-le Spelling Words

Our spelling list this week is a bit easier!  All of the words end with the -le pattern.  The spelling test will be on Friday.   Grammar and Unit 5 spelling tests were sent home today.   Students were allowed to use their study guide on the grammar test.

Book-it Starts Oct. 1

We will begin Book-it on October 1.  The Book-it requirement for each month will be 15 minutes of reading each evening for four nights per week.  Instead of dividing the reading into smaller segments, students are welcome to read a minimum of 1 hour per week, or 4 hours per month.  In addition, students are asked to complete one short "Book Review" to share with the class.  This information will be distributed on Tuesday.  This will be a classroom requirement.

Review Test

Tomorrow we will have a review test in spelling.  Students have been studying 20 of the words from past units.  Challenge words will be chosen at random from past challenge words.  The challenge part of the test is always optional.

Mrs. Danforth's Homeroom has completed their grammar test.  Mrs. Hickey's and Mrs. Rick's Homerooms have a study guide in their folder to help them prepare for a grammar test tomorrow. Students WILL be allowed to use their study guide on the test.

Grammar Test This Week

Mrs. Danforth's Homeroom will be having a grammar test tomorrow.  Mrs. Hickey and Mrs. Rick's Homerooms will be having their test on Friday.  The test will cover subjects and predicates.  It will also include the four sentence types.  A study guide will be sent home, but most students should be prepared for the test without much "at home" studying.  There is also a spelling test on Friday, but this is a review unit, so studying should be easier.

Declarative = statement (I like school.)
Interrogative = question (Do you like school?)
Imperative = command (Bring a lunch.)
Exclamatory = exclamation (I love lunch!)

Pedro Puts on a Play

Today we worked on reading a script.  Students are to read and practice their "part" for the play as homework.  We are working to read for fluency, so having a good sense of confidence with their role is important.  Students should "keep going" even if they are unable to pronounce a word or name.  Voices should be loud and clear!

Review Unit

Our spelling list is a review list this week.  The list contains 20 of the words that were used on past tests.  We will have challenge words on the test, and I will randomly select these 5 words from past challenge words.  We will also be reviewing for a grammar assessment on Thursday.  This assessment will cover subjects and predicates, as well as the four sentence types (exclamatory, declarative, interrogative, imperative).  There is no specific homework tonight.  Continue to practice the spelling list.

Keep Reading!

No homework tonight in language arts, and there's an early dismissal at 10:35 tomorrow.  Hopefully the students will read for fun and enjoyment over the weekend.  They have new library books to take home tonight.  Our spelling unit next week will be a review. The words will be listed in their "Danforth's Jungle" newsletter.  We will also plan to have a review test in grammar next week, most likely on Thursday. The test will cover the four sentence types and subjects/predicates.  A study guide will be sent home the evening prior to the test.

Busy Day!

Due to a very busy day today, some students were unable to complete their "Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain" selection test and vocabulary.  We were working hard in the computer lab today taking a "Discovery Education" benchmark assessment to help determine which language arts skills are strengths and weaknesses.  The results of this assessment will help me to better teach to your child's needs.  Students who were unable to work on the "Kai's Journey" story will be able to continue with the selection test tomorrow. I will remind students to take their hardcover reading books home if they would like to review the story.  We also will have our spelling test tomorrow, due to Friday's early dismissal.

Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain

Today we read and carefully discussed the story "Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain."  This is a great story, but it required a lot of discussion and explanation about immigration during the 1930's.  We learned why the immigration officials asked Kai so many questions about his homeland.  Please have your child reread or listen to the audio link to this story, found on pages 113-130.  We will have a selection and vocabulary assessment tomorrow.  Students may use their book and vocabulary sheets for assistance.
https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/content/hsp/reading/storytown/na/gr4/se_9780153597763_/grade4/shell.html?grade=4

-ed and -ing Word Endings

This week we worked on spelling workbook page 15 to review the rules of adding -ing/-ed to root words.  Our spelling test will be on Thursday due to early dismissal on Friday.  We are also preparing to read tomorrow's story about immigration, "Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain."

Happy Friday!

No homework this weekend!  We did work on exclamatory, imperative, declarative, and interrogative sentences.  We took our spelling test over Unit 3.    The spelling test next week will be on THURSDAY due to early dismissal on Friday.
Unit 4 Spelling Words: 
counting, craned, seemed, burned, chopped, cracked, begged,
moving, slipped, sailing, trimmed, shopping, returned, watching, pushed,
visited, cringed, screamed, scratching, flapping
Challenge Words: 
hovered, grabbed, realizing, accusing, nudged

Subjects & Predicates

Today in grammar we identified the subjects and predicates of sentences.  Students completed grammar workbook page 9 independently after following along with several examples.  We also spent some time preparing for tomorrow's spelling test.  We completed spelling page 13 together and page 14 on our own.

Spelling Test

Today we took our story quiz over "Danitra Brown Leaves Town," and we also were tested over the vocabulary words from the story.  In grammar, the students learned about subjects and predicates.  We completed practice workbook page 17 together in class.  We will do more review and practice on subjects and predicates tomorrow.  The main focus for homework would be to study for Friday's spelling test.  The words are quite difficult this week.

Danitra Brown Leaves Town

Students should reread this narrative poetry selection this evening for homework.  Our story assessment tomorrow will also include the Robust Vocabulary words, and the children WILL be allowed to use their blue vocabulary sheets and reading book for assistance.  I will be looking for volunteers tomorrow to take turns reading the poems aloud.

Spelling Words

This week's spelling words are DIFFICULT!  Students will be using vowel patterns such as oi, oy, au, and oo.  We did make a chart to help us remember which words fit in to each category.  However, preparing for this test may take a little extra practice at home.  We will continue to practice at school as well.  Studying for Friday's spelling test is tonight's homework.

Narrative Stories

Today we started writing our own narrative stories about a life challenge.  We enjoyed reading "Brave Harriet" and "Mighty Jackie," both written by the author Marissa Moss.  These stories were both about women who overcame great challenges.

There is no weekend homework, but please read at home for fun!

Spelling Test Tomorrow!

Tomorrow we will have our second spelling test.  Challenge words are optional.

Here's an easy link to get to the ebook for our reading stories.  It may be helpful to bookmark it on your computer at home.

http://www.stsd.org/webpages/lbrommer/

Interjections!

Today we learned about interjections, such as "Hey, Um, Cool, Look, Hi!"  We also talked about imperative and exclamatory sentences.  We completed our story quiz over Mighty Jackie the Strikeout Queen.  There's no language arts homework, but there's a spelling test on Friday.  Don't forget that library books are due tomorrow.

Mighty Jackie The Strike-Out Queen

Today we read the story of Mighty Jackie, the Strike-Out Queen.  Students should reread this selection for homework tonight, and they are expected to return the blue story sheet with an adult signature. Vocabulary words will also be on the selection test over this story.  The vocabulary definitions are shown on the back of the blue homework sheet.  Students WILL be allowed to look at the vocabulary definitions during the selection test.  We also enjoyed listening to Marla Lewis's song, "Mighty Jackie, the Strike-Out Queen."  The fun song can be played at home if you click on this link. http://www.broadjam.com/artists/songs.php?artistID=59803&mediaID=392669