Hello everyone! It was so nice to have a normal week back with no schedule changes!
In math this week we spent a lot of time focusing on money. This overlaps with our economics study in social studies which is SO nice. In math we focus on identifying and counting coins, making change, and solving problems using money. We use the word combinations a lot to make sure everyone understands there is more than one way to make a dollar (or 37 cents...or 25 cents.... you get the idea!).
In social studies we focused on how we make decisions with our money, now that we know how to count it. Students have learned about budgeting, needs and wants, and how banks work. (They were shocked to learn that all the money doesn't just sit in the bank and wait for you to come and get it out!) Now we are moving into learning about goods/services and producers/consumers.
In reading we have been learning about why author's write. We call this author's purpose. We talked about PIE (Persuade, Inform, Entertain), and then zoomed in on informational pieces. We are learning to identify when an author is explaining, when they are describing, and when they are answering a question. We've also learned that sometimes it's really hard to narrow down a piece to just one of those answers.
In writing students have been exploring poetry. We've learned and practiced alliteration and rhyme. We now know how to find a stanza, count lines, and identify rhyme patterns. We know that poets sometimes compare objects that aren't really alike just to make a point and that the speaker and the author are not always the same person. Each day after we read and explore published poems, the kids have tried their hand at a few of their own. Next week they will choose a poem of their own to share and we will host a Poetry Slam in our classroom!
Enjoy the 3 day weekend! See you Tuesday!