Welcome to the first newsletter of the new school year!  We have been very busy getting to know each other and completing some team building exercises.  Our crew is ahardworking, kind, spirited, and cohesive unit already!

Math

Fifth graders have been taking the first of two STAR benchmark assessments in class.  This will provide a gauge of learning, as we will re-assess in January and then conduct re-teaching centers.  We have also begun Unit 1 and September Number Corner, in which we are looking at probability.  5th graders will complete their first monthy project:  Million Dollar Bedroom Project.  This project will look at how to calculate percents, budgeting, and drafting an aerial view of their bedroom.

Fourth graders are working on area of different polygons using multiple forms of measurement.  The students took a baseline assessment, the Unit 1 pre-test, and are now looking at the STAR benchmark.  Students are working hard on practicing their multiplication facts as well.

 

Daily Oral Language and Spelling

Students have completed their first weekly DOL practice in which they practice punctuation, correct spelling and grammatical mistakes, and learn conventions.  This week we have worked on prefixes and suffixes, verbs and adverbs, and words that contain different forms of the sound /s/.  Our first spelling test was last Friday, and the students rocked it!  We will take our second test this Friday after lunch.

 

Writing

Students have had a blast creating their first Ideas brainstorm and mini- narrative based on the anchor text Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street.  Each table group received a paper bag with six objects in it.  The goal was to use those objects in a narrative after filling out an A-Z graphic organizer.  The imaginations of these children runs wild!  From this base, we then reviewed the makings of a hamburger paragraph, topic sentence, concluding sentence, and they reconstructed the first paragraph of their narrative.

 

Reader’s Workshop and Book Clubs

The Brisbin Crew is diligently delving into each role that is included in our Book Clubs.  Starting with Patricia Pollaco’s book Reschenka’s Eggs, students have learned about Word Wizard, Summarizer, and the foldables related to each role.  You may see their foldables in their writing ISN.  Next week we will begin our reader’s workshop (Monday) and use the techniques modeled in the workshop all week.  At the end of the week is a pop quiz to assess their learning.

 

Expedition

Our guiding question for the expedition:  What are the uses and abuses of power that people demonstrate? has driven some very deep conversation in the Brisbin Crew as the BBK kickoff ensued.  We created an anchor chart that explores Power vs. Empowerment, and discussed what drives people in a powerful position.  We shared our views on what we think would make someone locate to an entirely new environment, and students came up with some very thoughtful ideas.  We then embarked on a Reader’s Theatre that revolves around the idea of Revolution, and students have build an amazing anchor chart based on the script.  Please ask your child about what they have learned so far in the BBK- you might be amazed.  Our first case study: Colony Vs. King will kick off next week!

 

Important Info

Fieldwork on the 13th and 14th, 20th

Minimum Day Wednesday, September 12

Banana Slug String Band Tuesday Septemer 11

 

Proudly, 

Mrs. Brisbin