Mrs. Michelle Miller's 4th Grade Classroom Family

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Miller’s Minute
Mrs. Miller’s 4th Grade Classroom Family
Friday, October 2, 2009

Happy October to everyone!  It finally feels a little like fall outside and 
the kids are loving playing at recess and going to extra PE in the cooler 
weather.  My friends and family from up north think it is really funny when I 
say ‘cool weather’ when it is still 85 degrees by afternoon!

We have been very busy and I wanted to update you on the happenings in our 
classroom:

Reading:  We are reading the eco mystery The Missing Gator of Gumbo Limbo in 
class this and next week.  The students are enjoying learning about the 
Everglades, Florida wildlife and plants, and following the interesting 
adventures of the unique characters in their book.  We read at least a 
chapter a day and the students are keeping a journal of character happenings, 
vocabulary and science words, and problems & solutions in the story.  
This ‘journal’ that they are keeping will be a reading grade equivalent to 
two tests.  Please take the time to check their journal to be sure they are 
keeping up with each chapter, writing neatly and in complete sentences on the 
character and problem & solution pages, and noting a few new words for each 
reading.

Our first reading log was graded and sent home for signatures.  As stated in 
our class expectations and on the reading log, students are required to read 
20 minutes a night, five nights a week.  Students should complete their log 
after each reading in their own handwriting.  Please help them to get in the 
habit of reading and logging in each day.  This is a reading grade and has 
weight in their overall score.

As I have mentioned before, we are trying to earn 500 RC points in our class 
so we can celebrate with a pizza party.  I have been unable to run reports, 
but hopefully they will come home in their Friday folder today.  Your child 
should have earned at least 6 RC points already.  If they have not, please 
encourage them to take RC tests.  Any student who contributes to the class 
total will have a pizza party when we hit our goal!

Math:  We are currently studying estimation and addition/subtraction of 
numbers with regrouping.  This should be a review from 3rd grade, but some 
students have a hard time with estimation because it is so abstract.  Just 
help them by reminding them to round to the largest place value and then add 
or subtract.  We will be taking the Chapter test at the end of next week.  
Reviewing their Friday Folder work with them will help.  Math is challenging 
in 4th grade, so staying on top of it will help them.

Writing:  We are learning how to write an expository essay right now.  We are 
focusing on having solid main ideas that will later be developed with 
personal experiences and details.  They are doing well and working hard at it.

Science:  We have been learning about the types of matter, properties of 
matter, and how matter is changed by temperatures.  We will continue on with 
this next week and will have a science test the week after.  Be on the look 
out for a review sheet to come home to help them study.

Social Studies:  We have incorporated our social studies into our reading of 
the Missing Gator novel.  We are learning about Florida wildlife, water 
systems, and plants.

Community of Caring:  Mr. Drummond has come into the classroom for the last 
few weeks talking about ‘cliques’ and some other issues we typically see with 
this age.  Students have learned strategies and words to use when put into 
these social situations.  Mr. D. makes it fun and exciting and he is a 
pleasure to have in class.

We have some important days coming up this month and some other news:

•	Conferences:  I have sent home a new conference schedule for next 
week (sorry about the mix up on dates at first).  I will be conferencing with 
parents (in person or by phone) over the next week or so.  Please be 
respectful of your scheduled time as conferences are scheduled back to back.  
Allow time to arrive, check in at the office, and come up to our room (210) 
by the start of your conference.
•	Thursday, October 8:  Open House in our room from 6:00-7:00 pm.  
Homework will be light that night and any student attending with a parent 
will earn a homework pass (who says bribery isn’t good)?
•	Thursday, October 22:  Fall pictures in their uniforms
•	Friday, October 23:  Pow-Wow from 5:00-8:00.  You will be contacted 
to help by taking a shift at our booth.  Please be sure to send in any loose 
change for the Diggin for Gold booth at the start of the week.  Also, if you 
are able, we would appreciate any donations towards prizes to be used at the 
booth.
•	Basket News:  Basket descriptions are due on Monday to Mrs. Miller.  
If the following moms will be so kind to send in a complete description of 
your basket on Monday (via email or a letter) I would appreciate it:  Emily 
Rowton’s mom, Jaret Sigmon’s mom, Cassie Briandi’s mom, and Ty Brooks mom.  
All families should send in, if able, a Tervis Tumbler and any dental 
supplies for our baskets sometime next week.  Remember, the proceeds of this 
fundraiser will directly benefit our classroom.  We promise to do something 
cool with the money.
•	Homework:  Keep in mind that homework is a practice of things already 
taught and practiced in the classroom.  However, if your child is struggling 
with their homework (or don’t know what to do) check the website first.  If 
that doesn’t help, call someone from the class (directory is in their agenda 
binder).  If they still don’t know how to do it, just have them do the best 
they can and attach a note for me.  I NEVER INTEND FOR YOUR CHILD TO BE 
FRUSTRATED AT HOME.  I do insist that they try, but I will reteach the next 
day if needed. 
•	Monday, October 26:  Last day of the first semester
•	Friday, October 30:  No school for students!  Teacher in-service day.
•	SNACKS:  We are still running short on snacks.  PLEASE, PLEASE send 
in some snacks to share with the class.

I told you there was a lot going on.  No wonder I messed up the conference 
dates :o}  !  Have an amazing weekend and thanks for letting me love your 
kids!

Love,
Mrs. Miller  :o}

Miller’s Minute
Mrs. Miller’s 4th Grade Classroom Family
Friday, September 18, 2009

Can you even believe it has been about a month since we have been together?  
I can’t tell you what an amazing class this is.  We are blessed with a 
variety of gifts and talents that each student brings to the class, along 
with a spirit of unity and family.  I forgot how much I missed the older 
students.  Thanks for sharing them with me!

We have had a busy and productive couple of weeks.  Here is what we have been 
up to academically:

Reading:  We have focused, for the past several weeks, on character 
traits/plot/compare and contrast/and strategies for answering questions.  
Students have gotten used to identifying important words in the directions 
and deciding how many jobs they are being asked to do by using a 
highlighter.  We have read great stories from our reading series, and are 
finishing up a read aloud called Jackie and Me.  They are getting used to 
working on centers and the format of seatwork/reading group.

RC is up and running.  Although this is not a formal grade in reading, 
students are expected to earn a minimum of 2 points per week to help us earn 
our first party at 500 classroom RC points.  Reports will be run each week 
and sent home.  If a student does not help us earn our class goal, they will 
not earn the pizza party.  I don’t believe this will be the case for anyone 
in our class, but please encourage them to RC test.

Math:  We have worked on place value and now are focusing on how to compare 
numbers up to the millions.  They are having fun using the white boards, 
song, and activities to make math hands on and fun!  We have also begun 
taking the timed multiplication tests (which are once a week).  They know how 
to check the chart in the classroom and decide what test they will be taking 
next so they know what flash cards to focus on.

Writing/Grammar:  Ask your child to show you our “Super Sentence” pose!  We 
have been learning about how to be more descriptive in our writing and how to 
replace 3rd grade words with 4th grade words.  We have learned about the 
difference between expository and narrative writing and will start next week 
learning the basic expository skeleton and how to write an expository essay.  
This will be for a few months.  In grammar, we have focused on types of 
sentences and subject and predicate usage.

Science:  Our focus in science has been matter and its properties.  We will 
continue on with this study, with the help of Mrs. Perez next door whom the 
students will visit once a week for a special science treat.

Social Studies:  It’s all about Florida in Social Studies.  We have learned 
different ways to identify where Florida is located and how you would 
describe it to an alien from outer space!  I also realized that many of our 
students did not even know their continents, so we spent a little time 
learning a song and practicing the names and locations of our continents.  We 
will continue to learn about Florida’s land and water next week.

We have been very busy academically, and even find time for some fun with 
singing and dancing!

I also have some other exciting news:

•	Congratulations to our elected student council representatives:  
Raquel Gerhart and Evan Mudge!
•	Please welcome our new intern, Miss Kundert, who is helping out in 
the class 4 mornings a week.
•	Doughnuts for Dads (or other special male in your life) in at 7:45, 
September 22nd.
•	Open House will be on October 8th from 6:00-7:00.  Mark your calendar.
•	We are in need of some more classroom snacks.  Please send them in 
next week.
•	FAIR testing (to give students lexile reading levels) has been 
postponed for 2 more weeks.  I usually like to have this data to meet with 
parents for our beginning of the year conferences.  Therefore, we will start 
scheduling conferences a little later this year (probably second week of 
October) for our parent conferences.  I will send home more information later.

I think that is it for this edition of Miller’s Minute.  Please have an 
awesome weekend and enjoy your family!

Love, Mrs. Miller

Miller’s Minute
Mrs. Miller’s 4th Grade Classroom Family
Friday, August 28, 2009

What an amazing first week we had together!  Through the use of literature, 
class building activities, and games, we grew closer as a classroom family.  
We also learned about the Family Values, VES community of caring and rewards 
system, classroom procedures and school rules.  It seems like a lot, but 
that’s not all!  We also took a reading, writing, and math inventory to give 
me an idea of where we are starting from.  These inventories are just a small 
piece of the information I will be gathering before our first parent 
conference.  
	
Students have also been busy completing some affective inventories, which 
help me to know their emotional needs and self confidence levels.  We even 
completed a ‘multiple intelligence’ survey, which helps me know what types of 
lessons will reach them the best.  These inventories help me to teach them 
better.  Getting to know them is the most important thing I can do as a 
teacher!

I must say, this year started with a bang!  I found out two weeks before 
school that I was not only moving to 4th grade, but moving classrooms as 
well.  I was in Disney for that whole week, and the next week my husband had 
heart surgery.  What a crazy two weeks.  But, with the help of some great 
friends, the move was made and I am VERY EXCITED to be teaching fourth grade 
again.  I am even more excited at the amazing group of students I am blessed 
with this year.  It is going to be a great year for us all!

Next week we will begin our “normal” academic schedule.  We will be starting 
our language arts unit by focusing on character traits, story sequencing, 
synonyms & antonyms, and different types of sentences.  We will also start 
talking about what it means to be a great writer.  In math, we will be 
focusing on place value (up to hundred thousands) and different ways to write 
numbers.  Please don’t forget to help your child practice their 
multiplication facts at home each night.  This will really help them to be 
successful in math!

Students received their first spelling list this week.  Typically, they will 
receive their new list every other Thursday and the homework/test will be the 
following Thursday.  However, next Thursday I will be out for math training, 
so I will ask that they bring their homework and be ready for a test next 
Friday instead.  This change will only be for this spelling list.  I just 
want to be there to teach them how to do their spelling test because each 
student has a different list.  Please make note of the change.

I would also like to thank you for sending in the supplies and taking the 
time to complete your ‘parent homework’.  I know it is a lot, but it really 
helps us to stay organize and helps the students to be successful.  Encourage 
them to use their agenda nightly by highlighting their homework as they 
complete it each night.  Parents should sign the agenda each night, after 
their homework is completed and placed into their folder.

Over the weekend, parents should sign their calendar (in the binder) and 
review the contents of their Friday folders.  Friday folders should be 
returned (only containing anything that needs to come back to school or 
corrected work) on Monday.  This will all become second nature to you as the 
year progresses.  Thanks for your support and partnership in their education!

As always, I thank you for the privilege of teaching your child.  I will be 
setting up parent conferences in a few weeks (once I know the children 
better), but in the meantime, if there is anything you need or want to talk 
about, feel free to call or email me.  I am always happy to talk to my 
parents!  Have a GREAT weekend and spend some quality time with your families!
Love, 
Mrs. Miller

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Mrs. Michelle Miller's 4th Grade Classroom Family

Miller's Minute