Friday, March 16th

A leprechaun is small and green,

He hides where he cannot be seen.

But if you catch one on this day,

He must give his gold away.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!!

Reader’s Workshop
Is this book fiction or non-fiction? Can some books be both? This week we started comparing fiction and non-fiction texts. We took a look at Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel and compared the frog and toad, to the frog in, It’s a Frog’s Life by Steve Parker. We began talking about the characteristics that define a fiction book from a non-fiction book. Students began working in partnerships with text sets that presented them with a fiction and a non-fiction book on the same animal to compare.


Writer’s Workshop
Calling all bird experts!! We are just beginning our Non-Fiction Unit of Study on Michigan Birds! If you have any field guides, books, magazines, etc. at home that have information about Michigan Birds please send them to school (with your child’s name visible on them). We will be spending the next few weeks sifting through field guides and bird books as well as listening to bird calls, watching for them outside and even learning about their nests and more! This week students began learning about different types of books we use for research and created wonderings of their own about birds.


Math Workshop
In Math this week we wrapped up our Unit of Measurement by working with weight. We learned about ounces and pounds as we explored measurement using a spring scale. Then we took our Unit 9 Test and began preparing for the Math Benchmark we took on Friday. We spent extra time reviewing fractions, ballpark estimation, area/perimeter, measurement units and more.


Word Study
We did two different things this week in Word Study. While we spent two days working on word endings (-s, -ed, -ing, -ies, -es) we did a make and write as well as a sheet comparing plurals. The second class with Mrs. Weckstein was spent working on something entirely different. As a grade we are working on a project to improve the “good leads” our students use in their writing. This is a major component to the scoring on the Writing portion of the MEAP test. We spent time working on crafting a 4 point (the highest score you can get) good lead using a dialogue opening for “My Most Memorable Trip”. We learned how to start with dialogue and then establish the setting and the characters in the written piece. This is something we will continue working on throughout the rest of the year and something we began working on in September!
Social Studies

In social studies this week, the students continued to explore different perspectives about historical events by discussing the increase in pollution caused by population growth and a new amusement park in Walled Lake.  We brainstormed ideas why the amusement park polluted the air, land and water around Walled Lake.  They also discussed how the cities of Novi and Walled Lake cleaned up Walled Lake in 1979 in order for its citizens and visitors to enjoy the lake again.  Students ended the lesson by choosing a partner to create an illustrated booklet about how people could protect the environment in the Walled Lake area, so history won’t repeat itself.

Important News/Dates


• Thursday, March 22nd – Author Visit – Author Mark Newman of “Sooper Yooper” will be visiting Dublin. Book order forms have come home with your child.


• Thursday, March 22nd 5:00-7:00pm– Dublin McDonald’s Night The Dublin Staff will be working from 5-7pm volunteering time behind the counter at McDonald’s. Come for dinner and help support the Literacy Libraries at Dublin (where we get ALL of our guided reading group books from).


• Friday, March 23rd – Spring Pictures are FIRST thing in the morning


• Friday, March 23rd – Money DUE for “In School” Bird Field Trip – Please remember to send in $2 to cover the cost of this project we will be doing with Indian Springs Metro Park


• Friday, March 23rd – Big Catch Party in the afternoon… Info coming home next week! If you haven’t heard, we’ve filled the Big Catch once again. We are working on our plans for the party and will send info home at the beginning of next week!