connections you have to
your own life, other texts you have read or the world.
