* Thanks to all of YOUR efforts with the Boosterthon, our Science Lab has been up and running for 3 months, and the kids are loving it! Each classroom also received 10% of their profits back to spend on educational supplies. I have had a great time with the SchoolBox and Lakeshore catalogs, and have finally spent it all. We got numerous new board games that reinforce math, grammar, and reading skills. We look forward to playing them all - so THANK YOU!
* Spring Fling is coming! We now have a box in our classroom to collect used books, cd's, and movies to be sold "as is" at the event to raise funds for PTA. Please look around your house and see if you have anything to donate. Send it in with your child before April 16th to be collected and sorted.
* Buckle Down Math and Reading Post-tests have been given. We are using the results to focus on reviewing topics that might appear on the actual CRCT. If you plan on practicing at home (outside of the online CRCT tests), please let me know if you'd like to know of any areas to target with your child.
* Nacho, our class hamster, is looking for a "host family" for Spring Break week. If your family is not going out of town and would like to have him visit you, please email me! If more than one family volunteers we will hold a drawing. He has his own supplies, plus he enjoys leftover fruits and veggies! He is also in need of a new exercise ball if anyone has one lying around their house. We'd like to start getting him out more often because he is running on that wheel all day during instruction. :)
Classroom Announcements
Extra Stick Opportunities
1. Go to the Constitution Center's website and print out the crossword puzzle. Fill it in by identifying the states who ratified the Constitution. Bring in for an extra stick!
2. Go to Math Playground and practice your algebra puzzles! Then, create a 3 x 4 grid of your own making up symbols, assigning them a value, and creating totals for each row and column. Test it out to make sure it works, then bring it in for the class to solve! (Worth 1 stick)
3. What amendment would you add to the Constitution? One for kids' rights? Write a paragraph about what you think needs to be added to the Bill of Rights.
4. Write a skit showcasing a disagreement between 2 delegates at the Constitutional Convention. What did they argue about? Make each person's position clear, and be sure to include factual information. Peform it for the class with the help of a friend! (2 sticks)
What We Are Studying
*READING*
Informational reading skills: cause/effect, fact/opinion, main idea, "Buckle Down" CRCT workbook
*WRITING*
Organizational skills for informational writing, writing to a prompt, engaging beginnings, takeaway endings, topic sentences/details. Writing Assessment is Tuesday, March 31st! Be sure to get to bed early on Monday night!
*SPELLING*
Sitton Spelling Units 21-22, Test Wednesday, April 1st
*SCIENCE*
Objects in space and how they move
*MATH*
CRCT review/practice, problem solving, multiplying decimals, division fact fluency
Road to Revolution Game
As a wrap-up to our unit on the American Revolution, test your knowledge on the Road to Liberty game!
Class Update 3/16
Welcome to the last 9 weeks! How this year has flown by! Can you believe your students are about to be 5th graders? We are busily preparing them for the responsibilities of next year and looking ahead to building organizational skills for middle school as well. Here are a few announcements:
* Congratulations to our 7 Super AR readers! The following students met their goal for the 3rd 9 weeks with at least 85% accuracy: Kenny Dreisbach, Sydney Lundeberg, Grace Povich, Bethany Collins, John Nardulli, Kristen Donohue, and Tarin Sule! These students will enjoy a pizza luncheon on Tuesday to celebrate their success. A special thanks goes out to Mrs. Nardulli and Mrs. Povich for coordinating this event for us.
* Unless there are special circumstances, goals will remain fairly consistent for the 4th 9 weeks. Students MUST get started early! They will only have 8 weeks this time to meet their goals in order to leave time for the final AR celebration during the final week of school. In addition, the media center will close 2 weeks before the end of school, so students will not be able to do any "last minute" reading unless they have AR books from home or the public library. Watch out for upcoming special reading events to encourage all readers. Remember the 25 Books campaign is ongoing, and IS a Georgia State Standard. We have scaled back our morning work to allow more time for checkout and reading before school starts each morning. In addition, our class will visit the media center this Friday for a lesson and check out. Please help your child remember to have an AR book at school to read EVERY DAY!
* As a 4th Grade Grade Team we have decided to discontinue Math Compacting for the last 9 weeks and return to our homeroom classes. This will allow us to review the math standards from throughout the year and utilize our "Buckle Down" books to practice for the upcoming CRCT. We will take the post-test next week to try and identify areas of weakness. We will notify you of areas you can work on at home.
* We are prepping daily for the CRCT with emphasis on math problem solving and reading comprehension strategies. Remember that online test practice is part of our homework from the website www.georgiaoas.org. This week's assigned tests are Reading 1, Language Arts 1. Please make a note in your child's agenda when they have completed these tests. Both are due Friday.
* Our 4th Grade Writing Assessment has been postponed until the end of the month to give us a little more time to practice. Keep encouraging your child to write as much as possible at home: letters, journals, emails to relatives - writing for purpose! Writing is everywhere!!
* Spring Fling is coming April 18th! Watch your Friday Folder for more information.
Questions of the Week 3/16
1. Write 4 math word problems that have a Revolutionary War theme. Vary your operations, and try to make them 2-step! (1 stick)
3. Take home one of your writings from your writing binder, finish it, and type it on your home computer. Return the published copy with an illustration to share your final copy. (2 sticks)
4. Visit the following website to take a quiz and "show what you know" about the early fight for indepence at this website. Once you've answered all the questions, print the screen and bring it in! Correct any that you miss before printing. (1 stick)
5. What have you learned about the Second Continental Congress? Show off your new knowledge by going to this website, taking the quiz, and printing it. (just like previous activity) (Worth 1 stick)
6. Perform a puppet show, write a skit, or find another way to reenact an event that led up to the Revolutionary War. (3 sticks)
Many Thanks!
A VERY special thank you goes out to all of YOU who made my birthday so very special. My gift card tree was amazing! I was so touched and grateful to all of you for the love and appreciation you've given me. Your love and your children's love are what keep me going, and really do mean so much. I will truly enjoy spending all the gift cards (starting this weekend!) at Kohl's and Michael's, and taking a lunch break at Chili's! Starbucks, of course, is my morning pick-me-up, and keeps me energized, so it is a necessity. You all are the best parents in the world. I will be sending out personal thank-yous soon, but I just wanted you all to know right away how blessed I feel after yesterday. It made getting another year older so much easier!
Class Update for Week of 3/2
**Announcements...Announcements....Announcements!**
* Congratulations to our Odyssey of the Mind teams that competed in Dalton this weekend! Our Primary Team (coached by Mrs. Fritts and Mrs. Joaunet) performed in the "exhibition" category, and we all enjoyed their Candy Factory skit. Our Red Team (coached by Mrs. Waddell and Mrs. Rushin) placed 3rd overall in their division, but learned so much about Greek mythology during their research on Heracles and had a great time competing! We'll get 'em next year! Our Blue Team (coached by Mrs. Flores) placed FIRST in their category, and will go on to compete at the State Finals in Columbus, GA in April. We are especially proud of this team because it features our very own Sydney Lundeberg! Way to go, Sydney!!
* All 4th graders will take the Georgia State Writing Assessment Test this Wednesday, March 4th. We have been preparing for this all year, but in the past week have focused on different prompts and purposes, as well as timing and other tips/tricks. This test is considered a "practice" for next year's 5th grade Writing Assessment, but it will be scored. Results should be available by August, if not sooner.
* Students have until March 12th to reach their AR reading goal. Don't forget that besides achieving their point goal, they must have an overall accuracy rate of 85% or higher. In addition to the celebration to be held mid-month, students are able to "spend" their points on Friday mornings in the Million Dollar Store. Please encourage your child to read nightly for at least 30 minutes. Remember: the 25 Books Campaign is = to approx. 1,000,000 words = A Georgia State Standard!
* We will be collecting funds to attend the Kennesaw Mountain High School production of "Charlotte's Web" this week. The trip is to take place on March 25th. Sorry for the delay, due to budget constraints we were making sure that the trip could still take place before we sent home permission slips.
* Please support our Scholastic Book Fair and Food Drives this week! Both raise funds for worthy causes! However, we understand if you are not able to participate in either event. Many families are experiencing difficult times, and if there is anything we can do to assist you or your family, please contact our wonderful counselor - Mrs. Linda Charrette.
* With the weather in its current up and down pattern, going outside for recess is a day by day decision. Whenever possible, we go out to the playground. However, if the temperature dips below 40 degrees, it is Cobb County policy to keep the children inside. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather, because when the temperature is close to 40 degrees, we will not allow a child without a coat to join us for outdoor recess Thank you!
* A special Thank You to Mrs. Nardulli for our latest Fine Arts Lesson on Salvador Dali. The kids enjoyed his surreal paintings!
