11/29/11
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break!
This week's study guide went home yesterday.
The November Book Collages look fantastic! We will celebrate with a gallery walk tomorrow.
The December Book Project is cancelled! I know that you are busy preparing for the Science Fair.
Science Fair Research will be done in class. I will help students find information relating to their topics. Students may also do further research at home. Remember to take notes in bullet form and to never copy sentences word for word from the internet. 
MAPS testing begins next week! Yes, it is that time again! Our test day is Wednesday.
Science: As you can tell from seeing tonight's homework, we have begun our study of matter and energy. This unit will continue until Winter Break.
In Social Studies, we will continue to sharpen our map and geography skills, as we learn more about the New England Colonies.
Thank you Kareemot for helping us correct the ST Math code. See below for the revised code!
Thank you parents, for taking the time to sign the Assignment Notebook each evening. This lets me know that you are aware of each assignment. Field Trip Forms will go out this week. We will go the the Shedd Aquarium!!!
11/16/11
The Theme 2 Study Guide is now posted in the Weekly Study Guides section.
11/14/11
Here is a heartflet shout out to the few and the proud who actually completed their Science Textbook work this weekend. Paris, Franccesca, Nicole, and Shemar earned a homework pass today!
Parents, please make sure that you are looking and signing your child's assignement notebook each day. I will be looking for the signatures!
Parents, students were given a new "Nightly Reading and Reflection" template this afternoon. Students should use this template to guide their writing each evening. This will help prepare them for the Extended Response portion of the ISAT, and more importantly, will help them develop superior writing skills!
11/12/11
ST Math Code: Some students are reporting problems using the code. One bit of troubleshooting: I am pretty sure that the O is the letter, not the numeral. Try it both ways.
Are you able to use the Activation Code successfully? Send me an email to let me know! Did you use the numeral or the letter? Thanks! Mrs. Ginn :)
See you all Monday! We will......make Theme Review Vocabulary Trading Cards.....read a story about Sea Turtles in small groups.....write equations with partners.....learn about habitats on Brain Pop....make our own Brain Pop comic strips!
11/9/11
ST Math Homework is on!
- enter web.stmath.com in the browser
- Click on the big JiJi
- If it is your first time logging in at home, you will need this activation code: DIS4OD-HHV-48-R74 Please note that the O is not a number, but is the letter 0!
- Enter your password, just like you do in school
- Have fun!
- After playing, make sure to use the button on the bottom left of the screen to exit the program so that progress is recorded.
Have fun! This week's skill aligns with our classroom goals: function tables and equations with variables.
Welcome to 201 and Pod 200!
Email alert!
Science Fair help!
I am having difficulties returning some yahoo emails that are sent through this site. Try emailing me directly at:
mbportginn@gmail.com
Caleb, I did try to email you, but it is not going through!
Here is a link that you can use to find some Science Fair ideas. Just remember, you must use the Scientific Method and make sure that you have a control group and variables ( ie, the amount of salt added, the kind of vegetable tested, the kind of soil used, the amount of water used, the type of water used).
Hope that this is a help!
http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/
11/7/11
Parent Teacher Conference Time Sheets went home today! Ten minute time slots will be available to each family. Please mark your top three choices and return A.S.A.P.. I will contact you via note to let you know your time. If you do not sign up for a time, or turn in the sheet late, I will do my best to accomodate your schedule, but may not be able to honor your preferred time slot. I hope that this will avoid the long waiting times on Report Card Pick up Day! Please be prompt, as I will be sticking to the schedule!
This week, tic tac toe has been shortened to "tic tac" due to the short week. Please select one vocabulary and one spelling activity of your choice.
Repeat: All of the Science Fair Documents can be found in the "Projects" section. If you can't print the "Plan" page that is due this Wednesday, simply write the steps on a separate sheet of paper!
11/6/11
You will find the Science Fair documents posted in the Projects and Rubric section. There are in three separate files.
The Science Fair Project Plan is due
this Wednesday. Please remember that the purpose of the Science Fair is to use the Scientific Method to conduct an experiment. Please make sure that your project has variable and controls.
There is no school for students on Thursday, November 10 due to a Staff Development Day. November 11 school is closed in honor of Veteran's Day.
Report Card Pick up is next Wednesday, November 16th. I am looking forward to meeting you all!
11/3/11
Math: This week we continue Morning Multiplication Madness. Each child is working at his or her own level, and I am happy to report that everyone is making progress! Our goal is to have 100% mastery by Thanksgiving.
More Math: 201 continues to work with expressions and equations that contain variables. Students are becoming more comfortable with the key math vocabulary that helps one solve multi-step word problems.
This week in the Science Lab we used the Scientific Method to learn about primates and our opposable thumbs. We also watched a Brain Pop segment to learn more about primates and their unique adaptations.
Brainpop at home! You can watch and learn on Brain pop at home. The login is: waltdisneyms The password is: brainpop
Science Fair topics are due next week. I am encouraging students to ask me questions about their topics before the due date so that I can help steer them in the right direction. I would like to use class time to help students find background research on their topics so that I can show them note taking techniques and get them started with the paper.
Next week is a three day school week. Students will not attend school on Thursday or Friday.
Thank you Franccesca for giving 201 a present for your birthday! Franccesca gave the class a copy of the 68 Rooms, which I plan to read aloud to the class. Why not check it out at the library? It is a good one! Thank you Franccesca!!
10/30
- We had a fantastic time at the Film Festival. Thank you to Mrs. Barber and Mr. Deleon for joining us!
- We will put down our pencils for the last 40 minutes of class tomorrow. Get ready for a Pod 200 Freeze Dance Competition!
- Tic Tac Toe is coming home today! All activities should be turned in on Friday.
- We will share our Mystery Bags tomorrow. They look fantastic!
- Happy Halloween! There will not be regular homework on Halloween. Keep in mind that the Tic Tac Toe will be due on Friday.
10/19: This Just In....
Pod 200 is going to the International Film Festival on Thursday, October 27. Forms will be out soon!
There is no school for students on Friday, October 28.
Mystery Bag Book Reports are due on Thursday, October 27.
No Tic Tac Toe next week. I hope that this will give you some extra time to work on those Mystery Bags!
We will have a reading test next Thursday morning so don't forget to study!
10/17: The latest:
The Chapter 4 math test will be given this Wednesday afternoon. The concepts covered will include: expressions and equations with variable, matching words to expressions, using a function table and writing expressions with variables.
It is very windy and cold on the Pod 200 playground, and we are out there every morning! It is time to dust off those mittens, scarves, and warm coats!
This week in Science we will be learning about animals adaptations. We will conduct an experiment in the lab to show how birds' beaks are uniquely adapted to suit their dietary needs.
In Social Studies, we will be discussing how the first people migrated to North America in search of food.
I am almost finished grading the Theme 1 tests. They are long! The students worked so hard last Friday. I made
everyone rewrite the Extended Response question. The students were not smiling at me, but the results were greatly improved!
Science Fair Packets will go home by the end of this week. This packet includes several very important due dates and is extremely long. Please, keep it at home in a safe place. Extra packets will not be readily available! I will post the packet and all important due dates on this web site as soon as they are confirmed. As of now, our Science Fair will be on 12/22.
Questions? Please feel free to send me an email!!
10/14:This just added:
The Lesson 6 Study Guide has been posted. Get a head start on the TTT over the weekend!
Why not read On the Banks of Plum Creek ahead of time. Log on to Think Central!
The Mystery Bag Project is posted in the Projects section. I will provide paper bags and some paper to cover the bags. This will go home tomorrow, Friday. I will not be able to provide an additional paper bag or extra paper! The project is due 10/27. All students should be reading a Mystery.
Immigration Interview form: Find it in the Projects and Rubrics section!
Theme 1 Review Packet: Also available in the Projects and Rubrics section. We will be reviewing the concepts in Theme 1 on Tuesday, October 11 and Wednesday, October 12. Students, get ready for Theme 1 jeopardy on Wednesday!
The Theme 1 test will be given on Thursday and Friday of next week.
-Please study the vocabulary words! Every student who studies should get a 100% on this section.
-The Spelling section will be in a "bubble format." Students will have to select the correct spelling.
You can now access Social Studies Weekly online! http://www.estudiesweekly.com/
Our access code is team201
Please send me an email to let me know if the code works!
All students should have their SS Weekly newspaper and Words to Know journal at school each day!
Immigration Interview: Yesterday, your child brought home the instructions for this project. We talked about this project today in class. Students in pod 200 are asked to interview someone who was once an immigrant to the United States. Many of us have family members who moved to this country for opportunities or to escape hardship. Some students may need to find someone in their community who will agree to be interviewed. If you are having trouble finding someone who moved to the US from another country, please let me know. I will try to arrange an interview for you. The interview answers should be written or typed on a separate sheet of paper. The project is due next Tuesday, October 11.
This project is linked to this week's story: Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain. Kai is a twelve-year-old Chinese boy who, in 1932, comes to the United States in order live with his father, who has been working in San Francisco for a number of years. Kai must endure great hardships as he is detained at Angel Island for five weeks. By reading Kai's story, we learn about the strength and courage of the many immigrants that have landed on U.S. soil.
Check out the Angel Island Link. This great site from Scholastic offers fantastic first person accounts about life at Angel Island.
Chapter 3 Math Test: This test will be given on Thursday and will cover: adding and subtracting whole numbers, estimating sums and differences, and knowing when to estimate and when to find an exact answer. We have been reviewing the chapter concepts each day!
Thank you, Mrs. Santiago, Joshua's mom, for spending the day with us today. What a fantastic help you were!!!
School Holiday: October 10th in honor of Columbus Day.
Tic Tac Toe holiday: The week of October 10. There is no Tic Tac Toe homework this week.
Do look for the Theme 1 Review in your child's backpack! We will work with this packet each day next week. The study guide contains all of the vocabulary, spelling, and grammar concepts that will be tested.
Parents, do you have an email address that you would like to share with me? Email is a great way for me to communicate with you. It is more flexible than the phone, because I can send you a quick message at any time! Please click on the email link to contact me. I will add you to my address book! Thank you!
Math Test Update: Last night I graded the Chapter 2 math tests. The scores were not what I had expected. So, this morning I held another review session to go over place value, rounding numbers, and comparing numbers. We worked on some problem solving strategies too. Any student who scored lower than an 80% was asked to immediately retake the test. The scores were MUCH better. Phew!
-Next week, on Wednesday or Thursday, we will test on Chapter 3 concepts: subtracting across zeros, adding and subtracting large numerals, estimating sums and differences
Book Project Extension! The new project due date will be Monday, October 3. This will give students an additional weekend. I will have extra rubrics and directions in class this week.
Here are the new, and correct instructions for logging on to Think Central!
1. Click on the "Think Central" option from the menu bar
2. Click on "Reading Language Arts"
3. Type in your username: this is your student identification number. It is written on all of your old report cards and progress reports. If you can't find it, email me!
4.The password is: chicago
3. Make sure to select Chicago District 299
4. Select Walt Disney Magnet School 60613
5. Save the settings on your computer so you won't need to go through all this again!
Each member of 201 has been added to our class roster: TeamGinn2011. Your will find reading and math assignments right here! I can monitor your progress online. Wow!
What is Nightly Reading and Reflection or NRR? It is often a homework assignment! Here is how it works:
- Read a book of your choice or the assignment that I have provided.
- Yes, you can read a chapter book. Just write about the section that you read that night!
- Write a one to two paragraph reflection and get it signed!
A typical Nightly Reading Reflection might begin like this:
Frindle by Andrew Clemments
9/7/2011
In this part of the story, (insert main idea and description here). The main characters had to.....(insert details from the text here). In my opinion...(insert your ideas here). End with a "wrap up" or finishing idea that relates back to the story.
Please let me know if your child is having difficulty completing this assignment so that we can make modifications.
*It is o.k. to read aloud to your child!
*Corrections can be made directly on the page! This shows me that your child has proofread and made changes. A rewrite is usually not necessary!
*Credit will not be given for sloppy or incomplete work.
*Please sign your child's Reflection each night.
201 has had 100% Attendance for three days strong! Keep it up!
Today I sent home a "Welcome Packet" that includes lots of information about 201! The regular homework schedule will begin next week. This week, we are establishing routines, taking care of some pre-assessment, and getting to know one another.
Fourth Grade Super Heros! This project is due on Friday. I will go over the directions in class on Wednesday and will send home the large paper, as promised!
Emergency forms, lunch forms, consent forms.......Parents, you have some homework too! Please send these very important forms into school by the end of this week!
Assignment Notebooks: 201 kids know that they are now required to have their assignment notebook signed by a parent each evening. This lets me know that you have seen the homework and that you are aware of its completion. It can also be a quick and easy way for us to communicate. You can jot me a short note right in the assignment notebook. If an assignment is incomplete, I will make a note in the notebook. Believe me, developing the "assignment notebook habit" will help your child will be better prepared for the Upper Level!
*We are in need of "green" cleaning supplies. The regular bleach-type antibacterial washes contain heavy fumes that can trigger asthma attacks. We have many students and teachers in the pod who are prone to these breathing problems. Using the green cleaners, such as the citrus based sprays and wipes, is easier on our lungs, skin, and environment! All donations will be appreciated!
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