* This week is MAP testing. MAP tests are a district assessment that allow us to get an idea of where your child is in math and reading. The tests are individualized and they give teachers information on areas your child can improve in throughout his/her 4th grade year. Many parents have asked if there is a way to study for this test--the object of the test is to find out what your child knows now, not what he/she can study for. The best thing you can do to help your child with this test is to make sure that he/she eats a good breakfast the morning of the test and that he/she gets plenty of rest throughout the week. The 4th graders take these tests in the fall and also in the spring. The dates and times of our testing this week are listed under the "Mark Your Calendars" tab on the top section of our blog.
* We're excited to learn more about Maddie, as she is our MVP of the Week! The MVP schedule went home with your child last week. A week before your child's assigned week, you will receive more information on what to bring or do. Your child will also receive his/her poster to fill out for the following week as well.
* Scholastic book club forms went home last week. Orders are due by this Friday, September 16th. Online ordering is available-- a link to the book clubs is listed under the Educational Links on our classroom blog. If you choose to send in a paper copy of your order, please make sure that you send in checks only for your payment.
* Thank you for filling out the technology survey that was sent home. We will begin some technology work with Spelling City! Your child will still take a pretest in class on Monday to determine his/her spelling list of the week. However, rather than filling out paper/pencil activities, we are going to try to have the children do their homework online. I will send out login information and passwords on Monday. You can access the homework assignments by going to www.spellingcity.com (this is also a link under Educational Websites). Your child is to complete the assignments by Friday. There will be 8 assignments to do this week-- 2 activities per night. This shouldn't take longer than 10-15 minutes a night. As with anything we try for the first time, the number of assignments and the way in which we use this website may change as time goes by. We are excited to have the opportunity to test this out! Our spelling list this week will deal with words that have a long "e" sound.
* In math we will review using a compass to make circles and work with geometry vocabulary. The kids will then get a study guide (Monday or Tuesday) and take a practice test over everything we have covered in Unit 1. We will take the test over Unit 1 on Thursday. A parent letter giving an overview of unit 2 will come home with your child in the second half of this week.
* In reading we continue to track our inner conversations with the books we read by using coding. The kids worked with using 7 codes last week to record their thinking. This week we will work with fiction and nonfiction books to help us practice. We will also break off into smaller groups so that we can practice how to talk about what we've read successfully. The kids will also work on active listening--this can be the more challenging part of group work.
* The kids received information on their realistic fiction book reports. Since we are getting a later start on this month, the kids will only be required to complete 1 report by the last day of September. Once your child has found a realistic fiction book he/she would like to report on, he/she can fill out the planning sheet and turn this in. I will go over this sheet with them in class and give them time to practice their report. We will then be using our classroom computers to help us get the reports taped. Once again, the reports should be recorded in class by Friday, September 30th.
* In writing, the kids continue to work on the skill of focusing on one moment in time. This week we will talk about how describing setting and using our sensory details can help make our writing more interesting. The kids will have a chance to write from the point of view of an object as well as recalling personal memories for other prompts. They are doing a great job of getting their thinking focused on one moment in time.
* Last week we reviewed the layers of the Earth and began to learn about the different parts of volcanoes. This week we will review the parts of volcanoes and the causes of the plate disruption. The kids will receive a study guide on the material on Monday and we will take our first quiz over the layers and volcano parts on Wednesday. We will spend the remainder of the week learning about tectonic plates.
* Chinese begins this week! The children will meet their Chinese teacher and begin to learn the language on Tuesday. They will continue to have Chinese each Tuesday and Thursday throughout this year.
* I think that covers it for this week. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. Have a great start to the week!
