Mathieson News Letter
Volume 13, Issue 1
April 2016
Social Studies
Our social studies focus will be on Chapter 14, A
Divided Nation, leading to the Civil War. We will learn
specifically about the divided states: North and South,
slavery, and the Southern states seceded from the U.S.
Two important people we will study are: Harriet
Tubman and Abraham Lincoln.
Math
Our focus in math will be Module 9, multiplying
fractions and converting to find a given mass. Students
will work on: multiplying fractions by whole numbers,
mixed numbers, and other fractions. Students will also
focus on converting from ounces to pounds and vice
versa. Students are given the opportunity to generate
discussion, use manipulatives and rally coach to further
their understanding.
Literacy
During these next few weeks students will be working
with poetry. We will slow down the reading process to
truly understand what the author is trying to convey
through poetry. Students will actively listen to poetry,
read poetry and create poetry throughout this unit.
I will continue to work with students in small groups or
individually (working on different reading strategies, or
doing running records to see which reading level they
may currently be reading).
**A great resource for poetry and other books: Go
Writing/ Spelling
We are continuing our work with opinion writing (writing
that informs the author’s thoughts or persuades a
reader). Students will work toward supporting their
point of view with reasons and information.
We will continue our work using the writing process
steps including: Pre-writing, drafting, editing/peer
editing, final drafts and publishing.
Spelling: Students are working on word sort packets
and activities. These activities will be done in class
during our spelling block.
We as a class will continue our grammar instructionspecifically working with homophones and homonyms.
Science
Science instruction will focus on simple machines,
chapter 4. Our big question for this chapter is “What
are simple machines?”. We will work toward explaining
what work is and how work can be applied to all
objects, measure force, identify and describe simple
machines (even those that are household items). Our
vocabulary focus words are: lever, inclined plane,
screw, wedge, wheel and axle, and pulley.
Reminder:
to myon.com and sign in using your student’s password
Rcard.
EMINDERS:
4/44/26
Tuesday, April 26 – PARCC Testing
4/20
Wednesday, April 20 – MW Grades 3-5 Open House
6:30-7:30PM
an article, and you can have multiple articles in a
District Band Festival 7:00-9:00 PM AT LZHS Field
ocument.
The links do not have to occur in a forward
House
4/12
direction.
4/21
Thursday, April 21 – MW Grades K-2 Open House
6:30-7:30PM
Formatting Textth Boxes
Thank you, 5 grade families!
*Please have your child double check their
band/orchestra schedule.
* April 16th is the Science Fair, sign up:
http://www.lz95.org/classes/cusd95educationfoundatio
nsciencefairandexpo_.d95sciencefair/
Spring Spirit Wear:
http://www.headsupapparel.com/collections/maywhitney-2016
**We have PARCC testing right
after Spring Break, starting
4/4/16.
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