Happy Holidays Everyone,

Thank you for the thoughtful gifts, I feel very honored and appreciated.

See you in the New Year after the break on January 6th, our first day back.

Best Wishes, health and happiness, 

Heather

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.

ELA: we are reading/analyzing our literature book: Lovina's Song.  We are working on debates and finding life lessons in works of literature (note taking from the text and elaboration).  After break, we will be focusing on extreme weather and informational text in Lucy Calkin's. 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 equivalent fractions. 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 Friday Jan. 31, 2020 with a lab and possibly an IMAX. Details to follow after our break.

Social Studies: wrap up of Statehood and on to the Missions after break.

Writing: summary writing continues with wrap up of book review on Kit Carson. Informational/expository essays after break. 

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. 17--12:00 p.m. Spelling Bee grades 4-6
Dec. 17--8:45 a.m. Holiday Sing (4th grade first)
Dec. 19-- early dismissal 12:30

Dec. 20-- Jan. 5 Winter Break

First day back--January 6th, 2020


Warmly,

Heather