December Newsletter Ms. Wilkinson, 4th Grade Dear Parents, I am happy to be back at school with your children. The following is an update of what we will be studying until the end of the semester. In addition, we will prepare for our move to the new campus. I will attempt to keep things as learning focused as possible during this time. The last day for tutorial is 12/9; we will resume 1/13. As always, thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. Have a great weekend! Ms. Wilkinson Mathematics Division; Map Reference Frames; Measures of Angles Unit 6 focuses on understanding the division operation, developing a method for dividing whole numbers, and solving division number stories. Students have had considerable practice with extended division facts, such as 420/7 = 60, and questions, such as “About how many 12s are in 150?” This unit also focuses on numbers in map coordinate systems. For maps of relatively small areas, rectangular coordinate grids are used. For world maps and the world globe, the system of latitude and longitude is used to locate places. The class will practice measuring and drawing angles. If you have a protractor, ask your child to show you how to use this tool. English Language Arts Grammar and Usage We are continuing Mountain Language to practice parts of speech, capitalization, punctuation and spelling. We recently started our unit on Action Verbs and will continue looking at Verb Tense. Please come by and see your child’s “Vivacious Verbs” in our hallway. Reading Students have read the folk tale “Roadrunners Dance” and looked at the importance of suspense in a story. We will read “My Brother Martin” next week and continue with Junior Great Books second semester. In small group, students work on fluency, parts of speech, word study and writing. Writing: Procedural Writing The students will write a paragraph explaining the process of making cookies. This supports our “Great Holiday Cookie Exchange.” Please see the back of this page for more explanation. Social Studies Colonization We are studying the founding and development of our country beginning with colonization. We have studied life in the New England colonies. We will continue our study next week with Middle and Southern Colonies. Important Dates Bring copy of recipe to school December 7 Cookie Exchange December 16 Holiday Party December 17 Happy Holidays! Winter Break December 21 through January 6 MLK Day January 18 Ms. Wilkinson 4th Grade, Sarah Smith Elementary October-November 2009 Dear Parents, I have included important information regarding the next two months in this newsletter. Please keep it as reference. As always, you can check our website for announcements and homework. I hope to see you Monday, October 5th at 3:30. If you are unable to attend, I will send you a letter via email. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm. I enjoyed the thoughtful cards and beautiful flowers from the children in celebration of my SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY! Who knew my secret wish would come true? Have a wonderful weekend, Ms. Wilkinson English Language Arts In Language Arts, we are reading literature that is rich with Figurative Language. We identify the figurative language as we read and then write our own. The children are so excited and have been very creative. During conversation, you might identify figurative language when they or you use it. Similes: comparisons using like or as Metaphors: comparisons without using like or as Personification: gives inanimate objects human-like characteristics Onomatopoeia: sound words (their favorite!) Idioms: expression whose meaning is not the same as the usual meaning of its elements Please visit our website’s Figurative Language link. Each child in our class will enter a writing piece in the Reflections program. We are working on this writing piece in and out of the class. The theme is “Beauty is…” Your child has a choice of writing a poem, short story or essay. The entry cannot be more than 2,000 words and it can be handwritten or typed. The deadline for our class entries is October 9th. Writing and Vocabulary Tips Encourage your child to use interesting vocabulary in their writing and speaking (this is something I do every day). One strategy is to ask your child to “rename” words to develop their vocabulary. For example, ask them other words that convey the meaning “red”: bloodshot, blush, brick, burgundy, cardinal, cherry, crimson, flaming, florid, flushed, fuchsia, garnet See www.thesaurus.com In reading, we continue reading from the basal series Treasures. We have completed Unit One and will begin Unit Two next week. As we read, we practice reading strategies and identify story elements such as setting, main character, problem and solution. We are focusing on literary text elements such as foreshadowing, context clues and predicting. Reading Tips Your child should read 20 minutes every night. Encourage your child to read aloud to you. Reading aloud helps develop fluency. Book Project 2 The students did an outstanding job presenting the book projects. The next book project will be due on November 20th. Instructions and an example are in your child’s binder. Your child should read a BIOGRAPHY for this project. This will be the last book project until next year. This date was already set and conflicts with the Explorer Wax Museum. If your child would like to turn the Biography Folder Book Project in early that is fine. Multiplication, Division and Decimals Everyday Mathematics Units 3 and 4 We have been using various strategies for multiplying and dividing in math. We have also been writing number stories that require mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Algebra has been introduced through number sentences and parentheses in number sentences. We will share a variety of addition, subtraction and multiplication strategies throughout the year. I have encouraged the students to select the strategy that works best for them. In our next unit, we will explore decimals and their uses. Students will compare order and estimate with decimals. One way you can support learning at home is allow your child to use money when you pay for items at the store. This will reinforce adding and subtracting with money. Math Tips Please visit our website for math games and Everyday Math home links. To support their learning at home, practice basic multiplication facts regularly. I have sent home Fact Triangles that the students can use to practice the facts. Native Americans and Explorers In Social Studies, we have begun our study about Native Americans. During the study, the students will look at various geographic regions of the Plains, Pacific Northwest, Southwest or Desert and Woodland tribes. Students will be able to make connections between the geographic location of the tribes and their lifestyle including: climate, natural resources, food, housing, clothing and trade. Exploration: November 20th Wax Museum We will begin Who We Are: Exploration Investigation in November. The unit is an inquiry into explorers, reasons for exploration, impact of exploration. One impact the children should understand is that exploration leads to new knowledge and opportunities for people. The highlight of this unit is our Fourth Grade Wax Museum. Your child will select an explorer to research, write and memorize a short factual monologue and dress as the explorer. Welcome! We have a new student Please join us in welcoming Tauri McNeill to our class! Tauri is a former SRS student joining us from Colorado. Parent Teacher Conferences and Report Cards I will be holding Parent Teacher Conferences earlier than scheduled. Details are forthcoming at our meeting on Monday, October 5th. Report cards will be distributed on October 22nd. Please let me know if you have questions. Dates to Remember and Reminders Please see the calendar the room parents have already emailed you. October 5 Parent Meeting: 3:30 in our classroom October 9 Reflections writing piece due Friday Folders October 12 Parent Teacher Conference week October 16 No Challenge Mystery Reader: Autumn Leaves October 19 Field Trip: Cobb Youth Museum October 21 Reflections due to Mary Virginia Coffman October 22 Report Cards distributed Field Trip: Alliance Theatre Depart at 9 am and return 12 noon Two chaperones are needed. Please pack your child a sack lunch. If weather permits, we will have lunch on the picnic tables. October 23 Friday Folders October 30 Happy Halloween! Spirit Day: wear orange and black Mystery Reader: Spooky Stories November 3 Teacher Professional Day: No school for students November 6 Friday Folders November 20 Friday Folders Explorer Wax Museum Book Project: Biography File Folder (or earlier due to Wax Museum) No Challenge Mystery Reader: Give Thanks: Thanksgiving November 25 – 27 Thanksgiving Holidays If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Contact Information: (404) 802-3850 stwilkinson@atlanta.k12.ga.us Monday - Friday 7:30 am to 3:00 pm All messages will be returned within 24 hours September 2009 Curriculum Update In Language Arts, we are working on the mechanics of writing and parts of speech. We have diagrammed sentences identifying the simple and complete subjects and predicates. We also learned the different types of sentences. The students should complete a spelling activity Monday through Thursday night. All spelling homework is due on Friday. We completed our Endangered Species Expository Report. The students will make Action Posters next week. We will use our knowledge about Ecosystems and endangered species to persuade others to take action in helping our species. In Treasures reading, we have read A Walk in the Desert. This story supported our learning about Ecosystems. We identified new words, main idea and details while reading. During our reading group, we are partner reading aloud to build fluency. We have read Junior Great Books, Fresh. Throughout the year, we will revisit “What Good Readers Do”. Please encourage your child to use the four reading strategies: Summarizing, Clarifying, Questioning and Predicting. Look in your child’s binder for more about how you can help your child use these strategies. You can reinforce these strategies when reading with your child at home. Your child should read 20 minutes every night. Encourage your child to read aloud to you. Reading aloud helps develop fluency. All students should be reading a literature selection of their choice for Book Project: A book in a…The project is due on September 25th. We have been comparing geometric figures and reviewing basic geometric vocabulary. The students are collecting, comparing and interpreting data. In unit two of Everyday Math, Partial Sums and Column Addition are introduced. We will share a variety of addition, subtraction and multiplication strategies throughout the year. I have encouraged the students to select the strategy that works best for them. To support their learning at home, practice basic math facts. See our website for links to online math games. We have been looking at the components of ecosystems. Our study will help us answer the following questions about ecosystems: What is an ecosystem? What are the roles of producers, consumers and decomposers in an ecosystem? How does energy flow through an ecosystem? What factor influence ecosystems? Please visit our LINKS page for websites that connect to our learning. Friday Folders Please keep all student work sent home in the Friday Folder. This is “practice” work. I keep projects and most final assessments in their student portfolio. Return the checklist and folder on the following Monday. Tutorial Wednesdays 2:30 until 3:30 I will “invite” your to tutoring the week prior to the tutorial session. Invitations are based on whether your child needs extra practice with a specific concept or skill. If your child cannot stay for tutoring, please let me know and I will send practice materials home. Dates to Remember and Reminders September 17 Parent-Teacher Social, Maggiano’s September 18 Field Trip, Georgia Aquarium September 25 Book Project One due September 22 First Day of Autumn Classroom Needs: color copy paper Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm. The children and I appreciate the donations you have made to our classroom. Thank you for your “teacher gifts”. Please know that I truly appreciate all that you do! If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Ms. Wilkinson Contact Information: (404) 802-3850 stwilkinson@atlanta.k12.ga.us Monday - Friday 7:30 am to 3:00 pm All messages will be returned within 24 hours