1.10.13

it has been a craaaaaazy week, folks!  So I am so sorry (yet again) to be tardy for the blogging party!  Booooo on me!  It's seriously been a mess of work to get done around here and somedays, I feel I am lucky to be able leave the building!  I know you can all relate in your jobs too, I'm sure!

Anyway, we have been up to some fun stuff here this week...

MATH:
We have been learning about SHAPES well...GEOMETRY to be exact!  We have learned that characteristics of shapes are called attributes and we learned how to differentiate between important attributes (such as number of sides, vertices, and angles; or if it's a polygon or quadrilateral or both) and unimportant attributes such as size, color, direction, etc.  It was important to start with learning how to describe shapes so then we can classify them into groups.  Each day, we've learned about a new shape. 

First, we learned about polygons and learned that they are closed figures made up of straight line segments (so they cannot have curves, or be open). 
THEN, we learned about quadrilaterals which literally means a 4 sided polygon (quad means four and lateral means side...get it?!? We got a kick out of it!).  Shapes that are quadrilaterals are trapezoids, parallelograms, squares, rhombuses, and rectangles.
THEN, each day we focused on a specific shape.  We have learned much specifics about rectangles, squares, and rhombuses.

Confused yet?  Good, because we are about to BLOW. YOUR. MIND. with our knowledge that I'm about to drop on you (you should've seen these exit slips coming home throughout the week):

*All rectangles are quadrilaterals, but not all quadrilaterals are rectangles. Why?  Well, all rectangles have 4 sides, but rectangles have 4 right angles and while all quads have 4 sides, not all have those 4 right angles!
*All rhombuses are quadrilaterals, but not all quadrilaterals are rhombuses.  Why?  Rhombuses have 4 equal sides.  Not all quads have 4 equal sides!
*All squares are quads, but not all quads are squares.  Why?  Squares MUST have 4 equal sides AND 4 right angles.  Not all quads have 4 equal sides, nor do all quads have 4 right angles.
*All squares are rhombuses, but not all rhombuses are squares.  Why?  Like a rhombus, all squares MUST have 4 equal sides, but not all rhombuses have 4 right angles like all squares must have
*A rectangle can be a square, but a square can NEVER be a rectangle. 

Did we blow your mind with all the knowledge we've been working on this week with the attributes of shapes polygons/ quads?!?  I'm so proud of all the work these babes have been doing!  YAY!
HOMEWORK: Rewrite all missed facts from timed test (THIS INCLUDES BLANKS) 5 times each.  Then, take another practice timed test (3 min.) and have an adult sign off. 

Here are two cuties who have aced their multiplication or division timed tests!  Emma R. (from Mr. Featherston's class) has mastered her multiplication facts through her 12s so she earned her ice cream sundae today!!!!  And guess what?  She dove face first into it...ha!  Way to go, Emma!  We are so very proud of you!

(my computer is having trouble uploading the pics, so I'll try again tomorrow...boooooo...they are super funny!)

Second, Miss Becca R. (also from Mr. Featherston's class) has not only mastered her multiplication facts through 12, she has mastered her DIVISION facts through 12!  She is a timed test terrifico!!!!!  She even complete 100 PROBLEMS today in the time it took most student to do 50!  WOWZA, "Becca Sue", we are SO PROUD OF YOU!  For the division reward, student earn a cookie of which they get to decorate in any way they see fit (icing, sprinkles, shimmer sugar, candy, non-pareils, chocolate syrup, whip cream, etc.) and well, she went all out.  Like Emma, she too dove FACE first into her pile of deliciousness!

READING:
Students have been reading, "The Gardener" with Mr. Featherston and have studied the skills of summarizing and identifying Cause & Effect. 
HOMEWORK: READING LOGS!

Announcements:
Report Cards were sent home yesterday and are due back (SIGNED) by Mon. Jan. 14th!
NO SCHOOL Monday Jan. 21st in observance of MLK Jr. Day.

Have a thrilling Thursday!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

1.4.13

It's finally Friday, folks!  Now, I know we only had a 3 day week, but shooooweeeeeee it sure seemed long!  Did it to you?  I hope next week feels much quicker.  I know things always feel a bit slow when you're settling back into a routine.

MATH:
We began studying polygons today.  We learned that polygons are closed figures made up of straight line segments and vertices where these line segments meet.  A polygon is not a curved figure or an open figure.  We also learned about some of the terms we'll be using throughout our geometric unit: attributes (characteristics of a shape); vertex/ vertices (the points at which the sides of a shape/ polygon meet); angles (the interior vertex); parallel (a set of two lines that will never intersect); and quadrilateral (a 4 sided polygon).  Students got an introduction to the shapes: triangles, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons and their coinciding attributes (such as number of sides, number of vertices, number of angles).
HOMEWORK: Rewrite ALL missed (or blank) facts 5 times each.  So yes, if you missed or left blank 20 problems on the timed test, then you will have a total of 100 multiplication problems written.  Also, take a 3 min. timed test and have an adult sign the one from class.

READING:
Students had a review Friday and worked on several skills they've seen previously in the school year such as similes and metaphors and such.  They practiced with completing short-answer responses (which they'll see on their end of the year KPREP [state] assessment in May).
HOMEWORK: none

PM Activities:
Students worked on review activities for multiplication and division as these are concepts that will be continuously reviewed throughout the remainder of this schoolyear. 

Announcements:
Homework Packets were sent home today (and YES, we spelling words!)
Newsletters were also sent home!
NO SCHOOL (Jan. 21st. - MLK Jr. Day)

Have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

1.3.13

Happy Thursday, all!

MATH:
We completed our focus upon symmetry and will move into polygons and more in-depth Geometry tomorrow (symmetry was just our intro).  Students took a quiz over symmetry and we also worked on our multiplication facts.  Thankfully, many students followed instructions in completing their timed tests last night and rewriting the missed facts 5 x each.
HOMEWORK: Rewrite every single (even the blank ones) missed fact 5 times each!  Repetition promotes fluency with these facts and students HAVE GOT TO GET THEM MEMORIZED, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.  Also, please take a practice test (3 min.) and get it signed by an adult!

READING:
Students continued with goal setting with Mr. Featherston and also using a text to find answers to questions.
HOMEWORK: complete Quiz over New Year's celebrations in other cultures.  

PM ACTIVITIES:
We worked on writing an imaginative narrative by brainstorming a crazy animal (that's not usually a pet) we could imagine to have.  We will be writing a story based on our ideas.

GET READING LOGS SIGNED!  

Have a thrilling Thursday evening!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

1.2.13

WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE!  I hope everyone had an AMAZING break!!!  I know I sure did and it was relaxing and wonderful being home with my tiny Toots and Mr. Thomas too!  Happy New Year to everyone and I'm looking forward to all the great learning we have in store for the second half of this year!

MATH:
Today, we began our unit on geometry by starting with symmetry.  Students are learning about finding lines of symmetry on a two-dimensional shape and recognizing if they are vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or a mixture of 2 or 3 of each.  We had great fun testing it out with paper, and then all the all the letters of the alphabet.  We did have a bit of a downer on all our fun...it seems that hardly anyone (and I do mean hardly ANYONE at all) has been studying their multiplication facts.  Boooooooo!  These facts HAVE TO BE MASTERED.  I told the students that if they are not yet on at least Level D on our timed tests, then we have some further things we must do and a plan of action must be created as THESE. MUST. BE. MEMORIZED.  Please go to this site tonight to practice drills AND take a timed test as well on the paper from today's timed test!  On the website shown, students must complete as many facts as they can within one minute.  It encourages them to go as fast as they can and to be on par with our daily paper timed tests, they must be getting at least 18 problems finished and correct. 
HOMEWORK: GET TIMED TEST SIGNED and retake another.  This is MANDATORY!

READING:
With Mr. Featherston, students are learning about goal setting and making resolutions and how they are for the better of us as individuals and as a whole.  They set academic and personal goals and developed a plan of action for attaining them.  Ask your student (or tell your parent(s) about these and your plan!)!. 
HOMEWORK: Talk about your 2013 goals.  ALSO: reading log or reading group comprehension sheet.

PM ACTIVITIES:
We visited the computer lab (yay!) and students visited the site above, setting goals for themselves for fact completion and working from there.  It was neat seeing them work so fast and utilizie their multiplication skills and knowledge for quick drills!  Please do it at home...it's super fun!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

WELL, it's officially 2013!!!  The second half of our year has arrived and I just wanted to say:

I can't wait to see you all tomorrow (January 2nd) and hear all about your holidays!