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Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Week of January 21st Update


Good afternoon parents,
I hope you all have had a wonderful week. This is a longer email, but please read it as it has very important information regarding our upcoming project.

Next week in…
Reading: We will be reviewing various reading concepts that have been discussed throughout the year.
Word Work: Students will receive their lesson 11 vocabulary words on Tuesday. We will also begin discussing relative adverbs. Students will be assessed on this the following week. 
Writing: During the 3rd 9 weeks, students will be learning about informational writing. This past week students were introduced to our new research project. Students will be working to complete a mobile museum. This project based learning activity will incorporate many subjects and will engage the students in the research and informational writing process. The students have already selected the animal they would like to research and become the expert on for our mobile museum. More information will be sent home.
Homework: Please make sure students are continuing to read each night for a minimum of 20 minutes. They should also be studying their vocabulary words and other grammar skill that is covered each week. As we approach the Milestones, students are encouraged to go on Education Galaxy to practice skills.

Due to the specific animals that students are researching, our school library does not have the books necessary for the research portion of our mobile museum project. Therefore, much of the research will have to be completed online. We are limited with our technology that is available in school, so I have told students that they may bring a device from home to use during this research process. Strict rules were given about the use of personal devices including that the devices should only be used for research. Browsing the internet for “fun” or games will not be tolerated. If students do not adhere to these rules, they will not be allowed to bring their devices back to school. A form was sent home with your child today, if they requested one, that must be completed before they may use the device in class. I am also attaching a copy of the form to this email. Students were also told that their devices are their responsibility and may only be used for research and not during recess or other times throughout the school day. I did tell them that bringing a device is not a requirement and it is up to you (the parents) to decide if you want to allow your child to have a device in school. We will certainly make arrangements for those students who do not have a device. On a similar note, if you have any old phones or tablets that you are no longer using and would like to donate to our classroom, we will graciously accept them. Old phones and tablets can be used to connect to the school’s Wi-Fi. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this project or technology use.

Reminders:
  • The school is selling shirts for Autism Awareness for $10. All proceeds will go towards buying supplies for the sensory room that our precious students with autism use on a daily basis. Information was sent home with your child this week.
  • There is no school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Have a nice, LONG weekend!

Friday, December 13, 2019

Week of December 16th Update


Good afternoon,
I hope you have all had a wonderful week!

Next week in…
Reading: We will be reviewing reading concepts that have been discussed this year, while also incorporating some fun holiday activities!
Word Work: We will review figurative language.
Writing: Students will complete their opinion writing and share with the class.
Homework: Please make sure students are reading for at least 2 hours each week. This reading should be spread out over at least 3 days. Students should continue working on their book reports for their 25 book challenge.

Reminders:
  • Next week is our holiday party. All parents are welcome. The party will start at 12:15 and will last about an hour. Please let me know if you can come and volunteer! We need parents to help run stations!
  • We will be having a book exchange at our holiday party next Wednesday. Please have your child bring in a wrapped new or VERY gently used book for our book exchange. Boys will exchange books with boys, and girls will exchange books with girls. The book should be appropriate for 4th grade.
  • Next Thursday and Friday are early release days. Students will be dismissed at 12:30.

Have a great weekend!

Friday, December 6, 2019

Week of December 9th Update


Good afternoon parents,
I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Next week in…
Reading: We will be discussing the text structure of non-fiction texts. We will read several examples of description, cause and effect, problem and solution, sequence, and compare and contrast texts. Students will be assessed on Friday.
Word Work: Our discussion on prepositions and prepositional phrases will continue. Students will be assessed on prepositional phrases on THURSDAY. The lesson 9 vocabulary quiz is on Friday. There is a copy of the words on my blog.
Writing: The students will continue to work on their opinion writing pieces.
Homework: Students should continue to read for 20 minutes each night. Remember, students should read for a total of 2 hours each week. However, the 2 hours MUST be spread out over at least 3 days. Students should not read for 2 hours in 1 day. They should also be studying for our grammar skill for the week (prepositions) as well as for our vocabulary quiz. Please continue to encourage your child to work on their book reports for the 25 book challenge.

Reminders:
  • Please join us for Breakfast with Santa this Saturday! I will be there and I hope to see you there too! 
  • Monday is the Penguin Patch. Please make sure all students have their money this day as there will be no other time to make purchases.
  • For our holiday party, I like to do a book exchange with students. Please purchase a 4th grade appropriate book for our book exchange. Boys will exchange books with boys, and girls will exchange books with girls. Please send in a wrapped book by Monday, December 16th.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Week of December 2nd Update


Good afternoon parents,
I cannot believe it is already Thanksgiving break!

After the break in…
Reading: We will be discussing myths and reading several examples of each. We will discuss how we see allusions in myths, such as Pandora’s Box and Achilles Heel.
Writing: Students will work on their final drafts of their opinion essays.
Word Work: Students will be given the lesson 9 vocabulary words. We will also be discussing prepositions and prepositional phrases.
Homework: Students should read each night for 20 minutes and be working on their 25 book challenge reports.

Reminders:
  • On Tuesday, December 3rd we go on our Safety Village field trip. Please make sure your child wears their class t-shirt, tennis shoes, and other weather appropriate clothes. We will be going outside!

If you find your child needs some educational time over the break, please encourage them to read, study math facts, or login to Education Galaxy.

I sincerely am so thankful for your little turkeys. I hope each of you have a fantastic and very restful week with friends and family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 8, 2019

Week of November 11th Update


Good afternoon parents,
I hope you all had a wonderful week!

Next week in…
Reading: We will be discussing firsthand and secondhand accounts. We will read several examples of each account.
Word Work: We will continue to discuss conjunctions. There will be an assessment on Friday, November 15th. Students will receive their lesson 8 vocabulary words. The quiz will be THURSDAY, November 21st. I will post these on my blog as well.
Writing: We will continue to work on opinion writing and using the OREO strategy to organize our essays.
Homework: Students should bring home their word work journal each night and study their vocabulary words as well as review our other word work concept each week. Please help remind students to bring their journals back to school each day as we do use them on a daily basis. Students should also read for at least 20 minutes each night. Please remind your students to work on their book reviews.

Reminders:
  • Please sign and return permission forms for the Fire Safety Village as soon as possible. If you would like to be a chaperone on our Fire Safety Field Trip on December 3rd, please let me know. We can only bring one, so if there are multiple parents who want to come, I will do a name drawing. Let me know by Monday, November 11th if you are interested in attending. 
  • As a reminder, students should return their graded work packet that is sent home in their Thursday folder each week. These packets should be signed and returned by Tuesday of the following week. The graded work should remain stapled to the slip of paper.
  • Please remind your students to wear their class t- shirt on Monday along with pants with a pocket for our Veteran’s day performance.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Friday, October 25, 2019

Week of October 28th Update


Hi parents!
I hope you all had a wonderful week! Thank you so much for the welcome back breakfast yesterday! Your kiddos have been so kind to me during this transition. I have been very appreciative of the hugs and sweet pictures they have been giving me. They have put a smile on my face when I have needed it most!

Next week in…
Reading: We will be discussing prose and reading several stories as examples to discuss these elements.
Writing: We will continue working on our opinion writing.
Word Work: The students will receive a new list of vocabulary words on Monday. The quiz will be on Friday, November 8th. We will also be discussing idioms, adages, and proverbs. There will be an assessment on Friday, November 1st.
Homework: Students should bring home their word work journal each night and study their vocabulary words as well as review our other word work concept each week. Please help remind students to bring their journals back to school each day as we do use them on a daily basis. Students should also read for at least 20 minutes each night. Please remind your students to work on their book reviews.

Reminders:
  • Next week is Red Ribbon Week. Students are allowed to dress up each day next week. Please see the attachment for a description of the dress up days.
  • Tonight is the Monster Mash! It is from 6:30-7:00. You may pay at the door if you did not get a chance to prepay.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I appreciate your patience as I make this transition.

Thanks and have a wonderful weekend!

Monday, October 21, 2019

Week of October 21st Update


Remember to have your child bring in a pumpkin.  We will transform our pumpkins this Friday! 
What are we learning?
Reading: Students will be learning the major differences between poetry, drama, and prose.

Word Work: Students received their new vocabulary words last Monday. These ten words were glued into their word work journal. Students should bring their journal home every night to study their words. We will have a vocabulary test on Friday, October 25th.  We will also be studying similes and metaphors.

Writing: We will begin our unit on opinion writing. 

What about homework? All homework assignments should be written in the agenda daily. Each night students should read 20 minutes and study their vocabulary words.