"Spook"tacular October Events

Let's take a look into the month of October:

Language Arts:  The kids will be taking their Unit 1 reading test, which covers comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and literary elements.  These are all skills/strategies we have been learning and using over the first five weeks of school.  I will be using these results (in addition to classroom observations and reading records) to continue to provide your child with the appropriate help needed to develop into a successful reader.  In the upcoming weeks, we will be reading about topics such as baseball, immigration, Chinese artifacts, Benjamin Franklin, and  an apologetic girl.

Math:  Attention!  Attention!  Our class average for facts solved in three minutes is currently at 34/50.  While it is a good start, I have every intention of making sure your child has his/her multiplication facts mastered by the end of the year.  Through learning the basic facts, more difficult mathematical concepts will be easier to solve.  I'm going to feature an online math game each week to help support this.  Also, I have lots of files I can email to you if you are interested in "going the extra mile" with your child.  Additionally this month, we will be working with fractions, decimals, and very large numbers!

Science:  We have learned the functions of our skeleton, and we have recently been learning about the important of joints.  We have already immobilized our thumbs, but we will also be immobilizing our wrists and fingers.  After joints, we will be looking at muscles and creating replicas of our hands and thumbs.  Some fantastic hands-on opportunities await!

Social Studies:  We are close to wrapping up our introduction to the United States.  We will finish by researching a US president or first lady.  Before studying the regions of the United States, the kids will be labeling important cities and landmarks as well as all states on a map.  My expectation is for that all students to be able to identify all states by the end of the year, as well as several cities and landmarks.  After that, we will begin our exploration of the Northeast, creating lobster buoys and enjoying a New England breakfast.

Lots of interesting and entertaining lessons await October.  As always, please let me know if you have any concerns or questions about the school year.  I am always here to help.  Have a "spook"tacular October.