New Website!

I've created a new website at mrsdavis9.weebly.com  for the 2009-2010 school year... 

Last Week of School!

Wow!! We are officially into the last week of school... what a year it has been! Read ahead for a lot of important information regarding this final week.

* Monday we'll see a performance by the student band. Yearbooks will be handed out Monday. We will also have our Book Swap in the morning. 

* Tuesday we will go to the local beach with our kindergarten reading buddies (weather permitting). Students need to bring appropriate clothing and a bag lunch. Parents who are joining us need to be in the classroom at 10:40. 

* Wednesday is our big KOA trip. Parents who are driving need to be in the classroom by 9:25. Students need to bring a swimsuit, towel, change of clothes, and sunscreen. They are welcome to bring goggles, cameras, and outdoor toys (football, soccer ball, etc.) 

* School is out at 10:50 on Friday! Be sure to have pick-up arranged for your child. Report cards will be sent home that day. 

Happy Memorial Day!

Notes/Reminders:

- It was great to see so many families at Open House last week! I know the kids loved the chance to show you all of their hard work! Thank you to Arlene for binding the poetry books for us. 

- This Friday there will be a school-wide Mini Olympics event. A permission slip was sent home Friday. Please sign and return it as soon as possible. 

- All late/absent work is due this Friday!!! This is also the last day for students to earn AR points. 

This week we will...

...continue reading Number the Stars. This book takes place in Denmark during World War II, and it has brought up a lot of interesting questions and discussions around the subjects of war and prejudice. 

...finish up BizWorld, with the "Sales Bazaar" toward the end of the week. 

...take a district language arts assessment Thursday and Friday. 

Week of May 18th

Notes/Reminders:

- This Wednesday the 20th is Open House (6:30-8:30). This is a chance for your kids to show off all of the hard work they've been doing this year... I hope to see you all there! 

- Anyone feel like binding?? I'm looking for a volunteer to bind our poetry books this Tuesday and/or Wednesday. If anyone is interested in helping out, just shoot me an email... it would be greatly appreciated! 

- California Reports are due Monday! The presentation schedule is to the right. I'm looking forward to seeing what the kids have been working so hard on for the past few weeks! 

This week we will...

...have a visit from a firefighter Friday morning (rescheduled from last week)

...finish up our poetry books

...start reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

...continue with "BizWorld" - ask your child about their friendship bracelet business!

...start a new science unit about Magnetism and Electricity

Happy Mother's Day!

*Change of plans: No math homework Thursday, Math test postponed till next week*

It was wonderful to see so many room 9 parents at the dinner/auction Friday night! I hope you all had as much fun as I did! 

Thank you to all of the parents who chaperoned/drove our fieldtrip last Wednesday... and thank you all for being so flexible with the pick-up time. 

Notes/Reminders: 

- California Reports are due next Monday, May 18th. Students may turn them in early if they wish. The presentation schedule is posted on the right. If a presentation requires any sort of technology (powerpoint, dvd, etc.) please let me know ahead of time. 

- This Wednesday the 13th is the Parent Appreciation Tea (2:30 in the library). This is an opportunity for the staff to show our gratitude for all of the work the parents do. 

- Next Wednesday the 20th is Open House (6:30-8:00). I hope to see you all there! Flyers are coming home Monday with information regarding the 4th grade bake sale that takes place during Open House. 

- Anyone feel like binding?? I'm looking for a volunteer to bind our poetry books. This would be Tuesday or Wednesday of next week (the 19th or 20th). If anyone is interested in helping out, it would be greatly appreciated! 

This week we will...

...continue working on our poetry books! We'll be wrapping up our rough drafts and starting the final drafts later this week.

...learn some geometry! This week we'll be learning about triangle classifications, angles, lines, and so much more. A test will be on Friday covering chapter 25. 

...start "BizWorld", an interactive business simulation in which students will learn all about starting a business, finance, investments, selling a product, and more. 

Week of May 4th

Notes/Reminders:

- Monday and Tuesday morning we will work on the math portion of the STAR tests. Please make sure your child gets plenty of rest and a good breakfast, and that they get to school on time! 

- Science projects are due Tuesday! Presentations will be spread out over the course of the week, but all projects must be turned in Tuesday. I will post the presentation schedule here on Monday (students have already been notified of their assigned day). 

- The California reports are coming along nicely. Most students have completed their research, and several have begun writing their reports. They will bring home all of their work this Tuesday. From that point on, all work will be completed at home. Please assist your child in managing their time with this project, staying organized, and editing their reports. 

- The online auction is ending Sunday night, so check it out while you still can!  There are so many great things to bid on, including an art project by all of the Room 9 students!

http://auctions.readysetauction.com/riodelmarschool/home

I hope to see you all at the dinner/auction this Friday night! 

- This Wednesday the 6th brings our fieldtrip to the New Brighton State Park. Students need to bring a sack lunch. Please arrange for pick-up for your child - it is a minimum day, but we will not be back till around 1:45. 

This week we will...

...continue writing and reading poetry. The kids have learning how to write haikus, how to use figurative language in their poems, and how to format poetry. 

...continue reading People of Sparks. There will be a quiz Friday covering chapters 14-21. 

...have our last session of ceramics with Jenni on Thursday. All of the students have created some really wonderful ceramic pieces over the past several weeks. 

...have a visit from the Aptos Fire Department on Friday. They'll be giving us a lesson on fire safety. 

Week of April 27th

Notes/Reminders:

- STAR testing begins this week. An email was sent to all parents with detailed information. This week we will take the Language Arts portion of the test on Tuesday and Wednesday. Homework will be very light during the next two weeks due to testing. 

- Please check the "Upcoming Events" section on the right - there are several important dates to remember in the coming weeks. 

- The online auction is up and running! Check it out at    http://auctions.readysetauction.com/riodelmarschool/home

After you've had a chance to peruse the auction, sign your child's yellow flyer. Students who return the flyer Monday will earn a lollipop. 

- Several students have yet to return their New Brighton fieldtrip permission slips. Please get these in as soon as possible. 

This week we will...

...continue with our poetry unit

...work on our California reports (see last posting for more details- also info available in the Downloads section)

...have a school-wide Pajama Day this Friday, May 1st 

California Report Update

Today students were assigned their California reports. We'll be working on the research and beginning stages of writing in class over the next couple of weeks. Students will complete their reports at home. The final drafts are due Monday, May 18th. Oral presentations will be given that week. In the Downloads section of this webpage, the main information for the report is available. 

This Friday will be a check-in day - students need to know their research topic and what type of visual aide they will be using. Please discuss this report with your child. Some students may need help pin-pointing a topic of interest. The topics must be related to California history (they must be referenced at least once in our social studies textbook). Students may choose to research an event, place, person, or era from California history. For example, a student may choose to learn about the Great Depression, but they must focus on its affects on California. 

Homework over the next several weeks will be light due to the science project, California report, and the upcoming STAR testing. Students are welcome to begin research at home if they wish - please remind them to site their sources! There is a new section on the right, "California Report", with links to informational sites. 

**Please read the previous posting as it contains a lot of important information for this school week**

Week of April 20th

Welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed a restful, sunny spring break! We're down to the last 7 weeks of school... I can't believe how quickly this year is going! The next few weeks bring a lot of fun activities, both in our classroom and school-wide. Please remember to check the blog at least once a week, as there will be a lot of important information posted in the coming weeks. 

Notes/Reminders:

*  If you're looking to donate to the class, we are still in need of more pencils, pencil-top erasers, and kleenex. 

* STAR testing will begin the week of April 27th 

 * May 6th brings our next fieldtrip to New Brighton State Park for an interactive history program. Please return the signed permission slip as soon as possible. There is not a fee for this trip, and all parents are welcome to join us. 

* The annual golf tournament/dinner/auction is coming up on Friday, May 8th. Registration forms are available on the Rio school website. 

* Open House will be Wednesday, May 20th. The time will be announced soon. 

* June 3rd brings the end-of-year fourth-grade party at the local KOA.  Permission slips will be sent home soon, along with more information about the event. 

This week we will...

...begin our Poetry unit. For the next several weeks, we will be learning about, reading, and writing poetry. 

...continue learning about the relationship between fractions and decimals. There will be a test covering chapter 19 this Friday. 

...check in on the science projects. Tuesday I'll be checking students' hypotheses and procedures/steps. 

...begin our California research reports. All of the fourth-grade classes will be doing this project. Students will choose an area of interest in California history. For the next week or two, we'll be using class time to research and write rough-drafts. Final-drafts and visual components will be completed at home. I'll have more information posted here soon. 

...prepare for the upcoming California standardized tests (STAR). 

...see a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream by "Shakespeare-to-go" Friday morning.  

Week of April 6th

Notes/Reminders:

* Remember: This Friday is a holiday! Spring Break is April 10th - April 17th (we return on the 20th)

*  If you're looking to donate to the class, we are still in need of more pencils, pencil-top erasers, and kleenex. 

* The end of the year is quickly approaching, and there are so many things happening! 

-STAR testing will begin the week of April 27th

-May 6th brings our next fieldtrip to New Brighton State Park for an interactive history program 

-The annual golf tournament/dinner/auction is coming up on Friday, May 8th 

-Open House will be Wednesday, May 20th  

-June 3rd brings the end-of-year fourth-grade party at the local KOA 

This week we will...

...learn about the fourth-grade science project assignment. Look for a packet coming home Monday with more information (the guidelines are also available here in the "downloads" section). This project will be completed at home, and is due Tuesday, May 5th (there will be check-in dates over the next several weeks). 

...take the district-wide language arts assessment Monday morning. This will cover what we've been learning since the beginning of the year in reading, writing, and grammar (think compound sentences, pronouns, main ideas, etc)

...finish up our Golden Gulch simulation game. The kids have been having a blast with this activity, and have really learned a lot about the California gold rush! We'll be working on it each day this week, so we can finish up by spring break. 

...see the 1st grade performance of "The Ugly Duckling" Wednesday morning. 

...visit the library on Wednesday this week, since there won't be school Friday. 

...learn about the relationship between fractions and decimals in math. 

Week of March 30th

Notes/Reminders:

* Thank you for all of the donations of pencils, erasers, and "student store" goodies! If you're looking to donate to the class, we are still in need of more pencils, pencil-top erasers, and kleenex. 

* The end of the year is quickly approaching, and there are so many things happening! 

    -Spring Break is April 10th-April 17th

    -The week of April 27th will be the start of the annual STAR testing - I'll send more information with exact dates of   our testing soon 

    -May 6th brings our next fieldtrip to New Brighton State Park for an interactive history program (permission slips will come home soon)

    -The annual golf tournament/dinner/auction is coming up on Friday, May 8th 

    -Open House will be Wednesday, May 20th  

    -June 3rd brings the end-of-year fourth-grade party at the local KOA 

* There will be 2 projects coming up for fourth-graders: A science fair project, and a California history project. More information will be provided soon. 

This week we will...

...continue with our "Golden Gulch" gold rush simulation game.

...have a math test Wednesday covering chapter 18. If you go to the 'student links' section and click on the 'HM math' link, there are many opportunities to practice the new skills and concepts.

...learn about the scientific process in preparation for the fourth-grade science fair projects.  

HOMEWORK

There's a change to the homework tonight. Instead of the math practice book pages, the kids have a double-sided handout to complete, reviewing today's math lesson. 

Week of March 23rd

Notes/Reminders:

* Thank you all for your recent Scholastic book orders! This was one of our biggest orders this year. 

* AR goal sheets must be signed and returned- there are still about 3 students who have yet to turn them in.

* Keep an eye out for a fieldtrip permission slip in the next couple of weeks. We will be going to New Brighton State Beach for an interactive history program on Wednesday, May 6th. We won't be returning till after dismissal because it's a minimum day, so pick-up will need to be arranged. All parents who wish to drive/chaperone are welcome.

This week we will...

...continue reading People of Sparks, the sequel to The City of Ember. We do not have a class set, so students are welcome to bring their own copies of the book.

...work more with fractions. This week we'll learn about improper fractions, mixed numbers, and adding and subtraction fractions with unlike denominators. 

...practice for the 100 Second Club. We won't be having the regular 5-minute multiplication test for the next week or two while we practice this new multiplication activity. 

...begin "Golden Gulch", a whole-class gold rush simulation. Students will be in teams working together to stake claims and mine gold. This is basically like a big board game that involves all students and lasts several days. Should be fun!

Week of March 16th

Notes/Reminders:

* Report Card envelopes must be signed and returned as soon as possible. Students who return their envelope Monday will receive 2 Student Store tickets.

* AR goal sheets must be signed and returned. 

* Keep an eye out for a fieldtrip permission slip in the next couple of weeks. We will be going to New Brighton State Beach for an interactive history program on Wednesday, May 6th. 

This week we will...

...begin our next Writer's Workshop project. We'll be focusing on "strong verbs" in our writing. Students will be choosing a piece from their own journals to turn into a Writer's Workshop project.

...continue learning all about the Gold Rush and its effects on California. Next week we'll begin a whole-class simulation activity, where students will be working in teams to mine gold and claim land. 

...work more with fractions! I have to say I am very impressed with this group's ability to grasp the fraction concepts so quickly! These can be difficult concepts to understand, and these kids are doing a great job. This week we'll be learning how to add and subtract fractions with like denominators, and how to reduce fractions to their simplest form. Friday will bring a test covering chapter 17. 

Pajama Day!

This Friday will be Pajama Day for our class! We'll also be joined by Ms. Sillavo's class, our kindergarten reading buddies! 

Week of March 9th

We are now beginning the 3rd and final trimester! This is always my favorite time of year because the kids really start to mature and shine and grow into soon-to-be 5th graders... it's fun to watch! 

I will be out of the classroom for a few days this week - the kids are in good hands with Mrs. Abelar. You can reach me by email if needed.

Notes/Reminders:

- Report cards will be sent home this Friday - please sign and return the envelope after reviewing the report card with your child. Please note that it is common to see a decline in grades from the 1st trimester to the 2nd. The 1st trimester begins with a lot of review, and when we reach the 2nd trimester, we are fully involved in new skills and concepts, and a lot of organization and responsibility is required of the students. If you happen to notice a decline in your child's grades, take the opportunity to discuss with them what they can do differently during the 3rd trimester to raise their grades and make the most of their time in the fourth grade. 

- Please sign and return your child's new AR goal sheet. 

This week we will...

...continue learning all about the California Gold Rush! 

...learn more about fractions. I know this can be a confusing concept for students to grasp. Please take the opportunity to point out fractions in everday life (for example: what fraction of the pizza slices are left in the box after a sleepover?) 

...take a district math assessment Tuesday.  

AR Update

The kids asked if I could post the instructions for adding up AR points so that they can check from home, so here they are: (please read the previous post for more info. for this week)
1) Access AR from this site or the Rio site
2) Log in as 'student' using your personal username and password (you should know these by now!)
3) Click "View Quizzes Taken"
4) Select "Reading Practice" from the drop-down menu
5) Click "By Date Taken"
6) Click "Select Marking Period" and highlight "Trimester 2"
7) Click "Next"
8) Add up all of your "Points Earned" (not including anything from before November 8th) Remember to line up your decimals, or better yet, use a calculator!
There is an error in the system, so it is including November 7th, which was from the 1st Trimester. Do not include any points in your calculations from Nov. 7th or earlier.

Week of March 2nd

Notes/Reminders:

* The last day of the 2nd trimester is March 6th. All old work from the 2nd trimester must be turned in by Thursday, March 5th. Students have till Friday the 6th to complete their AR quizzes and any current work. Report Cards will be sent home the following Friday.  

* PVUSD board meetings this week are Wednesday (7pm at Ann Soldo) and Thursday (5pm at Aptos High). Come show your support for teachers, schools, librarians, school nurses, etc. 

* Please practice the multiplication facts with your child every day! There is a link to printable flashcards in the Student Links section. 

* Please check your homes for Social Studies and Science textbooks! We began the year with one for every child, and we are now missing a few. We need all the textbooks in the classroom for daily use. 

This week we will...

...take the state-wide fourth-grade writing assessment Tuesday. Please send your child to class on time, well-fed, and well-rested. 

...wrap up negative numbers with a math test Wednesday. Then we'll be diving into everyone's favorite...  fractions! 

...hopefully complete our reading of By the Great Horn Spoon!  Our goal is to complete the book by Thursday so that everyone has a chance to take the AR test before the end of the trimester. The book is worth 6 points! Students who have already reached their AR goal can "save" the quiz till next trimester if they wish. 

...start our weekly classes of ceramics (through the SPECTRA program) - Thursday mornings from 7:55 - 8:55. Please make sure students are in class on-time!

Week of February 23rd

*Check out some of the new links in the Student Link section! The HM Math Site (correlated with our text) is a great place to review for math tests, look up math vocab, or just play some fun games. The Flashcards site has printable flashcards - perfect for multiplication practice.*

I must say how proud I am of all of the students for their dedication to the Bully Skits! They performed the skits for the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes last week, and I have heard nothing but praise from those teachers! Great job! The skits are also being typed and printed for the rest of the Rio teachers to use in their classrooms. 

Notes/Reminders:

* Monday brings our fieldtrip to see a performance by the Santa Cruz Symphony. We'll be leaving (by bus) at 10:00 and returning by 1:00. Students need to bring a lunch (no hot lunch) since we'll be returning after our regular lunch time. There are still a few students who have not yet returned the permission slip and $4 fee - they will have to stay behind if not turned in first thing Monday morning. 

* The last day of the 2nd trimester is March 6th. All work for the 2nd trimester must be turned in by Thursday, March 5th. Report Cards will be sent home the following Friday.  

* PVUSD wants to hear from parents regarding the budget crisis! Go to the PVUSD website and take the parent survey. You can also show your support by joining us Friday afternoons (3:30-5) on the freeway overpass on Rio del Mar Blvd, and by attending the Board meetings. The next one is this Wednesday the 25th. Bring the kids! 

* Please practice the multiplication facts with your child every day - Just 5 minutes in the car on the way to school is all it takes. Mastery of these facts will be a huge help in many other math concepts.  

* Please check your homes for Social Studies and Science textbooks! We began the year with one for every child, and we are now missing a few. We need all the textbooks in the classroom for daily use. 

This week we will...

...finish up Chapter 5 in our Social Studies curriculum. We've been learning all about the Mexican-American War and how California became a state. There will be a test Friday.

...continue reading By the Great Horn Spoon! Thursday brings a quiz covering chapters 5-8. 

...learn about negative numbers and how they are used in "real life" . 

Week of February 16th

Thank you for a great Valentine's Day party! The kids had a great time, and we still somehow managed to squeeze in some work! Remember - Monday is a holiday!

Notes/Reminders:

* Our next fieldtrip will be to the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium to see a performance by the Santa Cruz Youth Symphony. This is coming up very soon (Monday, February 23rd). Permission slips are coming home Tuesday. Please send these back with your signature and $4.00 as soon as possible! 

* The last day of the 2nd trimester is coming up soon (March 6th). Report Cards will be sent home the following Friday. Keep an eye out for Missing Work notes (coming home this week). Please sign and return these notes! 

* PVUSD wants to hear from parents regarding the budget crisis! Go to the PVUSD website and take the parent survey. 

* Please practice the multiplication facts with your child every day - Just 5 minutes in the car on the way to school is all it takes. Mastery of these facts will be a huge help in many other math concepts.  

* Please check your homes for Social Studies and Science textbooks! We began the year with one for every child, and we are now missing a few. We need all the textbooks in the classroom for daily use. 

This week we will...

...perform our Bully Skits for the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes. 

...have a visit from a Santa Cruz Symphony docent, who will be teaching us all about the symphony for our upcoming fieldtrip.

...continue learning about the different systems of measurement. There will be a Chapter 15 test Friday the 20th. 

...read more of By the Great Horn Spoon! There will be a quiz Thursday covering chapters 1-4. 

...begin our next Writer's Workshop project:  "How I Can Make A Difference". We'll be using this topic to practice writing a 5-paragraph essay. 

Week of February 9th

Notes/Reminders:

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

* We will be celebrating Valentine's Day as a class this Friday the 13th. An email was sent to all Room 9 families with more information. You can contact Michelle Guzman if you have any questions. There is a class list on the right side of this page. Students are not required to bring Valentines, but if they do, they need to bring one for every student in the class. 

* PVUSD wants to hear from parents regarding the budget crisis! Go to the PVUSD website and take the parent survey. If you can make it, there will be a board meeting this Wednesday the 11th. 

* As a staff, we are working on improving students' mastery of multiplication. We need your help at home, too! Please practice the multiplication facts with your child every day - Just 5 minutes in the car on the way to school is all it takes. Mastery of these facts will be a huge help in many other math concepts.  

Also, please help your child learn to tie his or her shoes if that hasn't already been accomplished. We would like to be able to teach our little kindergarten reading buddies to tie their own shoes, and I was surprised to hear that several fourth-graders do not know how (or have forgotten due to always wearing slip-ons). Once they've mastered this skill, they can pass on their knowledge to their little buddies.  

* Please check your homes for Social Studies and Science textbooks! We began the year with one for every child, and we are now missing a few. We need all the textbooks in the classroom for daily use. 

* Check out the changes to the right side of the page. I have combined the Homework and Tests sections. There are also now two Links sections, one for students and one for parents. The Student Links section contains several links to sites the kids can use at home to practice their math facts, learn to type, or study for social studies or science. 

* Keep an eye out for information and a permission slip for our next fieldtrip. We'll be going to the Santa Cruz Youth Symphony performance at the Civic Auditorium on Monday, February 23rd. The fee is $4 per student. 

This week we will...

...learn about the different methods and systems of measurement. 

...have our first 5-minute multiplication test  -  this is the same timed test the class has been taking all year, just with one less minute. 

...learn more about how California became a part of the United States. We'll also be starting our next novel, By the Great Horn Spoon, by Sid Fleischman, which is a fun and adventurous tale about a boy and his butler who travel to California in search of gold. 

...continue working on the Bully Skits. We are now in the process of typing the final drafts, and rehearsing the skits that will be performed for the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes. 

Thank you drivers and chaperones for joining us on the fieldtrip today! That is one of my favorite trips of the year - so much to see and learn, and it's all so beautiful! - I hope you all enjoyed it as well.  

Students have an optional extra-credit opportunity due this Friday - to write about what they learned and enjoyed about today's fieldtrip.

* Check out the changes to the right side of the page. I have combined the Homework and Tests sections. There are also now two Links sections, one for students and one for parents. The Student Links section contains several links to sites the kids can use at home to practice their math facts, learn to type, or study for social studies or science. 

* Join me in welcoming a new student to our class - Kimberley has just moved here from Auburn, and chose a great day to start at Rio! 

* Please read the previous posting for more information about this week * 

Week of February 2nd

* Please respond to the poll to the right *

Notes/Reminders:

* This Tuesday brings our fieldtrip to the San Juan Bautista Mission! Everyone has turned in their permission slip, but there are a few students who have not turned in the $1. This must be turned in by Monday! We will be leaving at 9am and returning by 2pm. Students (and parents) need to bring a bag lunch, comfortable shoes, and a jacket. We have several parents chaperoning, so parents will be able to carpool together if they wish. Parents - please be in the classroom by 9am. Let me know ASAP if you can no longer join us on this trip.

* We will have a Valentine's Day class party on Friday, February 13th. Please keep an eye out for a flyer or email from the parents who are coordinating this party. In an effort to save paper in these crazy budget times, I have posted the class list for Valentines here instead of sending them home on paper (on the right). 

* The next two Mondays are holidays (9th and 16th). 

This week we will...

...continue working on our Bullying Skits. I am very impressed with the teamwork and sincerity that is being put into these skits by all of the Room 9 students.

...move from science to social studies and begin a unit on the Mexican-American War. We'll then move on to the California Gold Rush in the coming weeks. Check the Links section on the right for websites. 

...finish reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. There will be a quiz on Friday. 

Spelling Bee Winners!

Congratulations to Macie and Grace for being the Room 9 spelling champs! They will be competing against other 4th, 5th and 6th grade students this Friday. 

Week of January 26th

Notes/Reminders: 

* Please respond to the poll to the right - thank you! * 

* Back to a five-day week! We have a lot going on this week, so please read the entire posting so you are aware of all of the happenings in Room 9. 

* San Juan Bautista Mission Fieldtrip is coming up Tuesday, Feb. 3rd. Please return the signed permission slip and the $1 fee per student as soon as possible. I'll be sending home confirmations to parent drivers/chaperones later this week. 

* District Surveys, Yearbook Order Forms, and Dismissal Forms were all sent home - please return them if you haven't already done so. The Dismissal Form will assist us in keeping the dismissal process running smoothly, and is for the safety of your children. 

* Rio is looking for parent volunteers to assist in the lunch-time recycling program. Please contact Mrs. Dorney if you are interested. 

This week we will...

...have a class Spelling Bee on Monday. The top two spellers from each 4th, 5th, and 6th grade class will move on to the Rio Spelling Bee this Friday. This takes place in a 6th grade classroom during the school day, without an audience. The top two spellers from that round will compete in the North Zone Spelling Bee on February 5th, as well as the Santa Cruz County Spelling Bee. I'll post our 2 class winners Monday evening. 

...work on the Anti-Bullying skits that our class is writing and performing for the school. We'll be writing several skits for the 2nd-6th grade teachers to use in their own classes. We'll also be writing and performing skits for the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes. 

...complete our Rocks & Minerals science unit. There will be a test on Friday, with review homework on Thursday night. 

...have a math test Tuesday covering Chapter 13. 

....begin our next class novel:  Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.  This is a short but important novel about a young girl affected by the atomic bomb in Japan. We do have a class set, but students are welcome to bring in their own copies (please write their name inside).

...learn how to write a summary.  The fourth-grade state writing assessment is coming up in March, and 'summary' is one of the possible options. The other three are narrative, expository, and response-to-literature, which we'll be practicing along with summary over the next several weeks. 

 

Week of January 19th

Notes/Reminders: 

* Scholastic book orders are due Tuesday

* $2 for the California Bat Conservation Fund presentation due Tuesday

* District surveys were sent home last week - please complete and return as soon as possible

* Yearbook order forms were sent home last week - if you need another, ask in the office

* San Juan Bautista Fieldtrip permission slips were sent home last week. We'll be visiting the Mission on February 3rd. Please return the signed permission slip, along with $1 per student. 

* Afternoon Dismissal forms were sent home last week. Please return this form as soon as possible if you haven't already. The students' safety is at the heart of these new procedures, and I appreciate your patience and understanding as we work out the bugs in the new dismissal process. 

This week we will...

...delve deeper into long-division with 3-digit division. 

...see a presentation from the California Bat Conservation Fund on Tuesday morning.

...take the Summative Assessment in Language Arts for the District, which includes a writing assessment. We'll spend Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning working on the assessment. 

...continue learning about Rocks and Minerals. Each student needs to bring in rock by Thursday (no bigger than a fist, please). 

Welcome Back!

Reminder:  School resumes Tuesday, January 13th

I hope you all had a refreshing and relaxing Winter Break! We'll be jumping back into school-mode Tuesday. I know it's difficult to get back on track, but please be sure to get students to class on time and ready to learn! 

Take a look at the Class Wishlist on the right side of the page - we are in need of some school supplies. Any donations will be greatly appreciated. 

Optional Extra-Credit assignments are due Tuesday. Check the previous post for more information. 

Keep an eye out for a fieldtrip permission slip (San Juan Bautista Mission - February 3rd) and a new Scholastic book order. 

This week we will...

...begin a unit on Rocks and Minerals. For the next few weeks we'll be learning all about the different types of rocks and minerals and the rock cycle. Check out the Links section for some kid-friendly websites. 

...review for the next Language Arts district assessment, which we'll be taking next week. We'll also practice writing descriptive essays, which will also be a part of the assessment in coming weeks. 

...continue with Long-Division! It is essential that students have memorized the multiplication facts - please practice these at home! 

...have our first session in the new Computer Lab! Before break we had an orientation session, and now we are ready to start using the computers. Our regular time will be Thursdays from 1:00-2:00. If any parents are interested in volunteering their time to help out in the computer lab during that time, let me know. On the Rio home page in the Classroom Blog section there is a link to Diane Sampson's page, where you can learn more about the Computer Lab.