Monday

Math:
We took a pre-test for our new unit on multiples and factors.  We also played a game on different computation methods.

Reading:
We read about JFK's assassination.  Students read an article and worked on cause and effect as well as used the iPads and Freedom Flix to read more about it.

Writing:
Students used signal words and trial-and-error research for their procedural texts.

SS:
Students presented their culminating project on a choice region from the US.


Looking Ahead-
Tomorrow students will present their RtI projects and we will get to watch Mr. Popper's Penguins.  We will also have a quick KPrep Awards Ceremony for 4th and 5th grade students who scored Proficient and Distinguished on the KPrep last Spring.

Thursday

HW:
*Work on Math Study Guide (re-work problems) and practice multiplication problems and division problems (make up with numbers/use cards/use dice, etc.) for TEST TOMORROW
*Literacy Letter Journal
(parents, please read notes I make to then help your child get better at writing their letters!)

FYI:
We WILL be watching Mr. Popper's Penguins on Tuesday! Yay! Don't worry, we WILL be doing lots of work still on Tuesday! (I'm not that fun to have a 'free for all' day. HAHA)  Does anyone own the movie? I have found it on rent off Amazon.com just in case!

I have not received my PTA Homeroom Parent.  Would anyone like to volunteer? If not, would a group of parents like to 'be in charge' for our holiday parties?  Or, I can organize things if I could get some help with sending notes to parents, etc.  Please let me know if you'd like to help! THANK YOU!

Miss McKinney had a Solo Teaching day to get more prepared for her upcoming solo week. Please ask your child what behavior color they landed on (it should be written in planner, too!).

Wednesday

FYI:
No Wed. Folders Today - they will come home tomorrow!

HW:
Math - explain problem #1 to parent, have parent sign
**If parent does not have time to do this, please write a note and the child can explain to me in the AM

Reading - read 20 minutes, tell parents about the Sit-Ins and Ruby Bridges


**New Reading Learning Outcome for rest of week:
I can explain events and ideas in a historical text drawing on specific details.

Tuesday

HW
Science Study Guide - complete and have a parent sign AFTER they have gone over it with you
Read 20 minutes

Science Fair Experimental Design due TOMORROW

Mr. Popper's Penguins Permission Slip - please have back by tomorrow


Have a good night,

Monday

FYI:
There is a Permission Slip for a movie in the Red Folder...please sign either way by Wednesday!
Cashbook Fundraiser is coming home today - there is a slip that explains it.
Experimental Design for Science Fair is due Wednesday

Upcoming Tests:
Reading - Tues.
Math - Fri.
Science - Wed.

Learning Outcome:
Math: I can solve multi-step problems using a strategy with multiplication and division.
Literacy: I can determine plot, theme, character, setting, and summarize fiction texts. (We will begin a new unit with comprehension on Wednesday)
I can explain what a procedural text is.
Science: I can determine fast and slow changes.
SS: I can compare resources with the US Regions.

HW for Tonight:
 *SOME kids have a math slip with multiplication problems - it is written in their planner
Reading Study Guide packet - if you go over the answers with your child, please sign so they can receive extra credit.
Science Packet on Weathering & Erosion

Marathon Day 1 & 2

hi! I will not be blogging today or tomorrow.  I'm sorry for any inconvenience it will cause.

We have our next 2 days of Kagan Training from 3-6:30.  So, I will not be around my computer after school to answer emails, either. If we get breaks I will check my work email on my phone.  I know many of you email after the kids have gotten home so I apologize I won't be able to get back with you until about 7. 

I do get here at 6am each morning, so if I haven't emailed you back the night before, I will do so in the morning.

Thanks for understanding! :)

Tuesday

*I apologize for not writing the blog yesterday. I was out with my daughter!

So, today I will have a full Monday note!

FYI:
Science Fair Project Proposal is due WEDNESDAY
Needed items for Tuesday: oreos, colored marshmellows, toothpicks, m&m's, napkins   Please let me know if you're able to send any in!

FYI:
Upcoming Tests - NEXT WEEK
Tuesday - Reading
Wednesday - Science
Friday - SS assessment project

Learning Outcomes for the Week:
Math: I can solve multi-step word problems using trial and error, draw a picture, or make an organized list
Literacy:  I can distinguish between key details and irrelevant details.  I can summarize fiction texts.  I can read with good rate. I can write a complete sentence using subject and predicate.  I can use quotation marks in my writing.  I can use frequently confused words in my writing (too, to, two, there, their, they're, your, you're)
Science: I can explain fast changes to the earth's surface.
SS: I can compare resources from different regions of the US.

Wednesday

FYI:
*Wednesday Folders
*Wednesday Newsletters from kids in Red Folder
*we need packets of hot chocolate, please! We are having a classroom crawl to publish our pieces...similar to a coffee pub :)

HW:
Math Journal - kids have 1 of 2 things to complete -
1. explain MJ prompt to adult and how to answer the word problem
or
2. complete the MJ prompt

Read 20 minutes

Check out our You Tube site today for Erosion and Weathering chants! :)

Tuesday

*Whoops I forgot to write yesterday!!

FYI:
SCIENCE FAIR CONTRACT DUE WEDNESDAY (TOMORROW)
Friday - we are publishing on Friday with a fun activity! If you can send in some hot chocolate packets for our kids that would be great!!

Learning Objectives:
Math: I can solve multi-step problems using a strategy - make an organized list.
Literacy: I can determine between key details and irrelevant details. I can summarize a fiction text.
Science: I can explain why erosion is a slow change.
SS: I can explain the climate difference between US regions.

HW tonight:
2 problems on division in math ( in planner)
read 20 minutes
science fair contract -- just writing down what you've decided on

Book Character Day Pictures!

The kids did such a great job with Mix-Pair-Share and their book summaries!! :) Here are a few pics from our Book Character Summary activity!! :)

*the rest of the day was the same - this just took place of Fluency time and part of Writing! :)

**Trick Or Treating has been moved to tomorrow!!! (FYI)

Mix Pair Share -

Thursday

TOMORROW - kids can dress up like their Book Character for Book Character Day

HW:
Math - some kids have HW on an index card if they didn't pass the exit slip in math today
Reading - finish book character summary page  *NO Lit. Letter

Tuesday

Quick Post! :)

We are SO proud of Morgan and Isabella for winning the PTA Reflections contest! They had a wonderful reception in honor of their work today!


HW:
Read 20 minutes
Complete Claudine's Tack Attack passage and questions
Be working on the book summary for the Thursday Character Day
Math - 2 division problems located in the planner in the math box


See you at the Fall Festival tonight in the Library!!! :) :)

Monday

FYI:
*Red Ribbon Week:
Tomorrow is HAT DAY!

*Character Day is THURSDAY. Students will be doing this in leui of their Literacy Letter for this week.  It will be due on Thursday so they won't have Thursday night HW. :)  Students have a sheet to fill out about a book they really liked.  They will write a summary on this book and are able to dress like a main character on Thursday for school.  Nothing scary, please. :)

*We need flashlights to help make our fluency time more engaging! We will return them on Friday, please!

*Today we talked a lot about the level of expectation I need to see from ALL students! So, this week on their behavior charts (located in yellow portion of daily planner) they are writing down which level they were on due to their Intentional Learner Level.  Ask your child about it!

Learning Outcomes for the Week:
Math: I can solve multiplication and division word problems by using a strategy (draw a picture).
Literacy: I can determine the theme in a fiction text.  I can read with good fluency on grade level.  I can draft  a book review.
Science: I can determine fast and slow changes. I can explain weathering.
SS: I can describe landforms of the US regions.

Sight Words:
plane, system, behind, ran, round
sub-, under-

Questions to Ask Your Kids this week:
What is Math Workshop and how are you 'piloting' this for the school?
How was Jot-Thoughts used?
What are Kagan Buckets?

Thursday

FYI:

Thanks to everyone who has donated to our God's Pantry collection! Tomorrow is the LAST DAY so if you have any extra cans at home please send them in with your child!



HW:

Reading:
*read 20 minutes
*finish "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" AND write 5 events and 1 corresponding detail for each event on the pig worksheet
*Literacy Letter

Math: none

FYI: Please continue to bring in cans for God's Pantry! Thank you to those who have contributed! :)

HW:
Reading: read 20 minutes
Math: index card problems - have students explain the steps to you!

Have a great night!

Miss McKinney

Parent Volunteer??!!!

Hi! I am in need of a parent volunteer every Friday to help lead a math group. The time will most always be 8-8:40.  I will always have something for you planned - most of the time it will be a multiplication facts activity.  If a few parents would like to share the job, that would be fine, too! We could make a schedule so you wouldn't have to come every Friday.

Please let me know by emailing me! :)

Thank you!

Tuesday

HW:
Math: index card math problem
reading: 20 minutes

Science Fair Due Dates!

Science Fair Due Dates! They are also in the front of the Science Fair Project Packet

Nov. 6 - Contract
Nov. 13 - Project Proposal
Nov. 20 - Experimental Design
Dec. 11 - Data, Results, and Conclusion
Dec. 16 - Student Questionnaire
Jan. 10 - Completed Science Fair Project

FYI:

We are collecting canned food for God's Pantry this week! The box for our class is right next to our door! Our class goal is 80! If our class meets the goal we will have a reward! :)

Sight Words/Suffix Words:
1. less
2. machine
3. base
4. ago
5. stood
suffixes: "-ness" and "-ment"

Learning Outcomes for the Week:
Math: I can divide one digit (divisor) by two digits (dividend).
Reading: I can describe events in a story using specific details from the text.
Science: I can classify Eearth materials based on their properties.
Social Studies: I can identify the regions of the United States and their resources.


HW for TONIGHT:

Math: index card problem (note: We started long division today and it was tricky! Please feel free to help your child with their problem.)
Reading: 20 minutes



A little note from Miss McKinney:

Today began my first day of my solo week! While I will be teaching your children all week, I am sure I will be learning a lot from them as well!

Field Trip Day!/Thursday

We had a great all day field trip despite the rain! Kind of made it fun! :)

*We did work on a Kagan strategy this morning - Rally Coach! Ask your child about it!

Tomorrow: I will be out of the building with the other 4th grade teachers attending a PD. 

Next Week: My student teacher, Miss McKinney will have her first solo week.  This means she will teach all lessons this week.  Miss McKinney and I have worked very hard to foster good engaging lessons that are on our current core content standards.  I will of course be in the room the entire time and be pulling some small groups during this time, too.

Tonight: Chik-Fil-A night is tonight! I WANT TO WIN! :) :) :)

HW:
Literacy Letters due TOMORROW