Reading for Important Ideas and Concepts in Books

I have been impressed with the focus on learning shown by Room 5 students.

Thank you so much for coming to open house it was nice to formally meet all of you. If you weren't able to come that night and would like a copy of my presentation just let me know.

Reading for Ideas
This week we have begun reading for ideas or important concepts in our fiction texts. My goal is to have students determine the important themes in the book, and then give them the vocabulary they need to truly express what they are reading.  The first book we are reading is The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister.  In the beginning of the book students found the important idea of envy--many smaller fish are envious of Rainbow Fish's colorful scales.  We also noted that this idea of envy is closely related to jealousy and admiration.

Head Lice
There have been some students in Room 5 affected with head lice.  Please check your child and let me know if you have the issue too.  I will keep it private but I want to gauge how wide-spread the problem is.  In the meantime I will cover any pillows I have.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading for important ideas or concepts.

Math - Addition and subtraction.  Using subtraction to compare to related numbers.  Understanding how addition can be used to solve subtraction problems.

Writing - Writing about the ideas we find in fiction books.

Language Conventions - Understanding how commas are used in the greeting and closure of letters, when writing the date, and when listing a series of items.

Word Study - Understanding how prefixes affect word meanings, specifically the prefix un- and over- (e.g. unlucky, unwise, unlucky, overworked, overcrowded)

Art - A study of Pablo Picasso’s major artistic periods: currently on Surrealism.