April 8-12

Dear Parents,

Students had lots of questions and were very eager to begin our new Balancing Forces Unit.  The tuning in activities helped to generate wonderings and build excitement. Students also learned a lot and enjoyed the activities related to our Inclusive Schools week.

This coming week will be another busy and exciting week of learning. There will be new reading and writing units beginning this week. And students will start work on new Passion Projects beginning Friday!

This week begins on: Day 3

Reading/ Writing This week students will begin a combined reading and writing unit where they will conduct research on a planet that they are interested in learning about. They will use a variety of texts and digital materials, synthesize the important information about their subtopics, and record it in their own words. Students will work together in research groups. You can find out more about this unit, including vocabulary and resources by clicking HERE.

Math We will begin to work on the concept of perimeter, including solving for unknown sides. We will also explore the relationship between perimeter and area (for example, if a rectangle has an area of 12 sq. cm, what are possible side lengths and then calculate the perimeter).

Science Students will conduct experiments, make observations and read about what constitutes evidence of a force acting on an object; discover that a force acts between two objects; and gain initial experience with setting a purpose for investigating and with constructing explanations.

Weeks of April 8th. Please complete 2 activities to share on Friday, April 12.

Math: Find the perimeter of three different books in your house. Sketch them in your notebook and label or use photos.	Language arts: Think of your favorite fairytale. Think about what would happen next. Write the sequel in your home learning journal... For example: The Gingerbread Man 2: Gingerbreads Revenge	Language arts: Research information about a  topic you are interested in. Write down important notes in your home learning journal. Also, make a word bank (glossary) of expert words.
Math: Practice your division and multiplication facts. --online --flashcards --game	Science: Make your own Observation table in your home learning journal. Be sure to include columns for: Object 1, Object 2, Observations, and Push/Pull .  Then conduct simple observations of forces around you and record your noticings.	Other: What are two things you will do this week to help the environment?

Remember: Reading is just what we do. It is expected each night.