Hello Parents,

Please sign up for a conference slot using the SignUpGenius link at the bottom of this page in the Upcoming Announcements/Events section.  Having trouble? The link has also been sent to all parent email accounts (only 1 family should sign up per slot, so check in with your partner so that both parents don't sign up for a different conference).  Thank you in advance. 

ELA: we are reading/analyzing our literature book: By the Great Horn Spoon. In addition, we continue to honor our VIP each week and listen to presentations by students and practice writing friendly letters. 

DRA2: we are completing the DRA2 testing this coming week for students who have been absent.  This is a new version of the DRA that has been used in past years.  It is aligned to the common core, thus making the assessment rubric very rigorous.  Please remember that our students have not changed rather the measure that is being used has taken a steep climb upwards.  That said, you may find that your student is reading at a lower grade level than before. This assessment weights reading fluency/rate heavily.  It also puts an emphasis on comprehension--and the writing portion of the assessment. Example: if your student is a slower reader, we drop them down to a "good fit" book where they can read smoothly with 97% or higher accuracy.  If your student is a smooth reader but struggles with written expression, that will also effect their score.  We are doing a lot of reading and writing this year so students are getting instruction to boost them in proficiency, practice and skill.  This is one measure of a student and works in part with all the other assessments we do to determine where they are.  My advice, relax, we will look at the data together and discuss things to support your little doodle at conferences if that is necessary.  All students in this class are intelligent, competent and working hard toward real attainable goals.

SC Symphony: daily musical compositions are introduced and enjoyed every morning.

Harmony: best practices school-wide curriculum for building a strong social-emotional community within our classrooms.

AR Reading: Accelerated Reader continues to be an important part of our reading program.  Students are reading appropriate AR books found through the AR book find link and then quizzing on them within 24 hours of finishing their book.  It is critical to support your child in book selection (most books are in our school and classroom libraries) and to remind them to read, read, read whenever the opportunity arises--in the car, while waiting for an appt., to and from school, before bed time, on a Sunday in your jammies, etc.  These books should travel to and from the classroom in a daily fashion for classroom DEAR (drop everything and read) sessions as well as nightly reading homework and beyond.  Students have a goal of 14 points for this first trimester.  Each book has a certain amount of points it is worth.  This information is listed with reading level and appropriateness (grade school, middle school, high school, for example).  Points per book range from 3 to 5, generally, with longer books being worth more points.  On an average this is going to mean your child is reading anywhere from 3-5 books by November 1. That said, help your child select books that are on their reading level, and have high interest for them.  This will allow them to accomplish reading books from start to finish successfully.
    
Math: we'll keep practicing order of operations and then begin mental math strategies classwork and homework this week as we prepare for our test on this unit this Friday.  Please check your child's planner for specific page numbers. We will continue to review these concepts.  We have started a new POM (problem of the month).  

In addition, students are expected to have their times tables memorized by Nov. 4.  If your child isn't saying times tables in the car on the way to and from school and every night for a 5 minute run through (and driving you a bit crazy), something is amiss.  These are goals that were set in early September.  In order for your child to be successful with the math in this grade level, it is important to have these skills down.  Please have some fun with these and have your child rehearse daily so that they can test on these math facts by the end of the month. The green folder has a checklist sheet to help you test your child on each 1 of the times tables (2's-12's) this week. As your child tests on each one, please check off and return this sheet by Nov. 4th. Thank you.

Science: experiments with electricity.

Social Studies: we have started our study of the Native American tribes.  This historical study will be research for the first personal narrative essay we write. Students will write from the perspective of a Native American youth.

Writing and Grammar: we will work on summary writing this week.

Upcoming Announcements/Events: 
Oct. 31--Halloween Parade 8:45 a.m.
and 4th Grade Halloween Celebration at 12:25
Nov. 1--staff development day, no school
Nov. 7--report cards
Nov. 7 - 10--parent Teacher conferences, sign up with SignUpGenius
Conference sign up click here
Nov. 9--board meeting
Nov. 11--Veteran's Day, no school 
Nov. 18, 19, 20--Goodwill donation drive
Nov. 23-25--Thanksgiving break

Thank you for supporting me and the growth of your child in every way.

Warmly,

Mrs. Young