Dear Parents, 

     Last week in math we practiced making estimates in our heads when “buying” two items. We found the exact cost of these items, using a calculator. We learned how to make exact change by counting up from the cost to the amount paid.  We also reviewed place value and connected place value in base 10 blocks with place value in money.  This week we will finish Unit 10!  <strong>The Unit Review will be sent home for homework on Tuesday; it is due on Thursday, the day of the test.</strong>  On Monday, we will make a place-value tool (a flip chart) to help us understand the place value of 5-digit numbers.  We will use this tool to practice place-value concepts to the ten-thousands.  On Wednesday, we will begin the use of parentheses in number operations.  For example, in the problem (10 + 3) – 6 = ? the students must add the numbers in the parentheses first before subtracting: (10 + 3) – 6 = 7.  <strong>On Thursday, the students will take the Unit 10 test.  </strong><strong></strong>

     In Writing Workshop, we continued our Authors as Mentors unit.  The students continued planning stories in their “tiny notebooks.”  We discovered two new writing devices: ellipses (dot, dot, dot) and comeback lines. The students were encouraged to use these writing techniques in some of their stories.  This week we will discuss how to write “Many Moments” stories.  We will discuss that although these are 2 or 3 page stories, they still have a common idea (a thread) running through to hold all of the moments together.  I will send home the two organizers that we have been using in school later this week.

     In phonics the students learned that before adding the endings -ed and -er to some words the final consonant gets doubled.  For example:  grab becomes gra<strong>bb</strong>ed and run becomes run<strong>ner</strong>.  This week we will be discussing homophones: words that sound the same but are spelled differently.  For example: hi and high, new and knew, so and sew.

     In science, we finished our Balance and Weighing unit.  This week we will start our final science unit: Insects!

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Passport Check:</span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>Thank you to Mrs. Macklin, who taught us about Arkansas last week.</li>
	<li>There will be no Passport Check this week.  A sign up sheet will be sent home for May.</li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Notes and Reminders: </span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>We are excited for our Guest Readers this week: Mr. Myers.</li>
	<li>Two permission slips were sent home last week.  Please sign and return them as soon as possible. </li>
	<li>The students have a Response Log to finish this week.  It is due no later than Monday, May 10<sup>th</sup>.</li>
	<li>We are in need of a few supplies for the last few weeks of school: a few rolls of paper towels, hand wipes, and some recess snacks.  Thank you!</li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Questions to ask at home:</span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>Ask questions like-What is the place-value of ‘5’ in the number 539?</li>
	<li>How would I solve this problem: (12-3) + 7= ?</li>
	<li>Which number is in the ten-thousand place in 10,456?  in 34,298?</li>
	<li>What are some examples of homophones?  (hi and high, no and know, I and eye…) </li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Homework</span></strong><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">: </span></strong>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="624">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="74" valign="top"> </td>
<td width="110"><strong>Monday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Tuesday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Wednesday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Thursday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Friday</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="74"><strong>Math</strong></td>
<td width="110" valign="top">
<p style="text-align: center">Home Link 10.9</p>
</td>
<td width="110" valign="top">
<p style="text-align: center">Unit 10 Review Sheet</p>
</td>
<td width="110" valign="top">
<p style="text-align: center">Home Link 10.11</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Math Boxes</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Unit 11 Family Letter</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="74"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Response Log </span></strong></td>
<td width="110"> </td>
<td width="110">Start response log</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">→</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">→</p>
</td>
<td width="110">(Response Log due Monday)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="74"><strong>Reading</strong><strong></strong></td>
<td width="110">Read at least 15 minutes</td>
<td width="110">Read at least 15 minutes</td>
<td width="110">Read at least 15 minutes</td>
<td width="110">Read at least 15 minutes</td>
<td width="110">Read at least 15 minutes</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>