Welcome to Class 404's Website- Mrs. Efstathiou & Ms. Liu

 

CLASSROOM UPDATES 

Please make time each weekend to work on reviewing vocabulary words and practice reading fluency for 40 minutes per night. Each night children should be reading & logging. Please make sure your child is completing his/her homework daily. Please check their homework folder for important notices and updates and send back any notices as soon as possible. Looking forwarding to learning and having fun with your children this school year! Thank you for your cooperation and support! 

 

Homework Routine and Incentive Strategies

Create a homework routine •

Find a homework location that works best for your child and your family.

Pick somewhere quiet and free of distractions where your child can easily access help from a family member.

• Set up a work environment that has a clear workspace and has the necessary homework materials available (like pencils, markers, rulers, scissors, paper, etc.)

• Establish a consistent time for homework. The time may vary depending on your child. Some children need a break after school while others are more likely to complete homework right after school, while in “school-mode.” In general, it is best to complete homework before dinner, before your child gets too tired!

• Create a daily homework plan. As homework difficulty increases, it’s helpful to sit down with your child and draw up a plan of how they will complete their assignments. Homework planners can assist in breaking down tasks and determining how much time will be needed for each assignment. Use incentives to encourage homework completion

• Use When-Then statements. Use simple reminders that when homework is completed there is a fun activity waiting. For example, “When you finish your homework, then you can play Minecraft.”

• Use a point system. Create a system that allows your child to earn points that can be exchanged for privileges (like extra screen time) when homework assignments are completed. Work with your child to create a reward menu with privileges he or she may want to earn.

• Take breaks when needed. Create a homework schedule with built-in breaks. Breaks can be scheduled for specific intervals of time (like every 10 minutes) or after the completion of an assignment or activity. State what can be done during the break (like get a snack) and how long your child has for the break (e.g., 3-minutes). • Provide a choice if your child is resistant to homework. Letting your child select the order of assignments will give him or her a sense of control.

 

Reading Response Questions

 READING RESPONSE QUESTIONS

*Remember, ALL responses must be at least 2 complete paragraphs. You MUST use text evidence and details from the story to support your response.

Name                                                                               Date

Class #                                                                         P.S. 163Q

 

FORMAT: Title_____

Author____

Response Number # ___          

 

FICTION BOOK RESPONSE QUESTIONS:

  1. How do you know that this book is fiction?
  2. Describe the setting of the story.
  3. Retell what happened in the story. (story events) (use sequence words- first, next, later, finally)
  4. What is the Author’s Purpose of writing the text? Explain HOW you know.
  5. Make a prediction about what you think will happen next in the story.
  6. Describe the characters, setting, and plot of the story.
  7. Describe the setting of the story using sensory details. (the 5 senses)
  8. Describe the main character’s problem in the story. How does the character solve the problem?
  9. Describe the major conflict. What side are you on?
  10. Did the character make choices you wouldn’t have made? Why or why        not?

11.Compare and contrast you and one character in the text. How are you similar (alike)? How are you different?

12.Compare this text to another text you have read. How are they similar? How are they different?

  1. Compare and contrast one character in the text you are reading to another character in a text you have read? How are they similar (alike)? How are they different?
  2. Create a new setting that you think would be better for the story and describe it.
  3. Create a FLOW MAP to sequence the PLOT (story) events in the text.
  4. Create a DOUBLE BUBBLE MAP to compare and contrast two characters in the text.
  5. Create a CIRCLE MAP to describe the setting of the text.
  6. Create a BUBBLE MAP to describe the character of the text.
  7. Examine a character’s actions, values, and behavior. Which do you disagree with? Which do you disagree with?
  8. Pretend that you will meet one of the characters. Write five questions that you will ask.
  9. Explain the moral/lesson of the text. Give reasons to support how you know this is the moral.
  10. Write a one-page letter to the author telling him/her how you felt (your opinion) of the book.
  11. Write a new ending for your book. Be creative!
  12. Make a prediction about what you think will happen next in the text.
  13. Make an inference based on how the character is feeling in the text. Explain WHY the character is feeling this way.
  14. What did the character learn? What can the character teach? What life lessons might be being taught?
  15. Explain the cause and effect relationship of the character’s actions.
  16. Pick one character and explain why you would/would not like to have him/her as a friend.
  17. Explain the theme of the text. Use text evidence to support and justify the theme.

 

NON-FICTION BOOK READING RESPONSE QUESTIONS:

  1. How do you know this is a nonfiction text?
  2. Explain 5 facts you’ve learned from this text.
  3. What do you think the author is trying to make you understand from this text? Why?
  4. Why did the author write this text? How do you know?
  5. Which part of the text is most interesting to you? Explain why.
  6.  Write an acrostic poem about the topic of this text.
  1. How do you think the author feels about the topic? Explain your ideas.
  2. Define 5 new (juicy) vocabulary words from the text. What can you tell about them from their structure? What can you tell about them from their context?
  3. Explain some of the things that you have learned so far that you are not likely to forget in the near future.
  4. Explain the main idea of this text. Use supporting details. 

 

Sentence Starter Ideas for Responses:

-I wonder why...

-I don't see how...

-I can't believe...

-Why did...?

–It bothered me when...

-I was surprised...

-I can't really understand...

-I began to think of...

-When I finished reading, I thought...

-One thing that confused me was when...

-This makes me feel...

-This reminds of...

-This is similar to

-I predict...will happen next.

-I can imagine...looked/sounded/felt/tasted like. –

-I think...

 

 

Educational Websites

Classroom News Corner

Class 403 Weekly Schedule of Activities             

Monday

Phys. Ed. Mr. E

9:10-10:00

Tuesday

Phys Ed. Mr. A

Science

10:05-10:55

12:50-1:40

Wednesday

Phys Ed

Mr. E.

9:10-10:00

 

Thursday

Science

8:15-9:05

Friday

Dance

 

12:50-1:40

*LUNCH:     11:55 AM – 12:45 PM

 

 


  

Suggested Book List With Reading Levels

http://commackpubliclibrary.org/fp_leveled_books.html

Important Dates

Meet the Teacher-September 12, 2019 

5:00-8:00

 

 

School Closings

September 30 & October 1st 

 

September 17, 2019

Dad take your child to school day

 

 

 

Reading Focus

Unit 1 Reading Wonders Focus:

We will be working on reaching the following goals:

 

 

Reading

 

 

 

Week 1

 

 

 

 

 

·       I will be able to write a summary based on the events of the story.

·       I will be able to find synonyms for words in the story.

·       I will be able to make predictions before, during and after reading.

·       I will learn and use new vocabulary words.

·       I will practice reading fluently with expression.

Reading

 

 

Week 2

 

 

·       I will identify the problem and solution in a story.

·       I will understand idioms and how they are used.

·       I will learn and use new vocabulary words.

·       I will practice reading fluently with expression.

Reading

 

 

 

Week 3

 

 

 

 

·       I will be able to compare and contrast items in a story.

·       I will be able to use context clues to understand multiple meaning words.

·       I will learn and use new vocabulary words.

·       I will practice reading fluently with expression.

Reading

 

 


Week 4

 

 

 

·       I will be able identify the cause in a story.

·       I will be able to identify the effect in the story.

·       I will be able to explain how cause/effect is related.

·       I will be able to use context clues to come up with a definition.

Reading

 

 

 


Week 5

 

 

 

·       I will be able to identify the main idea.

·       I will be able to identify key details to support the main idea.

·       I will be able to use the suffixes –ly, -ive, -ful to change words.

·       I will learn and use new vocabulary words.

·       I will practice reading fluently with expression.

 

Writing Focus

 

This month in September we are working on writing...

  • short constructed responses using the strategy RACE to cite multiple pieces of evidence
  • compare/contrast essays

Social Studies Focus

 

This month in Social Studies we are learning about...

-Geography and the 5 Themes