Monday, November 19, 2018

Hello Everyone,

Happy Thanksgiving!  We are in school today and tomorrow which are full days and then we are off Wednesday through Friday for the holiday.

School pictures are available. Click the link below to view and buy your photos:

https://lizdepuydtphotography.shootproof.com/gallery/MountainSchool2018-19/home

ELA: we are reading/analyzing our literature book: The Birchbark House. In addition, we continue to honor our VIP each week and listen to presentations by students. 

SC Symphony: daily musical compositions are introduced and enjoyed every morning. Active listening is practiced daily.

Mindfulness: Best practices in mindfulness are being incorporated into our classroom.

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

AR Reading: Accelerated Reader continues to be an important part of our reading program.  Students should keep 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/or 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 14.5 points for each 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 average this is going to mean your child is reading anywhere from 10+ books a Trimester (depending on length and difficulty). 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.

4th Math: division.
    
5th Math: word problems.

*POM (problem of the month); various MARS tasks 

Science: topographic maps


Social Studiesexplorers and Native Americans


Writing, Vocabulary and Grammar: narrative essay, book review on kit Carson, shades of meaning vocabulary, capitalization, quotation marks, citing evidence within texts.


Upcoming Announcements/Events
Nov. 21-23--Thanksgiving break
Dec. 5--Holiday Night, 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 19--Holiday Sing, 11:00 a.m.
Dec. 21-Jan. 4--winter break


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


Have a lovely and safe Thanksgiving.

Warmly,


Heather

Monday, November 12, 2018

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all enjoyed the three-day weekend.

Early Dismissal All Week: Due to parent/teacher/student conferences, students are dismissed from school at 12:30 T-F this week. 

Report Cards: will be given out at your conference and gone over with parents and their child.

Conferences: Thank you for signing up for a conference with your child.  My goal with conferences is to keep it positive and shine the light on all the wonderful things about your child, of which there are many! Then, if need be, we will look at areas that need improvement and steps to take to do so.  Every child should be able to leave this conference with their head held high feeling good about themselves and knowing more about their learning style and how to work with their unique gifts and challenges. 

ELA: we are reading/analyzing our literature book: The Birchbark House. In addition, we continue to honor our VIP each week and listen to presentations by students. 

SC Symphony: daily musical compositions are introduced and enjoyed every morning. Active listening is practiced daily.

Mindfulness: Best practices in mindfulness are being incorporated into our classroom.

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

AR Reading: Accelerated Reader continues to be an important part of our reading program.  Students should keep 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/or 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 14.5 points for each 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 average this is going to mean your child is reading anywhere from 10+ books a Trimester (depending on length and difficulty). 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.

4th Math: 2-digit multiplication and continued practice with division.
    
5th Math: 2-digit multiplication.

*We will start our 3rd POM (problem of the month); various MARS tasks 

**Keep Practicing: students were expected to have their times tables memorized by the end of October.  If your child has not recited these to you and returned the checklist, please get these in.  In order for your child to be successful with the math in the 4th and 5th grade levels, 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. As your child tests on each one, please check off and sign the checklist sheet and return it to our classroom. Thank you.

Science: topographic maps


Social Studiesexplorers and Native Americans


Writing, Vocabulary and Grammar: narrative essay, book review on kit Carson, shades of meaning vocabulary, capitalization, quotation marks, citing evidence within texts.


Upcoming Announcements/Events
Nov. 13--report cards due 
Nov. 13-16--Parent/Teacher/Child Conferences
Nov. 21-23--Thanksgiving break
Dec. 5--Holiday Night, 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 19--Holiday Sing, 11:00 a.m.
Dec. 21-Jan. 4--winter break


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


Warmly,


Heather