This week we will complete Module 4 by reading "Paul Revere's Ride"  The focus reading skills: visualization and figurative language, and we will focus on the following vocabulary words: belfry, muster, rafters, tread, fleet, tranquil, skirt, and peril.

 

Writing:

Last week we spent time organizing our biography writing and the students are ready to set sail and complete their final draft by Friday. 

Reading:

We will be reading Jason and the Golden Fleece, and Sacajawea.  

The vocabulary words that we will focus on are usurped, banished, vanquished, disposal, mystifies, descend, practicable undertaking, expedition, and civilized.

The reading strategies that will be the focus are make and confirm predictions, elements of a drama, figurative language, and author's craft. 

 

Writing:

The students picked a person to research and write a biography about.  Last week they spent time, research and organizing their information.  This week we will continue to organize the information into a five-paragraph essay, and they will begin writing their rough draft. 

This week in ELA we will be starting Module 4, On a Journey.

 

HELLO, FAMILY!
Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about travel writing, with a focus on the narrative text genre. We will read fiction and historical fiction that take the reader on journeys to new places and show how the journey itself can change both fictional characters and real people.

 

Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is 
learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic and work together to find the answers.

 

Explore the Genre
The genre focus in this module is narrative text. Discuss with your child the characteristics of this genre. 
Ask your child to read to you each day and make time to read together. 
Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• describe interesting characters and events
• help readers connect to social studies.

 

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words passage, craft, metropolitan, and destination in everyday conversations with your child.

Use prompts like these:

What kind of craft would you like to take an adventure in?

Describe the destination of an adventure you’d like us to go on together.
What Does It Mean? Have your child keep a growing list of the Critical Vocabulary words.

Quiz each other on their meanings. Word Hunt Look for words with 
the roots log/logue, magn; prefix im–; and suffixes –al, –ic, –ous/–ious 
in books, magazines, online texts, and environmental print.

 

Our new writing genre will be Biography writing.  The students will choose a person to research and then create a five-paragraph paper showcasing their knowledge about their person. 

 

 

We will have ELA class on Thursday and Friday only this week due to Outdoor Education activities. 

 

On Thursday we will dive into the last story in Module 3 discussing 3-D printing and the focus will be asking and answering questions along with vocabulary. In writing the students will continue working on their opinion writing for the best invention ever and they will need to finish their final draft. 

This week in ELA class we will continue with Module 3, the second story "Lions no Match for a Boy and his Invention"  We will focus on literary elements, retelling and vocabulary. 

 

Writing:  We will continue working on the research and rough draft for their Opinion Writing of what is the best invention. 

 

This week in ELA we will be starting Module 3, Designing the Future

 

HELLO, FAMILY!
Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about 
inventions and technology, with a focus on the informational text 
genre. We will read texts about inventors and inventions that have 
changed people’s lives in the past and will change our lives in 
the future.

 

BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!

Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answers.

 

Explore the Genre
The genre focus in this module is informational text. Discuss with your child the characteristics of this genre. 
Ask your child to read to you each day and make time to read together. 
Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• have a clear text structure
• help readers connect to science

 

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. 
The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words innovations, blueprint, manufacturer, and advances in everyday conversations with your child.

Use prompts like these: What do you like about new computer innovations? Explain an area of technology you would like to see more advances in.

 

What Does It Mean? Have your child keep a growing list of the 

 

Critical Vocabulary words. Quiz each other on their meanings.
Word Hunt Look for words with the roots phon, electro, aero, sol, rad; and prefixes tele–, com–, con– in books, magazines, online texts, and environmental print.

This week we will be focusing on the last week of Module 2.

 

Reading: 

The students will be reading "Upside Down and Backward" which is a play.  The skills that we will focus on are vocabulary and asking and answering questions. 

 

Writing:

The students will complete their final draft for imaginative writing.  

This week in ELA we will continue working on Module 2:

 

Reading the focus text will be "All Summer in a Day" and "It's More Than Just Rain or Snow or Springtime" 

The reading focus skills are literary elements, point of view, theme and figurative language. 

 

Writing:

The students will continue working on their narrative Imaginative Story.  The goal for the students is to create a five-paragraph narrative using sensory details and a creative storyline. 

Module 2

Here’s the Story

 

HELLO, FAMILY!
Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about 
literature and storytelling, with a focus on the narrative text genre. 
We will read texts about fascinating characters facing challenging 
conflicts and learn what craft goes into a superb story

 

Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answers

 

Explore the Genre 
The genre focus in this module is narrative text. Discuss with your 
child the characteristics of this genre. 
Ask your child to read to you each day and make time to read together.
Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• present interesting characters and settings
 • have a plot that will keep your child engaged

 

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. 
The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words voracious, discipline, persevere, and intrepid in everyday conversations with your child. Use prompts like these: Tell me about a time when you had to persevere to achieve something. Describe a 
person you think is intrepid.
What Does It Mean? Have your child keep a growing list of the 
Critical Vocabulary words. Quiz each other on their meanings.
Word Hunt Look for words with the root ject; prefixes gen–, trans–,inter–, en–; and suffixes –y, –ly, –ily, –ful, –less, –ment, –ness in books, magazines, online texts, and environmental print

This week in ELA the students will finish the last week of Module 1, Eyes on the Prize. 

 

Reading:

Week 3 story and focus on vocabulary, inferencing, author's purpose.  We will be beginning our center rotations.  There will be four rotations: working on Vocabulary, responding to text, reading remake (extension to learning), keyboarding, writing skills and independent reading. 

 

Writing:

Students will finish their final copy of the personal narrative with the topic, "When a mistake becomes a Success" The students have been working on their drafts in writable online.  

We had a successful week with the first lesson in Module 1.  The students were engaged and reading to learn. 

 

Reading:

Module 1, week 2, 

- Stories, "The Queen of Chess" and the "The Dawn Wall"

- focus on critical vocabulary

- reading skills the Central Idea

 

Writing:

- The students brainstormed last week a mistake that became a success. 

- Next, they will pick on mistake that became a success and begin writing their rough draft on Writable which is connect with the HMH curriculum.  They will have two weeks to write their rough draft, revise their writing and complete their final essay. 

- Continue discussing subject and predicates and what makes a complete sentence. 

HELLO, FAMILY!
Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about goal-setting and personal accomplishments, with a focus on the informational text genre. We will read texts and view videos about exceptional individuals who have achieved greatness and what it took for them to do that.

 

We will be working on Module 1, Eyes on the Prize, week 1. ELA class will be 90 minutes where we will spend half of the time on Reading and the other half on writing.  

 

 

BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!

 

Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is 
learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answers

 

Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answers.

 

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. 
The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words eminent, dedication, attain, and initiatives in everyday conversations with your child. Use prompts like these: Explain what is special about an eminent person you admire. Tell about a goal you want to attain this school year. What Does It Mean? Have your child keep a growing list of the 
Critical Vocabulary words. Quiz each other on their meanings.

Word Hunt Look for words with the roots mis, chor, graph, tract, duc, trib; and prefixes ex–, sur–, semi– in books, magazines, online texts, and in environmental print such as signs and billboards.

 

- The students will be doing a baseline assessment for Writing on Tuesday and on Thursday the students will be taking the MAPS reading assessment. 

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year!

 

I am so excited to have your child in my ELA class. This is the second year of using HMH curriculum.  There will be one change this year, and we will be completing the reading, reading skills, and writing all online!

 

Throughout the course of the year, we be completing 10 Modules in the curriculum.  

 

Each Module has three weeks lesson where we will have a given reading text, reading focus skill, vocabulary, grammar, and a writing component. This curriculum has a great number of resources, and I have learned some new differentiation strategies that I will be implementing this year in order to meet all students at their reading level. 

 

The students will have access to HMH at home if they are absent or want some extra writing time.  More information to come! 

 

If you have any questions, the best way to reach out to me is via email, [email protected]