New in Math!

 Dear Families,

        We recently finished Module 3 in math and are beginning to work in Module 4. Please see the newsletters below for information about what your child is learning and ways you can support them at home!

    Thanks!

Mrs. Connell

New in EL! : Module 2

 

Researching to Build Knowledge and Teach Others: Adaptations and the Wide World of Frogs

Common Core State Standards taught and assessed: RI.3.1, RI.3.3, RI.3.4, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.8, RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.4, RL.3.5, W.3.2, W.3.3, W.3.4, W3.6, W.3.7, W.3.8, W3.10, L.3.1, L.3.4, and L3.6 

Guiding Questions and Big Ideas

• How does an author engage the reader in a narrative?

• An effective narrative has a beginning that establishes the character and situation, a middle that introduces a problem with character response, and an ending that resolves the problem.

• How do experts build knowledge and share expertise about a topic?

• Experts build knowledge by studying a topic in depth.

• Experts share information through writing and speaking.

• How do frogs survive?

• Frogs have unique adaptations that help them to survive in various environments.

What will your student be doing at school?

In this module, students will use literacy skills to become experts--people who use reading, writing, listening, and speaking to build and share deep knowledge about a topic. The module begins with students reading poetry and pourquoi tales about different kinds of frogs to generate "why" questions. At the end of the unit, they write their own fictional pourquoi narratives to attempt to answer some of their "why" questions. In Unit 2, students research to find out the real answers to their frog questions and write paragraphs to communicate their research. In Unit 3, students will form research groups to become experts on various "freaky" frogs--frogs that have unusual adaptations that help them to survive in extreme environments throughout the world. Students will build their reading, research, writing, and collaborative discussion skills through studying their expert frog. Throughout the module, students will consistently reflect on the role of literacy in building and sharing expertise. They will demonstrate their expertise through a Freaky Frog book and trading card to educate students in grades 2 and 3. 

Texts Read in Class:

Everything You Need to Know about Frogs: And Other Slippery Creatures

Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle by Deborah Dennard

Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs: Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian

How can you support your student at home?

• Talk to your student about the frog poems he or she is studying and the things he or she is wondering about frogs.

• Talk to your student about his or her narrative text and the structure of an effective narrative text.

• Choose sentences or paragraphs in an excerpt of a narrative text and invite your student to tell you the plot structures he or she can identify.

• Read narrative and informational texts about frogs.

• Watch documentaries about frogs on television.

• Establish a nightly routine for homework.