Spelling Review Unit

Today we have practiced our spelling words for the review unit. Students completed Spelling Workbook page 19-20, and they were also encouraged to make an extra practice/bonus word search for their classmates to practice.  The class very much enjoyed working on creating their own word searches to share.  These optional word searches are due back to me by Wednesday so that I can have them copied and distributed.

We also practiced compound subjects and predicates and completed workbook pages 19-20 in grammar.  A compound subject is two (or more) subjects in one sentence.  A compound predicate involves two (or more) actions in the sentence.

Tomorrow we will be reading Pedro Puts on a Play and presenting it in small groups for fluency.  Reading aloud to our classmates is a good way to practice pacing, articulation, and confidence.

Reading book online:
eBook

10:35 Dismissal

Today we took our Unit 4 Spelling test, we reviewed subjects and predicates and sentence types.  In Block 1 we finished reading Help, Somebody Get Me Out of Fourth Grade!  

Our spelling test next week will be a review unit.  The words are listed in your child's Friday packet newsletter.

Block 2 also worked on "Character Counts" posters today.

Have a great weekend!

Immigration

Today we learned more about Angel Island, Ellis Island, and immigration.  We read the story Coming to America and have many additional books and materials available for students to read about this topic.  Some students are reading them in groups, with the teacher, or silently.  We also watched a video about the Story of the Statue of Liberty, which is a children's book written by Betsy & Giulio Maestro.

Story of the Statue of Liberty (video)

We will have a spelling test over Unit 4 tomorrow.  We completed Spelling workbook pages 17-18 today for practice.  Students will be taking their test even though we have early dismissal at 10:35. 

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

Bonus Work:  Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain crossword puzzle

Kai's Journey Assessment

Today we reread Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain, and we read at the actual book that includes this story in its entirety.  The book gave us further background about Kai's journey as it began in his homeland of China.  During the time that this story was written, the United States had very specific requirements regarding immigration from China.

Students took a comprehension, vocabulary, and extended response assessment.

We have several other books about immigrants available in our classroom for challenge reading, including Chun Ten comes to America, In my Own Country, Two Brothers from Italy, and How Many Days to America?

We will have our Spelling Unit 4 test on Friday, which is a 10:35 early dismissal half day.

Bonus Work: Kai's Journey Crossword Puzzle

Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain

For tonight's homework, students should reread Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain which is a story about a boy's immigration experience to California.  It is a complicated story.  We have discussed it in detail, but please set aside some time to reread it and talk about it at home.  Here's the link to the online story:

Select Theme 1, Lesson 4:
Kai's Journey eBook


Angel Island Photographs

We also completed Practice Workbook page 18 to go over the Robust Vocabulary words that will be on the assessment tomorrow, along with the comprehension skills and an extended response question.  Students may use their books and vocab sheets to assist during the assessment.

Interjections

Today we practiced our -ing and -ed spelling words from Unit 4.  Tests from Unit 3 were much better than I had anticipated.  Thank you for your practice and hard work at home.

Today we completed Spelling Workbook pages 15-16 to practice our new words.

We are learning about interjections (Hey!  Wow!  Yipes!).  You can learn more about interjections by watching these review videos.

Interjection Review

Schoolhouse Rock Interjections Video

Tomorrow we are reading Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain which is a story about a boy's immigration experience to California.  It is a complicated story.  We will discuss it in detail, but please set aside some time to reread it and talk about it at home tomorrow.  If you would like to get an early start, here's the link to the online story:

Select Theme 1, Lesson 4:
Kai's Journey eBook

Friday!

Today we completed a writing prompt.  This prompt is just a guideline for teachers to see each child's writing style and ability to generate ideas.  A variety of writing prompts are given throughout the year to help chart progress.  

We are working on subjects and predicates in sentence. 

Here's a link to some subject/predicate games:

Subject/Predicate Games

We will have a spelling test over Unit 4 next week.  Students have their new spelling words on their Friday newsletter.

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

AIMS fluency testing is completed and results will be sent home at midterms.