January 12-16, 2015

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a marvelous winter break!

Dates to Remember:

• January 19 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day, No School
• January 28 - Science Fair
• February 13 - Presidents'  weekend, no school
• February 16 - Presidents' Day, no school
• February 25 - Early release Day, 1:00
• March 23 - 27 - Spring Break

We welcomed Miss Ladd to our classroom this past week.  She will be working with us each day from now until the end of the school year!  We feel very lucky to include her as part of our team!

---

Math - 

• Please continue working on IXL.com! Please sign in and complete fourth grade long division. Also, almost daily homework practice sheets are assigned to students and due the next day. This additional practice directly supports our work in class.

Reading - 

• Remember, students will need to continue to complete their weekly at home reading and record and turn in their reading minutes each Friday. The requirement has been raised to 150 minutes of reading to meet fourth grade standards!

Science - 

• Please watch the following YouTube videos about the rotations of the planets in the solar system.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT49AiYFV98
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_RAEESmsrs

December 15th - 19th, 2014

No take home note or reaction sheet next week!  The only homework over winter break required from student's is the reading log.  Enjoy your holiday break!

Dates to Remember!

• Thursday, December 18th - Geo Bee, Van Arsdale library, 2:00 PM
• December 22nd to January 6th - Winter Break
• Wednesday, January 7th - Students return

Friday, December 19th we will be holding a Writer's Cafe in our classroom.  Students will continue to work on their Fiction stories and completing first drafts.  We would love to make this special for the students and have "cafe" sort of foods for all to enjoy while working.  If you wouldn't mind, we would love to have you click on the sign up genius link and sign up for a food item. This link will be sent via email.  Thank you!

1.  Writing:  we have a tight schedule next week and students will be required to finish pieces of in class writing.  If for some reason this writing is not completed in class, they will have additional at home homework that must be completed and turned in the next day. 

December 8-12, 2014

• Students continue to impress me with their writing and taking the time to brainstorm, plan, edit and revise both their in class writing! Thank you for having conversations with your son/daughter regarding the writing they have completed in the classroom and at home. I was pleased to see so many students are using strong descriptive words, had a clear beginning, middle, and end to their writing, and took the time to edit and revise.

• Please continue using IXL.COM, in addition to regular assigned homework. We are asking students to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes this week working on IXL.COM, E4, and E5.

• If you were unable to come to Grandparent's Day, the video is available here to share with your family! (http://tinyurl.com/niselygrandparentsday2014)

Dates to Remember!

• Thursday, December 18th - Geo Bee, Van Arsdale library, 2:00 PM
• December 22nd to January 6th - Winter Break
• Wednesday, January 7th - Students return

---

• Please continue using IXL.COM, in addition to regular assigned homework. We are asking students to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes this week working on IXL.COM.

November 10th - 14th, 2014

No blog next week, or during the Thanksgiving Break!  This will be the last blog until December 8th - 12th.

Wednesday, November 13th - Family Math Night

Friday, November 14th - Report Cards go home

Friday, November 21st - Grandparents day, 12:00-3:00

November 24th - 28th - Thanksgiving Break

Writing:  Thank you for having conversations with your son/daughter regarding the writing they have completed in the classroom and at home.  I have included these graded writing pieces in last weeks Friday folders. I was pleased to see so many students are using strong descriptive words, had a clear beginning, middle, and end to their writing, and took the time to edit and revise.  These are all strategies we are working on in class.

Report cards will be sent home on Friday, November 14^th. Please sign and return the outside envelope.

• Grandparents Day:  Friday, November 21st.  Students will be working on a special computer presentation  in our classroom and plan to share these with their guests on Grandparent’s day. Students are encouraged to dress up on this day in order to represent our school and show respect to our guests.

• 1. Turkey writing:

  This Turkey Needs Dressing!  On Friday students received a turkey copied on card stock.  Cut out the Turkey, use scraps of cloth, paper, foil, glitter, and your imagination for a spiffy he or she.  Be sure to name him or her and then write a story about your terrific turkey. Your dressed turkey, and turkey story are due Wednesday, November 19th. Remember to use a circle and flee map to focus your thinking before you write.  These maps will be due with your turkey.
• 2.  IXL.COM  in addition to regular assigned homework, we are asking students to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes this week working on IXL.COM, 

      E4, and E5.

November 3-7, 2014

Thank you to all the parent helpers and contributors to our fall party. We had a wonderful afternoon of games, crafts, parade, and food! Thank you for spoiling us! <3

Dates to Remember:

• Wednesday, November 5th - Hearing & Vision Screening
• Wednesday, November 13th - Family Math Night
• Friday, November 14th - Report Cards go home
• Friday, November 21st - Grandparents day, 12:00-3:00
• November 24th - 28th - Thanksgiving Break

---

Math: 

• Students have been doing a wonderful job practicing math problems on IXL. Students should know their individual log ins.   Feel free to continue exploring the site. Focus on the FOURTH GRADE D1, D2, D3.

• Students will continue to bring home math pages to complete from their math homework book. These pages need to be completed and turned in the next day. Keeping up with this important work supports the learning we are doing in class.

• Literacy -  We have been learning about how figurative language helps create a visual image for readers. Please read the poem below and then complete the activity that goes along with it.  You can choose to either type or write your answers. You must have AT LEAST one personification phrase for each season. You can do more of course!

•