Mrs. Yates

Class Newsletter for the Week of 8/30/10

Ahoy, mates!  It's hard to believe that we are beginning the 4th week of school already!  You can expect to receive a short progress update with a list of your current averages in core subjects next week.  Remember to work hard everyday and always try your best!

Don't forget that just as you remember to bring your school supplies and binder every day to class, you should always bring your A.R. book too!  You can always use extra class time as well as independent reading time to take A.R. tests, and relax and enjoy your book!  We do visit the library as a class once a week, but you are also able to go during your free time (after finishing an assignment, etc.).  Let's read, read, read!

Last but not least--we are doing a GREAT job on raising money with Boosterthon!  So far we are up to close to $50/pledge as our class average.  Go mates!  Remember to work hard to get those last pledges this week.  Our Fun Run is Wednesday, September 1st.  Put on your running shoes and let's get those hearts pumping!  Once the Fun Run is over with, let's be sure to try to collect as much of our pledge money as we can, because 10% of the money collected by September 8th goes directly back to our classroom.  Just think of what we can buy for our room!

Download Words Their Way Sort 2    (introduced on Wednesday, after Wordly Wise vocabulary test on Tuesday 8/31/10.)

Download Newsletter4 for 4th gr 2010

Wordly Wise 1 Test

This week we've been working on our 1st Wordly Wise vocabulary unit.  The first few units can be challenging as students get used to this new program.  We've highlighted the key meanings of the words, made picture cards to help study, and worked on a few exercises with the words.  Our first test is coming up soon on August 31st, 2010 (Tuesday).  To help study, be sure to review the book, your picture cards, and even visit the Wordly Wise website at www.wordlywise3000.com.  It's a great site--just find our book (Book 4) and click on lesson 1 to hear the words and play some games.  Good luck studying!

Download Wordly Wise Lesson 1

Boosterthon Rocks!

It is so exciting to see how fired up all the students are about Boosterthon!  Each day they eagerly await the Boosterthon team's arrival to our classroom and we can't wait to hear the "Word of the Day" each morning on the announcements.  We are off to a great start for this fundraiser!  So far our class has managed to earn enough per mile to earn incentives such as Shoes Off Day, extra free play, and a movie!  Wow, wow, wow! We can barely wait to find out each day what our new grand total is.  Go mates!

Our Fun Run event takes place next Wednesday, 9/2/10.  We'll pour all our enthusiasm into this great event!  The 1st collection due date is September 8th (1 week after the Fun Run).  To make it EVEN more cool---10% of that first collection comes directly back to our classroom!!!  This is a huge incentive and should keep everyone fired up. 

Again, we are all off to a great start.  Keep going, mates, and let's finish strong! If you haven't already, be sure to try to connect to at least 10 potential sponsors.  You can do it!

Weekly Class News

Whew--we have a busy week ahead of mates!  Here are your reminders:

1.    We have a Soc. Studies test on maps and a Chp. 1 test in Math on place value on Tues. 8/24/10.

Students were asked to bring home their Soc. Studies spiral notebook to help study and have a physical map study sheet that has been labeled to also help.  Students were also asked to bring home their math book to look over in preparation as well. 

Download Physical map labeled to study

2.  Boosterthon information went home this week.  Please help support us with this wonderful fund raiser for our school.

3.  Ident-a-kid information went home this week.  Envelopes are due back to school on Friday 8/27/10.

4.  Scholastic book orders are due on Friday 8/27/10.  If you are purchasing books, please send in your check or money order.  Cash will not be accepted.

5.  We visited the library and A.R. is now working.  Let's read, read, read!

6.  Our Fire Safety Village trip is on Friday, 8/27/10.  Don't forget to wear comfortable clothing and athletic shoes.  Completed fire safety books are due on Thursday.

7.  We will have our first reading and math log check this Friday 8/27/10.  Please bring your signed reading and math logs to turn in.  Please remember that teacher read alouds will not count on the reading log (it should be material read at home).  Now that all students have access to library books, I will allow any D.E.A.R. (drop everything and read) time in class to count on the reading log  (I will sign it), but please remember that the bulk of reading pages for the log should come at home under parent supervision.  Timed tests can also be downloaded off this blog.  (let me know if you can't print them)

Download Newsletter 3 for 4th gr 2010

A Few More Reminders

Parents and Students,

As the week has progressed, a few reminders have come up that I'd like to draw your attention to:

1. Scholastic book order forms went out this week.  If your student decides to purchase a book, please return the order form and attached check/money order by next Friday 8/27/10.
2. We began our Fire Safety health unit today.  Each student received a Fire Safety booklet as part of the unit of study.  Students will be taking these booklets home over the next few days but will need to complete the booklet to return to school by next Thursday 8/26/10.  Students are responsible for completing the book prior to our trip to the fire safety village. I will also put reminders on our agenda next week.
3. Early release is next Wednesday, 8/25/10.  Student dismissal will be at 12:20 that day.
4. Our field trip to the fire safety village is next Friday, 8/27/10.  We will be taking school sack lunches and eating at the facility before our return.  Please make sure you have taken care of the cost of the $1.60 school lunch.  If your child plans on bringing a lunch from home, please make sure that his/her lunch account also has at least $1.60 in it to cover the cost of a lunch just in case your child forgets it that day.  Please make sure that your child dresses in comfortable clothing that allows for alot of movement.  Students should wear athletic shoes, and girls with long hair should preferably wear their hair up and out of their eyes.  Thanks for your help with this!
5. Our Boosterthon kicks off this Friday.  This AMAZING fund raiser for our school encourages healthy exercise and fund raising that directly benefits our class!  Check with your child for details and papers to come home next week about the Boosterthon.

Finally, don't forget we have 2 tests coming up:

Math- Chp. 1 Place Value test on 8/24/10 (Tuesday).  Students should review Chapter 1 in their book or the electronic textbook.

Social Studies- Map skills test.  Please refer to last week's blog for some tips on what to study.  We are hard at work this week adding several organizers to our Social Studies spiral notebook.  Students are welcome to take them home to begin studying, but please return them daily so that we can add new material from lessons. 

Class Newsletter Week of August 16, 2010

We're off to a great start this year mates!  I've truly enjoyed our 1st full week of lessons and hope that you have too!  Here are your weekly reminders and class newsletter:

• Early Release is next Wednesday, August 25th.  Students will be released at 12:20.
• Please send in your permission slip for our Fire Safety Village trip by August 24th.  The only cost associated with the trip is $1.60 to cover lunch.  Reminders will be sent home for the students who chose to bring a sack lunch.  If your student is planning on bringing a sack lunch, please make sure he/she has enough money in the lunch account to cover a lunch in case it is accidentally left at home.  Our trip is on Friday, August 27th, 2010.
• We have a spelling test this Wednesday, August 18th. Please have your child study the 18 spelling words.  Be sure he/she can also correctly separate at least 5 words into syllables.
• We will have our first Social Studies test the following Tuesday, August 24th.  To help prepare, please have your child study his/her Social Studies spiral notebook.
• We will visit the library this week to check out books.  Remind your student to bring his/her A.R. book back and forth to school every day.
• Weekly papers and conduct sheets go home this week. Each student will receive a large baggie with their conduct sheet and graded papers.  Please review and sign the conduct sheet and send it back to school in the baggie by Wednesday.  You may keep the graded work.
• We are (tentatively) planning a Chp. 1 Math test (Place Value) as well on Tuesday, August 24th.

 

Social Studies Test Prep:

• Know and be able to identify basic map features such as the map key/legend, compass rose, a symbol, the equator, and the prime meridian.
• Be able to determine the degrees of latitude and longitude for a given point.
• Use map scale to determine an estimated distance.
• Use a compass rose correctly to identify/follow directions.
• Be able to recognize specific locations on a U.S. map: Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, Death Valley, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Great Plains, Atlantic Coastal Plain, Continental Divide, St. Lawrence River, Mississippi River, the Great Basin, city of Boston (MA), city of Philadelphia (Penn.), and New York City (N.Y.).

Class Newsletter

Download Newsletter 2 for 4th gr 2010

Timed tests for your Math Log!

You will need to turn in a record of how you scored on 5 timed tests each 3 weeks on a math log.  There is a wide variety to choose from, so please don't get stuck just trying one type.  Remember, aim for 90% accuracy in 6 minutes or less!  Thanks go out to www.math-drills.com for providing these wonderful resources. 

Download Addition 100 prob version a

Download Addition 100 prob version b

Download Addition 100 prob version c

Download Subtraction 100 prob version a

Download Subtraction 100 prob version b

Download Subtractio 100 prob version c

Download Multiplication 100 prob. version a

Download Multiplication 100 problems version b

Download Multiplication 100 problems version c

Download Division 100 prob version a

Download Division 100 problems version b

Download Division 100 problems version c

In case you misplace it,  here is a blank copy of the math log you should turn in every 3 weeks.

Download Time Test Results Log

 

 

Class News August 9th, 2010

Welcome to our 1st class blog mates!  I hope you are as excited as I am about this cool way of keeping up with what is going on in our room.  Be sure to bookmark this site or visit regularly each week to download our class  newsletter, print math timed tests to use at home for your math log, and check out extra credit opportunities and cool websites.  I hope you will enjoy using our blog!

It's time for our 1st full week of school lessons and I am so excited!  We have a lot to learn so we're going to jump right in!  Here are a few reminders that are especially important during this busy week:

• Curriculum Night is Tuesday, August 10th from 7-8 p.m. so please invite your parents to attend.
• You will get your first morning work (Math for Today and Daily Language Practice) this week.  We will complete a section each day and you will have a quiz on them each Friday.  You will keep these sheets in your binder all week so please remember to review during the week to prepare for the Friday quiz.
• We will introduce our 1st spelling unit this week (Sort 1- Open and Closed syllables) and our test will be the Wednesday of the following week.  You will need to know the spelling of the words, and know 3 examples each of closed and open syllables (from  your list).  We'll copy the words in our agendas and also sort them in our spelling journals.
• Please make sure your binder is organized by Monday.  It should be set up with 2 clear sheet protectors for the math and reading log (I will give you them on Monday), your agenda, your labeled subject folders, and then some loose leaf paper in the back.  Remember to make your important papers/homework folder the first folder behind your agenda.  You will also keep your morning work in your agenda, right behind your math and reading log (I will give you the sheets each Monday). 
• If you haven't already, please get all of your supplies by Monday.  Remember, if you ordered the kit, there are some supplies that it may not contain.  Check to see what you need by downloading the supply sheet of the blog.
• Students will copy agendas daily (most Fridays there will not be an agenda unless there is a reminder).  Please share the agenda each night with your parents.
• Math and reading logs will go home this week.  Reading logs are to be completed using reading done at home, not the material that we read in class that is used for lessons. Students may download timed tests off of the blog to use at home for the math log.  Answers are included to help parents check the tests.  Please have your parents time you while your work for 6 minutes.  At the end, have them score your paper.  Record your time and score along with a parent signature on your math log.  You will need to take 5 timed tests (your choice but aim for variety) each 3 weeks to turn in.  I do not need the timed tests back, just the log.
• Don't forget to return the school paperwork that was sent home at Meet and Greet and in the Cobb County school folder.  This includes the pink class ARCH behavior plan, the ASP form, the small white Shallowford Falls behavior student guide, receipt of parent information, clinic card and inclement weather form.  Also, if you haven't yet paid for your Wordly Wise vocabulary book, please do so.

Check out our class newsletter to view homework and what we are learning!

Download Newsletter 1 for 4th gr. 2010-11

Supply List for our class

Download Fourth Grade Supply List for Mrs. Yates