Month: February 2018

Hello!

I hope you had a good winter break. Can you believe February is just about over?

Maples has begun a new online program to help students in Math, Reading, and Language Arts. It is called Exact Path.
This morning, students had a chance to login and try it out! Overall, it seems like something they enjoyed doing and are excited to continue using it for the remainder of the school year. I also believe students will have access to their accounts during Summer break, so they can be more prepared for Middle School!

Below is a link to a helpful parent letter I found. I will also send you a link to any other resources that may be helpful with this.
Please remind your child that while this is fun and exciting, it is not just a game. Exact Path will begin at your child’s level and will work on skills they need the most help with. Some students are working on 2nd grade reading skills while others are on 8th grade reading skills. Each student has their own path, but some assignments may be given to the whole group.

Try it out this week with your child and if you have any questions about it please let me know. This is new for everyone so I will try my best to assist you.

Thanks!
-Mrs. Whitford

What is Exact Path?

Hello!

Winter break will be all next week, no school for all Dearborn Public Schools.

Students will be given a packet based on the novel their group is reading to complete over break. Students will also be able to log into Prodigy for math practice.

Prodigy is a free site that we have been trying out this week in class. Each student has their own account linked to their Google logins.

There is an option to create a paid account, but please do not feel you have to. The main difference is the students can personalize their character and change the color and theme of the website, the paid account has no impact on the material or what they can practice in math.

The link is: https://www.prodigygame.com/Play/

Thanks to all who donated items for our class’ Valentine’s day celebration! Enjoy your break!

Hello,
Many of our class work assignments are done using online tools. We use Google Classroom, ReadWorks, and aaaspell.com to help cut down on the paper usage and to keep students aware of technology. We are heading into a time where most jobs will done using a computer of some form and it is very beneficial that students develop a basic understanding of computers to help them in their future lives as middle, high school, and college students as well as into their careers.

We currently have articles in ReadWorks with comprehension questions, writing pieces (monthly writing menu and hyperbole/alliteration slides), and spelling activities assigned to every student. These are all in class assignments, not homework. We have about 1 hour of time each day where students are able to work on these assignments, averaging to 5 hours a week, and about 20 hours per month to complete this work. Students are told ahead of time when they are due, we go over directions and examples, and students are reminded daily of what needs to be done. Our board displays what is to be done while students are in class so if they do forget and need a reminder, they can look at the board or ask.

In the event that school is cancelled, students may access any of these tools and work at home if they have computer access.

If you have any questions, please let me know.
Thanks and stay warm and safe!

-Mrs. Whitford