West Elementary School

Weekly Update

Kindergarten	First Grade	Second Grade
Third Grade	Fourth Grade	Fifth Grade

Kindergarten

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/17/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers will identify external traits of the wolf or a pig in the book Three Little Pigs by drawing the wolf and labeling external traits
Growing readers will identify the internal traits of the third pig or the wolf from the Three Little Pigs by writing words or pictures that describe the character
Growing readers will connect the problem of a story to the solution by completing a T-chart

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers draft reasons for their opinions to make their opinions stronger
Growing writers add voice to their pieces by using specific fonts/color/size to strengthen their opinion
Growing writers revise their draft using various linking words to create fluency and enjoyment for their readers

In math students will:

Explore numbers on the Rekenrek
Represent teen number compositions and decompositions as addition sentences
Represent teen number decompositions as 10 ones and some ones, and find a hidden part

Other notes or information:
June 23 & 24 early dismissals

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/3/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers sequence the main events in a story by sequentially retelling the story to a partner after listening to a story read by the teacher
Growing readers will listen to the story The Three Little Pigs and retell the story by acting it out with a group of four students
Growing readers will identify the problems of the story by examining the two phrases:”Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down.” and “ I’ll come down the chimney and eat you all up”

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers think about opinions that they want to share with the world--my favorite place to read
Growing writers think about opinions that they want to share with the world-my favorite genre (non fiction, fairy tales, poems, realistic fiction, jokes, etc.)
Growing writers think about opinions that they want to share with the world--focus on internal character traits

In math students will:

Show, count, and write to answer how many questions in linear and array configuration
Show, count, and write to answer how many questions with up to 20 objects in circular configuration
Count up and down by tens to 100 with Say Ten and regular counting

Other notes or information:
● Multicultural Day on Friday, June 3rd.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/27/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers will visualize a setting by listening to the teacher read an excerpt from a fairy tale and then draw and label what they envisioned
Growing readers sequence the main events in a story by sequentially retelling the story to a partner after listening to a story read by the teacher
Growing readers will listen to the story The Three Little Pigs and retell the story by acting it out with a group of four students

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers think about opinions that they want to share with the world
Growing writers think about opinions that they want to share with the world--my favorite place to read
Growing writers think about opinions that they want to share with the world-my favorite genre (non fiction, fairy tales, poems, realistic fiction, jokes, etc.)

In math students will:

Build a Rekenrek to 20
Show, count and write numbers 11 to 20 in tower configurations increasing by 1 a pattern of 1 larger
Represent numbers 20 to 11 in tower configurations decreasing by 1 a pattern of 1 smaller

Other notes or information:

Multicultural day on Friday, June 3rd.
Board of Education meeting at 7:30pm @ LBHS
West Health Fair May 27th Bring an extra bottle of water with you to support Flint Michigan
Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/20/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers identify the setting by describing the location and time that the story takes place
Growing readers identify the setting by listening to a read about and charting the change of the setting throughout the book from beginning to the middle to the end
Growing readers will visualize a setting by listening to the teacher read an excerpt from a fairy tale and then draw and label what they envisioned

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers recognize that they can share their opinion about various topics
Growing writers make their opinions stronger by providing specific reasons
Growing writers think about opinions that they want to share with the world

In math students will:

Model and write numbers 10 to 20 as number bonds
Model teen numbers with materials from abstract to concrete
Draw teen numbers from abstract to pictorial

Other notes or information:

●   West School Family Night May 16th 6:00 PM
●   Budget Vote & Board of Education Election May 17th
●   Board of Education meeting May 17th at 10:00 PM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/13/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers think about the purpose of the main character compared to the whole story
Growing readers identify the supporting characters by recognizing that the main characters need help
Growing readers identify the setting by describing the location and time that the story takes place

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers form opinions by stating how they feel about a particular topic
Growing writers make their opinions stronger by providing specific reasons
Growing writers recognize that they can share their opinion about various topics

In math students will:

Count straws the Say Ten way to 19; make a pile for each ten
Count straws the Say Ten way to 20; make a pile for each ten
Model with objects and represent numbers 10 to 20 with place value or Hide Zero cards

Other notes or information:

●    Kindergarten Play May 13, 2016 at 9:30 AM
●    Happy Mother’s Day
●    West PTA meeting May 11, 7pm Meet our new Principal
●    Board of Education meeting May 12th at 7:30 PM
●    District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/6/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers identify who the main character is by answering the question “Who is the story mostly about?”
Growing readers understand vocabulary main, character, mostly about
Growing readers analyze the pictures in their fiction books to identify the main character by noting which characters show up in the illustration the most

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers can distinguish the difference between a fact and an opinion
Growing writers will see the difference between a fact and an opinion with topics and discussions
Growing writers recognize the purpose of sharing their opinion with an audience

In math students will:

Count straws into piles of ten; count the piles as 10 ones
Count 10 objects within counts of 10 to 20 objects, and describe as 10 ones and __ ones
Count and circle 10 objects within images of 10 to 20 objects and describe as 10 ones and __ones

Other notes or information:

●   Literacy Fair May 3rd 6:30 PM
●   Board of Education meeting May 5th at 7:30 PM
●   Plant sale Thursday & Friday May 5th & May 6th

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers determine the key details of a text once the main topic has been discovered
Growing readers determine the key details of a text once the main topic has been discovered
Growing readers recognize similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers identify and define domain specific vocabulary words in a glossary to teach the reader important words connected to their topic
Growing writers utilize editing checklists to ensure that their work is ready for an audience
Growing writers create a title that encompasses the main idea/gist of the author’s topic and hooks the reader

In math students will:

Decompose the number 6 using 5 group drawings by breaking off or removing a part, and record each decomposition with a drawing and subtraction equation
Decompose the number 7 using 5 group drawings by hiding a part, and record each decomposition with a drawing and subtraction equation
Decompose the number 8 using 5 group drawings and crossing off a part, and record each decomposition with a drawing and subtraction equation

Other notes or information:
● West Spring Boutique April 20-22
● West Community Day April 22
● Board of Education Meeting April 21, 7:30pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers recognize unfamiliar words in nonfiction/informational texts and attempt to determine the meaning using various strategies
Growing readers identify the main topic of a piece of informational text/nonfiction to determine the “gist” of the piece
Growing readers determine the key details of a text once the main topic has been discovered

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers utilize questions to guide their text-based research
Growing writers use diagrams to make their topic more meaningful and informative for the reader
Growing writers identify and define domain specific vocabulary words in a glossary to teach the reader important words connected to their topic

In math students will:

Use objects and drawings to find how many are left
Solve take from with result unknown expressions and equations using the minus sign with no unknown
Represent subtraction story problems using objects, drawings, expressions, and equations

Other notes or information:
● Community Day April 22, 2016

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/08/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will share their favorite newly learned fact with a friend at the end of Reading Workshop
Growing readers ask questions of their texts to clarify their thinking
Growing readers recognize unfamiliar words in nonfiction/informational texts and attempt to determine the meaning using various strategies

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers generate possible topics for an “All About” book by thinking about the animals in the world around them (personal connections)
Growing writers think about certain criteria when choosing their topic for an “All About” book
Growing writers utilize questions to guide their text-based research

In math students will:

Solve add to with result unknown word problems to 8 with equations
Solve put together with total unknown word problems to 8 using objects and drawings
Solve both addends unknown word problems to 8 to find addition patterns in number pairs

Other Information

● Community Day April 22, 2016

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/01/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers find newly learned information in their nonfiction/informational texts to share with a friend
Students will read their Just Right Book and record three newly learned facts from their own nonfiction/informational text (in writing or pictures)
Students will share their favorite newly learned fact with a friend at the end of Reading Workshop

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers generate potential topics for an “All About” book by using their background knowledge
Growing writers generate potential topics for an “All About” book by thinking about what sparks their interest (what they are curious about, what the find exciting, what they find scary)
Growing writers generate possible topics for an “All About” book by thinking about the animals in the world around them (personal connections)

In math students will:

Use the 5-groups to represent the 5 + n pattern to 8
Represent decomposition and composition addition stories to 7 with drawings and equations with no unknown
Represent decomposition and composition addition stories to 8 with drawings and equations with no unknown

Other Information

●   Extra help/enrichment March 29, 2016 3:30 PM-4:00 PM and March 31, 2016 8:15 AM-8:45 AM
●   B.I.G./P.A.R.P. event March 30 6:30 pm
●   Great Kindness Challenge Spirit Week
○   Monday March 28 “Kick Off” to KINDNESS Wear some crazy and fun socks
○   Tuesday March 29 We are on the KINDNESS Team Wear your favorite sports team shirt or jersey
○   Wednesday March 30 Dreaming of KINDNESS Wear your Pajamas Day
○   Thursday March 31 West “Souper” Heroes are KIND to our Community Wear a Super Hero Shirt School Challenge: Bring in at least ONE item for our food pantry collection.
○   Friday April 1 Hats off to KINDNESS Wear your favorite or silliest hat today.
●   FRIDAY APRIL 1-Spring Picture Day
●   Community Day April 22, 2016

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/18/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers recognize various text features in informational /nonfiction texts (focus on glossary/bold print)
Growing readers recognize various text features in informational/ nonfiction texts (focus on table of contents)
Growing readers find newly learned information in their nonfiction/informational texts to share with a friend

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers use questions to drive their research
Growing writers generate potential topics for an “All About” book by using their background knowledge
Growing writers generate potential topics for an “All About” book by thinking about what sparks their interest (what they are curious about, what the find exciting, what they find scary)

In math students will:

Model decompositions of 8 using a story situation, arrays, and number bonds
Model decompositions of 6-8 using linking cube sticks to see patterns
Represent decompositions for 6-8 using horizontal and vertical number bonds

Other Information

●   Extra Help/Enrichment March 17th (8:15am-8:45am) invites have been distributed
●   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm
●   Book Fair: Week of March 14th
●   Spring Recess March 24-27

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/11/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers recognize various text features in informational/ nonfiction texts (focus on photos/captions)
Growing readers recognize various text features in informational /nonfiction texts (focus on glossary/bold print)
Growing readers recognize various text features in informational/ nonfiction texts (focus on table of contents)

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers are aware that their curiosity and the world around them lead to possible topics
Growing writers use questions to drive their research
Growing writers generate potential topics for an “All About” book by using their background knowledge

In math students will:

Represent number bonds with composition story situations
Model decompositions of 6 using a story situation, objects, and number bonds
Model decompositions of 7 using a story situation, sets, and number bonds

Other Information

●   Extra Help/Enrichment March 9th (3:30-4:00 pm) invites have been distributed.
●   West PTA meeting March 9th at 7:00 pm.
●   Board of Education meeting March 10th at 7:30 pm
●   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/04/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers think about what they already know about their topic before they begin reading their nonfiction/informational texts
Growing readers recognize various text features in informational/NF texts (focus on photos/captions)
Growing readers recognize various text features in informational/NF texts (focus on glossary/bold print)

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers recognize the visuals utilized in an “All About” book and how it adds to the text they read
Growing writers are aware that their curiosity and the world around them lead to possible topics
Growing writers use questions to drive their research

In math students will:

Represent composition story situations with drawings using numeric number bonds
Represent decomposition story situations with drawings using numeric number bonds
Represent composition and decomposition of numbers to 5 using pictorial and numeric number bonds

Other Information

●   Long Island Children’s Museum Field Trip is on 3/4/16. All children should bring lunch.
●   Leaping Lizards Game Night February 29 6:30pm-8:00pm
●   Extra Help/Enrichment Marcy 1 & 3 8:15am-8:45am . Invites have been distributed
●   WILD WEST WEDNESDAY March 2nd Wear your West School Colors
●   PTA Supermarket Bonanza March 4

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/26/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers recognize the elements of nonfiction/informational texts
Growing readers recognize the different forms of nonfiction/informational texts
Growing readers think about what they already know about their topic before they begin reading their nonfiction/informational texts

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers recognize that nonfiction texts teach readers new information
Growing writers recognize the text utilized in an “All About” book and how it gives you information on the topic
Growing writers recognize the visuals utilized in an “All About” book and how it adds to the text they read

In math students will:

Model composition and decomposition of numbers to 5 using actions, objects, and drawings
Model composition and decomposition of numbers to 5 using fingers and linking cubes
Represent composition story situations with drawings using numeric number bonds

Other Information

●   Paramount Person Day Feb 26 1:15 - 2:30
●   100th Day of School Feb. 23
●   District Symposium on Assessment February 23 7pm-9pm Long Beach Middle School
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 24th (corrected date) 3:30-4:00 pm. Invites have been distributed
●   Board of Education meeting Feb. 25 Long Beach Middle School 7 PM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/5/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers will practice their fluency by reading with a partner and matching their voices
Growing readers will read their book with a partner to make their book come alive by acting like the characters
Growing readers will use all of the reading skills learned together to understand the story better

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers will leave spaces between their words
Growing writers will check for capital letters to begin each sentence
Growing writers will end their writing by using ending punctuation

In math students will:

Compare volume using more than, less than and the same as by pouring
Explore conservation of volume by pouring
Make informal comparison of area

Other Information

●   Big folders are due Friday.
●   NWEA continues this week
●   Bedtime and Books-February 3, 2016
●   Paramount Person Day February 5
●   Extra Help February 3 & 5- 8:15-8:45 Invites were distributed.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/29/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers will sound better by rereading
Growing readers will practice their fluency by reading with a partner
Growing readers will practice their fluency by reading with a partner and matching their voices

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers will continue to work on their pattern books
Growing writers will use complete sentences to communicate their ideas
Growing writers will leave spaces between their words

In math students will:

Compare the weight of an object to a set of unit weights
Observe conservation of weight on the balance scale
Compare the weight of an object with sets of different objects on a balance scale

Other Information

●   Big folders are due every Friday.
●   NWEA continues this week
●   Extra help/Enrichment January 26th 8:15am-8:45am. Invites have been distributed
●   Bedtime and Books Wed. Jan 27th, 6:30-8 pm. Send in sign up form

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers will be able to think about the tricky parts by rereading the patterned sentences
Growing readers will be able to figure out the tricky part at the end of the book by using multiple strategies
Growing readers will sound better and better by rereading

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers will use inventive spelling to write one or two tricky words per page
Growing writers will choose their writing pattern and topic and plan their pattern book
Growing writers will continue to plan their pattern book

In math students will:

Compare objects using the same as
Compare using heavier than and lighter than with classroom objects
Compare objects using heavier than, and the same as with balance scales

Other Information

●   January 18th MLK Jr. Day-School is closed
●   BIG continues-Folders due on FRIDAY
●   January 27th Bedtime & Books 6:30-8:00

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers match the words they say to the words on the page by listening to how a story sounds
Growing readers read books by matching pictures to letters and words
Growing readers will be able to think about the tricky parts by rereading the patterned sentences

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers will choose a topic from their generated list and begin writing their pattern books
Growing writers will draw illustrations on each page to help the reader better understand their ideas
Growing writers will use inventive spelling to write one or two tricky words per page

In math students will:

Compare lengths of linking cube sticks to a 5-stick
Determine which linking cube stick is taller than or shorter than the other
Compare the length of linking cube sticks to various objects

Other Information

●   BIG Begins Monday January 11
●   Extra help/enrichment January 14 3:30pm-4:00pm. Invites have gone out.
●   Unity Assembly Day on January 15, 2016
○   “Peace Walk” through West for students January 15 in morning
●   Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 18, 2016. School will be closed.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/8/16

In reading students will understand that:

Growing readers will know what pattern books are and why we use them to help us read
Growing readers will be able to read by looking for clues
Growing readers will notice patterns in the story by pointing to the pictures and identifying the changes to help us read the words on the page

In writing students will understand that:

Growing writers recognize patterns in books
Growing writers will identify the components of a sentence and complete a sentence starter to create a class pattern book
Growing writers will generate ideas for their own pattern books by creating a list

In math students will:

Compare lengths using taller than and shorter than with aligned and not aligned endpoints
Compare length measurements with string
Make series of longer than and shorter than comparisons

Other Information

●   Happy New Year!
●   Martin Luther King Day---January 18, 2016 No School
●   Wild West Wednesday January 6- Wear your West School colors
●   Extra Help/Enrichment January 6th & 8th. 8:15am-8:45am Teacher invites have gone out

First Grade

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/3/16

In reading students will understand that:

learn facts and information about a particular country’s history and culture
identify and understand poetic language
read with accuracy and prosody

In writing students will understand that:

write facts and information about the country they are studying
continue to use descriptive words and details in their writing

In math students will:

use the symbols >, =, and < to compare quantities and numerals to 100
count and write numbers to 120
count to 120 in unit form using only tens and ones

Other notes or information:
● Multicultural Day on Friday, June 3rd. All parents are welcome!

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/27/16

In reading students will:

learn facts and information about a particular country’s history and culture
identify and understand poetic language
read with accuracy and prosody

In writing students will:

write facts and information about the country they are studying
continue to use descriptive words and details in their writing
use sensory words and repetition to write poems about meaningful topics

In math students will:

use the place value chart to record and name tens and ones up to 100
write and interpret two-digit numbers to 100 as addition sentences
identify 10 more, 10 less, 1 more, 1 less than a two- digit number within 100

Other notes or information:

Multicultural day on Friday, June 3rd.
Board of Education meeting at 7:30pm @ LBHS
West Health Fair May 27th Bring an extra bottle of water with you to support Flint Michigan
Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/20/16

In reading students will understand that:

compare and contrast books by the same author
study several author’s craft and apply in their own writing
read with accuracy and prosody

In writing students will understand that:

continue to write and publish various types of poetry
continue to use descriptive words and details in their writing
use sensory words and repetition to write poems about meaningful topics

In math students will:

Partition shapes and identify halves and quarters of circles and rectangles
Tell time to the hour and half-hour
name three-dimensional shapes including cube, cylinder, cone, sphere and rectangular prism

Other notes or information:

●   District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm
●   West Family Night May 16
●   First Grade Author’s Day May 26 @10

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/13/16

In reading students will understand that:

compare and contrast books by the same author
study several author’s craft and apply in their own writing
read with accuracy and prosody

In writing students will understand that:

continue to write and publish various types of poetry
continue to use descriptive words and details in their writing
use sensory words and repetition to write poems about meaningful topics

In math students will:

classify shapes based on attributes
name two-dimensional shapes including trapezoid, rhombus, and a square as a special rectangle
name three-dimensional shapes including cone, and rectangular prism

Other notes or information:

●   Happy Mother’s Day
●   West PTA meeting May 11, 7pm Meet our new Principal
●   Board of Education meeting May 12th at 7:30 PM
●   District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/6/16

In reading students will understand that:

compare and contrast books by the same author
know fiction and nonfiction authors’ work very well
read with accuracy and prosody

In writing students will understand that:

continue to write and publish various types of poetry
continue to use descriptive words and details in their writing
use sensory words and repetition to write poems about meaningful topics

In math students will:

classify shapes based on attributes
name two-dimensional shapes including trapezoid, rhombus, and a square as a special rectangle
name three-dimensional shapes including cone, and rectangular prism

Other notes or information:

●   West Literacy Fair May 3
●   Wild West Wednesday: Wear your West colors to school
●   West School Plant Sale May 5

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

learn about an author’s craft as they examine favorite authors
Learn suffix s, ed and ing added to unchanging base words with closed syllables
read with accuracy and prosody

In writing students will understand that:

begin to understand different styles of poetry and poetic language
continue to use descriptive words and details in their writing

In math students will:

share and critique peer strategies for adding two-digit numbers
Use tape diagrams as representations to solve put together/take apart with total unknown
Recognize and make use of part-whole relationships within tape diagrams when solving problems.

Other notes or information:
●   West Spring Boutique April 20-22
●   West Community Day April 22
●   Board of Education Meeting April 21, 7:30pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

learn about an author’s craft as they examine favorite authors
review vowel teams: oa, oe, ow, ou, oo, ue, ew, au, aw
read with accuracy and prosody

In writing students will understand that:

begin to understand different styles of poetry and poetic language
continue to use descriptive words and details in their writing

In math students will:

use counting and the make 10 strategy when adding across a ten
add ones and ones or tens and tens
share peer strategies for adding two-digit numbers

Other notes or information:
Vocabulary Words: assume, factors, response

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/08/16

In reading students will understand that:

read both fiction and nonfiction leveled texts
focus on comprehension, inferencing skills, reading fluently and main idea
Finding evidence - find proof for your answers

In writing students will understand that:

Publish and celebrate their persuasive writing pieces
Continue to learn about vowel teams and closed syllables

In math students will:

Adding and subtracting tens from a two-digit number
Count on and use the make ten strategy when adding across a ten
Compare two quantities, and identify the greater or lesser of the two numerals using symbols.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/01/16

In reading students will understand that:

read both fiction and nonfiction leveled texts
focus on comprehension, inferencing skills, and main idea
continue to work on reading fluenc

In writing students will understand that:

publish their persuasive writing pieces
apply fact vs. opinion

In math students will:

use dimes and pennies as representations of tens and ones
identify 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, and 10 less
Compare two quantities, and identify the greater or lesser of the two numerals

Other Information

●   B.I.G./P.A.R.P. event March 30 6:30 pm
●   Extra Help/Enrichment-Final dates: March 29 (3:30-4:00) March 31 (8:15-8:45)
●   Great Kindness Challenge Spirit Week
○   Monday March 28 “Kick Off” to KINDNESS Wear some crazy and fun socks
○   Tuesday March 29 We are on the KINDNESS Team Wear your favorite sports team shirt or jersey
○   Wednesday March 30 Dreaming of KINDNESS Wear your Pajamas Day
○   Thursday March 31 West “Souper” Heroes are KIND to our Community Wear a Super Hero Shirt School Challenge: Bring in at least ONE item for our food pantry collection.
○   Friday April 1 Hats off to KINDNESS Wear your favorite or silliest hat today.
●   FRIDAY APRIL 1-Spring Picture Day

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/18/16

In reading students will understand that:

read both fiction and nonfiction leveled texts
focus on comprehension and inferencing skills
continue to work on reading fluency

In writing students will understand that:

continue persuasive writing
understand fact vs. opinion

In math students will:

study, organize and manipulate numbers within 40
use place value chart to organize, add and subtract, tens and ones
identify 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, and 10 less

Other Information

●   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm
●   Early Dismissal (12:00) for Conferences March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm
●   No School - Spring Recess - Thursday, March 24 & Friday, March 25.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/11/16

In reading students will understand that:

read both fiction and nonfiction leveled texts
focus on comprehension and inferencing skills
continue to work on reading fluency

In writing students will understand that:

begin persuasive writing
understand fact vs. opinion

In math students will:

Express the length of an object using centimeter cubes
continue to focus on problem solving
continue standard and nonstandard measurement

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/04/16

In reading students will understand that:

read both fiction and nonfiction leveled texts
focus on comprehension and inferencing skills
continue to work on reading fluency

In writing students will understand that:

begin persuasive writing
understand fact vs. opinion

In math students will:

Express the length of an object using centimeter cubes
continue to focus on problem solving
continue standard and nonstandard measurement

Other Information

● Extra help/Enrichment 3/1 and 3/4. Invites have been distributed.
● Parent Teacher Conferences Wed. 3/16, Thurs. 3/17, Fri. 3/18.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/26/16

In reading students will understand that:

continue our non-fiction unit of study
be fact finders using their leveled informational texts
continue to learn about all the different text features found in non-fiction books

In writing students will understand that:

write animal research reports
add text features to their animal reports

In math students will:

Express the length of an object using centimeter cubes
Rename and measure with centimeter cubes
continue standard length units

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/5/16

In reading students will understand that:

continue our non-fiction unit of study
be fact finders using their leveled informational texts
begin learning about all the different text features found in non-fiction books

In writing students will understand that:

write animal research reports
begin to add text features to their animal reports
write about our Paramount Person

In math students will:

solve word problems with subtraction of 9 from 10
relate ‘counting on’ to making 10 and taking from 10
subtract 7, 8, and 9 from teen numbers

Other Information

●   Big folders due FRIDAY
●   NWEA this week
●   Please check for Extra Help invites in your child’s HW Folders
●   Paramount Person Day Feb. 5

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/29/16

In reading students will understand that:

begin our non-fiction unit of study
be fact finders using their leveled informational texts
identify nouns, adjective and verbs

In writing students will understand that:

write animal research reports
begin to add text features to their animal reports
write sentences will nouns, adjectives and verbs

In math students will:

solve word problems with subtraction of 9 from 10
relate ‘counting on’ to making 10 and taking from 10
subtract 7, 8, and 9 from teen numbers

Other Information

●   Big folders due FRIDAY
●   NWEA this week
●   Please check for Extra Help invites in your child’s HW Folders
●   Paramount Person Day Feb. 5

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

focus on story elements; character, setting, problem and solution
identify character and personality traits using adjectives
identify base words with suffix /ed/ /ing/ending

In writing students will understand that:

celebrate How -To books
review writing complete sentences with proper punctuation and tapping out unknown words
students will use descriptive words to add details to their writing

In math students will:

solve word problems with subtraction of 9 from 10
relate ‘counting on’ to making 10 and taking from 10
subtract 7, 8, and 9 from teen numbers

Other Information

●   Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 18, 2016. School will be closed.
●   Big folders are due every Friday.
●   NWEA this week
●   Extra help/Enrichment January 20 3:30pm-4:00 pm. Invites have already gone out

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

focus on story elements; character, setting, problem and solution
identify character and personality traits using adjectives
identify base words with suffix /ed/ /ing/ending

In writing students will understand that:

publishing How -To books
writing complete sentences with proper punctuation and tapping out unknown words
students will use descriptive words to add details to their writing

In math students will:

solve word problems with subtraction of 9 from 10
relate ‘counting on’ to making 10 and taking from 10
subtract 7, 8, and 9 from teen numbers

Other Information

●   BIG Begins Monday January 11 ●   Extra help/enrichment January 14 3:30pm-4:00pm. Invites have gone out.
●   Unity Assembly Day on January 15, 2016
○   “Peace Walk” through West for students January 15 in morning
●   Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 18, 2016. School will be closed.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/8/16

In reading students will understand that:

focus on story elements; character, setting, problem and solution
identify character and personality traits using adjectives
identify base words with suffix -s ending

In writing students will understand that:

work on How -To books
continue to practice writing using sequence words (first, next, then, after that, finally)

In math students will:

subtract 9 from teen numbers
solve word problems with subtraction of 9 from 10
use 5-group drawings and number bonds to show work

Other Information

●   Happy New Year! 2016!
●   Wild West Wednesday January 6th-Wear your WEST Colors
●   Extra Help/Enrichment January 6th & 8th. 8:15am-8:45am Teacher invites have gone out

Second Grade

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/3/16

In reading students will understand that:

Review words with double vowels /au/ and /aw/..
Read informational text on the countries we are studying.
Read folktales and identify story elements

In writing students will understand that:

Listen to persuasive read alouds.
Write facts about the country that is being studied for multicultural day.
Write an opinion about the circus trip.

In math students will:

Identify coins and their value.
Add bills of different values.
Solve word problems with different combinations of coins and dollar bills.

Other notes or information:
●   Multicultural day on Friday, June 3rd.
●   Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM
●   Trip to Big Apple Circus Thursday, June 2.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/27/16

In reading students will:

Read words with double vowels /ou/, /ow/, /ew/ and /ue/ like soup and blue.
Read poetry and visualize the imagery.
Read poetry to understand the author’s message.

In writing students will:

Write a haiku.
Write similes and metaphors.
Use alliteration to write poems.

In math students will:

Identify even and odd numbers.
Use arrays to identify even and odd numbers.
Practice fluency of simple addition and subtraction facts.

Other notes:

Multicultural day on Friday, June 3rd.
Board of Education meeting at 7:30pm @ LBHS
West Health Fair May 27th Bring an extra bottle of water with you to support Flint Michigan
Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/13/16

In reading students will understand that:

Read words with double vowels /ou/, /ow/, /ew/ and /ue/ like soup and blue.
Read poetry and visualize the imagery.
Read poetry to understand the author’s message.

In writing students will understand that:

Write a haiku.
Write similes and metaphors.
Use alliteration to write poems.

In math students will:

Identify even and odd numbers.
Use arrays to identify even and odd numbers.
Practice fluency of simple addition and subtraction facts.

Other notes or information:

●   Happy Mother’s Day
●   West PTA meeting May 11, 7pm Meet our new Principal
●   Board of Education meeting May 12th at 7:30 PM
●   District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/6/16

In reading students will understand that:

Continue to read words with double vowels /ou/, and /ow/ like crouch and rowdy.
read poetry and identify rhyming words.
Recognize the elements of poetry.

In writing students will understand that:

Write the author’s message of a poem.
Draw a picture of what they visualize from listening to a poem.
Use their senses to create a poem.

In math students will:

Compose arrays and understand that a square has equal rows and columns.
Use math drawings and relate it to repeated addition.
Relate doubles to even numbers.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

read words with double vowels, /ou/, and /ow/ like cloud and plow.
read informational texts to compare main idea and details of two different texts on the same subject.
Use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast two texts..

In writing students will understand that:

observe and collect data for a performance assessment.
Independently complete a lab report.
Summarize the experiment using a lab report form

In math students will:

Create arrays using square tiles with gaps.
Solve word problems involving addition of equal groups in rows and columns.
Complete core fluency differentiated practice sets..

Other notes:
●   West Spring Boutique April 20-22
●   West Community Day April 22
●   Board of Education Meeting April 21, 7:30pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

read words with double vowels, /oa/, /ow/ and /oe/ with suffixes
read informational texts and identify difficult words to define.
Read informational texts on the same subject..

In writing students will understand that:

work with a partner to develop a hypothesis.
record procedures and materials needed for experiment
Collect data and record experiment after three trials.

In math students will:

use manipulatives to create equal groups.
use math drawings to create equal groups.
Relate drawings to repeated addition.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/01/16

In reading students will understand that:

read words with double vowels, /oi/, and /oy/ like coin and boy.
read informational texts and identify the seed ideas (details).
explain in their own words what they learned from reading an informational text.

In writing students will understand that:

familiarize themselves with the scientific method (question, hypothesis, procedure/materials, results and conclusion)
write a lab report with teacher as model.
ask a question about how the world works.

In math students will:

Model decomposing with number disks on place value charts to subtract.
Make math drawings to represent the vertical algorithm.
use place value reasoning and the properties of operations to solve problems with up to two decompositions

Other Information

●   Monday - Kick off to Kindness ...wear crazy and fun socks.
●   Tuesday- We are in the KINDNESS team...wear sports team shirt or jersey.
●   Wednesday - Dreaming of KINDNESS...wear your pajamas.
●   Thursday - Bring in at least one item for our food pantry...wear a superhero shirt.
●   Friday - Hats off to KINDNESS...wear a silly hat today.
●   B.I.G./P.A.R.P. event March 30 6:30 pm
●   Extra Help/Enrichment-Final dates: March 29 (3:30-4:00) March 31 (8:15-8:45)
●   FRIDAY APRIL 1-Spring Picture Day

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/18/16

In reading students will understand that:

read multisyllabic words with double vowels, /ee/, /ey/ and /ea/ like chimney and teacup.
use informational texts to identify the main idea.
discuss the main idea of their text in guided reading.

In writing students will understand that:

Continue drafting their realistic fiction piece
Take notes on an informational text.
Use show not tell in their writing.

In math students will:

continue to apply learned strategies to add and subtract within 1,000
use the associative property to subtract.
use number bonds, the arrow method and tape diagrams to compose tens and hundreds..

Other Information

●   Ms. Goldenberg’s class to swimming on Tuesday March 15
●   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm; March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm
●   Early dismissal (11:55 am) March 17 and 18
●   Book Fair March 14-17
●   Spring Recess March 24-27

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/11/16

In reading students will understand that:

use accountable talk with a partner to describe a character.
use informational texts during guided reading.
read /ey/, /ee/, and /ea/ syllables. or example, runway is a closed syllable with a double syllable.

In writing students will understand that:

write a beginning using a descriptive setting.
try to write a page without introducing the problem.
write what a character is saying by using quotation marks.

In math students will:

add and subtract multiples of 100.
use a tape diagram when solving a word problem.
use number bonds to make 100.

Other Information

●   Ms. Goldenberg’s class to swimming on Tuesday March 8
●   Extra Help/Enrichment March 9th (3:30-4:00 pm) invites have been distributed.
●   West PTA meeting March 9th at 7:00 pm.
●   Board of Education meeting March 10th at 7:30 pm
●   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/04/16

In reading students will understand that:

identify a character’s feelings.
recognize how a character’s traits change throughout the story.
read /ai/ and /ay/ syllables with other syllable types. For example, runway is a closed syllable with a double syllable.

In writing students will understand that:

use accountable talk to discuss their ideas for a realistic fiction piece.
think about how a problem can get bigger and bigger.
sketch parts of their story.

In math students will:

use the totals below written method.
review addition and subtraction strategies.strategies to
complete an assessment on Module 4, addition and subtraction within 200.

Other Information

●   Ms. Goldenberg’s class to swimming on Tuesday March 1
●   Extra help/Enrichment March 3, 8:15 am. Invites have been distributed
●   Leaping Lizards Game Night Monday February 29th 6:30pm-8:00pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/26/16

In reading students will understand that:

learn to infer a character’s traits by his/her actions.
identify and speak about both internal and external traits of the characters we read about.
recognize words woit the double vowel - ai or ay.

In writing students will understand that:

create a list of realistic fiction ideas.
decide on a character’s name for their writing and a problem.
think about possible solutions character’s face.

In math students will:

subtract from numbers with zeros in the ones and tens place.
use math drawings to represent subtraction with up to two decompositions.
relate manipulative representations to a written method.

Other Information

●   Ms. Goldenberg’s class to swimming on Tuesday February 23
●   Paramount Person Day Feb 26 1:15 - 2:30
●   100th Day of School Feb. 23
●   District Symposium on Assessment February 23 7pm-9pm Long Beach Middle School
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 24th (corrected date) 3:30-4:00 pm. Invites have been distributed
●   Board of Education meeting Feb. 25 Long Beach Middle School 7 PM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/5/16

In reading students will understand that:

identify when to use er,ur or ir when spelling words with the /er/ sound.
continue to recognize character traits by the actions of characters in realistic fiction books.
talk about the problem(s) characters face in their just right books.

In writing students will understand that:

complete a graphic organizer for their paramount person writing.
write about the person who is important in their life.
write about a character’s internal and external traits.

In math students will:

continue to use the vertical form to add and subtract.
use math drawings with up to 2 compositions.
use disks to help add numbers with bundling.

Other Information

●   Big folders are due Friday.
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 3 and February 5 8:15am-8:45am. Invites have already gone out
●   Ms. Goldenberg’s class to swimming on Tuesday February 2
●   Bedtime & Books February 3 6:30pm-8:00pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/29/16

In reading students will understand that:

review rules for Fundations
identify internal and external character traits..
recognize the traits a character(s) may have by their actions.

In writing students will understand that:

complete expert books.
share their expert book with others.
listen to realistic fiction mentor texts and discuss the elements.

In math students will:

use mental strategies to add and subtract.
practice subtraction by drawing place value disks and decomposing tens and hundreds.
solve word problems by using different strategies.

Other Information

●   Big folders are due every Friday.
●   NWEA this week
●   Extra help/Enrichment January 26 8:15am-8:45am. Invites have already gone out
●   Ms. Goldenberg’s class to swimming on Tuesday January 26
●   Bedtime & Books January 27th 6:30pm-8:00pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

introduce the suffixes y, ly and ty
identify the author’s purpose.
determine the main idea of a paragraph.

In writing students will understand that:

begin to revise and edit their expert books..
create a title for their book.
begin to write a conclusion.

In math students will:

use math drawings to add a two -digit number to a three digit addend.
use place value disks to represent subtraction.
decompose a number to subtract.

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

introduce the suffixes y, ly and ty
identify the author’s purpose.
determine the main idea of a paragraph.

In writing students will understand that:

begin to revise and edit their expert books..
create a title for their book.
begin to write a conclusion.

In math students will:

use math drawings to add a two -digit number to a three digit addend.
use place value disks to represent subtraction.
decompose a number to subtract.

Other Information

● Mrs. Goldenberg’s class will begin swimming on Tuesday, January 12 ● Unity Assembly to honor Dr. Martin Luther King on Friday January 15 ○ “Peace Walk” through West for students -January 15 in morning ● Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 18, 2016. School will be closed.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/8/16

In reading students will understand that:

pause and reflect on meaning of text.
continue to use text features to locate key facts.
recognize words that are italicized and bolded as key vocabulary.

In writing students will understand that:

create a web for expert topic.
continue writing information on what we know about our topics.
use text features in our writing.

In math students will:

solve one and two step word problems.
use manipulatives to represent two-digit word problems.
begin using the vertical method to solve addition problems.

Other Information

Happy New Year!
Mrs. Goldenberg’s class will begin swimming on Tuesday, January 6.

Third Grade

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/17/16

In reading students will understand that:

In book clubs students will develop theories about their books and will identify and share evidence that they have collected.

In writing students will understand that:

Writers will draft a writing piece in response to their book club books. Students will do an oral presentation of their writing.

In math students will:

Students will solve a variety of word problems using area, perimeter and all four operations. (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division)

Other notes or information:
●   Beach Trip Tuesday June 21st
●   Half day June 23rd & June 24th (11:30 dismissal)
●   June 24 last day of school

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/3/16

In reading students will understand that:

Participate in book club discussions by referring back to specifics in the book.

In writing students will understand that:

Support open-ended responses using specific text references.

In math students will:

Construct rectangles with a given perimeter using unit squares and determine their area.

Other notes or information:
● Multicultural day on Friday, June 3rd.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/27/16

In reading students will:

Begin book club discussions by retelling and summarizing.

In writing students will:

Take notes on post-its and collect evidence from the text to support their thinking.

In math students will:

Solve word problems to determine the perimeter of polygons.

Reminders:.

Multicultural day on Friday, June 3rd.
Board of Education meeting at 7:30pm @ LBHS
West Health Fair May 27th Bring an extra bottle of water with you to support Flint Michigan
Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/20/16

In reading students will understand that:

Practice the roles of book club members using shared texts.
Engage in the Fish Bowl strategy to observe book clubs in action.

In writing students will understand that:

Reflect on participating in book clubs and engaging in member roles.

In math students will:

Review attributes of polygons.
Measure side lengths in whole number units to determine the perimeter of polygons.

Other notes or information:

●   Boat Trip on May 18th - buses leave at 9:15. Please remember to pack lunch (no glass).
●   Police Dept Trip on May 20th - buses leave at 9:15. Please remember to pack lunch (no glass).
●   District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm
●   West School Family Night May 16th 6:00 PM
●   Budget Vote & Board of Education Election May 17th

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/13/16

In reading students will understand that:

Be introduced to book clubs. We will discuss how they are organized and how each student will participate to help make their club successful.

In writing students will understand that:

State a claim and write a paragraph.
Continue writing their research reports based on their assigned ecosystem.

In math students will:

Review previously taught strategies to solve 2 step word problems.

Reminders: ●   Happy Mother’s Day
●   West PTA meeting May 11, 7pm Meet our new Principal
●   Board of Education meeting May 12th at 7:30 PM
●   District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/6/16

In reading students will understand that:

Infer author’s opinions by determining which facts are important within a non-fiction text.
Analyze non-fiction texts by identifying similarities and differences of texts.

In writing students will understand that:

Use evidence to create body paragraphs that are organized in a way that supports their opinion.
Create introductions that establish the importance of their topic.

In math students will:

Analyze data.
Create bar graphs and line plots.

Thank you for all your support and hard work to make the Environmental Boat Trip possible!

●   Literacy Fair May 3rd 6:30 PM
●   Board of Education meeting May 5th at 7:30 PM
●   Plant sale Thursday & Friday May 5th & May 6th

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Read non-fiction passage excerpts closely to identify key vocabulary, details that identify problem/conflict, cause and effect.
Create a one sentence main idea about what they have read.

In writing students will understand that:

Continue to conduct research about a specific ecosystem and will write an expository piece about it.
Prepare to present their ecosystem research.

In math students will:

Create a ruler with 1-inch, ½ inch, and ¼ inch intervals and generate measurement data.
Represent measurement data with line plots.

Reminders:
Thank you for all your support and hard work to make the Environmental Boat Trip possible!

●   West Spring Boutique April 20-22
●   West Community Day April 22
●   Board of Education Meeting April 21, 7:30pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Review the different genres that fall under non-fiction particularly, biographies.
Analyze how text structure and features support the main idea of the text.

In writing students will understand that:

Conduct research about a specific ecosystem and will write an expository piece about it.
Explore the various ways to write an opinion piece.

In math students will:

Organize data.
Interpret data that is presented on different types of graphs.

Reminders:
Comedy Night tickets and 50/50 still available to help raise money for our Environmental Boat Trip
● Comedy Night on April 14, 2016
● NY State Math assessment April 13-15

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/08/16

In reading students will understand that:

Work on reading and responding to various genres of literature.
Understand how strong readers use reading strategies to help them comprehend a story with greater detail.

In writing students will understand that:

Create an extended response to a question using details and evidence from a text.

In math students will:

Compare fractions with the same numerator using symbols of inequality.
Partition wholes into equal parts using a number line.

Reminders:
Comedy Night tickets and 50/50 still available to help raise money for our Environmental Boat Trip
● NY State ELA assessment April 5-7

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/01/16

In reading students will understand that:

Work on reading and responding to various genres of literature.
Understand how good readers use various reading strategies to help them comprehend a story with greater detail.

In writing students will understand that:

Create an extended response to a question using details and examples from a text.

In math students will:

Generate simple equivalent fractions by using visual fraction models and the number line.
Express whole numbers as fractions and recognize equivalence with different units.

Other Information

Comedy Night tickets and 50/50 still available to help raise money for our Environmental Boat Trip
●   B.I.G./P.A.R.P. event March 30 6:30 pm
●   Extra Help/Enrichment-Final dates: March 29 (3:30-4:00) March 31 (8:15-8:45)
●   Great Kindness Challenge Spirit Week
○   Monday March 28 “Kick Off” to KINDNESS Wear some crazy and fun socks
○   Tuesday March 29 We are on the KINDNESS Team Wear your favorite sports team shirt or jersey
○   Wednesday March 30 Dreaming of KINDNESS Wear your Pajamas Day
○   Thursday March 31 West “Souper” Heroes are KIND to our Community Wear a Super Hero Shirt School Challenge: Bring in at least ONE item for our food pantry collection.
○   Friday April 1 Hats off to KINDNESS Wear your favorite or silliest hat today.
●   FRIDAY APRIL 1-Spring Picture Day
●   NY State ELA assessment April 5-7

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/18/16

In reading students will understand that:

Work on responding to various genres of literature.

In writing students will understand that:

Compose a response to a question using evidence and examples from a text.
Publish their Edge of Your Seat mystery writing piece.

In math students will:

Generate simple equivalent fractions.
Recognize and show that equivalent fractions have the same size and refer to the same point on a number line.

Other Information

-   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm; March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm
-   Early dismissal (11:55 am) March 17 and 18
-   Book Fair March 14-17
-   Spring Recess March 24-27

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/11/16

In reading students will understand that:

connect details to the big picture to help them solve the mystery.
determine motives of characters in the mystery.

In writing students will understand that:

Include the elements of a mystery in their Edge of Your Seat Story.
Continue drafting a mystery story that contains a rising action, climax, and falling action.

In math students will:

Compare unit fractions by reasoning their size using fraction strips.
Determine the corresponding whole when presented with one equal part.

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/04/16

In reading students will understand that:

be able to identify secondary characters in their mystery books.
be able to distinguish between different types of clues: planted, hidden and red herring.

In writing students will understand that:

Recognize the elements of a mystery.
Begin drafting a mystery story that contains a rising action, climax, and falling action.

In math students will:

Students will explore relationships of parts of a whole and parts of a set.

Other Information

●   Leaping Lizards Night will be held on March 29th from 6:30-8:00pm.
●   Parent conferences will be held on March 16th, 17th and the 18th.
●   Extra Help/Enrichment Marcy 1 & 3 8:15am-8:45am . Invites have been distributed
●   WILD WEST WEDNESDAY March 2nd Wear your West School Colors
●   PTA Supermarket Bonanza March 4

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/26/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will become familiar with the elements of a Mystery.

In writing students will understand that:

Students will continue with “Edge of your Seat” writing.

In math students will:

Students will explore relationships of parts of a whole and parts of a set.

Other Information

●   100th Day of School Feb. 23
●   District Symposium on Assessment February 23 7pm-9pm Long Beach Middle School
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 24th (corrected date) 3:30-4:00 pm. Invites have been distributed
●   Board of Education meeting Feb. 25 Long Beach Middle School 7 PM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/5/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will compare and contrast information across two texts about the same topic.
Students will organize their thoughts and ideas to prepare to share with peers.

In writing students will understand that:

Students will revise their expository pieces using a checklist.
Students will publish their pieces at a publishing celebration.

In math students will:

Students will determine the area of a rectangle through multiplying the side lengths.
Students will determine the area of a rectangle when given an incomplete array.

Other Information

● Bedtime and Books is on Wednesday, February 3rd from 6:30-8:00pm.
● Extra help/Enrichment February 3rd & 5th 8:15am-8:45am. Invites have been distributed

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/29/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will identify the main idea of a non-fiction text using the topic sentence and supporting details.
Students will practice how to summarize text using notes that they’ve taken.

In writing students will understand that:

Students will revise their expository pieces using a checklist.
Students will publish their pieces at a publishing celebration.

In math students will:

Students will form a rectangular array.
Students will determine the area of a regular shaped rectangles through multiplication of the side lengths.

Other Information

●   Bedtime and Books is on Wednesday, January 27th from 6:30-8:00pm.
●   Cradle Aviation Field Trip on January 28th, please bring lunch.
●   Big folders are due every Friday.
●   NWEA continues this week
●   Extra help/Enrichment January 26th 8:15am-8:45am. Invites have been distributed

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will identify the main idea and supporting details of a text.
Students will practice how to summarize text using notes that they’ve taken.

In writing students will understand that:

Students will revise their expository pieces using a checklist.
Students will publish their pieces at a publishing celebration.

In math students will:

Students will continue to practice strategies for understanding and measuring area.

Other Information

●   Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 18, 2016. School will be closed.
●   Extra help/enrichment January 20 3:30pm-4:00pm. Invites have gone out.
●   Cradle Aviation Field Trip on January 28th, please return permission slips if you have not done so already.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will practice different ways to close read.
Students will annotate a nonfiction article to help with comprehension.

In writing students will understand that:

Students will revise their expository pieces using a checklist.
Students will publish their pieces at a publishing celebration.

In math students will:

Students will understand the foundations for understanding area.

Other Information

Please keep working on Multiplication facts at home with your children
●   BIG Begins Monday January 11
●   Extra help/enrichment January 14 3:30pm-4:00pm. Invites have gone out.
●   Unity Assembly Day on January 15, 2016
○   “Peace Walk” through West for students January 15 in morning
●   Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 18, 2016. School will be closed.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/8/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will explore different ways to take notes on nonfiction texts (post-its, graphic organizers, etc.).
Students will read nonfiction texts and will use boxes and bullets to take notes on what they have read.

In writing students will understand that:

Students will draft the introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs of an expository writing piece.
Students will revise their expository pieces by varying sentence beginnings.

In math students will:

Students will understand the function of parentheses and apply it to solving problems.
Identify and apply the commutative and distributive properties.
Use a letter to represent an unknown factor.

Other Information

Happy New Year!
Please keep working on Multiplication facts at home with your children

Fourth Grade

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/17/16

In reading students will understand that:

Learn about issues in our world and in our lives by studying the characters in their books closely.
Understand social issues more deeply by asking probing questions.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Respond to text that presents social issues.
Take a stance on a social issue and use details to support their opinion.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Solve multi-step measurement word problems.
Use measurement tools to convert mixed number measurements to smaller units.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other notes or information:
● June 23 & 24 early dismissals
● June 24 Last day of school

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/3/16

In reading students will understand that:

Know books are about more than one issue by interpreting what the main issues and smaller ones are in books that they read.
Think deeply about social issues in our books by paying attention to crucial issues.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Respond to text that presents social issues.
Take a stance on a social issue and use details to support their opinion.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Share and critique peer strategies.
Solve problems involving mixed units of capacity.
Assessment: exit tickets

Please Note:
●   Spring Celebration of the Arts May 31 7 PM
●   PTA Meeting June 1st 7 PM
●   Multicultural Day June 3rd

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/27/16

In reading students will:

Understand the issues that exist in our world by looking at the characters’ reactions to the issues they face.
Think deeply about social issues in our books by paying attention to crucial scenes.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will:

Respond to text that presents social issues.
Take a stance on a social issue and use details to support their opinion.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Create conversion tables for length, weight, and capacity units using measurement tools, and use the table to solve problems.
Solve multiplicative comparison word problems using measurement conversion tables.
Assessment: exit tickets

Please Note:

Board of Education meeting at 7:30pm @ LBHS
West Health Fair May 27th Bring an extra bottle of water with you to support Flint Michigan
Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/20/16

In reading students will understand that:

Determine if their book is fair and whether or not they agree with what the book is teaching about (social issue).
Learn about issues in our world and in our lives by studying the characters in their books closely.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Respond to text that presents social issues.
Take a stance on a social issue and use details to support their opinion.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Express money amounts given in various forms as decimal numbers.
Solve word problems involving money.
Assessment: Module 6 Assessment

Please Note:

●   West School Family Night May 16th 6:00 PM
●   Budget Vote & Board of Education Election May 17th
●   Board of Education meeting May 17th at 10:00 PM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/13/16

In reading students will understand that:

Have conversations with other readers by identifying issues they’ve read about in books.
Understand social issues more deeply by asking probing questions.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Respond to text that presents social issues.
Take a stance on a social issue and use details to support their opinion.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Compare and order mixed numbers in various forms.
Apply understanding of fraction equivalence to add tenths and hundredths.
Assessment: exit tickets

Please Note:
●   West PTA meeting May 11, 7pm Meet our new Principal
●   Board of Education meeting May 12th at 7:30 PM
●   District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/6/16

In reading students will understand that:

Recognize social issues by revisiting books they have read.
Choose lenses through which to view text and life by reading critically.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Respond to text that presents social issues.
Take a stance on a social issue and use details to support their opinion.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Use the area model and number line to represent mixed numbers with units of ones, tenths, and hundredths in fraction and decimal forms.
Use understanding of fraction equivalence to investigate decimal numbers on the place value chart expressed in different units.
Assessment: exit tickets

Please Note:
●   Literacy Fair May 3rd 6:30 PM
●   Board of Education meeting May 5th at 7:30 PM
●   Plant sale Thursday & Friday May 5th & May 6th

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Make inferences by utilizing prior knowledge and text clues.
Identify cause and effect text structure by noticing what and why something happens.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Look at collected research to see what they need to find more information about and ensure they have domain specific vocabulary in notes.
Review their notes and look for patterns to develop big ideas (Main ideas).
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Use metric measurement to model the decomposition of one whole into tenths.
Use metric measurement and area models to represent tenths as fractions greater than 1 and decimal numbers.
Assessment: exit tickets

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Locate details within a nonfiction text.
Locate and define domain specific vocabulary.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Respond to higher level text related questions.
Incorporate domain specific vocabulary within written responses.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Add and subtract fractions.
Convert improper fractions to mixed numbers.
Assessment: Module 5 Assessment

Reminders:
● NY State Math assessment April 13-15

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/08/16

In reading students will understand that:

Search for and identify textual evidence for correct answers in details and inference questions by going back to the text and underlining supporting details.
Scan a nonfiction passage quickly to locate the section of text that most likely contains information that would answer a specific question.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Write an essay comparing how a character changes throughout a story.
Use details to support ideas.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Subtract mixed numbers.
Find the product of a whole number and a mixed number using the distributive property.
Assessment: exit tickets

Please Note:
● NY State ELA assessment April 5-7

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/01/16

In reading students will understand that:

Look closely at a narrative to figure out the message (lesson or theme) that the writer is trying to convey to the reader.
Closely examine the text to generate a main idea by rereading the title, finding clues in the directions, and/or ask themselves “What was the story mostly about?”
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Write an essay comparing two texts.
Use details to show similarities and differences.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Add a mixed number and a fraction.
Subtract a fraction from a mixed number.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/18/16

In reading students will understand that:

Skim the text for keywords and/or phrases to locate specific parts of a text in order to narrow their focus as readers.
Pause after chunks of text in order to summarize briefly what they have read by stopping and jotting ideas in the margin in order to self monitor comprehension.
Activities: individual benchmark assessment to determine student’s instructional and independent reading level.

In writing students will understand that:

Use evidence to explain an author’s craft.
Understand a question being asked and use relevant reasons to answer the question.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Add a fraction less than 1 to, or subtract a fraction less than 1 from, a whole number using decomposition and visual models.
Decompose and compose fractions greater than 1 to express them in various forms.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

●   Math Olympiads March 15 & 16
●   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm
●   Early dismissal (11:55 am) March 17 and 18
●   Book Fair March 14-17
●   Spring Recess March 24-27

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/11/16

In reading students will understand that:

Use titles and illustrations to help them understand by closely examining these features to identify main idea and supporting details.
Use context clues to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text by closely reading supporting details in order to construct meaning of the new word.
Activities: individual benchmark assessment to determine student’s instructional and independent reading level.

In writing students will understand that:

Understand a question being asked and use relevant reasons to answer the question.
Use specific text evidence to support each reason.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Add and subtract more than two fractions.
Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions.
Assessment: Mid Module 5 Assessment

Other Information

●   Math Olympiads March 15 & 16
●   Extra Help/Enrichment March 9th (3:30-4:00 pm) invites have been distributed.
●   West PTA meeting March 9th at 7:00 pm.
●   Board of Education meeting March 10th at 7:30 pm
●   Parent Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm March 17 & 18 1:15pm-3:15pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/04/16

In reading students will understand that:

Identify how the character’s behavior is influenced by looking at the historical period.
Notice and trace the conflicts characters face by creating an ongoing flow chart of the plot.
Activities: individual benchmark assessment to determine student’s instructional and independent reading level.

In writing students will understand that:

Imagine characters by brainstorming internal and external characteristics.
Imagine a variety of potential plots appropriate to their time period before beginning a draft.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Fine common units or number of units to compare two fractions.
Use visual models to add and subtract two fractions with the same units.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

●   Leaping Lizards Game Night February 29 6:30pm-8:00pm
●   Math Olympiads March 1 & 2
●   Extra Help/Enrichment Marcy 1 & 3 8:15am-8:45am . Invites have been distributed
●   WILD WEST WEDNESDAY March 2nd Wear your West School Colors
●   PTA Supermarket Bonanza March 4

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/26/16

In reading students will understand that:

Be introduced to the genre of historical fiction.
Notice and take notes on the setting as well as all the story elements by envisioning what life was like during that time.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Focus in on one point in history by listing what they know about the time period.
Gather information through research using primary and secondary resources.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences.

In math students will:

Use the area model and division to show the equivalence of two fractions.
Explain fraction equivalence using a tape diagram and the number line, and relate that to the use of multiplication and division.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

●   100th Day of School Feb. 23
●   District Symposium on Assessment February 23 7pm-9pm Long Beach Middle School
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 24th (corrected date) 3:30-4:00 pm. Invites have been distributed (Mrs. Schecter only)
●   Science Club/Computer Club/Student Council Feb 25
●   Board of Education meeting Feb. 25 Long Beach Middle School 7 PM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/12/16

In reading students will:

Compare information from a primary and a secondary source by talking with a partner about the information they learned and the differences in focus.
Answer a question using evidence from two sources on the same topic to support their ideas.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will:

Use reasons and evidence to support a thesis statement.
Write and edit an informational essay on a topic of their choice.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Decompose unit fractions using area models to show equivalence.
Use the area model and multiplication to show the equivalence of two fractions.
Assessment: Module 4 Assessment

Please Big folders are due Friday, final week.

Extra help/Enrichment February 11th, and 25th 3:30-4:00 pm.
Winter Recess February 15 - 19, schools closed.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/5/16

In reading students will understand that:

Interpret information from text features by thinking about how the visuals contribute to their understanding of the text.
Evaluate an author’s argument by analyzing whether or not an author provided sound reasoning.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Editing of informational essays.
Reflect on the writing process.
Assessment: peer and teacher writing conferences

In math students will:

Decompose fractions as a sum of unit fractions using tape diagrams.
Decompose non unit fractions and represent them as a whole number times a unit fraction using tape diagram.
Assessment: Module 4 Assessment

Other Information

●   Big folders are due Friday.
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 3rd & 5th 8:15am-8:45am Invites have been distributed
●   Bedtime and Books Wed. February 3, 6:30-8 pm. Send in sign up form

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/29/16

In reading students will understand that:

Identify the chronological text structure by recognizing events or steps in a procedure in a nonfiction text.
Answer a question using evidence from two sources on the same topic to support their ideas.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Continue to extract information from a text to organize into a graphic organizer.
Independently write an informational essay.
Assessment: On-demand personal narrative writing

In math students will:

Recognize lines of symmetry for given two dimensional figures; identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry.
Classify quadrilaterals based on parallel and perpendicular lines and the presence or absence of angles of a specified size.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Draw specific quotes from a text to explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support an idea.
Identify the cause and effect text structure by noticing what and why something happens in a nonfiction text.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Annotate a non-fiction text and develop a thesis statement with supporting evidence.
Extract information from a text to organize into a graphic organizer.
Independently write an informational essay.

In math students will:

Decompose angles using pattern blocks.
Use the addition of adjacent angle measures to solve problems using a symbol for the unknown angle measure.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Make inferences by utilizing reading knowledge and clues from the text.
Determine the meaning of unknown words by using context clues and text features. (glossary, bold words, the text, visuals, prior knowledge)
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Annotate a non-fiction text and develop a thesis statement with supporting evidence.
Extract information from a text to organize into a graphic organizer.
Guided practice to write an informational essay.

In math students will:

Measure and draw angles. Sketch given angle measures and verify with a protractor.
Identify and measure angles as turns and recognize them in various contexts.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/8/16

In reading students will understand that:

Search for answers to questions while reading by generating driving questions before and during reading.
Make inferences by utilizing reading knowledge and clues from the text.
Activities: interactive read aloud, guided reading groups, and shared reading

In writing students will understand that:

Close read and annotate non-fiction texts.
Use mentor non-fiction texts to develop a thesis statement with supporting evidence.
Extract information from a text to organize into a graphic organizer.

In math students will:

Identify and draw points, lines, line segments, rays and angles and recognize them in various contexts and familiar figures.
Use right angles to determine whether angles are equal to, greater than, or less than the right angles. Draw right, obtuse, and acute angles.
Assessment: exit tickets

Other Information

●   Happy New Year!
●   Math Olympiads January 5th & 6th
●   Wild West Wednesday January 6th-Wear your WEST Colors
●   Extra Help/Enrichment January 6th & 8th. 8:15am-8:45am Teacher invites have gone out
●   Ice Skating January 8th. Ms. Elliott & Ms. Enright/Ms. Baier classes.

Fifth Grade

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/17/16

In reading students will understand that:

Culminate Book Club reading.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Review their writing portfolios and critique their growth in writing over the year.
Complete an argumentative performance assessment.

In math students will:

Continue to make sense of complex, multi-step problems and persevere in solving them.
Share and critique peer solutions.

Other notes or information:
●   Fifth grade beach trip June 20th 9:30-12:00
●   Fifth grade Promotion June 22nd 9:30 am
●   Fifth grade Luncheon Lido Beach Golf Club June 22nd
●   Early dismissal June 23rd & 24th 11:30am
●   Last day of school June 24th

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 6/3/16

In reading students will understand that:

understand that there are multiple meanings in stories by thinking about big ideas and lessons that could be learned from their own life.
continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

ensure paragraphs flow smoothly from one idea to another by using transitional words.
continue to edit and revise their argumentative essays.

In math students will:

make sense of complex, multi-step problems and persevere in solving them.
share and critique peer solutions.

Other notes or information:
●   Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM
●   West Spring Celebration of the Arts Tues., May 31, 7 pm
●   Wild West Wednesday
●   West Multicultural Day Fri., June 3rd

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/27/16

In reading students will:

Summarize arguments by using their own words to express the most essential parts of the writer’s argument, while being careful to not distort or change what the writer meant.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will:

Annotate a text in a purposeful and deliberate way as they read-- to help them remember the author’s big ideas and their own thoughts and ideas.
Recognize difficult text and draw on their portfolio of strategies to help them manage the difficulty, approaching this work with a strong sense of agency.

In math students will:

Draw symmetric figures on the coordinate plane .
Plot data on line graphs and analyze trends.
Use coordinate systems to solve real world problems.

Please note:

Board of Education meeting at 7:30pm @ LBHS
West Health Fair May 27th
Memorial Day May 30th, school closed. Parade line up at 10 AM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/20/16

In reading students will understand that:

Shift from taking in information to reflecting on that information to grow new ideas.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Discriminate between relevant and less relevant information by taking notes to help notes short and to the point.
Paraphrase information by restating it in words that make sense to them.

In math students will:

Construct parallel line segments, and analyze relationships of the coordinate pairs .
Construct perpendicular line segments on a rectangular grid.
Construct perpendicular line segments, and analyze relationships of the coordinate pairs.

Please Note:

●   West School Family Night May 16th 6:00 PM
●   Budget Vote & Board of Education Election May 17th
●   Board of Education meeting May 17th at 10:00 PM
●   Fifth Grade visit to long Beach Middle School on May 19th

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/13/16

In reading students will understand that:

Continue to read deeply about an issue, developing background information that allows them to become authorities on that issue.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Make their argument more believable by acknowledging a point made by the other side.
Use transitional words to make their paragraphs flow smoothly from one idea to the other.

In math students will:

Analyze number patterns created from mixed operations.
Create a rule to generate a number pattern, and plot the points.
Construct parallel line segments on a rectangular grid.

Please note:
●   West PTA meeting May 11, 7pm Meet our new Principal
●   Board of Education meeting May 12th at 7:30 PM
●   West School 5th grade “Beach Party” May 13, 6-7:30 pm, gym
●   District Arts Show HS May 14, 10am-2pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 5/6/16

In reading students will understand that:

Recognize that arguments can be supported by using information from a variety of sources.
Find evidence to support their claims by analyzing text details.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Choose a topic to research, investigate and collect information about both sides of the issue.
Flash-draft an argument.

In math students will:

Investigate patterns in vertical and horizontal lines, and interpret points on the plane as distances from axes.
Plot points, use them to draw lines in the plane, and describe patterns within the coordinate pairs.
Generate a number pattern from a given rule, and plot the points.

Please note:
●   Literacy Fair May 3rd 6:30 PM
●   Board of Education meeting May 5th at 7:30 PM
●   Plant sale Thursday & Friday May 5th & May 6th
●   Grade 5 Puberty DVD Viewing for Parents May 3rd 7:00 PM @ Lindell

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Continue to find evidence to support their claim by analyzing text details.
Verbally rehearse their arguments by participating in the debate process.
Recognize that arguments can be supported by using information from a variety of sources.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Investigate to understand an argument.
Continue to summarize and analyze across texts on a debatable issue.

In math students will:

Construct a coordinate system on a line.
Construct a coordinate system on a plane.
Name points using coordinate pairs, and use the coordinate pairs to plot points.

Please note:
●   West Spring Boutique April 20-22
●   West Community Day April 22
●   Board of Education Meeting April 21, 7:30pm

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Find evidence to support their claim by analyzing text details.
Verbally rehearse their arguments by participating in the debate process.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Use a graphic organizer to prepare for writing opinion essay.
Summarize and analyze across texts on a debatable issue.

In math students will:

Draw, analyze, and classify two-dimensional shapes.
Draw and identify varied two-dimensional figures from given attributes.
Take NY State Math assessment

Reminders:
● NY State Math assessment April 13-15

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/08/16

In reading students will understand that:

Take NY State ELA assessments in reading and writing.
Read multiple texts, make a claim and select information to support their claim.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Take NY State ELA assessments in reading and writing.
Introduce argument writing by exposing students to multiple texts that contain claims or opinions.
Students will practice debating both sides of a claim using evidence from texts.

In math students will:

Solve word problems involving area of figures with fractional side lengths using visual models and/or equations.
Multiply mixed number factors, and relate to the distributive property and the area model.

Please note:
●   NY State ELA assessment April 5-7
●   School Board meeting, budget adoption April 7, 7:30pm, check website for location
●   Grade 5 Vendor Sale Friday April 8

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 4/01/16

In reading students will understand that:

Compare and contrast characters effectively by analyzing their qualities, behaviors, and interactions with other characters.
Pay attention to the details throughout the passage by capturing the theme the author wants the reader to understand.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Practice writing an extended response essay supporting their position with text based evidence and synthesizing ideas to state a position or theme.
Answer ELA questions utilizing boxes and bullets strategy.
Generate an essay that flows by chunking their essays into paragraphs and transitions.

In math students will:

Solve word problems involving the volume of rectangular prisms with whole number edge lengths.
Apply concepts and formulas of volume to design a sculpture using rectangular prisms within given parameters.

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/18/16

In reading students will understand that:

Students will tackle complex/challenging text by rereading chunks of information and asking themselves who or what each paragraph is about.
Continue individual BAS testing for reading level.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Students will practice writing an essay using a paired set of texts.
Writers will begin drafting a new essays with goals in mind.
Writers will revise second essay by elaborating and citing from both texts.

In math students will:

Explore volume by building with and counting unit cubes.
Find the volume of a right rectangular prism by packing with cubic units and counting.

Other Information

●   Parent-Teacher Conferences March 16 6pm-9pm March 17 & 18 12:15pm-3:15pm
●   Early dismissal (11:55 am) March 17 and 18
●   Book Fair March 14-17
●   Math Olympiads March 15 & March 16
●   Grade 5 Parent Meeting March 21
●   Spring Recess March 24-27

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/11/16

In reading students will understand that:

Use a variety of strategies to determine the main idea of a passage by locating key details.
Continue individual BAS testing for reading level.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Publish and celebrate feature articles.
Write “fast” drafts based on two familiar texts.
Writers will review their drafts in-order to set up goals.

In math students will:

Divide decimal dividends by non-unit decimal divisors.
Interpret and evaluate numerical expressions including the language of scaling and fraction division.
Create story contexts for numerical expressions and tape diagrams.
Solve problems involving fraction division.

Other Information

●   Math Olympiads March 15 & 16
●   Extra Help/Enrichment March 9th (3:30-4:00 pm) invites have been distributed.
●   West PTA meeting March 9th at 7:00 pm.
●   Board of Education meeting March 10th at 7:30 pm
●   Please send in Middle School Foreign Language requests

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 3/04/16

In reading students will understand that:

Recognize the use of numbers and statistics in non-fiction writing as a way of providing precision to an article, or in its absence, the lack of precision.
Begin individual BAS testing for reading level.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Edit and finalize feature article.
Continue to format feature article in word processing program.

In math students will:

Divide a whole number by a unit fraction.
Divide a unit fraction by a whole number.
Solve problems involving fraction division.

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/26/16

In reading students will understand that:

Recognize the use of numbers and statistics in non-fiction writing as a way of providing precision to an article, or in its absence, the lack of precision.
Begin individual BAS testing for reading level.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Write rough copies of feature article.
Edit and finalize feature article.
Begin to format feature article in word processing program.

In math students will:

Explain the size of the product, and relate fraction and decimal equivalence to multiplying a fraction by 1.
Compare the size of the product to the size of the factors.
solve word problems using fraction and decimal multiplication.

Other Information

●   100th Day of School Feb. 23
●   District Symposium on Assessment February 23 7pm-9pm Long Beach Middle School
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 24th (corrected date) 3:30-4:00 pm. Invites have been distributed (Mrs. Schecter only)
●   Science Club/Computer Club/Student Council Feb 25
●   Board of Education meeting Feb. 25 Long Beach Middle School 7 PM

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 2/5/16

In reading students will understand that:

Continue to use questioning stance to alert them to new information and to clarify information when reading nonfiction texts.
Use Contrast and Contradiction sign post to alert readers of differences between two or more things in a text
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Use a graphic organizer to plan their feature articles.
Begin to research their feature article topics.
Practice writing various leads to introduce their topics.

In math students will:

Multiply unit fractions by unit fractions.
Multiply unit fractions by non-unit fractions.
Solve word problems using tape diagrams and fraction by fraction multiplication.

Other Information

●   Big folders are due Friday.
●   Extra help/Enrichment February 11th, and 25th 3:30-4:00 pm. Invites have been distributed (Mrs. Schecter only)
●   Bedtime and Books Wed. February 3, 6:30-8 pm. Send in sign up form

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/29/16

In reading students will understand that:

Use questioning stance to alert them to new information and to clarify information when reading nonfiction texts.
Know that learning is more than memorizing, it involves changing they way we think about an issue or an idea.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Continue to study the text structure of feature articles.
Know their audience and select topics by considering what is relevant and newsworthy.

In math students will:

Multiply any whole number by a fraction using tape diagrams.
Relate a fraction of a set to the repeated addition interpretation of fraction multiplication.
Solve and create fraction word problems involving addition, subtraction, and multiplication.

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/22/16

In reading students will understand that:

Use Contrast and Contradictions Signpost to alert them to opposing ideas within the text.
Notice “Extreme or Absolute language” as a Signpost of exaggeration or the author misleading the reader.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Study the text structure of feature articles.
Share personal feature article topics with partners.

In math students will:

Interpret fractions as divisions.
Use tape diagrams to model fractions as division.
Solve word problems involving the division of whole numbers with answers in the form of fractions and whole numbers.

Other Information

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/15/16

In reading students will understand that:

Continue to investigate text features in nonfiction to better understand texts.
Use a “questioning stance” to improve comprehension of nonfiction articles.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Introduce feature article writing
Generate a list of topics and ideas
Begin to research chosen topics

In math students will:

End of Module 3 Assessment
Line Plots of fraction measurements: Comparing lengths to the nearest ½, ¼ and ⅛ of an inch and analyze the data through line plots.
Interpret fractions as division

Other Information

●   Unity Assembly Day on January 15, 2016
○   “Peace Walk” through West for students -January 15 in morning
●   Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 18, 2016. School will be closed.

For the week ahead we anticipate that students will...

Week Ending 1/8/16

In reading students will understand that:

Apply word study skills to develop vocabulary.
Learn about text features in nonfiction to better understand the text.
Continue building reading stamina and fluency.

In writing students will understand that:

Practice strategies to revise literary essays .
Use editing checklist to edit their writing.
Publish and share literary essays.

In math students will:

Subtract fractions making like units numerically.
Use fraction benchmark numbers to assess reasonableness of addition and subtraction equations.
Strategize to solve multi-term problems.

Other Information

Current News

Mission Patch Art and Design Winners

The Microgravity Project is part of Mission 17 of the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program (SSEP). The goal of SSEP is to provide students with an opportunity to participate in America’s Space Program, where they become architects of a project to be conducted in space by astronauts on the International Space Station. As previously announced, the winning team’s proposal was “How Does Microgravity Affect the Germination of Oyster Mushroom Spawns (Pleurotus ostreatus).”

Most recently, the science department collaborated with the Long Beach Director of the Arts and the K-12 Art Departments on the Mission Patch Art and Design Contest. The two winners were third grader Mackenzie Pastuch from Lindell Elementary School and fifth grader Emilia Conneally from West Elementary School.

In June 2023, mission patches will be launched to the ISS, along with the science experiment designed by the sixth-grade students, and the patches will return to Long Beach with embossed certificates. Onboard the ISS, the patches and experiment will fly at an altitude of 260 miles above Earth’s surface. This is 47 times higher than Mt. Everest and will travel 400,000 miles each day!

The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program is a program of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE) in the U.S. and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education Internationally. It is enabled through a strategic partnership with Nanoracks, LLC, which is working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory.

Date Added: 4/4/2024

West Hosts Family Heart Huddle

West Elementary School in Long Beach held a school-wide Family Heart Huddle on Feb. 14. Students were asked to invite one special person from their life that shows helpful, empathetic, accountable, respectful, and trustworthy (HEART) values. Special guests joined their student to participate in various Valentine theme arts and crafts projects.

Date Added: 2/27/2024

West Elementary School

Weekly Update

Kindergarten

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

Kindergarten

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Week Ending 6/17/16

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Other notes or information: ● Multicultural Day on Friday, June 3rd.

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First Grade

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Week Ending 6/3/16

Other notes or information: ● Multicultural Day on Friday, June 3rd. All parents are welcome!

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Week Ending 4/22/16

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Other notes or information:
● Multicultural Day on Friday, June 3rd.

Other notes or information:
● Multicultural Day on Friday, June 3rd. All parents are welcome!