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| My property in Boone on a snowy day. |
I hope everyone had a wonderful little mini-vacation. My family and I were in Boone, enjoying the beautiful snowy mountains! I took some really nice pictures, and since we didn't get much snow here, I thought I'd share!
This week we continue learning about the 1930's in the United States. I plan to play a little of the music from the time and show some artwork. Students really seemed to enjoy tying history to their reading and writing. I know I always did, I guess that's why I studied both English and History! Most students will begin writing a narrative historical poem using a mixture of fact and imagination in the next week. We will begin reading 'Out of the Dust" (finally:) this week as well.
I was pleased with our first foray into research and writing an informative essay. Most students understood the format and what we were doing. It was a decent start :) There is much work to be done, however, and we will continue to fine-tune our skills throughout the next few months. I expect everyone to be able to write a short informational essay with no problem before they graduate to 5th grade.
Talent Show auditions are Feb 11-14 after school. Please be advised, this is a quality show, and we want to show the world how much talent we have at Neuse Charter. It is not a time to be silly or unprepared. If you want to be on stage, come prepared with about 2 minutes of the act you want to share. Creativity counts! Talent Show is on March 15, tickets will go on sale in February.
The new quarter begins tomorrow, the 3rd quarter already!!! 4th grade will have some changes to our schedule. The order of classes will change for some, not homerooms. 4B will now have Math 2nd period (from 10:15-11:30) and Language Arts at the end of the day (1:55-3:10). This means 4B will have less time in Language Arts daily. I will probably utilize homeroom and our study hall for additional instructional time.
Many students in 4A (and some in the other classes too) are not completing homework. It is essential to read everyday. The EOG tests will be more strenuous this year and students will need to be much more fluent readers than many currently are. The only way to become a good reader is to read. It is really that simple. In 4A, I will be focusing much more on reading fluency and using the textbook in class.
Report cards go home this week. Please remember, report cards are based on more than vocab tests and homework. I try very hard to make sure report cards are a reflection of all the language arts, including group work, participation, writing and completing and handing in work. This quarter, I decided to drop the lowest classroom grade for each student. This did not include any tests or assessments, nor did I drop a homework grade. I think we did some very difficult work this quarter and students earned a bit of a break, so kudos to the hard-workers in 4th grade!. :) I was unable to post all my grades until Friday, which means I was unable to send home notice if your student earned a "D" or "F" in class. I will tomorrow, so look for agendas if you are concerned. Awards are Feb.1.
Mrs. Harris (Delaney) has created a wonderful sight for 4th (and 5th )grade classroom needs. Here is the link:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090849A8A92FA13-4thgrade
Thank you very much, Mrs. Harris!
Also, I could use some help grading Words Their Way assessments and filling out cards for all of 4th grade students fro MAPP binders. I must assess each student twice a year and fill out a progress chart for them. It is tedious and boring. I figure if several parents and I break it up, thus spreading out the work, it will go quicker and less painfully. If you can lend a hand, please e-mail me. This can be done at home, and obviously, counts towards volunteer hours!
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