Happy Holidays Everyone,
See you in the New Year after the break on January 7th, our first day back.
Best Wishes
and
Many Blessings,
and
Many Blessings,
Heather
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Hello Everyone,
As the Holidays rapidly approach, spend this time spreading compassion to yourself and others. It is an exciting yet busy time. With that, things can become somewhat stressful. It's a good time to remember to breath and enjoy all the gifts we have in our lives.
Volunteers! We need volunteers to help us move many book sets in the library in preparation for clearing out the current library. We need to organize novel sets by grade level, categorize and mark books according to AR levels and points with tape on binding. If you can help us, please let us know. We need help this week, Dec. 10-14. Thank you in advance!
Ear Buds:! We need 'em! If you can send your child with some for his or her desk that would be ideal. If you are able to donate a pair or two we would appreciate that, too.
Holiday celebration: on Thursday Dec. 20 at 12:00. If you can contribute to our holiday celebration, please sign up here.
ELA: we are reading/analyzing our literature book: The Birchbark House. We are working on debates and finding life lessons in works of literature (note taking from the text and elaboration). In addition, we continue to honor our VIP each week and listen and respond to presentations by students.
SC Symphony: daily musical compositions are introduced and enjoyed every morning.
Mindfulness: best practices in mindfulness are being incorporated in our classroom this year.
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 14.5 points for the second 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 3-5 books a Trimester. That said, help your child select books that are on their reading level (their latest DRA2 level), and have high interest for them. This will allow them to accomplish reading books from start to finish successfully.
Math: we are working on fractions in both 4th and 5th grade. Please check your child's planner for specific page numbers. We will continue to review these concepts. POM solving and presentations (problem of the month) continue. Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI) MARS tasks continue all year.
**Keep Practicing: times tables should be rehearsed and memorized.
Science: wrap up of Solid Earth. We will start the Foss module called "Energy" after break. This includes magnets, electricity, circuits and a field trip to the Tech Museum Thursday Jan. 31, 2019 with a lab and an IMAX on Oceans. Details to follow after our break.
Social Studies: American Colonies
Writing: summary writing continues with book review essays. Narrative and informational essay are currently being worked on, too.
Grammar: Study of various grammar: prepositions, nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives and adjective clauses. Shades of meaning vocabulary, capitalization, quotation marks, citing evidence within texts. Figurative language: simile, personification, hyperbole, alliteration, onomatopoeia.
Upcoming Announcements/Events:
Dec. 18--12:00 p.m. Spelling Bee grades 4-6
Dec. 19--10:30 a.m. Holiday Sing
Dec. 20-- early dismissal 12:30
Dec. 21 - Jan. 5 Winter Break
Thank you for supporting me and the growth of your child in every way.
Warmly,
Heather
As the Holidays rapidly approach, spend this time spreading compassion to yourself and others. It is an exciting yet busy time. With that, things can become somewhat stressful. It's a good time to remember to breath and enjoy all the gifts we have in our lives.
Volunteers! We need volunteers to help us move many book sets in the library in preparation for clearing out the current library. We need to organize novel sets by grade level, categorize and mark books according to AR levels and points with tape on binding. If you can help us, please let us know. We need help this week, Dec. 10-14. Thank you in advance!
Ear Buds:! We need 'em! If you can send your child with some for his or her desk that would be ideal. If you are able to donate a pair or two we would appreciate that, too.
Holiday celebration: on Thursday Dec. 20 at 12:00. If you can contribute to our holiday celebration, please sign up here.
ELA: we are reading/analyzing our literature book: The Birchbark House. We are working on debates and finding life lessons in works of literature (note taking from the text and elaboration). In addition, we continue to honor our VIP each week and listen and respond to presentations by students.
SC Symphony: daily musical compositions are introduced and enjoyed every morning.
Mindfulness: best practices in mindfulness are being incorporated in our classroom this year.
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 14.5 points for the second 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 3-5 books a Trimester. That said, help your child select books that are on their reading level (their latest DRA2 level), and have high interest for them. This will allow them to accomplish reading books from start to finish successfully.
Math: we are working on fractions in both 4th and 5th grade. Please check your child's planner for specific page numbers. We will continue to review these concepts. POM solving and presentations (problem of the month) continue. Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI) MARS tasks continue all year.
**Keep Practicing: times tables should be rehearsed and memorized.
Science: wrap up of Solid Earth. We will start the Foss module called "Energy" after break. This includes magnets, electricity, circuits and a field trip to the Tech Museum Thursday Jan. 31, 2019 with a lab and an IMAX on Oceans. Details to follow after our break.
Social Studies: American Colonies
Writing: summary writing continues with book review essays. Narrative and informational essay are currently being worked on, too.
Grammar: Study of various grammar: prepositions, nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives and adjective clauses. Shades of meaning vocabulary, capitalization, quotation marks, citing evidence within texts. Figurative language: simile, personification, hyperbole, alliteration, onomatopoeia.
Upcoming Announcements/Events:
Dec. 18--12:00 p.m. Spelling Bee grades 4-6
Dec. 19--10:30 a.m. Holiday Sing
Dec. 20-- early dismissal 12:30
Dec. 21 - Jan. 5 Winter Break
Thank you for supporting me and the growth of your child in every way.
Warmly,
Heather
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