Week of 2/8

Yay for the Broncos win! Sorry Carolina fans! =) 

It's CPA week, which means it's a chance for the kids to show off all they've learned. I am excited to see their hard work pay off! Reading is Monday and Tuesday and Math is Wednesday and Thursday; our class tests in the afternoons. The math CPA will be slightly different in that students can no longer go back to questions to check their work. This is the new adaptive testing that the Virginia Department of Education has begun. The Math SOL test in May will be in this format, so we are getting students used to this format now. They took a practice quiz on Friday and did very well, so I am confident that students will be successful on the test. Below is a link to a great video that explains this testing very well:
CAT Test Information Video

IMPORTANT DATES/REMINDERS:

• 2/8 - Spirit Night at McDonald's
• 2/8-9 - Reading CPA (benchmark test)
• 2/10-11 - Math CPA (benchmark test)
• 2/11 - Report cards issued
• 2/12 - Exchange valentines in afternoon (list emailed 2 weeks ago)
• 2/15 - No school - Presidents Day
• 2/24 - 1:00 dismissal

Here's what we'll be working on this week:
Language Arts:
We'll be getting creative with a poetry unit while reviewing many reading skills and strategies! Word study will resume next week (after testing). 

Math:

We'll be starting a fractions unit (SOL 3.3). Students will name and write fractions (including mixed numbers) represented by a model to include halves, thirds, fourths, eighths, tenths, and twelfths. They will also use concrete materials and pictures to model at least halves, thirds, fourths, eighths, tenths, and twelfths. There will be a quiz on Friday. 

Science: (with Mrs. King)

Mrs. King will be continuing the cycles unit with moon phases (SOL 3.8). Stay tuned to the agenda for homework/upcoming quiz/test information. 

Social Studies:

I was very pleased with the CPA results! Scores will be sent home with the Reading and Math results next week, after all students have completed testing. This week we are going to focus on Black History Month and famous Americans Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, and George Washington Carver (SOL 3.11b).