Dec 5 -9
In additional to our continued study of non-fiction/information text. We will begin exploring and studying homophones including but not limited to
there, their, they're, too, to, and two,
air, heir, aisle, isle bear, bear be, bee
brake, break wear, where dear, deer complement, compliment
hear, here mail, male hole, whole hour, our
knot, not know, no made, maid
This week, students will continue exploring the five different types of non-fiction text and how to identify them including
chronological or sequence
compare and contrast
cause and effect
description and
Problem and Solution
Students will be shown example of each of these kinds of text and explore ways in identifying these types of expository text. When your child chooses and non-fiction text to read at night, ask them to practice identifying the type. Guide them into first discussing the main idea then finding reviwing the text feature within the text.
Ask, "Why is the author using this text feuture? Are they comparing two things? Are they showing a sequence of events? Is the diagram describing parts of something? Are they showing a photograph of a problem or presenting a solutions? Etc. . .
We are also continuing our book club books which currently are fictional books.
WRITERS WORKSHOP
We are continuing our opinion/persuasive essay unit. We have practiced writing introductions and supporting paragraphs. At this point, your child should know the parts to both types of paragraphs. They should understand the purpose of an introductory paragraph and be able to contrast that to suppirting paragraphs. Ask your child to explain the different tranistions used for each type of paragraph
(first, next then compared to for example, to illustrate my point, or furthermore).
Students have also peer revised and helped their new writing partners find/ write topic sentences, use transitions, build "on topic" elaboration, and well as take out "dead words" and write more factual and persuasive words.
This week, we will finish out last supporting paragraph and work on writing effective conclusions to essays. Before break, we will be editing and publishing these essays.