Good practice for MCAS (English Language Arts)

Common Core Standards Based MCAS practice

MCAS computerized practice 1

MCAS computerized practice 2

MCAS computerized practice 3

Paper practice 1

Paper practice 2

Paper practice 3

Paper practice 4

Homework

For the next 3 or 4 weeks I will be sending home a homework packet on Mondays. The work is intended to help student become more fluent in their multiplication facts and prepare for upcoming MCAS testing. Each packet will be labeled with the due date on the front. Each packet will contain both math and reading comprehension work. Your child should need little help with the work. If they do need assistance will you please jot down what was difficult for them to do on their own.

New exciting App

We discovered a new and exciting app called EPIC! This app has a tremendous library of books, resources and educational videos appropriately leveled for our students. We are using it get information on plants and animals. Ask your student about it!

Informational writing in action

Informational writing in 3Z

        The class is hard at work on informational writing about plants and animals. We  worked in Core  Groups researching and writing about the life cycle of plants. The class a whole watched a few videos and read a few books on plants. During this time we created notes on the life cycle of plants. Finally, each Core Group wrote a chapter on the life cycle of plants. The five chapters are similar but each has its own voice.

      Next we  broke off into pairs or individuals to research the life cycle of an animal of choice. Each child was provided with a graphic organizer to help collect the stages of the life cycle and at least 3 details about each stage. Most groups are done or close to done with this.

       Our current step is to come back together to research the parts of a plant. We will follow the same process we did for the life cycle. When this is complete the pairs or individuals will research and then write their about the structure of their animal. As you can tell this is a way of scaffolding away from support and allowing the students to experience the research and writing process. Each student will end up with 2 pieces of writing one on plants and one on the animal of their choice.

      Be sure to ask you student what they are writing about!

SNACK

Just a reminder to send a healthy snack in with your child each day. Many students are coming in asking for snack on a daily basis. I do try to keep some snack foods in the room but can not keep up with 21 snacks each day. 

Thanks for your help.