The Whale Class Blog

This week in spelling we are focusing on the sound of k in long and short words.  We will notice that using the sound of k using the letters ck, ke, or k are directly related to the vowel sound that comes before it. 

For homework, last night you were asked to go on a word hunt reading books and magazines in search of this pattern. What words did you find?  Please share with your teammates, but before you post read what your teammates have posted too so that we only have new words add to the list.  Here’s a hint, you might see these words again on Friday morning along with your other spelling words.  If you need another copy of your spelling words, just click here: Spelling for the Yellow Group Oct. 20th

If you are interested in peeking at the pictures from the event, please click here for the pdf file. The Relatives Came Pictures

This week’s game is sure to become a favorite you will want to play again and again.  You will get your game board in class, and then let the playing begin.  Don’t forget to blog and share your thinking with your teammates.  Final reminder, you won’t see your comment posted until “The Coach” approves it.  So check back again to see your comment and your teammates comments too. Conquer the Castle

This week we have been looking at the spelling patterns with some traveling buddies.  These words have a vowel pattern who travel together but only one vowel is talking.  For homework, last night you were asked to go on a word hunt reading books and magazines in search of this pattern

  What words did you find?  Please share with your teammates, but before you post read what your teammates have posted too so that we only have new words add to the list.  Here’s a hint, you might see these words again on Friday morning along with your other spelling words.  If you need another copy of your spelling words, just click here:  Spelling Homework for Yellow Group October 20th

This is our last week with the bossy R.  On Friday we will have our big spelling test that will cover all of the concepts of the bossy R that we have studied these past few weeks.  For homework last night you were asked to go on a word hunt reading books and magazines in search of these patterns. What words did you find?  Please share with your teammates, but before you post read what your teammates have posted too so that we only have new words add to the list.  Here’s a hint, you might see these words again on Friday morning along with your other spelling words. Orange Group’s Spelling For October 20th   

This week in math, we will continue our work with place value.  Below you will find homework for each of homework group.

Yellow Group  Scott Foresman 10.8 P

Pink Group Scott Foresman 10.5 P   Scott Foresman 10.8 PS 

Orange Group   Scott Foresman 10.5 E    Scott Foresman 10.8 PS

On October 10th, The Relatives Came to the Whale Class. 

Beginning last Monday, Team Johnson became studying Cynthia Rylant’s book, The Relatives Came.   On Friday we were delightfully surprised when our own families came sweeping through the door with blankets, books and snacks in hand.  We enjoyed an afternoon of cuddling and reading favorite stories, scarey Halloween stories, and new stories that we now cherish.  It was the perfect way to end a terrific week.  The attached podcast is a celebration of the afternoon.  Hope you enjoy!! Please be sure that you have installed the free quicktime download to view the quicktime file. 

If you really like our work, we would love to hear from you.  If you aren’t a player on Team Johnson, you are more than welcome to use your name.  If you are a team member, please remember to only use your player numbers. Please also note, the comments are not posted until Coach Johnson approves them first.  She promises to be quick to keep the conversation going.

The Relatives Came Podcast

This is a game we have played in class several times.  The matierals to play the game include 100 chart, a die and many beans or elbow macroni’s to use a place holders.  To play, decide the person who will go first.  Roll the die.  You may choose to use the digit in the form of a ten or a one.  For instance, if you roll a 3 you may use it as 30 or 3.  Your team is allowed to roll up to seven times but no more.  The object is to beat the 100’s chart in covering it up with the 7 rolls.  If you cover the board in 7 rolls you win.  If you don’t the board wins.  If you would like a variation to the game you may each have a hundred’s board and play against each other instead of the board.  When you add to the blog this week, share whether you played against the board, or each other.  Tell the strategy you used to win.  When did you choose to use tens, when did you choose to use ones?  Please find attached a copy of the hundreds chart.  Have fun! 100-chart.pdf

We are continuing to look at some spelling patterns with that bossy R as Coach Johnson likes to call them.  The patterns are

• ur  (CVC) like in turn
• ur~ e (VCCe) like in curve
• ure (VCe) like in sure

  For homework last night you were asked to go on a word hunt reading books and magazines in search of these patterns. What words did you find?  Please share with your teammates, but before you post read what your teammates have posted too so that we only have new words add to the list.  Here’s a hint, you might see these words again on Friday morning along with your other spelling words. If you need another copy of your list, just click hereOrange Group October 13th

So this week we have been looking at the spelling patterns using long E and short E.  For homework last night you were asked to go on a word hunt reading books and magazines in search of this pattern

• CVC for the short E,  
• CVVC for the long E sound with EE
• CVVC for the long E sound with EA 
• Oddball words

  What words did you find?  Please share with your teammates, but before you post read what your teammates have posted too so that we only have new words add to the list.  Here’s a hint, you might see these words again on Friday morning along with your other spelling words.  If you need another copy of your spelling words, just click here. Pink Group October 13th