Hello Everyone,

We are all responding positively to the uptick in creating a positive classroom culture.

**Creating a Positive Classroom Culture: In an effort to enhance and support classroom culture this year, Ms. M. will finish meeting with students in small groups of 4 for lunch. She will be reviewing class expectations and supporting students to reflect and see their part in creating and sustaining a positive classroom and playground environment with their teacher and peers. See dates below:

Tuesday, January 14

Wednesday January 15 (12:10)

Thursday January 16

**Mrs. Dudley will be in the classroom in the afternoons as we collaboratively help students with positive approaches to challenges that can occur at school with peers. Our objective is to give students a voice and empower them to make the best possible choices when it comes to their own behavior and the behavior of others.

**Classroom rules and consequences were practiced and sent home with your child so that you can go over them with your child as well. If you have not done so already, please sign the front sheet and return it asap. You may keep the rules and consequences so that you can review them with your child regularly. The objective is to create the best possible environment for learning that we can by holding everyone accountable for clear expectations.

**Important Announcements/Field Trips:

Mountain Science Fair- Wednesday, March 4th:

Your child will bring home a Science Fair packet to read over with you and begin planning for a project today. e will be going over it in class as well.  All students in grades 4-6 are required to complete science fair projects at home.  Clear guidelines and timelines are included in the information. Please help support your child with this project. It is a wonderful opportunity for learning how to complete a very detailed experiment.

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/ and SC County Science Fair Link provide helpful resources for project planning.  Please contact me with any questions.

Tech Museum Field Trip: Friday January 31st at 9:00

Friday January 31st from 8:15-1:45. Drivers needed and appreciated. Please be sure that you have filled out the necessary DMV paperwork with the office if you would like to volunteer.  We are able to bring 7 chaperones this year. Permission slips go home Monday in your child's folder or you may sign up on our blog here.  There is a 20.00 fee this year as there is an IMAX.

Simplicity of Electricity Lab

We leave school at 8:15 sharp so that we arrive at the museum in San Jose at 9:00. We will gather on Park Avenue and then go into the museum as a group. A brief orientation will follow where we will receive our wristbands and tech tags. Our Simplicity of Electricity Lab begins at 9:30 and runs 90 minutes. We will go straight to the IMAX which begins promptly at 11:00 and runs 45 minutes. Students and chaperones may eat their sack lunches during the movie. We will then visit some of the exhibits. Body Worlds Decoded is at the Tech but is optional. Students and/or their parents who do not wish to view this will be grouped accordingly. Please let me know if you do NOT want your child to see this exhibit by writing it at the top of the permission form. We will head back to school at 1:45.

**Please Note: Body Worlds Decoded is now part of the general museum admission. Please view the Body Worlds Decoded flyer here and in the Monday folder so that you are aware of what it is.

For tech parking and info

Parking Information:

The Tech offers $5 flat-rate parking validation at the Second and San Carlos Street garage, a five-story structure (enter from Second or Third Streets), and/or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center garage (enter from Market Street or Almaden Boulevard). Validation is available in the museum lobby during operating hours. Validation may not be valid during any city special event. Limited handicapped parking is available at The Tech’s main entrance on South Market Street.

Santa Cruz County Science Fair: Saturday March 14th @ SC Co. Fairgrounds in Watsonville
(registration deadline: Fri., Feb. 7)

SC County Science Fair Link  We encourage students to enter their projects into the Santa Cruz County Science Fair. Please view the website with your child to consider whether she or he is interested in this opportunity.  The website includes helpful ideas as well as guidelines for projects. If your child is interested in participating, he/she is strongly encouraged to begin a project as soon as possible.

Upcoming Dates:

MLK, Jr. HOLIDAY/ NO SCHOOL-- Monday, January 20th
SCCOE Spelling Bee-- Saturday, January 25th at UCSC

Tech Museum field trip-- Friday January 31st, 9:00
HOLIDAY/ NO SCHOOL-- Monday, February 10th

HOLIDAY/ NO SCHOOL-- Monday, February 17th
READ-A-THON-- January 17th-31st

SC County Science Fair--Saturday, March 14

Mountain Science Fair-- Wednesday, March 4th

Have a great week,

Heather

Hello Everyone,

    Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful vacation filled with rest, relaxation, adventure, and memory-making experiences.  Thank you for your kind sentiments and generous gifts. I feel very honored and appreciated! 🎉

**Creating a Positive Classroom Culture: In an effort to enhance and support classroom culture this year, Ms. M. will meet with students in small groups of 4 for lunch. She will be reviewing class expectations and supporting students to reflect and see their part in creating and sustaining a positive classroom and playground environment with their teacher and peers. See dates below:

Monday, January 6

Tuesday January 7

Wednesday January 8. (12:10)

Friday, January 10

Tuesday, January 14

Wednesday January 15 (12:10)

Thursday January 16

**Mrs. Dudley will be in the classroom in the afternoons as we collaboratively help students with positive approaches to challenges that can occur at school with peers. Our objective is to give students a voice and empower them to make the best possible choices when it comes to their own behavior and the behavior of others.

**Classroom rules and consequences were practiced and sent home with your child so that you can go over them with your child as well. Please sign the front sheet and return it tomorrow. You may keep the rules and consequences so that you can review them with your child regularly. The objective is to create the best possible environment for learning that we can.

**Important Announcements/Field Trips:

Mountain Science Fair- Wednesday, March 4th:

Your child will receive a Science Fair packet to read over with you and begin planning for a project next Monday.  All students in grades 4-6 are required to complete science fair projects at home.  Clear guidelines and timelines are included in the information.   

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/ and SC County Science Fair Link provide helpful resources for project planning.  Please contact me with any questions.

Tech Museum Field Trip: Friday January 31st at 9:00

Friday January 31st from 8:15-1:45. Drivers needed and appreciated. Please be sure that you have filled out the necessary DMV paperwork with the office if you would like to volunteer.  We are able to bring 7 chaperones this year. Permission slips go home Monday in your child's folder or you may sign up on our blog here.  There is a 20.00 fee this year as there is an IMAX.

Simplicity of Electricity Lab

We leave school at 8:15 sharp so that we arrive at the museum in San Jose at 9:00. We will gather on Park Avenue and then go into the museum as a group. A brief orientation will follow where we will receive our wristbands and tech tags. Our Simplicity of Electricity Lab begins at 9:30 and runs 90 minutes. We will go straight to the IMAX which begins promptly at 11:00 and runs 45 minutes. Students and chaperones may eat their sack lunches during the movie. We will then visit some of the exhibits. Body Worlds Decoded is at the Tech but is optional. Students and/or their parents who do not wish to view this will be grouped accordingly. Please let me know if you do NOT want your child to see this exhibit by writing it at the top of the permission form. We will head back to school at 1:45.

**Please Note: Body Worlds Decoded is now part of the general museum admission. Please view the Body Worlds Decoded flyer here and in the Monday folder so that you are aware of what it is.

For tech parking and info

Parking Information:

The Tech offers $5 flat-rate parking validation at the Second and San Carlos Street garage, a five-story structure (enter from Second or Third Streets), and/or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center garage (enter from Market Street or Almaden Boulevard). Validation is available in the museum lobby during operating hours. Validation may not be valid during any city special event. Limited handicapped parking is available at The Tech’s main entrance on South Market Street.

Santa Cruz County Science Fair: Saturday March 14th @ SC Co. Fairgrounds in Watsonville
(registration deadline: Fri., Feb. 7)

SC County Science Fair Link  We encourage students to enter their projects into the Santa Cruz County Science Fair. Please view the website with your child to consider whether she or he is interested in this opportunity.  The website includes helpful ideas as well as guidelines for projects. If your child is interested in participating, he/she is strongly encouraged to begin a project as soon as possible.

Upcoming Dates:

MLK, Jr. HOLIDAY/ NO SCHOOL-- Monday, January 20th
SCCOE Spelling Bee-- Saturday, January 25th at UCSC

Tech Museum field trip-- Friday January 31st, 9:00
HOLIDAY/ NO SCHOOL-- Monday, February 10th

HOLIDAY/ NO SCHOOL-- Monday, February 17th
READ-A-THON-- January 17th-31st

SC County Science Fair--Saturday, March 14

Mountain Science Fair-- Wednesday, March 4th

Typing Club

Typing practice!! typingclub.com

We will be typing in class each week.  Please let me know if computer access is a problem.

Curriculum Updates: January

ELA: we will begin our literature book: Lovina's Song.  In addition, we continue to honor our VIP each week and listen and respond to presentations by students. 

Lucy Calkin's: Reading the Weather

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 will continue 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: we start the Foss module called "Energy" for the New Year. This includes magnets, electricity, circuits and a field trip to the Tech Museum Friday Jan. 31, 2020 with a lab and an IMAX as well as exhibits.

Social Studies: Missions

Writing: summary and informational essays on weather. 

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.

Warmly,

Mrs. Young

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

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all enjoyed the beautiful weekend.

4th grade dance performance: Thursday Nov. 14th at 7:00 p.m. at Subud Center

-Due to the power outage the 6th grade performance was moved to 11/14, that said, the 6th grade performs at 5:00 and we perform at 7:00.

It will be a busy night and the Subud Center has limited parking. We encourage parents to carpool to the event as much as possible. Drop off time for students is 6:40.

We will need volunteers:

** 1 yellow-vested parking monitor for before our show scheduled to start when the performers are scheduled to arrive (6:40)

** 1 yellow-vested tree monitor for before and after our show--there is an irresistible tree that we cannot let the kids climb on.

** 1 shoe monitor for being sure no shoes enter the performance room and for handing out booties to people who do not want to remove their shoes

** 4-6 volunteers for putting sound equipment, chairs and very heavy benches back exactly where they came from after our show

** 2 volunteers to load the mats and black wooden boxes into Molly's truck and help unload them at school with Molly right after we close up the Subud Center that night -- these could be 2 of the 4-6 chair helpers. 

***We need volunteers. Please click here to sign up! Thank you in advance.

**Upcoming Conference Information:

Conferences are Nov. 12th, 13th, 14th: 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. 

Early Dismissal Conference Week Nov. 12th-15th: Due to parent/teacher/student conferences, students are dismissed from school at 12:30 T-F. 

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

ELA: we will be starting a new read aloud book: Lovina's Song. Lucy Calkin's upcoming informational unit is on the horizon. 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.

Math: addition and subtraction, 1-digit multiplication and continued practice with division continue.
   
*We will finish our 2nd 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 grade, 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: stream tables

Social Studies: wrap up of Gold Rush and on to California statehood.

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

Upcoming Announcements/Events:
Nov. 11--Veteran's Day, no school 
Nov. 12-14--report cards and Parent/Teacher/Child Conferences
Nov. 13--board meeting 6:00-9:00
Nov. 22--Turkey Trot 8:30-12:30
Nov. 27-29--Thanksgiving break

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

Warmly,

Heather

Hello Everyone,

Thank you so much to all of our parent volunteers on the Coloma trip! We appreciate all of your driving, mentoring, hiking, gold panning, bunkhouse managing, role modeling and genuine care on this trip. Our green horns became sourdoughs and you lived to tell the tale. We could not have done it without you! The kids had a great time.

Don't forget: times tables are due next week and need to be memorized by October 30th (2's through 12's).  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 4th grade, 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. Your child will be getting a packet in their Monday folder. Please have your child use this to practice. Check off each of the math facts as they master them and return the packet as soon as your child has completed this task 2's-12's. Thank you for your partnership.  multiplication music

Upcoming Announcements
Oct. 22--student council speeches 11:00  (behind K classroom outside)
Oct. 31--Halloween parade 8:45-9:30 (please, no scary masks or dangerous props, it upsets our K students)
Nov. 1--staff development day, no school
Nov. 11--Veteran's Day, no school
Nov. 12--report cards
Nov. 13--board meeting 6:00-9:00
Nov. 12 - 14--parent teacher conferences for 4th grade (sign up out next week)
Nov. 22--Turkey Trot 8:30-12:30
Nov. 27-29--Thanksgiving break

Have a great week,

Warmly,

Heather

Hello Everyone,

I hope you enjoyed this beautiful weekend.  Fall is here! Thank you to the Parents' Club for your continued support with wipes and funds!! We are so grateful.

COLOMA:

****We have a new earlier start time on 10/16. We will need to arrive at school at 6:15 on 10/16 and leave by 6:45. This will allow for two stops. We will stop for the bathroom and to stretch our legs.  IMPORTANT:  We will stop at the Starbucks right on Hwy 80 right after merging from 680. (Suisun Parkway Exit). IMPORTANT:  We will stop to use restrooms and stretch our legs at Henningsen Lotus Park, on Lotus Rd. (just before turning on to Hwy 49).

**Teachers: Mrs. Young and Ms. Fleming will be the teachers in charge on this excursion. Welcome Ms. Fleming. We are so excited you could join us!

**Chaperones: 
Thank you Matt, Barnaby, Josh, Jenny, Polly and Kirsten.

**Mandatory Coloma Chaperone Meeting: There is a chaperone meeting scheduled this Wednesday Oct. 9th at 5:30 p.m. Please put it on your schedule so that you do not miss this important informational meeting. We will discuss logistics and roles as well as sign the rest of our forms and paperwork.

**Mandatory Finger Printing: all chaperones must have their finger printing complete.

ELECTRONICS: there are no electronics allowed on this excursion! We conduct a backpack check prior to departure to be sure that we are device free. Thank you for your understanding and honoring this request.


**Student Handbook: this went home with families on Back to School Night. Please go over this handbook for rules, behavior and expectations with your child. It will answer their questions and give them valuable information about the trip. There is a sheet at the back that they should sign and return to the classroom no later than Friday.

CLASSROOM:

ELA: We are continuing our Lucy Calkin's reader's workshop. It is important to be sure your child is reading 40 minutes nightly and applying the strategies taught in class. We are focusing on a main character's: traits, desires, and motivations. We are also working on retelling and synthesizing. The story arc is being discussed. We do read in class for 15 or 20 minutes daily. This counts toward nightly reading and should reduce homework. 

Read Aloud books: Kit Carson and The Tiger Rising

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 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.

Reading log: Please be sure your child is getting to their reading log M-TH for homework. This is the comprehension piece and is very important in terms of understanding. Students should write 3-5 complete sentences in their responses. Have your child read this back to you and discuss their reading. 
    
Math: Factors, prime factorization, divisibility rules, factor rainbows, factor trees. Please check your child's planner for specific page numbers for homework.  

In addition, students are expected to have their times tables memorized by October 30th (2's through 12's).  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 4th grade, 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. Your child will be getting a packet in their Monday folder. Please have your child use this to practice. Check off each of the math facts as they master them and return the packet as soon as your child has completed this task 2's-12's. Thank you for your partnership.  multiplication music

Science: Soil and land forms.

Social Studies: Gold Rush and California.

Writing and Grammar:  Writing declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory sentences as well as simple, compound and complex sentences and incorporating them into their writing. 

Spelling: weekly review with packet and Friday spelling test.

Room parent: we need a room parent to help with some of the special communications, tasks, and set up and clean up of celebrations this year within our classroom. If you think you would like to help in this way, please let me know.

We need a new pencil sharpener: unfortunately, someone in our class put the metal end of a pencil into our electric pencil sharpener and now we have no way to sharpen pencils. If you think you can help us with this, pleased let me know. If we have a number of volunteers, perhaps we can pull together to defray and share the cost. 


Thank you in advance for supporting our classroom and the growth of your child in every way.

Have a stellar week!

Warmly,

Mrs. Young