E-News

I was out at the end of last week getting my son to college, so I promise to get our picture changed as soon as everyone is here and we can get a whole class picture. Just a little bit about what is going on in class: Besides LOTS of beginning of the year assessments...  Reading-We are reviewing strategies that good readers use like making mental images, re-reading and making connections. Continue to make sure your child is "sticking with a book" and reading on his/her just right level. Writing-We have been working on collecting ideas for writing in our binders, online and adding detail to our writing pieces. Sticking to a topic will be a BIG focus this year. We collected memories through our bag reports. We will explore different ways to write about these memories. We took pictures of our memories so encourage the kids to continue to take pictures of memories with their laptops to use as ideas for writing. I have noticed that many of the kids are not using capitals and ending punctuation, this is something that should be mastered by 4th grade, I'm sure many of them are just getting back into the swing, but please remind your child that capitals and ending punctuation MUST be used in 4th grade.   Math-We have just begun a short data collection unit as we review computation and our multiplication facts. Content-We started out just by getting to know each other and are now moving into our study of energy and electricity !  Homework - Please initial the calendar each night to show that you have seen and checked homework. You can see your child's homework on our homework blog, or just ask your child to show you our class homework calendar on their laptop. Also, here is a link to their same calendar >>>*Check our calendar for other important dates.

E-News

ust a little bit about what is going on in class: Besides LOTS of beginning of the year assessments...  Reading-We are reviewing strategies that good readers use like making mental images, re-reading and making connections. Continue to make sure your child is "sticking with a book" and reading on his/her just right level. Writing-We have been working on collecting ideas for writing in our binders, online and adding detail to our writing pieces. Sticking to a topic will be a BIG focus this year. We collected memories through our bag reports. We will explore different ways to write about these memories. We took pictures of our memories so encourage the kids to continue to take pictures of memories with their laptops to use as ideas for writing. I have noticed that many of the kids are not using capitals and ending punctuation, this is something that should be mastered by 4th grade, I'm sure many of them are just getting back into the swing, but please remind your child that capitals and ending punctuation MUST be used in 4th grade.   Math-We have just begun a short data collection unit as we review computation and our multiplication facts. Content-We started out just by getting to know each other and are now moving into our study of energy and electricity !  Homework - Please initial the calendar each night to show that you have seen and checked homework. You can see your child's homework on our homework blog, or just ask your child to show you our class homework calendar on their laptop. Also, here is a link to their same calendar >>>*Check our calendar for other important dates.

Parent Night

Thanks to those who were able to make it! If you were not able to, here is the handout we went over so please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks again to Mrs. Fair, for volunteering to be our room mom this year! I know everyone will be a great support to her.

So that I can continue to learn about your children, please fill out this questionnaire that I mentioned last night. I'm getting to know their side of things, but I would really appreciate your input as well.

As I knew I would, I forgot things I wanted to say to you at Parent Night and will email as they come up. One thing is that some of the 4th grade teachers are trying out flexible seating. If anyone would like to donate a stability disc (please inflate before sending in) to our class, send it in and we will try them out! :) Once we see how it's going in other classes, we may add more. 

The kids are doing a great job getting into the swing of things quickly! We have a really sweet, caring group. You guys have done good!!

 *Check our calendar for other important dates and homework. Sites we talked about You may want to go ahead and make a folder for sites for our class. Here are a few we talked about:

E-News (I will add our class picture on this site soon!)
Our Class Web Site
Our Homework Blog
Spelling City

Testing is over, yay!

Now that testing is over, we will still be learning LOTS, and we have some really fun projects we are working on. All of these are on google classroom, so ask your child to show you what they are working on!  Reading-In reading we have been doing literature circles in small groups, we have decided to do a whole class literature circle with Because of Winn Dixie. Every few days, your child has a different job to do in the lit circle, we are also continuing to use our Story Works magazine that we love!  Writing-For writing, we are re-visiting our famous wax museum character and and writing a character trait essay about our person.   Math-I think this is what we are the most excited about. We have started a Life Project. The kids have to pick their job (I let them choose, because in high school they have one assigned to them), figure out what it pays per month and per year, pick an apartment, a car, budget for food, utilities, vacations, etc., write checks, mail them and make sure they have money left over for a rainy day!  Content-Before testing and the wax museum, we studied force and motion, as a review, the kids are creating a google slide of Newton his laws, gravity and more!! We are also continuing our Social Studies Weekly magazines.

*Check our calendar for other important dates.

FIELD TRIP TIPS

·  If you not sign up to get the emergency/important info for our trip then send the text @ssc4t to 81010

We will be outside part of the day.  Please dress appropriately for the weather.

·   Our tour includes walking. Be sure that your child wears comfortable shoes and SSC T-Shirts.

·   Remember to pack a lunch or make sure your child has ordered one from the lunch room.

·   Please pack lunch in something that can be thrown away.

·   We will leave the school around 6:45 a.m.  We should return by 5:00.

• If your child brings a cell phone or other electronic device, it is just to be used as a camera.
• Not sure if we will visit the souvenir store, will let the kids know as soon as the team decides. If we do, $20 is more than enough.

·   Chaperones are Tania Daniel, Lauren Batsen (from Ms. Hurdlow’s class), Tonia Ballentine and Angel Harris.

·   We will be participating in the following tours: Old Alabama Town, Narratives at historic sites, Archives and History, Civil Rights Memorial Center and the State Capitol

A Few Things

Thanks so much for all of the goodies I got last week for teacher appreciation!! Yum! I felt really appreciated!

Just a reminder that our wax museum for parents is tomorrow from 10-11.

Also, we will be doing lots of practice for the Aspire this week. Math homework will look a little different, I ran off a pack with 4th grade review for the year that we will be doing in class and for homework this week. I will let them know each night what page(s) they will do and it will all be due on Friday.

We are also working on a practice Aspire web site in class. They know how to get to the practice sight and below is what is expected for a high score for each question. You are welcome to go over any of this with your child if you think it is necessary but it is definitely not required. Just ask them to log on to the ACT Aspire practice web site and go to whatever subject that you want them to practice.

Math Answers http://actaspire.pearson.com/_documents/exemplars/4262_Aspire%20Exemplar%20Math%20Gr%204_Web.pdf 

Reading Answers (4th grade answers are not on the web site, these are 3rd, but should give you an idea) http://actaspire.pearson.com/_documents/exemplars/4327_Aspire%20Exemplar%20Reading%20Gr%203_Web.pdf 

Science Answers http://actaspire.pearson.com/_documents/exemplars/4264%20Aspire%20Exemplar%20Science%20Gr%204_Web.pdf 

English http://actaspire.pearson.com/_documents/exemplars/3741_Aspire%20Exemplar%20Gr%204%20English_Web.pdf

 *Check our calendar for other important dates. 

Reminders

I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful Spring Break!

Just a few reminders as we get back into the swing:

• Please send in 2- 12 packs of sharpened pencils, we are completely out!

• Scrapbooks are due tomorrow

• Field trip permission forms and money due Wednesday

• Speeches memorized by this Thursday!

• Wax Museum for parents is next Tuesday, April 12th from 10-11.

*Check our calendar for other important dates.

SSC Testing Schedule 2016