Orchestra Trip & Spelling Test Tomorrow

Tomorrow is our orchestra field trip to the Junior High.  We will be attending during our Block 1 time. 

Today we worked on using apostrophes in contractions and in possessive nouns.  We completed Grammar workbook page 95.   

Contraction Games

We will aim for a Chapter 7 Social Studies test over the midwest on TUESDAY of next week.  Students will be completing study guides in class and should be well prepared.  Today we read books about the Midwest region and created fun tourism posters.

Our words on this week's spelling list are homophones.  They are fairly easy to spell but need to used properly in order to be correct on the test.  

Spelling Lists

I am also working on AIMS one-minute fluency reads with the students.  They will be reading three separate selections with me.  These reads will be happening over the next few weeks.  It does take a while for each student to get a turn.  Results will be sent home at the end of the year and hopefully will reflect good fluency progress!

Here are some fluency tips to help you at home:

Home Fluency Tips

PARCC - DONE! TCBY $3 TOMORROW!!!

TOMORROW IS TCYB YOGURT AT LUNCH $3.00

PARCC Tests - Math Today 

We will aim for a Chapter 7 Social Studies test over the midwest on TUESDAY of next week.  Students will be completing study guides in class and should be well prepared. 

Our words on this week's spelling list are homophones.  They are fairly easy to spell but need to used properly in order to be correct on the test.  

Spelling Lists

We also took our LAST PARCC test  (Math). There is no reading story this week due to testing.

I am also beginning AIMS one-minute fluency reads with the students.  They will be reading three separate selections with me.  These reads will be happening over the next few weeks.  It does take a while for each student to get a turn.  Results will be sent home at the end of the year and hopefully will reflect good fluency progress!

Here are some fluency tips to help you at home:

Home Fluency Tips

PARCC Tests - Math Today & Tomorrow

We will aim for a Chapter 7 Social Studies test over the midwest on TUESDAY of next week.  Students will be completing study guides in class and should be well prepared. We worked on completing a study guide from our Social Studies book, pages 247-248 today. 

Our words on this week's spelling list are homophones.  They are fairly easy to spell but need to used properly in order to be correct on the test.  

Spelling Lists

We also took our second PARCC test of the week (Math) and will continue tomorrow.  There is no reading story this week due to testing.

I am also beginning AIMS one-minute fluency reads with the students.  They will be reading three separate selections with me.  These reads will be happening over the next few weeks.  It does take a while for each student to get a turn.  Results will be sent home at the end of the year and hopefully will reflect good fluency progress!

Here are some fluency tips to help you at home:

Home Fluency Tips

PARCC Testing - Language Arts

Our words on this week's spelling list are homophones.  They are fairly easy to spell but need to used properly in order to be correct on the test.  We completed our practice workbook pages 111-112 to prepare for Friday's test.

Spelling Lists

We also took our first PARCC test of the week (Language Arts) and will continue with two more days of math PARCC tests on the computers.  I am also beginning AIMS one-minute fluency reads with the students.  They will be reading three separate selections with me.  These reads will be happening over the next few weeks.  It does take a while for each student to get a turn.  Results will be sent home at the end of the year and hopefully will reflect good fluency progress!

We will aim for a Chapter 7 social studies test over the midwest on TUESDAY of next week.  Students will be completing study guides in class and should be well prepared.

Have a Great Weekend -- PARCC tests Monday - Wednesday

Today we took our spelling test and finished reading Chapter 7 in Social Studies.  Although we would be ready for a Chapter 7 test next week, we will not have our test until the following week due to PARCC testing.   We will have a spelling test next week.  The newsletter sent home today shows the list of these homophone words.

Next week we will PARCC test on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Permission slips to go to the May 1 Junior High Orchestra Assembly were sent home.  Please return them to school so that students can learn about our band program.  Today students had a band demonstration to introduce them to the sounds made by different instruments.  

Please continue to support the JDRF fundraiser.  

Monkey Kingdom

Today we went to see Disney's Monkey Kingdom movie.  This move was about the fascinating South Asian  toque macaques monkey.   Here are some facts about this primate:

Toque Macaques Facts

Our spelling test is tomorrow.  Today we reviewed and completed workbook pages 109-110.

Midwest States and Capitals (and Great Lakes) tests were returned yesterday.

Field Trip Tomorrow

Tomorrow is our whole school's Earth Day field trip to see Monkey Kingdom. 

Dinosaurs and Dragons

We reread Dragons and Dinosaurs from Storytown book, pages 672-685 prior to taking today's story test.  Here's a goofy little video to inspire some thinking about who would win in a battle of Dinosaurs vs. Dragons.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d92Akcug0O4

Our Spelling words this week contain Greek and Latin word parts (such as:  vision, spect, vis)

Spelling Lists

Today I am returning the Midwest States and Capitals tests.  Here are some at-home studying links: 

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Permission slips to go to the May 1 Junior High Orchestra Assembly were sent home.  Please return them to school so that students can learn about our band program.

Our Earth Day movie field trip is on Thursday.  We will be seeing Monkey Kingdom and doing some monkey research.  

Please continue to support the JDRF fundraiser.  

Dinosaurs and Dragons

Tonight students should reread Dragons and Dinosaurs from their Storytown book, pages 672-685.  We also reviewed and discussed the vocabulary words and completed Practice workbook page 151.  Our story comprehension and vocabulary test will be tomorrow.
Here's the link to the online book:
eBook

Our Spelling words this week contain Greek and Latin word parts (such as:  vision, spect, vis)

Spelling Lists

We took our MIDWEST States, Capitals, and Great Lakes test today.  Here are some at-home studying links: 

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Permission slips to go to the May 1 Junior High Orchestra Assembly were sent home.  Please return them to school so that students can learn about our band program.

Our Earth Day movie field trip is on Thursday.  We will be seeing Monkey Kingdom and doing some monkey research.  

Please continue to support the JDRF fundraiser.  

Midwest States and Capitals TOMORROW

Our Spelling words this week contain Greek and Latin word parts (such as:  vision, spect, vis)

Spelling Lists

Our next Social Studies unit will be over the Midwest, so students should be learning these states, capitals, and the names of the Great Lakes.  Test date is TOMORROW.  

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Permission slips to go to the May 1 Junior High Orchestra Assembly were sent home.  Please return them to school so that students can learn about our band program.

Our Earth Day movie field trip is on Thursday.  We will be seeing Monkey Kingdom and doing some monkey research.  

Please continue to support the JDRF fundraiser.  

Spelling Test Today - Midwest States Test Tuesday

Students took their silent letter spelling test today.

I spent the day at a Discovery Education training program and missed the students.  I'm sure behavior was good!

In Social Studies we read pages 228-233. 

Our next Social Studies unit will be over the Midwest, so students should be learning these states, capitals, and the names of the Great Lakes.  Test date is Tuesday, April 21.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Permission slips to go to the May 1 Junior High Orchestra Assembly were sent home.  Please return them to school so that students can learn about our band program.

Our Earth Day movie field trip is on Thursday.  We will be seeing Monkey Kingdom and doing some monkey research.  

Please continue to support the JDRF fundraiser.  

Silent Letter Spelling Test Tomorrow

Today we worked on Irregular Verbs in the past tense and completed workbook page 91-92 in Grammar.  We completed Spelling workbook pages 105-106 to review our words for tomorrow's test.  These silent letter words are tricky.  

Spelling Lists

In Social Studies we read pages 200-225 (in Block 1) and pages 228-233 (in Block 2) followed by a section "quiz" over the material.  Here is a fun video about how to draw a prairie dog that lives in the Midwest:

Draw a Prairie Dog

Our next Social Studies unit will be over the Midwest, so students should be learning these states, capitals, and the names of the Great Lakes.  Test date is Tuesday, April 21.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Permission slips to go to the May 1 Junior High Orchestra Assembly were sent home.  Please return them to school so that students can learn about our band program.  

Pioneer Day

Today was our Pioneer Day.  Students enjoyed visiting various stations where they learned about pioneer activities.  They learned how to spin wool into yarn, use a washing machine wringer,  "shave" with shaving cream and a lather brush, play with pioneer wooden toys, try out kitchen tools, and pan for gold.  Students stayed with Block 1 classes for the entire day, so this means that Block 2 students (my homeroom) did not yet take their test over Welcome to Chinatown.  They will be taking the test tomorrow.  Block 1 students were able to complete their story test.

On TUESDAY we will have our Midwest states/capitals test, including the Great Lakes.

Our silent letter spelling test is on Friday.

Spelling Lists

Permission slips have been sent home for a May 1 trip to Liberty Jr. High to watch an orchestra demonstration.

Welcome to Chinatown

Tonight's homework is to reread pages 650-657 Welcome To Chinatown.  Students will have a story test tomorrow.  We also completed vocabulary Practice Workbook page 143.

Here's a quick video about the Chinese New Year:

http://www.watchmojo.com/video/id/10541/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EUsmbqnuw8

And a clip about the Great Earthquake of 1906

http://video.about.com/history1900s/The-1906-San-Francisco-Earthquake.htm

San Francisco Chinatown Today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ILTHcjnGRA

Our next Social Studies unit will be over the Midwest, so students can get a head start on learning these states, capitals, and the names of the Great Lakes.  We started practicing them today in class. Goal date for a test is next Tuesday, April 21.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Field Trip slips were sent home for the Earth Day Movie.

Fourth Graders will have "Pioneer Day" TOMORROW.  This is an educational in-school "field trip" at no cost (partially funded by the PTO -- Thank you, PTO!).

Filed trips for the Earth Day movie on April 23 need to be returned to school, please. 

Spelling - Silent Letters

Today we practiced our silent letter spelling words on Spelling workbook. p. 103-104 and made a chart to help us study for Friday's test. 

We also completed Grammar practice workbook. p. 85 to review past and future tenses.

We had a short assembly about the JDRF Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes coming up in May.  Students received fund raising packets to take home today.

Our next Social Studies unit will be over the Midwest, so students can get a head start on learning these states, capitals, and the names of the Great Lakes.  We started practicing them today in class. Goal date for a test is next Tuesday, April 21.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Field Trip slips were sent home for the Earth Day Movie.

Fourth Graders will have "Pioneer Day" on Wednesday.  This is an educational in-school "field trip" at no cost (partially funded by the PTO -- Thank you, PTO!).

Filed trips for the Earth Day movie on April 23 need to be returned to school, please. 

Terra Nova Scores Going Home

Students will be receiving their Terra Nova scores from the tests taken in early February.  Please feel free to ask if you have any questions.  These are NOT the results from last week's PARCC tests.

We created postcards about the Mangrove Forest in the Everglades and worked on some Easter/Spring/Bunny activities.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365052043/

Everglades Video

Our next Social Studies unit will be over the Midwest, so students can get a head start on learning these states, capitals, and the names of the Great Lakes.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Field Trip slips were sent home for the Earth Day Movie.

Fourth Graders will have "Pioneer Day" the Wednesday that we return from break.  This is an educational in-school "field trip" at no cost (partially funded by the PTO -- Thank you, PTO!).

April Fool's Day

Today we completed some fun April Fool's activities, including a "Speed Test."  We read some homophone jokes and completed April Fool's stories. 

We took our test over Mangrove Wilderness on pages 629-645 in our Storytown book.    The mangrove is a very special tree that grows in salt water. 
Here's a brief video about the mangrove tree:  

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365052043/

Everglades Video

March Book-it forms (Optional) should be turned in prior to Spring Break.


Our next Social Studies unit will be over the Midwest, so students can get a head start on learning these states, capitals, and the names of the Great Lakes.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Our spelling unit this week is a review.  Our test is on THURSDAY.  
Spelling Lists

Field Trip slips were sent home for the Earth Day Movie.

T-Shirt order forms were sent home last week for the after school "Walk for a Cure" event in May.

Fourth Graders will have "Pioneer Day" the Wednesday that we return from break.  This is an educational in-school "field trip" at no cost (partially funded by the PTO -- Thank you, PTO!).