Week 3

Can you believe we are already half-way through our first unit?  This week we will have more exciting, fun, and engaging activities for the students. 

This past Friday the students completed spelling, grammar, and math tests.  You should see those in their folders this Monday.  Please send those back signed.  This week we have new topics to discuss.  Our reading time has been going very well.  The students really enjoy the book.  Remember, Tuesday nights the students have a chapter they must read at home.  In our grammar study session time we will talk about complete subjects and predicates, simple subjects and predicates, combining sentences: compound subjects and predicates, and correcting run-on sentences.  On Friday they will have a test on this information.  This week will be our first week to kick-off our writing lessons.  We are going to start them off with a paper making activity and discuss the history of writing and the tools which have made writing possible.  For math this week we will work our way through activities and problems that will improve the student’s ability to add and subtract whole numbers.  We will look at different strategies and methods.    We will not have a math test on Friday but I will most likely give them a small quiz.  In our conceptual time this week we will take a closer look at Athens and Sparta, Greek schools, architecture, and theatre, and on Friday we will have our own Olympic games.

I am looking forward to the coming week.  Please check this site often for updates. 

Thanks,

TRENT            

Parents,

Tomorrow we have three tests.  I have included a topic one math study packet in the folder.  Your child does not have to complete this packet.  This is just for you and your child to review what we have been discussing in class.  They should also have their math journals in their book bags.  The journals have notes and examples.

Their language arts exam covers sentences and fragments, types of sentences (interrogative, imperative, declarative, and exclamatory), conjunctions and compound sentences, and punctuation.  They should have their journals.  These journals have been used by the students for notes and recording examples.  They should review their journals tonight and make sure that they can readily find information in them for the quiz tomorrow.

I usually allow the students to use their journals during my exams.  I feel this is a way to encourage students to be more attentive to details covered in class.  I believe cultivating the skill of one’s ability to record, access, interpret, and use information is vital for success in any educational setting.  Please request that your child bring home their subject journals from time to time so that you may monitor their work. 

Thanks,

TRENT      

Parents, tomorrow is the spelling pretest.  Look over the sentences with your students.  I will pick three sentences for the pretest from the ten they wrote on Monday.  While your child is practicing check to make sure they are capitalizing sentences and using correct ending punctuation.    

Spelling

Hey parents,
One of the components of our language arts period is spelling.  This year, rather than give them a random list of words to spell, I will be making their spelling test based on misspelled words from sentence dictation.  It is important that our fourth graders correctly spell common usage words as well as grade level words.  I feel this system will allow me to identify problem areas and correct bad spelling tendencies.  Each week I will pick ten of the words that were misspelled by your child to test them on at the end of the week.  You will find the list of misspelled words in your child's folder today.  I will send home their list of ten words tomorrow.

Also please remember to send a shoe box with your child to school tomorrow.
Thanks,
TRENT

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Take a look in our classroom.

Great Start

We've had a fantastic start this year at BDS.  I hope that your child has been telling you all about the fun learning taking place.  I am excited about the development of our classroom community  We are forming a classroom identity around the varied strengths of the classroom members.  I have started sending folders home, so you should see those in their book bags.  In the folder there will be work samples, notes, test, and other information.  One side of the folder is labeled "keep at home" and the other side is labeled "send back".  Look through the folders and feel free to ask any questions about its contents.  Being that it is the first week of school I have not assigned any homework yet but look for homework to be in the folders next week.  I would like you to look over assignments with your child and sign-off on completed work.  

I would love for parents to stop by and take part in our classroom activities.  Just send me an email and we will schedule a time.    

*For an activity this Friday your child needs to bring the cardboard tube from a toilet paper roll.

Lunch Menus

Hey parents,
I have added a new page to the blog.  This page will have the lunch calenders posted.  Currently you will find the August and September calender.  At the end of each month you will turn in the next months calender with the days that your child will be eating checked off.  Please bring in the calender for August on the 15th.

Thanks,
TRENT