This past week we had to fit a lot in to a shortened week. We took a Social Studies Test and started an informational essay. The Social Studies Test is taking a while to get done. Many students have not finished yet, so it may not be graded in time to be signed by Wednesday. This must mean they are really taking their time to find information and get their answers right! Our informational essay is preparing us for the district writing assessment next week.
We have been learning about fractions the past two weeks and will be testing this week. The next topic continues with comparing fractions. I know some students are having a hard time with the concept. If you visit Khan Academy or LearnZillion you can search for videos and do some practice to help, since Vintage does not offer tutoring.
This past week I sent home low grade notices, thank you for getting those back to me in a timely manner. I want to be sure you are aware of your child's progress. If you asked for a conference or sent me a note I responded in your child's planner, unless you specified otherwise. This week I will be sending home papers to plan our next conference in March.
I want you to be aware that Science Fair Projects are due in 4 weeks. Your child will be giving a presentation and needs to know the information well. I will send home a copy of the rubric for the project, presentation, and any other part that goes with the specific category. A reminder that experiments must be repeated at least 3 times.
Finally, we are starting to gear up for the SBAC test. This is the test that has replaced the CST. It consists of 3 parts: English Language Arts, Math, and a Performance Task in either Math or Language Arts. Questions are more than just multiple choice; they could be asked to write a paragraph, select multiple correct answers, sort, highlight, or move parts around. This past week we took a look at it as a class in Computer Lab and used the different tools the test has to offer. Every other week we will practice in the Lab on one of the tests. You can also practice with your child at home. I will post the link on the web link tab as well: https://login4.cloud1.tds.airast.org/student/V85/Pages/LoginShell.aspx?c=SBAC_PT
Students know how to get into the practice test.