Reading:
Last week, we focused on three primary skills--making inferences, point of view (the students also know it as first vs. third person), and sequencing. Making inferences is a skill that is HUGE on the STAAR test. There are several making inferences questions throughout the STAARand it asks students to make an educated guess about a situation based on clues given in the text. We will continue to practice it throughout the year. Sequencing, takes a lot of patience, but students know of a solid strategy for how to approach it. This week, we will focus on changes that characters undergo, cause and effect, and fact/opinion. It is very important for students to be able to observe and understand the changes in a character’s behaviors, feelings and thoughts throughout a story. Continue to ask your students during everyday conversation about fact/opinion, cause/effect, sequence, etc.
Writing:
As the Writing STAAR approaches, we will continue to push harder on writing-specific skills. Last week we worked on transitional phrases and rules of dialogue, as well as parts of expository writing as part of the Revising test, such as topic sentences, supporting details, concluding statements (final thoughts). Your students should be able to articulate what these things are when you talk with them.
Sight Words:
This week, our sight words are commonly confused homophones. Knowing the differences between homophones is extremely important for the revising portion of the test. Make sure your student understands the differences. Homophones are words that sound the same in speech but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Monday→ write them five times each; Tuesday→ write them using stairstep spelling; Wednesday → define them; Thursday→ write them each in a sentence.
their
|
they’re
|
there
|
hear
|
here
|
our
|
hour
|
mourning
|
morning
|
you’re
|
your
|
wait
|
weight
|
piece
|
peace
|
tail
|
tale
|
wear
|
where
|
Field Trip Fundraiser
Parents, I know that many of your students have probably been mentioning a lot about the field trip. I will send out more information at a later date, but here are some essentials you probably want to know at this time. The field trip will not occur until AFTER STAAR. Depending on fundraising and a few other factors, it will occur in either late April or early May. The fundraising budget is $4,000.00. I am not asking you or students to help with raising money. There is no obligation to do so. I hope to raise money by reaching out to people I know within the school and community. However, if you would like to donate money, please feel more than willing to do so. If you want to try and get friends and family to donate, you can send them to the Pledgecents donation page where there is a video of your students chanting the classroom motto. If you have any questions about details of the trip, please feel free to shoot me a quick text and I’ll tell you what I have in mind.
Here’s the fundraising webpage: http://www.pledgecents.com/cause/cgpwts/college-visit-texas-am-university
Essay
This week’s Narrative Prompt:
Write about a time when you enjoyed completing an assignment in school.
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