January 30

I do apologize for being a week behind on getting this newsletter out.  Thank you for understanding. 

Let me update you on the happenings up the classroom.

Language Arts:  We are finishing up our studies of adjectives this week.  The kids will take a short test on Friday.  There is not a study guide for this test.  Students also learned adjectives in 3rd grade.  The quiz will require student to underline adjectives in a sentence, choose correct adjectives to complete sentences, choose the correct article (an, an, the) to complete sentences, write the comparative form of adjectives (er, est) and use more and most to compare adjectives. We have been doing activities last week and will continue this week on the listed topics.

Math: We are finishing up our unit on fractions.  The students will complete a study guide in class tomorrow and they will test on Thursday of THIS week.  The test will include applying all of the fraction skills we have learned about, which would include reading word problems with fractions and solving them.  Fraction skills include:  finding equivalent fractions with and without using pictures, writing mixed numbers and improper fractions using pictures, converting mixed numbers to improper fractions (no pictures), converting  improper fractions to mixed numbers (no pictures),  reducing fractions to simplest form after adding and subtracting fractions, comparing fractions using greatest to least or least to greatest, and mixed review questions from any topic we have learned about in the past. 

We will be moving on to the topic of decimals next week.  This will include skills such as adding and subtracting decimals, converting decimals to fractions using hundredths and thousandths, dividing and mulitplying decimals, and more.

Social Studies:    We have finished our studies on the American Revolution, and now we are on to chapter 10, which discusses the formation of the Constitution and our government.  I do not know the test date yet.  It will be at least a week and a half away.

Reading:  We are studying figurative language.  We started this last week working on similes and metaphors.  This week we are focusing on imagery, personification, and alliteration. 

CRCT online log in:  I know that this has not yet been sent home.  The newsletter mentioned it was available to go home last week.  I was out on that Friday and they did not go home in that Friday's folder.  I needed to get the log in information copied down, and now they will be going home.  Your child will have the information starting today.

Conference information will be headed your way soon, so please be on the look out.  Remember, we do the best we can to schedule times with sibling teachers, but it is not always guaranteed.  Unfortunately, conferences have to be kept short in order to get all students in during this two day period.  If you feel the need for more time, we will need to set up a conference for a different day.   Thank you for understanding.

I believe I covered everything, but if not, I will be back to add more if something comes to mind. :-)



January 16

I hope you enjoyed the long weekend.  Having an extra day to sleep in is always nice.

I am a tad late getting this out, but hopefully it will find you by Monday morning.

As you probably saw, report cards went home Friday.  Thank you for returning those in the weekly folder on Monday.

We will not test in SS on The Revolution until next Monday.  We will be finishing up in class this week, and the kids will hopefully bring home their study on on Wed. of this week.  They are welcome to bring home their SS book (there is one online too), and read over chapter 9.  The test is straight from the material in chapter 9.  I would recommend looking over it for about 15 minutes each night.  It is a lot of material, so small amounts of review at a time will be helpful.

We have started out unit on Fractions.  The division tests have been posted on the parent portal, but I can not send them home yet due to test make ups.  They will be sent home when all students in the 4th grade have tested.  I am going to try and break the fractions test into two parts, so the first part will probably be early next week, probably on Tuesday.  This is an indepth unit, as students will be comparing fractions with unlike denominators, reducing fractions, converting from mixed number to improper fractions, and lots more.

In writing we have been working on persuasive writing, which has carried over to our reading lessons on author's purpose.  We will be working on adjectives this week.

Don't forget to check the school's website for important school related events.

Have a great week!

New Year

Happy New Year

I hope you had a splendid holiday break.  I sure enjoyed mine!

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful gifts given to me for Christmas.  I really appreciate them.  I sent home thank you cards with kids on Monday, so if you didn't get one, please ask your child.  I asked them to please share them you parents.

I would like to welcome our new student Sean.

In math we will test on long division with two digit divisors on Tuesday of next week.  We will review on Monday and a study packet with go home Monday night.  I would encourage you to work with your child this weekend.  There are some review sheets you can find from the free website  www.superteacherworksheets.com

In social studies, we are continuing our studies of The American Revolution.  We tested on the events leading up to The American Revolution, and now we are studying the events of the war.  We will most likely test a week from next Monday. 

Report cards will be issued next Friday.

I have a new behavior incentive for the new year.  Students work to earn credit towards movie Friday, which will be the last Friday of the month.  If a child has their choice card marked more than 2 times in a given week, they lost out on the movie. Warnings are over as far as behavior goes.  Example:  Students know they are not to talk in the hall, therefore their card will automatically marked.

We did not have an action for December because we did not have enough donations.  If you can, please send in any trinkets, candy, small toys, etc. that you think kids might like to bid on.  They enjoy this, but it simply can't happen without items. We basically have to stock up after each auction.  Thanks so much.

Please excuse any typos.  Thanks!