Hello Families!

This week our focus in reading will shift to realistic fiction stories.  Through them, we’ll practicing summarization and point of view again.  We’ll also practice homographs and pronouns in our grammar lessons.  It’s week 2 of unit 5, so you can expect a spelling list and literacy homework to come home Monday evening.

In math, we’ll begin unit 5 which will focus on perimeter and area, as well as more fraction practice.  In my math class, I anticipate homework on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as the first several lessons are two-day lessons.  Last week, I still had a number of kids that simply did not grasp the concept of elapsed time, and scored poorly on their unit 4 test.  For some reason, elapsed time is often like a “light switch” with kids.  Once it clicks on, they get it!  However, the process is tough!  We will keep reviewing that skill, but any extra practice at home would be great.

In writing class, the kids are writing their personal essay rough drafts, and will continue to do so this week.  Hopefully we will begin the final drafts towards the end of the week.

Finally, I am looking forward to visiting with you all during your child’s conference.  There are many great things to celebrate, and I look forward to sharing the good news.  If your confirmation letter didn’t make it home last week, just click on the conferences tab of our web page to find your time.

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

This week, the kids will learn through a variety of different fairy tale stories.  We’ll practice summarizing, discuss various points of view, pronouns and root words.  We’ll also practice compound words with their spelling words.  You can expect that list to come home Tuesday, along with a Literacy Homework.

In my math class, we’ll spend a couple of days reviewing time and graphing to start the week.  Then, the kids will take part 2 of their Unit 4 test towards the end of the week.  I anticipate homework on Tuesday and Wednesday nights prior to the test on Thursday and Friday.

In writing class, we’ll begin our Personal Essay rough drafts.  Our topic is, “A Person I Admire.”  Last week the kids chose their topic, and this week we’ll begin the process of adding detail and description to their supporting reasons.

Lastly, you can expect a conference confirmation note to come home on Tuesday, as well.  I look forward to meeting with you all on the 25th and 27th to celebrate the progress your child has made.

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

This week, the kids will take their Unit 4 Reading Test.  Thus, there won’t be a spelling list this week.  However, you can expect a literacy homework coming home on Monday.  Thank you so much for helping your child get into the routine of completing that assignment, and returning it to school by Friday.  Our big state test is fast approaching, and the repetitive skills practiced on that weekly assignment are great practice in preparation for that exam.

In math class, we’ll continue to practice elapsed time, as that’s such a tricky concept.  However, our main focus will be studying various types of graphs.  Bar graphs, line plots, pictographs…we’ll explore them all.  In my math class, I’m anticipating homework on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this week.

In writing, we’ll begin the process of writing a personal essay.  We’ll brainstorm topic ideas, discuss how to organize our thoughts, and likely start a rough draft by the end of the week or early next week.

Lastly, the class will have a Valentine’s Day party at the end of the day on Friday.  If you would like, your child is more than welcome to bring Valentine’s cards and candy for their friends. We will also create “Love Monster” bags in class to house their Valentine’s. Please don’t feel obligated to bring anything for the party.  It will just be a fun way to end the day and a week of testing.  If anyone needs a spare set of Valentine’s cards, please let me know.  I’ve accumulated lots of extra sets of cards over the years!

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

This week, the class will read a variety of different poems during reading class.  From them, we’ll learn the difference between narrative and free verse poems, and discuss the theme of each.  We’ll also practice a variety of different literary devices, like metaphors, similes, idioms, alliteration and imagery.  This is the last regular week of Unit 4, so you can expect a spelling test and literacy homework to come home Monday evening.

In math class, we have switched to studying time.  We’ll continue that this week, and begin to explore how to determine elapsed time.  This is always a tricky concept!  Any help you can give at home would be appreciated.  For example, if you’re heading on an errand, see if your child can determine what time it will be in 15, 30 or 60 minutes when you arrive at your destination.  Little practice like that can go a long way!

In writing, we are practicing writing “extemporaneously.”  The kids are given a new topic every day, and they must write for 10 minutes about that topic.  It’s been fun to see their reflections on “summer” and “winter” last week, and we’ll explore some new topics this week.  The goal is to write without a beginning-middle-end, unlike a traditional story, and write freely.  This will serve them well when they begin their personal essays in a few weeks.

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

This week, your child’s classroom will be learning about aviation.  We’ll practice rereading, cause and effect, homographs and homophones through a variety of expository texts about flight.  The wonder of flying always seems to intrigue kids, so I’m looking forward to a great week of work!  This is week 4.4 in reading, and you can expect a spelling list and literacy homework to come home on Monday.

In math, we’re at the halfway point of unit 4, and will take a short test over the first portion of our study of fractions and measurement.  We’ll begin to practice telling time, and read and create a variety of graphs in part 2 of unit 4.  I anticipate a review homework coming home on Monday, then homework on Thursday and Friday following the test.

In writing, we’re wrapping up our “What am I?” animal adaptations book.  The kids did a great job researching an animal, and writing descriptive clues about their animal for our book.  It’s been fun to hear their writing, and listen to the class guess what animal is being described.  Next, we’ll begin to learn how to write personal essays.

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

This week, the kids will begin to learn about Animal Adaptations.  In reading, we’ll practice rereading strategies and compare and contrast various animals in a variety of expository texts.  The kids will also begin exploring animal adaptations in writing class, and will complete an animal mini-research report for a classroom book.  You can expect a spelling list (4.3) to come home Tuesday, as well as a literacy homework assignment.

In math class, the kids will continue learning about fractions, and we’ll practice comparing fractions with different denominators.  Towards the end of the week, we’ll begin exploring different units of measure.  In my math class, I anticipate homework on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evenings.  That of course is subject to change, especially if we struggle with a lesson, or get hit with another snow day!

The kids have been studying nutrition in Health class.  We’ve learned about the five food groups, and completed a lesson about how to read fruit/soda drink labels.  This week, we’ll spend time analyzing food commercials in an effort to recognize what foods are good or bad for us.  Then on Thursday, teachers from the UNL Extension Office will make a return visit (they first came on January 9th) and teach the kids how to make a healthy snack.

Thanks for reading, stay warm and have a great week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

This week the class will take their first field trip of the year!  On Tuesday, we’ll travel to Morrill Hall at 12:00, and return at approximately 2:45.  Since we leave at noon, the kids will eat early, at approximately 11:15.  The kids will learn what it’s like to be paleontologists as they enhance what they have learned about fossils in science class.  They will also get to tour the museum, and get to explore and play in the hands-on “Encounter Center.”  It’s a great trip and always one of the highlights of the year!

In reading, the kids will practice asking and answering questions, point of view and contractions as we read a variety of realistic fiction stories.  We will have literacy homework this week, and you can expect a spelling list (Unit 4, Week 2) to come home Monday evening, as well.

In math class, the kids will continue practicing fractions.  The first two lessons this week will take two days each, so I anticipate homework in my math class on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings.

In writing class, the kids are practicing a variety of different poems.  They’ll finish up their “Cinquain Snow Globes” this week, and decorate their lockers with the finished product.

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

I hope your family had a great holiday season and your new year is off to a great start!  Personally, I am really looking forward to seeing your kids, and getting back into a regular routine.  It seems like we’ve been out of school forever!

In reading, we’ll spend a fair amount of time getting everyone that was sick the last week of school caught up on their end-of-semester reading exams.  We’ll also learn about point of view, root words and practice asking and answering questions through folktale stories.  We will have spelling this week, and you can expect a practice list to come home Tuesday evening.

In math, the kids will take their mid-year Math MAP test.  We’ll also spend a fair amount of time getting those kids that were sick the last week of school caught up on their end of semester math exams.  What a nice way to come back to school, huh?  Test, test, test!  🙂  Our new unit will begin with fraction practice.  I only anticipate one homework assignment in my class due to the testing, which would likely be Thursday or Friday evening.

Speaking of the illnesses in December, I’ve never seen anything quite like it in my 21 years at Arnold.  Our class was really decimated with sickness, so I hope everyone has been able to rest up and recover!

Lastly, our class will be going to Morrill Hall on Tuesday, January 14th.  An information letter will be coming home (likely Wednesday) that has all the details.  You can also find the letter on our web site, under the “Events” tab.

Thanks or reading and have a great week!

Eric Wachter