Context Clues Retake

  Wow, I can't believe we only have one week before winter break!

   Students who did scored lower than a B will take a different context clues test on Tuesday. This is the last reading grade for the quarter. I haven't sent home last week's test because I did not want to put those into ParentVue. I will be either averaging the two grades or replace the first. This week's test will also be multiple choice. It will not include explanation, but instead definition. The students had a practice sheet for last Thursday's homework. We have reviewed the answers and will practice on Monday. I will send home both tests stapled .

Wednesday is Holiday t-shirt day.

Thursday is PJ day!!

Friday is Holiday headgear day.

Assessments this week

       Fire Safety field trip tomorrow! Please have your child wear and Addison t-shirt of any kind, closed toed shoes, and a warm jacket.

     Context clues test is on Tuesday. The format is exactly like the multiple choice page that your child wrote "Study" on the top off. First identify the meaning of the given word. Then, identify if it's an example,explanation,synonym, or antonym.Students continue to read a narrative text of their choice. We are just beginning to develop response tasks that have been chosen.
       Students will continue to apply strategies to use the correct relative pronoun, identify sentences as complete,fragment, or run-on.

     The test for multiples, divisibility,factors, prime and composite numbers is Wednesday. We will more on to long division.

December is Here!

 I can't believe that they year is almost half over! 

   Last week we began learning about multiples, factors, and divisibility rules. The students were asked to take home their journals to study the rules and use them to help with homework. As we continue tasks to apply these standards, I ask that you study the different rules with your child. There will be a quiz on Tuesday.

  In ELA, we shall continue with identifying the correct relative adverb. Relative pronouns will be added and students will use context clues to assist with correctly identifying them in a sentence. Friday's assessment will include relative adverbs, relative pronouns, types of sentences, and editing. Spelling homework this week will be covering science vocabulary. Please review the words on Monday with your child and initial the list.

  Our reading focus is on using context clues to build vocabulary and comprehension of a text. Although we have always used context clues for close reading, this is now an independent standard to be assessed. There are 4 types of context clues and are in your child's journal. Students were asked last week to take them home to study. Please be sure your child is doing this to prepare for the quiz on Wednesday. Students have completed different tasks depending on their reading level.

   Some students have begun reading independent narrative books of their choice. They will be reading each day for 20 minutes. After reading, they will be completing a book report. This will include different tasks from a choice board and a general book report organizer. I will be guiding them on time management and development of responses for the writing aspect. This will be ongoing for the next 2 weeks or so. 

Custodian appreciation is Monday.

     Visit from the Fire Safety Village on Monday.

     Holiday Shop this coming Saturday, December 8th!

     Field trip to Fire Safety Village on Monday, December 10th.

    

Thanksgiving is Around the Corner

   Students will be solving multi-step word problems for multiplication. We will wrap up multiplication modeling area model and partial product.

    I believe the students are really enjoying their animal research!There will be daily mini-lessons before they begin their draft. Our goal is to have the draft completed before the Thanksgiving break. This will allow us to get right back to the essay on the following week. Hopefully your child has shared their informational paragraph practice piece with you. They may have forgotten to attach their draft.

    Text structure passages will be for homework on Monday and Tuesday. Practice and review activities on Monday-Wednesday. Thursday will be the summative test. The format will be short passages. Students will identify the structure and give supporting details.
   

Reminders:
Thanksgiving lunch on Wednesday at 10:50!
Cobb Youth Museum filed trip on Friday
Progress Reports sent on Friday

Informational Research

    Only two weeks before Thanksgiving break! 

    We have just begun to research exotic, unique animals. Students will be gathering information from websites and books on a specific animal.They will learn how to take notes and to develop focused paragraphs. The plan is to have the draft done before the break. 

   The previous two weeks were spent developing a strong informational paragraph. I met with students individually and provided guidance on their development of interesting hooks,topic sentences, transitions, grouping of ideas for subtopics, and wrap around conclusions. This will be a craft grade in parentvue. The students will bring the writing piece home by Friday.

     There is spelling this week!Please remember to sign the spelling sheet to indicate that you have viewed it. We continue to identify simple, compound, and complex sentences. Students have anchor charts with examples, last week's & this week's practice sheets, that should be reviewed. I have modeled identifying subordinating conjunctions, dependent and independent clauses as strategies.

      Our unit in reading continues to be identifying text structure. Students are close reading to identify key words to support the structure being modeled in the passages. They are completing organizers for the given structure. Please continue to review the anchor chart and packet modeling "soccer" as the topic.

     In math, students are applying box method and partial products to solve multiplication equations. We have begun word problem questions. There will be a test by the end of the week. Then we will move into division.

     Next Friday is our field trip to the Cobb Youth Museum!

Second Quarter

It sure was wonderful to meet with you and discuss your child's progress!

   We are wrapping up the unit on main idea with a test on Tuesday. But, we will continue to revisit this throughout the year.

    Our new writing focus is informational writing ,which has been introduced with some of the main idea passages. The students have chosen a topic to research for developing an informational paragraph. This will lead into an informational essay towards the end of the month. You can view notes in your child's writing journal.

    In reading, we will be making the connection to text structure. This includes identifying : description; compare & contract; sequencing; problem & solution; and cause & effect. 

    Homophones will remain a focus this week. Students will be assessed this coming Friday. 

    In math, students are learning new strategies on solving multi-digit multiplication problems. They will be bringing home their journal to assist them with homework. Please be sure that their journals return to school daily to have in-class. 

   Have  wonderful weekend!

    

Conference Week

   Please check your child's agenda for the day and time of our conference. Remember that your child should attend as Addison does student led conferences.

  We will continue to focus on main idea in informational text. As a whole class, we watched Brainpop and discussed identifying the main idea. Students then watched again independently. While they answered comprehension questions, they watched again. This was NOT taken as a grade! It was a learning experience. There will be some short passages that we will read and use text evidence to identify the main idea. At the same time, we are learning how to develop informational paragraphs. This is to prepare for an upcoming informational essay.

   In math ,our focus will be on multiplication for multi-digit numbers. Students will be exposed to a few strategies to build their fluency. Multiplication is the pathway to many other standards to come this year.

  The book fair is open during conference week. I look forward to meeting with you!

Fall Break is Near

  We continue to focus on identifying theme in a text. Students have been learning to use text evidence to support their answer. I have modeled how to number the evidence as they close read. The theme must be stated, then the meaning. Students should be studying the vocabulary on the anchor chart in their journals. There will be a formative assessment on Thursday! This will be short paragraphs and they must use the correct theme vocabulary and highlight the text evidence. Please keep all passage that we have corrected/discussed in class to review for the assessment. They will have another on Monday and Tuesday.

  In writing, the students have practiced developing a strong paragraph which includes a topic sentence. The task was to identify the theme of Ruby Bridges and include 2-3 examples of evidence.
This is an instructional piece, NOT a grade! They will complete one for a grade ,however it may not happen this week. I will update you when the class is ready.

  Students struggling with grammar standards that we are reviewing and introducing can practice on  www.funbrain.com/games/grammar-gorillas.


  Subtracting across zero is this week's math. Students should be practicing the facts for fluency and number sense. Roomrecess.com has been a great site that the students have been using in the classroom. This is a wonderful way for them to practice math standards that they may be struggling with. Please have your child use this at home.

  Only one week before fall break!!

Theme

Students have worked diligently on their essays! I'm excited to read their final products. The grades should be posted by the end of this weekend.

As a team, we noticed students struggling with plural nouns, punctuation for dialogue, and paragraph structure. So this week , we are revisiting  plural and possessive nouns. How are they different? There will be an assessment on Friday. Today ,we began how to develop a paragraph with a topic sentence. A topic sentence usually includes the main idea, but does not have to be the first sentence in the paragraph. It usually answers some questions : How? What? Who? Why?Where? . Depending on how we progress in our lessons, the students will be assessed most likely on Monday.

Spelling this week is focused on social studies vocabulary. Your child should study the spelling of all words and definition for the 5 starred ones. Spelling City is a wonderful site to practice!

A theme is the central idea,or message, of a story. Some themes most be inferred. We will discuss how plot of a story relates to the theme. Students will have anchor charts in their journals with the definition and examples of most common themes. I will not be formally testing them until next week, so I will give you more details on the next post. However, there will be a grade level reading assessment on Friday. Students will be tested on vocabulary, possessive nouns, main idea, and comprehension. When I do not directly assign reading homework, please have you child read for 15-20 to practice fluency and exposure to text.

Friday, Sept. 14 is Addison's Family Carnival!!

Ending units

I hope that everyone has enjoyed the long weekend! Can't believe we've been in school for a month.

     We will be wrapping up our unit on place value : reading,writing,comparing,ordering,and rounding. Students are still completing Friday's chapter assessment. Wednesday will be a last review and reteach as needed. Thursday will be the summative test. Then, we will move on to using rounding to estimate for addition and subtraction.


     The class continues to develop sentence structure. Application of identifying fragments and run-on sentences should be modeled within their individual essays. Students are editing their writing according to my individual feedback each day before they continue their essays. Their final publication will be due on Wednesday. Our goal was last Friday, which gave them a little over a week to complete. As we discussed at Open House,writing is 70% of their ELA grade. This weight is assigned by the county.

      Students continue to read and understand character traits. We've discussed positive and negative traits within our texts. We will understand that physical traits and emotions are  different but may have a connection to their character.There will be a quiz Thursday on positive/negative traits and character/physical. On Friday, the summative test will include matching, multiple choice, and labeling.

      This past week, Mrs. Tansill and I sent home many citations for not returning homework. Homework is used for us to assess students' independent comprehension for daily instruction. Please have your child pack up the night before school. Most of the citations were for spelling and their test scores reflected this.


       Progress reports will be coming home on Thursday. There will be a white print out for you to keep. Please sign and return the colored copy that will be stapled in your child's agenda.

Parent Support: Visit the Cobb County Parents Resources tab. Click on the Academics Information link. There are math learning videos. If you click Learning in ELA, you may find the standards and frameworks under fourth grade. Perhaps these links will provide some clarity of what your student will be taught this year. 

Early Release

We continue to stay very busy!
Students will be focused on comparing and rounding numbers. Applying strategies to assist their comprehension is beneficial,always start with a digit's given place and close read questions. Another powers of 10 assessment will be given on Tuesday. There will be a quiz Thursday for ordering,comparing,and rounding.

Reading and writing, we have been digging into identifying and describing character traits. What does the character feel, say, and do to convey these traits? Identifying evidence and specific vocabulary in the text and writing an explanation in their own words will be a continued focus. Monday and Tuesday the students will have reading homework. Thursday will be a quiz  to assess students' ability to identify and explain traits.

We have begun typing our narratives using Office 365. This assists me in providing quick feedback as the students write. Many have completed their introductions. The most challenging element has been for students to create a problem/goal/obstacles for their character. It is hard because they want to retell a personal narrative where there isn't a plot. We will continue to focus on this creativity development. They are also reflecting on their independent books by creating a character poster.

This week is spelling. Nightly homework choice board is given. Thursday night is test night. Students should write any misspelled words 5 times. Sign and return your child's test to school on Friday.

Wednesday is early release! Please send a note in your child's agenda if you have dismissal changes.

Extra Credit

I'm offering extra credit points for our plot test. We reviewed all vocabulary and definitions daily for two weeks.The students have anchor charts in their writing journals to study.

On Thursday, they will give all 5 elements for plot. Then they will write a definition in their own words to model their understanding. This will amount to 10 extra points that could be added to their test grade.I will adjust their grades in ParentVue accordingly.

In the future, please remind your child how important homework and studying is for their success.
Thank you for your support in their education!

Narrative Writing

Our second full week of school!

Now that students have read and learned about elements of a story, plot, we shall begin developing our own. This week students will develop an outline organizer for their topic and plot. During the week, I will be meeting and providing feedback. They will have a layout anchor charts to guide them during daily writing. On Friday, I hope to be ready to publish their drafts with our tech support Mrs. Hazlett. She has introduced Office 365 to the class.

Your child may have brought home their writing journal to discuss the character traits vocabulary list. Kudos to them! We are going to use these to assist us in identifying character traits in reading. We will look for text evidence of actions, words, and feeling to support our thinking. This list will also provide them with vocabulary for their own narrative writing piece.

On Monday, I will be introducing comparing numbers. The students will be applying what they have learned about place value. Some students will also be pulled to re-teach the powers of 10, after my introduction lessons. By the end of the week, we should be ordering numbers. (From least to greatest or greatest to least.) There will be differentiated homework based upon your child's needs.


Request for you help. Please remind your child that strategies modeled and taught in-class are important for them to use independently. It is difficult to guide and assist when I do not know their thinking. This is a year where they need to show what they know.

Plot tests will be sent home on Monday. You will notice my notes,strategies, and suggestions. All of these were discussed and reviewed on a daily bases.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Powers of 10

This week in math, students are learning the Powers of 10. They have an anchor in their math journals. As you move a digit to the left, it is multiplied by 10. If the digit is moved to the right, it's divided by 10. Please have them review their anchor nightly to build comprehension of this concept.

We continue to read and identify the elements of plot structure.
Tuesday's homework is to read the passage "Good Friends" and label the 5 elements. Then complete the questions highlighting the text evidence. A primary test will be on Friday. Students will be matching vocabulary and definitions, reading short passages, and answering multiple choice questions that identify the 5 elements.

Spelling this week. Students should be studying the definitions of all social studies content vocabulary.Also, study spelling of all 15 words. We had many students NOT complete Monday's task beginning with "value". By Tuesday night, all definitions for content words should be completed. they were given extra time in-class to complete this.

Please help you child to be prepared for class by completing their assignments. Initial their agenda. If you see a" ? "in a subject area, this tells you that he/she did NOT write their assignment.

Routine and organization are key to success.
If you have any questions or concerns don't wait. Email us!

Our class schedule

              This is the plan!! 

7:45 Arrival , Gator News

7:50-8:15 Morning work/Number Talk/Intervention

Switch

8:15- 9:15 Math   (math students switch)

9:20-10:05  Specials  PE/Music/Pe/PE/ Art

10:07- 10:55  Block A1 (Tansill) ELA/Writing

10:57- 11:27  Lunch    table #3

11:30-11:45  Bathroom break/ Recess

11:50-12:40  Block A2 Reading

Switch 

12:40-1:25 Block B1 (Gerber) Writing

1:25-2:10 Read 180/ Reading/Content Block B2

2:10 Pack up homework, agendas, and clean up for dismissal