Friday again already! This is the time of year when the days seem to fly past....

We've had an excellent week here at JES. It feels like our routines are finally established and we are able to roll up our sleeves and get going with academics. I am so pleased with the attention and "braining-in" that I'm noticing!

Here's the scoop on academics:
 In math, we have continued working with factors and mutiples. Students are showing a lot of good strategies for solving a double-digit by single-digit multiplication problem (such as 14 X 7.) Some draw 7 boxes and put 14 dots in eacch box and then count their dots. While this shows an understanding of multiplication concpetually, we are working on moving to more efficient strategies (such as breaking up the 14 into 10 and 4 and multiplying each part by 7.) This is not as easy as it sounds, but we are getting there!  Today we worked on deciding if all of the factors of a number are also factors of its multiples. This is complex thinking!  This unit ends next week, and we will move on to a unit on data and measurement.

In reading, we are focusing on characters and their feelings, traits, and longings. We are working on having "fancier" jottings as we read -- moving away from retelling and moving towards growing ideas about our characters and the lessons they learn. This group of students loves to read, and I notice amazing stamina when it comes to reading! Now we have to work on the ideas and discussions...

Writing is another area this group seems to enjoy. We have finally started writing stories after a week of planning. The students all developed their characters, keeping internal and external traits in mind. They decided what their characters want, and what is getting in their way. Then they planned the plot of their stories on an arc. Now they are happily writing, trying to move away from summarizing and into showing by using descriptive words and dialog. Such sophisticated work they are doing!

The students are becoming experts on the map of Vermont. They know where the mountain ranges are, they can identify neighboring states (and Canada) and they are using mnemonic devices to memorize the 6 prominent rivers and the names of the counties! Be sure to ask them about "Mr. Lane Went Out With Cats" and Wolf cow grew bac... They seem to love this kind of memorization work!

I sent home a notice about parent conferences and another about our 4th grade trip, which has caused so much excitement! Please be sure to let me know when you would like your conference, and also reach out if you have any questions about our trip in June. I am looking really forward to actually meeting all of you during conferences -- it's always so enlightening to see parents and get the full picture!

I will send home some details about Mt. Philo on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy the weekend!