Ms.

Madejs Newsletter

This Weeks Highlights:

04/20/15

Phonics/Shared Reading:

Use the poem Weather Helps Us to

identify words with a consonant blend. Students will identify and sort words
with a consonant blend; discuss compound words; Write to describe another
type of weather and tell how it helps us.

Readers Workshop:

During Readers Workshop this week, we will

continue Unit 6: Reading Across Genres to Learn About a Topic. We will
create a fiction anchor chart and discuss a variety of fiction texts such as
mysteries, realistic fiction, fairy tales, and fables. Discuss the lesson learned
from a fable, the challenges presented in a fairy tale (i.e., Cinderellea), problem
and clues in a mystery story, and the rhythm, rhyme, and verses in a poem.

Targeted Skills:

Use Aesops Fables, Cinderella, Cam Jansen and the

Mystery of the Missing Diamonds, and Where the Sidewalk Ends to identify
the characteristics of the genre, find compound words, and apply grade level
phonics and word analysis skills. Individualized skill practice in ability-level
group.

Word Wall
Words:
alone
busy
change
does
young

Writers Workshop:

This week we will introduce a new type of

writing: writing to persuade or to state an opinion. Teacher will model
persuasive writing using literature; class will work whole group to produce a
sample writing piece; generate a list of topics for an individual essay; and
finally write to produce their own persuasive/opinion essay.

Social Studies/Science:

We will work on STEAM projects this week

including Horseshoe Wars (using magnets to demonstrate repell/attract),
Fireworks in a Jar (demonstrating that some substances do not mix), Sand
Volcanoes (model of a volcanic eruption), Oobleck (chemical reaction), and
Mentos Geysers (chemical reaction).

Math:

Students will review strategies to find unknown numbers in an

addition or subtraction equation. Students will utilize counting backwards, ten
frames, and number lines to help them find the unknown variable. Students
will use these strategies to solve word problems with unknown variables. End
of unit test to demonstrate knowledge of finding unknown variables in an
equation. Introduce True/False equations using a balance. Use drawings to
determine is an equation is true or false.

Reminders:
* 04/21-04/23 PTA BOGO Book Fair
* 04/23 STEAM FAIR @ Mallard Creek
HS 5:30-7:30p
* 04/23 Third Quarter Report Cards go
home
* 04/24 Spirit Store open 7:30a
* 04/24 Movie Night 6:00-9:00p
* 04/27 Reading 3-D Testing Begins
* 05/04-05/08 Staff Appreciation Week

** Please check for and return any

books that your child may have
borrowed from our classroom library.

You can reach me via email at: melodym.madej@cms.k12.nc.us or

call/text me at: 352-214-7547. Visit our class webpage:
www.msmadej.weebly.com