STAAR test is over; we expect results in late May.  I took an informal poll, and the students overwhelmingly said the Writing was "the hardest" and it was divided over Reading and Math as "the easiest".  This week we will prepare and review for the Stanford (May 7-11).  Basically, we will review information from past units of study and the format the Stanford has.  Students will be tested in Reading (word study/vocabulary, comprehension, listening skills), math, science, and social studies. 

After the STAAR, we did some "light" and fun activities in math:  tangrams, fraction quilts, and basic operation crossword puzzles.  We are preparing for our summative assessment in our Rock, Rattle, and Roll planner which will include how earth changes over time and the causes, the rock cycle, and types of rocks.  The students have really enjoyed this planner and are a equally excited about the final planner, Art 101.  Liz Spencer is coming from Young Audiences to assist us with the art and architecture of Ancient Greece.  The Greek gods and goddesses are hot topics discussed in class and I can't wait to explore more with the boys and girls.

This week we will resume with DLR, Spelling, and Vocabulary.
Math:  reading graphs and charts, the connection between fractions, decimals, and percents, and some logic work
Reading:  Stanford practice
Social Studies:  Ch. 6 test on Tuesday (open book)
Science: complete study guide to aid in the summative assessment of Rock, Rattle, and Roll
Writing:  journalism (parts of a newspaper, writing like a reporter)

The school carnival will be held on Saturday, May 5!  Let's hope the weather stays as beautiful as it is now.