Updates from the week!

"Mart" (AKA Math + Art)

To introduce our new math unit on Multiplication and Division, the kids worked out some really challenging problems involving area and perimeter, and then they turned it into art!  Here's the sheet the kids started with!

Happy Halloween!!  :)

Happy Halloween from the Chrystall Coconuts!!

Measurement in Buddies

Geography Bee

The PTO's 2015 Geography Bee is going to be held a week from Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m. following the International Fun Fest.  Here is the link to the study guide, and you can sign up for the Bee near the office.  

Rainbow Math & The Metric System Test on Wednesday 11/3

Today, the fourth grade did "rainbow math!"   A rainbow has a wide variety of colors and we know that in math, our kids have a wide variety of needs!  We used our formative assessments from the metic system unit as well as student self-assessments to help us group all the kiddos; the kids went to one of the 4th grade teachers for instruction today!  Students were doing really well with the unit were able to do some enrichment activities, the kids who are doing pretty well but still had some questions got some review, while our students still struggling to understand the metric system were able to ask questions and receive more direct instruction.   This is something we plan to do a few times each unit to make sure every child in 4th grade is getting the help and enrichment they need!  

I have attached the materials I created my Rainbow Math group.  You can use this to study and review for the test if you are looking for study materials! Our Unit 2 math test on the metric system will be next week on Wednesday 11/3. 


Handout to accompany my Rainbow Math presentation slides.  

All my math students will work on completing the study guide in class on Monday!  We will do some final review on Tuesday, and then test on Wednesday!

Conference Waiting Area Articles for Parents

Didn’t have time finish reading an article while you waited for you conference to start?  Wanted to read all of them but didn’t have the time?  Here are links to the articles we had in our 4th grade pod waiting area!  

1. Struggle For Smarts? How Eastern And Western Cultures Tackle Learning

2. Square Root of Kids’ Math Anxiety: Their Parents’ Help

3. Let your child make mistakes

4. Why It's Important To Let Your Child Make Mistakes

5. Tips for Parents from Teachers

6. Teach Kids to Think About Their Thinking — Metacognition

Our beautiful waiting area for 4th grade parents!  Sit back, relax, and read an interesting article!  

Good Fit Books

What a great simile to think about good fit books!  

When children are reading independently, it is very important that they are reading books they can decode and comprehend at high levels. This will not only motivate them to read more, it will also progress their comprehension skills.

Today, I gave the kids their reading Lexile Reading scores so that they can find their good fit books using the Mann Library Catalog. Be sure to ask your child to share with you how they can find a good fit book using their iPads and the Mann Library Catalog!

However, good fit books are more than just a Lexile score.  Below are a few things to think about while selecting books to read.

Use this mnemonic device, I PICK, to help you select good fit books!

This is a great rule to help you decide if the book you selected is in fact a good fit for you! It's important to be reflective and honest when doing the five finger test.

Parents, here is an article you might find interesting.  It has tips and ideas for raising your kids to be a reader; this is specific for ages 8 to 10 years old. 

Updates: Conference, Vocabulary, Upcoming Project, HW Club & Mystery Reader

Conferences
Wow, can you believe conferences are already next week? Be sure to check the sign-up genius for your conference time. I would love for the kids to be a part of their conferences so plan on having them attend!

Vocabulary Test Units 1-4

Next Friday, we are going to have a test over the first 4 units. We are doing this to make sure the kids are cycling back through the words and reviewing.  I don't want the kids to memorize them for a week and then never think about them again.  Knowing & understanding these roots will be such a powerful vocabulary tool for them to have for the rest of their lives!  For the test, the students should use their packet to study.  They need to know the meaning of all 12 root words.  Using their understanding of the roots, students should be able to: write sentences, complete analogies, and define new words using the same roots.  We will study some each day in school, but they also need to be reviewing at home each night.

Reading Test: Point of View (plus inference & characters)

On Wednesday, the students will take an assessment over point of view.  They need to be able to identify if something is told from 1st, 2nd or 3rd person point of view.  They should also be able to compare and contrast the points of view a story is told from as well as being able to identify how a story would change if it were told from another point of view.  There will also be a few character trait questions to reassess that standard from earlier in the year.  Kids will have to use their inference skills throughout the test.

Wax Museum 

Next week, I will be introducing our wax museum project!  Every 4th grader will select a different innovator to research!  They will write about their research and then they will get to become their innovator in our Wax Museum.  The Wax Museum will be open for parent visitors on November 20th so mark your calendars (time is still to be determined).  More details are under the wax museum tab on my blog and we can discuss questions about this engaging cross-curricular project at our conferences next week!  

Homework Club

Sign up for homework help club using this link! 

Homework Help Club (HHC) is an after school opportunity providing students with support from classroom teachers. Homework Help Club is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning October 27, 2015 to students in 3rd through 5th grades and will run until April 2016. HHC is 1 hour for all students beginning at 3:00pm and dismissing at 4:00pm. Students should always bring a book to read in case homework is completed before our scheduled end time. Students should also bring a healthy nut-free snack to enjoy. Students will be dismissed at the front lobby promptly at 4:00pm.

Mystery Reader
If you haven't signed up for mystery reader yet, please use the sign up genius to do so (the sign up genius was emailed to everyone near the start of the year).  Also, the October 30th time slot has just opened up.  If you are interested in being our HALLOWEEN Mystery Reader please go to the sign up genius to change or add yourself!  :)  

Thanks to todays fabulous mystery reader who read us a great Cubs picture book!  Go Cubs Go!!  

Feelin’ Good Mileage Club RETURNS!
The Mileage Club gives the students another opportunity to be physically active during lunch recess. The Mileage Club is open for 1st-5th grade students. There is no need to sign up for it, simply show up during lunch recess. Children need only comfortable shoes and appropriate for the weather clothing. Each child is free to walk or run as much or as little as she/he desires. Toe tokens will be given for each mile (4 laps on park sidewalk) completed.

Fall session starts on Monday, October 19th and will last till Turkey Trot on November 3rd. Club will be open every day of the week, weather and school schedule permitting.

Lunch Hour supervisors, the teachers, will be facilitating this event in each grade level. Please let us know if you would like to help us sometimes. Lunch recess schedule is as follows:

• 11:30-11:55, 4th and 5th Grade
• 12:00-11:25 2nd and 3rd Grade
• 12:30-12:55 1st Grade

Please, contact Margaret Garcia via e-mail at mgarcia@op97.org if you wish to volunteer or have any questions.

ThingLink

Hello!  During our institute day today, we are exploring new apps and technologies to use in the classroom!  Here is a ThingLink I made with some resources to help get ready for our first math test on Wednesday :)




To use, click on the dots on the image to view videos, images and documents :)

Unit 1 Math Test is Next Week

Hello Families! We are very close finishing up our first unit in math! The kids will take their first summative assessment for the unit on Wednesday 10/14. Today in class, we worked on the study guide. The kids made great progress, but most kids have a few more to finish up over the long weekend.

Metacognition is awareness of one’s own knowledge. Research shows that metacognitive skills can be taught to students to improve their learning. To help foster these skills, I had the kids "code" each question of their study guide using the following key:

• 3 = Super Easy, definitely got it right
• 2 = It took some thought to figure it out, but I think I got it right
• 1 = I tried my best, but I'm not sure if it is right or wrong
• 0 = I am completely stuck and don't understand this at all

Be sure to check out your child's study guide and coding to help them get ready for the test.  We will review the study guide answers in class on Tuesday (parents, also check your email as I am going to email you the study guide answers in case you want to check your child's work yourself).