Important Dates & Reminders

• January 1st: New Years Day, No School
• January 15th: MLK Day, No School
• January 25th: End of Quarter 2, Early Release
• January 26th: Teacher Workday, No School

Language Arts

What are we learning?

Reading: Unit 5 - Historical Fiction

• Students are learning to…
  • Incorporate their background knowledge with the story elements (characters, setting, and events) in order to build their understanding of the historical time period. 
  • Synthesize multiple ideas in order to develop a complex theory.
  • Be flexible in their thinking, using discussion to uncover layers of meaning.

Writing: Unit 3 - Nonfiction (Jamestown DBQ)

• Students are learning to…
  •  Plan the content and organization of the entire piece and each section to help readers develop an understanding of the topic.
  • Realize how their decisions as a writer impact the reader’s understanding.

Books We’ve Been Reading 

• Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
• Front Desk by Kelley Yang
• I Survived the American Revolution by Lauren Tarshis

Math

What are we learning?

Unit 5: Decimals

• Students will be able to…
  • Read, write, represent, and identify decimals expressed through thousandths.
  • Round decimals to the nearest whole number. 
  • Compare and order decimals. 
  • Identify decimal and fraction equivalence. 
  • Add and subtract with decimals.

Home/School Connection

Things to do with your student:

• If your child has access to a computer, have them practice fact fluency on Reflex math and practice on ST Math. 

Science

What are we learning?

Science will resume with our oceans unit in February.

Social Studies

What are we learning?

Colonial Virginia 

• Students will…
• Use a critical lens to understand the role of slavery on the growth of the colonial economy.
• Describe how the daily life and culture of the Native peoples, Europeans, and Africans varied and reflected diversity and resilience.
• Explain the reasons for the relocation of Virginia’s capital from Jamestown to Williamsburg.
• Describe how money, barter, and credit were used in colonial Virginia.

American Revolution

• Students will…
  • Explore the reasons why the colonies went to war with Great Britain and how their path to revolution connects to our modern world.
  • Examine the various roles of Revolutionary War leaders, American Indians, enslaved African Americans, whites, and free African Americans using a critical lens to evaluate various perspectives.
  • Evaluate the importance of the American victory at Yorktown.
  • Examine the reasons for the relocation of Virginia’s capital from Williamsburg to Richmond.

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• When are ideas worth fighting for? 
• How do people resist injustice?
• How do people create lasting, positive change?
• When conflict erupts, how do people decide what to do?
• Do “independence” and “freedom” mean the same to everyone?

AAP Corner 

What are we learning?

• AAP students have finished their first book in book club and are starting to read either A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park or Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett.  
• AAP Students continue with word study during Falcon Time through Michael Clay Thompson’s Grammar Town to develop an understanding of the parts of speech and sentence structure. 

Specials 

What are we learning? &  Home/School Connections:

• Library: 4th grade - We are exploring historical fiction focusing on different time periods, and then will begin an inquiry research project, using databases to compare two people in similar careers to determine who is the G.O.A.T. Contact Ms. Wixtrom on Talking Points or email with any questions or anything you’d like me to know! I want to help your child thrive in their reading journey!
• PE: Thank you to all families for being strong co-teachers with us. Regarding pacing, we completed our “Gymnastics Unit” and “Routines Review” with all grade levels. Now, all students will move into their “Basketball Unit.” Learners will better understand the anatomy of a basketball court, and how to dribble with hands, bounce pass, chest pass, and shoot the basketball. Towards the end of the unit, we hope to teach different “playground games” such as “H.O.R.S.E.” and “Knock-Out.” As always, Mr. Bergin ([email protected]) and Ms. Brod ([email protected]) are here for any questions or concerns.
• Music: 
  • Ms. Shaw’s 4th graders are working on recorder G to E and vocal canon work on “Donkeys Love Carrots” and developing their music literacy skills in reading sheet music.
  • In Mr. Sawasky’s music class, All grades are learning a frame drumming composition called, “Jennifer Bobby Bobby.” We are also learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and the song, “Hymn to Freedom” by Oscar Peterson. 3^rd and 4^th will be learning about composition and music theory.

• Art: 
  • In the Forestdale art program, the primary goal is to create an environment in which every student feels confident, safe, and supported by Ms. Barrett and by the other students. The goal is that each student will reach a level of technical mastery and self-confidence that allows them to take risks with their own artwork and create work they value.
  • In January, all students will be wrapping up their COLLAGE units and doing planning drawings for the upcoming CLAY units! 
  • 4th grade students are creating collages of “Houses in the Hills,” a collage that shows the illusion of depth in a landscape. Students have learned four of the ten techniques for creating the illusion of depth in artwork. Very exciting!
  • All students’ collages are fantastic! They would look great in a frame, hanging on the wall – or at least on the refrigerator!
  • Thank you to all families for returning the Interview Forms for each Art unit! Students in grades 1st - 6th continue to use their Art Planning and Reflection Books, increasing their literacy skill practice during art classes!
  • As always, Ms. Barrett ([email protected]) is here for any questions or concerns regarding the art program.

ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages During the month of January, all ESOL students will begin preparing for our annual assessment of their English language proficiency. The state of Virginia administers the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs assessment from January 16-March 15. This assessment monitors students' progress in learning academic English in the areas of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Families can find translated information about this assessment at this link: https://wida.wisc.edu/resources/what-access-ells 

Students in grades 1-6 can practice at home for the assessment through this link: https://wbte.drcedirect.com/WIDA/portals/wida/assessment_selection?adminId=596372