Mrs. May & Mrs. Reynolds
October 21, 2016
What We Are Learning
ELA – We are continuing our learning using the text Esperanza Rising. This week we focused on
identifying metaphors and symbols in the story. Next week we will become “reading detectives” and close
read parts of the text to learn more about the characters.
Math – We are about half way into Module 2. We had a mid-module check in on Wednesday. This will
help us work with students individually on concepts of multiplication and expressions not yet mastered.
We started division on Thursday. Having a firm understanding of basic math facts is essential to this unit.
Continue to expect math homework each and every night. It really takes a lot of repeated practice for this
learning to stick. Your child identified multiplication facts that stump him/her. Please ask your child what
those are and what their plan is to learn those facts. Continue to use ClassDojo for examples.
Science – We are still working on our first science unit, Animal Systems and Survival. Our class pet
hermit crabs, Dab and Jeff, have settled in nicely. We have been observing them and learning more about
their behavioral and physical traits. Next week we will begin studying fossils and dinosaurs.
Social Studies – We spent the last week working to decide if Christopher Columbus was a hero or not.
The students did a great job working through this. Ask your child’s opinion. Also ask about the other
explorer your child studied with one or two other students. Next week we’ll start to look at the
encounters between Native Americans, West Africans, and Europeans as more and more countries started
to explore. What came to be known as the Columbian Exchange will be our focus.
Thank You!
Thank you for all of the
donations of classroom
supplies! Your generosity is
so appreciated!
We will be collecting Box
Tops all year. Please
consider donating these to
our classroom to help us
make purchases! 
Brag Tags
Ask your child which they’ve
earned.
VIPs
Our VIPs are students that
are randomly selected each
week to sit at our special VIP
table. These students must
have only positive Dojo
points for the week and have
completed all homework.
Our recent VIPs are:
Avery
Ava W.
Lauren
Kaedan
Brooklynn
Carley L.
Cameron
Isaac
Congratulations!
Dates to Remember
10-31-16 2:30 Halloween Party
11-8 and 11-10 Conferences
11-11-16 (tentative date) –
Three Worlds Meet Feast –
more info to come later
2-17-17 Symphony/IMAX
Field Trip
6-2-17 Greenfield Village Field
Trip