Friday, October 28, 2011

October 31st - November 4th, 2011

  • Halloween Fall Festival, Monday, October 31st - parties 2:15-3:40. Students may bring a costume to school on the morning of the 31st and will be given 15 minutes to change before the school-wide parade begins. Please no masks. This is a school rule.
  • Hearing and vision: November 16th.
  • Grandparents Day, November 18th, 10:55 to 11:55.
  • Math Club: Thursday mornings from 8:00-8:45 a.m. These times will be used for students that need additional help and support in math.
  • Please remember that the Banana Costume and writing are both due Monday, October 31st.



  • The Fourth Grade Rats Cube was sent home on 10/28 in your Friday Folder. This needs to be completed and turned in by Friday, November 4.

  • Please play the following math game to help increase your knowledge of money combinations. Click on the picture to be taken to the game:


  • Become more familiar with different types of poetry while playing the following game. Please turn in (and label) at least one of each poem that you create while playing the game: 1 haiku, 1 limerick, 1 cinquain, 1 free verse. Click on the picture below to begin creating your own poetry:

Friday, October 21, 2011

October 24-28th, 2011


  • Halloween Fall Festival, Monday, October 31st - parties 2:15-3:40. Students may bring a costume to school on the morning of the 31st and will be given 15 minutes to change before the school-wide parade begins.  Please no masks. This is a school rule.
  • Banana Costume and writing are due October 31st.
  • Hearing and vision: November 16th.
  • Grandparents Day, November 18th, 10:55 to 11:55.
  • Please note that the Van Arsdale PTSA (News & School Happenings) and school cafeteria lunch menu links have both been added under the “Classroom Resources” at the top left of this blog.
  • November 18th – Report Cards go home.
  • Math Club: Thursday mornings from 8:00-8:45 a.m.. The first club will start this Thursday, October 27th.  These times will be used for students that need additional help and support in math.



1.  Have fun practicing your division strategies in Division Bingo! Click on the picture below to go directly to the game:



2.  Read the following story, answer the multiple choice questions at the bottom, and respond in writing (just like we practiced in writing on Thursday and Friday) to the writing prompt.

Reading Response Writing Prompt:
"In the story, The Greedy Dog, what happens to brown dog after he walks across a little bridge? Give at least 3 details from the story to support your answer."




Friday, October 14, 2011

October 17th-21st, 2011



  • In place of the reading comprehension sheet this week, students will find a writing prompt.  I have also attached a rubric to help guide students on fourth grade writing expectations.  This writing piece and the rubric are due on Friday, October 21st.  Please take the time to read through your son/daughters writing and encourage quality final drafts. Many students need to be reminded to revise and edit; adding those rich descriptive words, and correct spelling and grammar errors.

  • Needed: Dry Erase Markers.  Due to the high use of student dry erase boards, we have run out of dry erase markers.  We use these boards every day in math, and reading. We would love it if you could help replenish our supply.
  • No reaction sheet this week due to conferences.
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences on October 12, 13 were a great success!
     Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend.

  • Early Release Day:  Wednesday, October 26, 1:10 dismissal.
  • Fall Festival Parties and Parade, October 31, 2:15 p.m. 
  • Italian Dinner:  Friday, October 21st, 5:30-8:30.  You can still purchase tickets from the front office.  Money earned from this event will help support 6th grade students and their trip to outdoor lab.
  • Math club will be starting soon!  Please check in coming news for information.





1.  Please read the following prompt and respond in a one page, paragraph form. Remember to construct interesting, and detailed sentences!

"If you were as small as a bug, would you rather be able to jump like a grasshopper, fly like a dragonfly, or climb like a spider?" Explain using rich examples.

2.  Main Idea Practice:






3. Have fun playing this division game this week! For a bonus, play the game more than once :) 





Friday, October 7, 2011

October 10th - 14th, 2011





  • Mid term reports were sent home in friday folder.  Parents, please sign and have your son/daughter return them on Monday.  I look forward to discussing these with you at conferences this next week.

  • Fall Party:  has been changed to Monday, October 31.  Mrs. Ranta has volunteered to be our classroom liaison!  She will be calling parents that indicated that they could help with our party.
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences are October 12, 13.   Confirmation Notes were sent home in the last Friday Folder. If there’s a conflict with your time, please call me as soon as possible.
  • Our “Reading Basket” for the spaghetti dinner is filling up with wonderful items.  Thank you to all who donated the awesome reading items! Some ideas for this basket are books, journals, book marks, magazines and lights. We will continue to collect these items to promote 6th grade and their efforts at outdoor lab.
  • Spaghetti Dinner/Silent Auction date is October 21st from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
  • Early Release Day, October 26th,   1:10 dismissal due to a teacher staff development day.
  • Thank you for helping your son/daughter study their multiplication facts! Many students are lacking knowledge of their multiplication facts!  Without this basic knowledge of facts, students may fall behind in math this year.  10 or 15 minutes a night of studying multiplication facts or first thing in the morning will promote this essential learning and pave the way for future math assignments.

  • I’m proud our fourth grade class!   They continue to amaze me with their fantastic writing!  Please be sure to ask them about their “Slice of Life” stories.  Once revision is complete, they will publish their writing. The first rough draft was due Friday, October 7th.






1.  Below  is a study sheet for Mrs. Russ' social studies class.  Student's are responsible for the following information:

Social Studies Review Sheet for the final Economics: Opportunity Cost and Choice unit

These are some of the concepts I might ask about on the quiz.

ü  Tell the difference between a good and a service.  Be able to give an example of each.
ü  Know the two types of goods, durable and non-durable and be able to give an example of each
ü  The concept of opportunity cost
ü  How do you know when you have made a good decision financial or otherwise, give three examples
ü  How do I know when I have made a bad decision, financial or otherwise, give three examples
ü  Know the difference between a resource and a good, be able to give an example
ü  Know the two types of resources, renewable and non-renewable and be able to give examples
ü  Know and be able to recall the definition of: economy, opportunity cost, risk, incentive, financial risk
ü  Be able to talk about the economy of resources, economy of time, and economy of behavior in reference to the basic definition of economy…making the most of what you have and not wasting your resources

Social Studies Review Sheet for the final Economics: Opportunity Cost and Choice unit

These are some of the concepts I might ask about on the quiz.

ü  Tell the difference between a good and a service.  Be able to give an example of each.
ü  Know the two types of goods, durable and non-durable and be able to give an example of each
ü  The concept of opportunity cost
ü  How do you know when you have made a good decision financial or otherwise, give three examples
ü  How do I know when I have made a bad decision, financial or otherwise, give three examples
ü  Know the difference between a resource and a good, be able to give an example
ü  Know the two types of resources, renewable and non-renewable and be able to give examples
ü  Know and be able to recall the definition of: economy, opportunity cost, risk, incentive, financial risk
ü  Be able to talk about the economy of resources, economy of time, and economy of behavior in reference to the basic definition of economy…making the most of what you have and not wasting your resources

2.  Please read the following text on Fingerprints and complete the diagram as instructed.



3.   Here’s an “ap-peel-ing” contest, and a fun and creative way to celebrate October’s top holiday. First, design a costume for either a real or plastic banana. Use a variety of materials, such as paper, cloth, paint, glue, markers, glitter, yarn, or whatever. Create a setting and a nameplate for your banana. Bring your completed project to school on October 31st. We will have a “parade” of costumed bananas and a panel of judges will choose the four “top bananas”.  Awards will be given for the Top Banana, Scariest Banana, Most Creative Banana, and Funniest Banana.
For a language arts connection, each student will write a story featuring their banana as the main character. This project will be completed at home as homework. The afternoon of the 31st, we will share our stories while we enjoy banana splits (with new bananas of course!).
Attached you will find a rubric that will be used to grade you project.
Reminders:
·         The paper should be typed in 12 point, Times New Roman Font.
·         The paper should be a minimum of 1 page typed, double spaced.


4.  Please click on the site below and play the math game.  You will need a sheet of notebook paper to work each problem.  Please work through at least ten problems.

                                  
                                                


Thursday, October 6, 2011

Division Strategies

The following are several examples of the division strategies that we are practicing in class: