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.