September 4, 2012

*Mike Lupica will be at Quail Ridge Book Store tonight at 7 pm!*

I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend and enjoyed having Monday off.  Thanks so much to everyone who donated books for our class set of SAVVY; we have 23 of the 28 copies that we need for everyone to be able to bring home a book.

This week we are focusing on new vocabulary, character development, understanding prefixes and suffixes, and writing million dollar sentences in language arts. We previewed our first learning contract in class today, which includes activities that focus on reading skills, fantasy, and the weather.  Expect to see a copy of the contract come home this week.  I asked the students to please bring in a magazine that can be used for a poster project.  They will be cut up, so please don't send anything you would like back!  In math, we broke into flex groups for the first time today.  The students are now going to different classrooms for math time. The first unit of study focuses on multiplication and division. The students will spend the next few weeks learning new algorithms and practicing previously learned skills.  There will be a big emphasis on solving multi-step problems and being able to explain your thought process in working out problems.  In science, we will continue to study the water cycle.

SAVVY  Vocabulary List #1

1.      prattled (pg. 7) – babbled or talked on and on without meaning

2.      devastated (pg.8) – (v.) overwhelmed with grief

3.      consoled (pg. 10) – (v.) comforted in times of grief, distress, or suffering

4.      etched (pg. 10) – (v.) outlined deeply or clearly

5.      catastrophe (pg. 17) –(n.) a sudden disaster

6.      dismissively (pg. 21) – (adv.) to do in a way that sends someone or something away

7.      taut (pg.27) – (adj.) tight

8.      earnest (pg. 29) – (n.) a serious state of mind; in a serious way

9.      mortified (pg. 47) – (adj.) embarrassed or humiliated

10.  hastily (pg. 48) – (adv.) done or made quickly

11.  mollycoddled (pg. 55) – (adj.) babied or weak from being overly pampered or cared for

12.  ruckus (pg. 57) –  (n.) a noisy disturbance or quarrel

13.  bickering (pg. 59) – (v.) arguing or verbal fighting

14.  chortle (pg. 63) – (v.) to chuckle happily

15.  hoodwink (pg. 67) – (v.) to deceive or trick by false appearance

Homework 9/4/12

L.A.: 1.Choose a fantasy book to read

         2. Bring in a magazine by Thursday

         3. Make word maps for vocabulary words 1-5 (example found in LA section of binder)

         4. Read for 30 min. (fantasy book if you have it)

Math: 1. Wrkbook pg. 162

           2. Make up and solve your own multiplication word problem