Math: Our math curriculum will continue to be in the Math Masters series. This starts and ends with the same content learned in previous years, but as grades increase, details to the content are added. We will be working on positive and negative numbers (adding and subtracting ), arrays, geometry, measurement and also division and multiplication. Each new unit will start with a letter home to the parents to provide background on what we are doing. We may need to go over a lesson more than once, or spend more than a day on a unit. Units will not be completed at the same pace!
ELA: We will do something called " Book Club" on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. At this time, students will be placed in groups and do group reading. They will come up with discussion questions throughout the week and have a discussion day on Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday, students will do their sustained silent reading. This will ideally be a chapter book that students should be reading on their own time as part of the reading homework each night. ( See Homework page for specifications). Throughout the school year, students will be expected to read 25 chapter books on their own. With my permission, students may use a book that is not a chapter book. We will read short stories from a variety of genres and also implement writing into our ELA curriculum. My ultimate focus is on developing students' into fluent readers. We will do a lot of Reader's Theater and have a couple of plays throughout the school year!
Science: In science this year we will cover Rocks & Minerals, pulley's and levers, work, force, the life cycle, the water cycle, and mass and weight.
Social Studies: In Social Studies this year we will talk about Native Americans and also study New York State. The Revolutionary War and the Civil War will also be part of our content. The Erie Canal is a unit we focus on which we also go on a field trip for!
* Science and Social Studies will alternate each Tuesday and Thursday.