Miss Natalewicz, Room 108
February
2/3/2014
Since we learned about “Captain Apostrophe” last week, I’ve been encouraging the
students to find contractions while they read. Please continue this encouragement during your
child’s nightly reading time and have them guess which two words the contraction replaces!
During math, the students have been using
Ne word problems to fill in and solve a partpart-whole model. It is very important that the children understand what each word problem is
asking them to find. Once they find the numeral answer to a problem during homework, please
have them tell it to you in a complete sentence (for example, if the answer is 5 “apples”, have
them say “There are 5 apples left”, rather than just saying “5”).
Looking Ahead:
This week we will continue working with contractions in reading. In science, we will experiment what
happens when different solids are placed in water over time and will learn about evaporation. We also
get to trade in sand dollars again!
Last Week in Review:
Math: We took our chapter 4 test and
answered word problems using the part-partwhole model.
Reading: We learned about Captain
Apostrophe and performed “word surgery” to
create contractions.
Writing: We discussed the different types of
research that nonfiction authors can do and
began to think about the topics of our own
nonfiction stories.
Science: We explored very small solids and
compared them to one another (lima beans,
pinto beans, mung beans, cornmeal, and rice).
Books We Read Last Week:

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The Hat by Jan Brett

Mammals by Adele Richardson

Move! by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons

The Life Cycle of a Frog by Bobbie
Kalman

An Earthworm’s Life by John
Himmelman
Birthdays and Reminders:
School Spirit Day (Red, White, and Blue)- Friday, 2/7
2nd Marking Period Report Cards Sent Home- Friday, 2/7