Happy Holidays!

A huge thank you to Caryn and Kelly for organizing our class party, and to all of the parents who were able to help out in various ways. The food was delicious, the craft was adorable, and the game was a huge hit! 

 School resumes Tuesday, January 13th. 

Students have the option of completing an extra-credit assignment over the break. They are due the day we return from break and will not be accepted late. 

They may:

* complete the "You be the Judge" page from the James packet

* complete the "Giant Creatures" page from the James packet

* write a conversation (using the "Conversations" page in the James packet as a guide) - performing the conversation is optional

* memorize and perform one of the poems/songs from the book

* Please Note: The Tech Museum fieldtrip has been cancelled. Our next fieldtrip will be February 3rd to the San Juan Bautista Mission 

Please check the Class Wish List to the right (scroll down). At this point in the year we are beginning to run short on necessary supplies, such as pencils and erasers. Any donations are truly appreciated. 

Week of December 15th

* Parents: Please respond to the poll to the right if you haven't already done so!* 

* Please Note: The Tech Museum fieldtrip has been cancelled. Our next fieldtrip will be February 3rd to the San Juan Bautista Mission *

We have a lot going on this week! Please take the time to read the full blog. 

* Please check the Class Wish List to the right (scroll down). At this point in the year we are beginning to run short on necessary supplies, such as pencils and erasers. Any donations are truly appreciated. 

* This Wednesday is NOT a restructured day. Release time is 2:05. There will only be Homework Club on Monday and Tuesday of this week. 

* The Biography book report packet is due this Wednesday the 17th and will not be accepted late.  

* We will be putting on the Living Wax Museum this Thursday at 1:10 in the cafeteria. Students need to have their first-person speeches written and memorized. They also need to have a costume prepared. They can change into the costume before 1:00, they do not need to wear it to school. All parents are welcome to visit the museum.

* Caryn and Kelly have put together a holiday party for our class this Friday. An email was sent to all parents with information. We will be having a breakfast potluck, making a craft, and playing a "White Elephant" gift exchange game. Please be sure to bring in a wrapped, unisex gift that is UNDER $5.00!!! 

* Friday we had a school-wide lice check. Hopefully this will help combat the spread of lice we've recently had in the school. If your child has had any evidence of lice, please get them checked by the school nurse before sending them back to class. 

* A notice went home last week regarding a mountain lion in the area. Please read through the information and discuss this with your children. 

* There is a class photo album in the classroom for parents to add photos to throughout the year. This will be used to assist in the making of our yearbook page. 

* This week we are finishing up the Super Hero Picture Books for our reading buddies. These are turning out wonderful! The class will have ample time Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings to finish up their books. They must be completed by recess on Wednesday. We have a parent coming in to bind the books that afternoon (Thank you Jeaneen!). 

* Students will have an opportunity to earn extra-credit over the winter break. It will be related to James and the Giant Peach. The students will learn more about this Friday. 

* Thursday at 9:15 we'll be going to an assembly to see the "Rock Band" from the afterschool program perform, along with a holiday sing-a-long. 

Week of December 8th

**Please respond to the poll to the right if you haven't already**

Notes/Reminders:

* Biography Book Report packets are due December 17th. They will not be accepted late. On Thursday the 18th we'll be putting on a "Living Wax Museum". Students need to dress up as the person they read about and memorize a first-person speech. We'll start the speeches in class this week. Check the link in the Downloads section for more information. 

* The optional California mission extra-credit assignments are due this Friday, December 12th. They will not be accepted late. 

* Keep an eye out for information regarding our next fieldtrip (January 16th - Tech Museum), as well as information about our upcoming holiday class party, December 19th. 

This week we will...

...continue working on our Mission Brochures. They are turning out really nice - the kids have been putting a lot of energy and time into this project. 

...start the art portion of the Super Hero picture books for reading buddies. We'll have a guest art teacher come in Tuesday to teach the class the basics of cartooning. 

...read James and the Giant Peach. There will be a quiz Friday. Students need to be sure to take the book home to catch up on any missed chapters if they've been absent. 

...have a math test Tuesday covering Chapter 11. Please help your child practice the multiplication facts!!!

...watch the 2nd grade play Wednesday morning. 

Week of December 1st (can you believe it?)

**Parents: Please respond to the poll to the right!!**

Notes/Reminders:

* Please return any social studies textbooks that may be floating around your child's bedroom somewhere! We are missing a few, and need them all for in-class lessons. They will only be sent home to use with occasional homework assignments or for make-up work. Students do have access to a CD-Rom version so they do not have to deal with the textbook at home.

* If you haven't already done so, please return your child's report card envelope with a parent signature. Also, a few students still need to return their AR charts and old work folders with parent signatures. 

* Biography Book Report packets were sent home last week. Several students have not yet picked a biography. All books need to be cleared by me. These packets are due December 17th. More information regarding the presentation portion of the project will be sent home later this week. Check the Downloads section for information. 

This week we will...

...begin reading James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. We do have a class set, but students are welcome to bring their own copies if they wish. 

...continue work on the mission brochures. Information was sent home last week regarding the optional extra-credit portion of this activity. 

...begin work on our picture books for our reading buddies in Ms. Sillavo's kindergarten class. 

...learn double-digit multiplication! Please spend at least five minutes a day practicing the multiplication facts with your child. 

Week of November 24th

**Parents: Please respond to the poll to the right!!**

Notes/Reminders:

* Wednesday - Friday: No School. Happy Thanksgiving! 

* If you haven't already done so, please return your child's report card envelope with a parent signature. Also, a few students still need to return their AR charts and old work folders with parent signatures. 

* Biography Book Report packets were sent home last week. Several students have not yet picked a biography. All books need to be cleared by me. 

This week we will...

...share some of our Writer's Workshop pieces from the first trimester with the rest of the class.

...go to the Big Spin  Tuesday afternoon! This is a super fun and energetic assembly for the 4th-6th grade students. All students (with the exception of those with a pink slip during the 1st trimester) have the chance of having their name drawn to spin the wheel to win a variety of prizes, like movie passes or a pizza party. This is also an opportunity to celebrate the 5th and 6th grade students who made honor roll. 

...have a math test Tuesday covering Chapter 10. 

...begin our in-class Mission Projects on Tuesday. Students will be creating brochures for the California missions. There will be an optional extra-credit opportunity that students may choose to complete at home. More information will be sent home Tuesday. 

Week of November 17th

**Tuesday Update: The class has one small additional social studies homework assignment tonight that was not completed in class today. Also, the Biography Book Report packets were sent home today. Students need to choose a book by Thursday, and they must be approved by me.**

Notes/Reminders:

* Report Cards were sent home Friday the 14th. Please sign and return the envelopes as soon as possible. 

* We are in the second trimester now! Just as in the first trimester, I will accept late work (unless otherwise noted), but it will be marked down a full letter grade. 

* Check the Links section on the right side of the page. There are new links to helpful and fun sites that your kids can use at home to practice their math facts, language skills, and typing skills.

This week we will...

...begin the next unit in our social studies curriculum. We'll be learning all about the explorers and early settlers in California, as well as the mission system. February 3rd we'll be taking a fieldtrip to the San Juan Bautista mission. 

...start a Biography Book Report. Students will choose a biography to read and will complete an accompanying book report packet with a variety of activities. This will be done at home, and is due December 17th. Look for the packet Tuesday of this week. 

...learn about compound words and verbs in language arts, and multi-digit multiplication in math. 

...write a Thanksgiving story from the point-of-view of the turkey! 

Week of November 10th

Notes/Reminders:

* Monday and Tuesday are holidays.

* Wednesday and Thursday students will be taking the Language Arts district assessment. 

* The Current Events and Reading Log links have been moved further down the right side of the page. 

* Check the Links section on the right side of the page. There are new links to helpful and fun sites that your kids can use at home to practice their math facts and language skills.

* This week we begin the second trimester. Report Cards will be sent home this Friday. Please return the envelopes with a parent signature. Students will have new AR goals for the trimester. They will bring home their goal sheet for you to review, sign, and return. 

* Jogging for the Arts is this Friday the 14th. Our class is scheduled to jog at 9:30. Parents are welcome to cheer on students. If you would like to help with this event, please contact one of our room parents - Michelle Chapa or Jeaneen Clayton. 

Week of November 3rd

A huge thank you to Jeaneen and Michelle for organizing such a great Halloween party, and thank you to all of the parents who donated food and supplies, and who helped out during the day. 

** Animal Reports are due Wednesday!! Again, they WILL NOT be accepted late. 

Animal Report Presentation Schedule:

Wednesday, Nov. 5^th: Desiree, Joshua, Justin, Kyrsta, Luke, Marie, Mary A., Morgan

Thursday, Nov. 6^th:  Ben, Christopher, Daniel, Grace, Kassandra, Katie, Macie, Tessa, Tyler, Timmy

Friday, Nov. 7^th:  Alex, Dakota, Elizabeth, Jessica, Mary C., Matthew, Max, Sam, Calvin, Lauren

** This Friday, November 7th, is the last day of the first trimester. Any late work must be turned in by Friday. Report Cards will be sent home the following Friday, November 14th. 

** The annual Jogging for the Arts fundraiser will be held on Friday, November 14th. Forms will be sent home with students this Monday. 

This week we will...

...review/study for the district assessments. There will be a math assessment later this week (most likely Thursday), and a language arts assessment next week. 

...study for a science test. We'll be combining Units 2 and 3 (Energy of Living Things and Ecosystems) for a test this Friday. Because of the animal reports, the test will be pretty mellow, nothing to stress about! 

...elect our classroom representatives for Student Leadership on Tuesday.

...give our animal report presentations Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 

...complete The City of Ember by Thurday. All students will take the AR test by the end of the trimester. The next book we'll be reading is James and the Giant Peach, and we do have a full class set, so students do not need to bring their own copy unless they want to. 

Week of October 27th

Notes/Reminders:

**Monday is the last day I will be editing the Animal Report rough drafts. Students who have not completed their rough drafts by then will need a parent to edit for them, before moving on to the final draft. Students will be presenting their reports on November 5th, 6th, and 7th, but all reports are due on the 5th.

Presentation Schedule:

Wednesday, Nov. 5^th: Desiree, Joshua, Justin, Kyrsta, Luke, Marie, Mary A., Morgan

Thursday, Nov. 6^th:  Ben, Christopher, Daniel, Grace, Kassandra, Katie, Macie, Tessa, Tyler, Timmy

Friday, Nov. 7^th:  Alex, Dakota, Elizabeth, Jessica, Mary C., Matthew, Max, Sam, Calvin, Lauren

**Friday, October 31st, is an SBC day, so we will be celebrating Halloween this Thursday. Students are welcome to wear their costumes. The school parade will begin right around 8am, and parents are certainly welcome to join us. Michelle Chapa and Jeaneen Clayton have organized a fabulous class party, with a breakfast potluck following the parade and activity centers after recess. 

**Homework is light this week due to the short week and the Animal Reports. There will not be a spelling packet or current events. There will be math homework Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday brings a math test covering Chapter 8. Reading Logs will be due Thursday this week.

Week of October 22nd

Thank you all for attending the Parent/Teacher Conferences this past week! We are back to a regular school week, with Wednesday being a restructured day. 

Check out the links to the right!! It took a while, but I finally figured out a way to link important forms to the blog so that you can download and print them from home. 

Endangered Animal Reports:  We are continuing to work on the rough-drafts in class this week, then they will be sent home to be completed. Some students may benefit from some additional research time at home this weekend, whether it's at the public library or on the computer. Final drafts may be typed or hand-written. There is a creative component as well, or "Special Addition", that needs to be completed at home. Students will also be expected to present their project/report to the class. I will send home more information regarding presentations this week. Homework will be light next week so that students may focus on their reports. Reports are due November 5th and will NOT be accepted late. 

This week we will...

...learn about adjectives and adverbs and how they can enhance our writing. "Spooky Stories" is our next Writer's Workshop project, and I hope to have them completed by the Halloween Party for parents to read. 

...continue in our science unit, learning all about ecosystems, resources, competition in nature, and animal adaptations. 

...dive into algebra in our math curriculum.

...have a substitute Thursday and Friday (Ms. Marhenke)

Conference Week!

Parents: Please check the conference schedule to the right. Each conference is scheduled for only 20 minutes, so please be on time! 

 

Reminder: School ends at 12:05 every day this week, and there will not be Homework Club, so please remember to make other arrangements. 

This week we will...

...visit the Book Fair in the library Tuesday morning. The Book Fair will be open all week until 3:30. We will visit as a class Tuesday, at which time students can browse and purchase books. 

...wrap up Chapter 7 in our math books. The test will be given on Friday. 

...continue learning about plant and animal habitats and resources, and discover how these new concepts tie in with our animal reports. 

...research our endangered animals for our reports. Most students have been able to find a lot of information through library books and the internet. Please check with your child to see if they could benefit from a trip to the public library for some additional resources. Endangered Animal Reports are due November 5th, and will not be accepted late, to ensure that they are included in the first trimester report cards. 

Week of October 6th

Thank you to all of the parents who chaperoned the fieldtrip last Thursday - we couldn't have done it without all of your help!  The kids had a blast and everything went so smoothly! The class was given an optional extra-credit assignment - due tomorrow - to write a reflection on the fieldtrip. 

Notes/Reminders:

*Check out the "Book Wish List" on the right side of the page just above the "Class Wish List". Any donations of used or new books are greatly appreciated. I've compiled a list of desired books and will continue to update it throughout the year. Thank you!

*This Wednesday, October 8th, is NOT a restructured day. School will end at 2:05.

*Next week (October 13th - 17th) we have Parent Conferences. I will post the schedule on the blog later this week. Notes were sent home last week for you to confirm your conference time. Some parents have not returned these forms. Please do so as soon as possible. 

Every day that week is a restructured day - school will end at 12:05. There will NOT be Homework Club at all that week, so remember to make other arrangements. 

This week we will...

...be very busy! We will be starting the Endangered Animal Reports. Students were asked to think over the weekend about which animal they would like to research. Check out the list of websites to the right. These animal reports will be mostly done in class (research and rough drafts), but the final drafts will be mostly completed at home. All information regarding requirements and expectations will be given in class tomorrow. Students are encouraged to visit the public library for books about their animal. We will be visiting the school library tomorrow, as well as using the computers for research in class. 

...continue our science unit on the Energy of Living Things. We are learning all about decomposers, consumers, and producers, and how they all interact and survive together. These concepts will be incorporated into the Endangered Animal Reports. 

...read The City of Ember. Some students have brought in their own copies of the book, which is great! The first quiz will be this Friday. 

FIELDTRIP REMINDER!!

Tomorrow we are going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for our first fieldtrip. Parent drivers/chaperones need to be in the classroom at 9:45. We will return by 1:45. 

Students must bring a lunch and comfortable walking shoes. There is no need for students to bring any money since they are not allowed to buy anything at the gift shop. 

Parent chaperones who have Memberships need to bring their Membership Card. 

Students are welcome to bring cameras.

See you tomorrow!

Week of September 29th

Parents: Please respond to the poll on the right side of this page if you haven't already. Thank you!

Check out the "Book Wish List" on the right side of the page just above the "Class Wish List". Any donations of used or new books are greatly appreciated. I've compiled a list of desired books and will continue to update it throughout the year. Thank you!

This week we will...

...finish up our Native American unit and begin our first science unit. We will be learning all about how plants and animals live and grow together. Next week we will begin our Endangered Animal Reports. 

...start reading The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. We do not have a class set of these books. Students are welcome to bring their own copies to read along. 

...go on our first fieldtrip! This Thursday we will be going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. A reminder note with important information will be sent home Tuesday. 

...have the Harvest Festival Friday evening!

Week of September 22nd

Parents: Please respond to the poll on the right side of this page. Thank you!

Check out the "Book Wish List" on the right side of the page just above the "Class Wish List". Any donations of used or new books are greatly appreciated. I've compiled a list of desired books and will continue to update it throughout the year. Thank you!

A few notes/reminders...

 - This Tuesday, September 23rd, is Picture Day!!

 - Scholastic Book Orders are due Tuesday. 

 - There will be a substitute this Thursday. 

This week we will...

...start our next Writer's Workshop project - a fictional story based on an illustration from Chris Van Allsburg's book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.  Check out this website: 

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/harrisburdick/introduction.html

...finish up Island of the Blue Dolphins by Friday. Next week we will begin reading The City of Ember. 

...have a math test Thursday. This will cover Chapter 5. 

...complete our Native Californian Centers.

Week of September 15th

A letter from Mrs. Dorney was sent home on Friday regarding the death of a Rio student. Sofia Wardle was a second-grader who had battled cancer for many years. Friday was a difficult day, but I was very impressed with the way your children handled it. We talked as a class about Sofia and about our feelings and experiences with losing loved ones. One of the first concerns from the class was how the little kindergarteners would handle it. There were some tears throughout the day, and they were all very sympathetic and respectful of each other's feelings. It was wonderful to see them all come together to support one another in such a mature, compassionate way. Sofia will certainly be missed by all of the Rio students, staff, and families. 

*************************************************************************************

This week we will...

...learn about common nouns, compound sentences, and using commas. 

...continue with our Native Californian Tribe centers and flipbooks.

...have a math test on Tuesday which will cover chapters 3 and 4. 

...go to an assembly Thursday morning - a performance by the Banana Slug String Band.

...have a Language Arts test Thursday. This will cover all of the reading and grammar skills we've been learning about through the Language Arts program (subject/predicate, common nouns, compound sentences, etc.)

Week of September 8th

Parent Volunteers are welcome to start coming in this week. If they'd rather not start till next week, that is fine too. A notice was sent home last week with an updated schedule. Please remember to coordinate with those who share your volunteer time so that you can alternate weeks. 

Starting this week the class will have a new regular homework assignment - Current Events. Students will be asked to find and read news articles, write a summary and reflection, and present them to the class. We will be practicing this process as a class on Monday. The class will be divided into two groups (A and B) so that each student is given the assignment every other week. 

This week we will...

...begin our Native Californians learning centers (Chapter 2 of Social Studies). Over the next few weeks we will be learning all about the Native American tribes throughout California.

...continue reading Island of the Blue Dolphins. We should be completing the novel in the next two weeks, then moving on to The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. We do not have a class set of this book so students are welcome to bring their own copy. 

...read a story about the Titanic. This is the third story of the "Journeys" theme in our Language Arts reader. 

...have our first lesson from Senora Murray! She will be here Wednesday mornings for the first half of the year to teach the class Spanish! 

...visit the library on Friday morning. Last week the students were able to check out books for the first time, so they are due back this Friday. 

Week of September 1st

Reminder: Monday is Labor Day... No School! 

I want to thank all of the parents who were able to make it to Back-to-School Night last Wednesday. If you have any further questions about what I covered, or forgot to cover as the case may be, feel free to email me at mrs.davis9@gmail.com

Thank you to all who signed up to volunteer in the classroom! I have some scheduling issues to work out so I will be contacting you all this week, and volunteers can start coming in next week, Monday, September 8th. Look for an updated volunteer schedule coming home Tuesday. 

Week of August 25th

I can't believe we are already starting the third week of school!! So far our year has been great - the kids have been so sweet and eager to learn!

This week we will...

...continue reading Island of the Blue Dolphins. The class will have their first quiz on chapters 1-10 this Wednesday.

...continue Chapter 1 in our Social Studies unit. We're learning all about the regions of California and working on our map-reading skills.

...start our first Writer's Workshop project. Students will be writing about a "Memorable Moment" from their own life. We'll be focusing on the writing process, as well as writing a clear beginning, middle, and end to their stories.

...have our first visit to the school library. Our library time this year will be Fridays at 9:15.

...get ready for Back-to-School Night!! I'm looking forward to seeing all of you parents this Wednesday at 6:30. Remember, this is a Parents-Only event. It is an opportunity for me to explain how our classroom runs and to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Please email me at mrs.davis9@gmail.com with any questions! 

Mid-Week Update

There has been a change in the homework schedule for tonight and tomorrow night. On the schedule for tonight was a worksheet on the "Iditarod", related to the story we've been reading in class. This will now be Thursday night's homework. Tonight I have assigned Lesson 3, Problems 9-25 in their math textbook. We just received our textbooks today and wanted to give the students an opportunity to get acquainted with them. The other assignment for tonight is to practice multiplication facts. The class will be given their first timed-multiplication test tomorrow.

If you have any questions, please email me at mrs.davis9@gmail.com Unfortunately my classroom computer is being difficult and not letting me check email, so I won't be checking it until I am home this evening.

I look forward to seeing you all at Back-to-School Night next Wednesday, the 27th, at 6:30.

On to week two...

Our first week went really well, and the kids seem excited about starting a new year in the fourth grade! 

This week we will dive into the curriculum. The social studies unit we're starting with is all about the geography of California. We've begun reading Island of the Blue Dolphins as a class, and we've also started into the reading textbook with a story about the Iditarod titled "Akiak". 

Homework will start this week. I'll be sending home a letter explaining the homework routines and what to expect over the year. The weekly homework will be posted on this blog, along with a lot of other important information, so it's a good idea to bookmark the site and check it often. 

Back-to-School Night is scheduled for Wednesday, August 27th. 

Monday, September 1st, is a holiday - No School! 

If you have any questions, please email me at mrs.davis9@gmail.com.

 Thank you!

Welcome!!

Hello Room 9 students and families! 

Some of you may know me from the last 2 years as Ms. Street, but I am now Mrs. Davis after getting married over the summer. 

Don't forget, the first day of school is Wednesday, August 13th. School begins at 7:49. I know it's difficult to get back on schedule after the lazy days of summer, but it is important to get to school on time, well-rested and well-fed. All parents are invited to the Back-To-School Coffee hosted by the Parent Alliance. This will be held at the picnic tables in the park first thing in the morning. Head on over there after dropping off your child! 

I am excited to get the year started and to meet you all! If you have any questions, shoot me an email at mrs.davis9@gmail.com.  

Here is a list of school supplies that I would like each student to bring (Please label all personal belongings):

* several sharpened #2 pencils

* a 2-subject spiral notebook (with or without pockets)

* a set of colored pencils

* a personal pencil sharpener

* a pencil case

* 2 dry-erase markers (any color)

* a sock or rag

* a homework folder (2-pocket "portfolio" folder)

* a personal re-usable water bottle