Sunday, May 21, 2017

May 21, 2017

                                                      
      
Thank you for supporting our Cultural Summits! The students worked hard researching, writing, and revising their thoughts. The results clearly show all of their hard work!
Subject
Learning Targets and Activities for week of:  5/22-END OF THE YEAR
Reading
We finished the year with one final assessment about teaching in Thailand.  This passage goes along with our cultural studies and several reading skills (main idea, sequencing, infer).

Students had a great time at our book tasting.  They had a chance to “taste” a variety of books at each table and had some yummy snacks as well! They filled out a “menu” about books as I waited on them with snacks! We had so much fun! It is my hope they found a few books to put on their summer reading list! Speaking of summer reading, your child will complete a list of books they want to read for the summer. This will be in their report card envelopes on the last day of school, along with a reading activity from the 5th grade teachers.

We will end the year with completing our book trailers using iMovie about our favorite books from the year!


Homework: Read for 20 minutes each night.
Writing
Thank you so much for coming to our cultural summit! It was wonderful to see the students sharing everything they learned over the past few weeks. Students read books and on websites about their country. We learned how to take notes and write in our own words. We also examined different writing pieces to learn how to add transition words and juicy adjectives . Feel free to check out their Google Docs to see comments I wrote about their writing pieces. You may have to go back into the history if they deleted the comments after they fixed some of the suggestions I made to their writing. :) Mrs. Flynn and I conferenced with students several times while they were writing. Students grades were based on their writing they created on their own. Then, I made specific comments for the students to revise in their writing. Students also received a grade for their trifold boards. These will come home on Monday. Students are completing a self reflection on themselves and their projects.
Math
In the last week of school we are continuing to work with digit cards and making sense of numbers. Students who are flexible in their mathematical thinking open their brains to learning more challenging types of math.
Taking 5 minutes in the car or any extra time you may have ask your child these sample questions and then continue to make some up:
*How much is 34 tens?
*867 tens?
*1,239 tens?
*How many tenths are in 34 tens?
If you would like to read more on the direction our district is taking to teach math, please check out this book by Jo Boaler. It would make a good summer read!



Homework Due: No Homework!

SS/Science:
In science, we have been studying electricity. Students explored creating a complete circuit by using batteries, light bulbs, and a pipecleaners. Then, we took it a step further into series and parallel circuits. Today, we are going to discuss how switches work and make toast! For the final days of science, we will discover how snap circuits work!

Thank you to Mrs. Voinovich for planning our high school field trip to make slime! The kids really enjoyed it!


End of the Year Fun!
Monday - Kick ball with your teachers! Remember to wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothes! Dress for the weather and wear sunscreen please.


Tuesday, we are planning a “Camping Day” in class. We invite students to bring in 2 beach towels, a flashlight, stuffed animal, and a good book to read. We are going to attempt to create a large tent in the classroom! We will then end the day with a movie! Students will be treated with S'mores! If your child does not like S'mores, feel free to send in a snack for your child.


Wednesday - STEM Water Day! Students will be making boats out of aluminum foil and testing to see how well they float in buckets of water. We will then go outside for a water balloon toss. Please wear comfy clothes and pack an extra shirt just in case! Don’t forget the sunscreen!


Thursday - Field day hosted by our wonderful PTO moms! Please wear sunscreen and a water bottle with name on it! Please have your child wear their class shirt!


If you would like to donate to our fun, please feel free to send in:
  • rolls of aluminum foil
  • marshmallows
  • chocolate bars
  • water balloons


Important Dates:
Last Day of School- 5/25


Check out the pictures from our Book Tasting and Slime Lab with
Dr. Munson's class.

























Monday, May 8, 2017

Monday, May 8, 2017

                                                                 
With heartfelt thanks, please accept our gratitude for a wonderful Teacher Appreciation Week!

Also, in appreciation of your kiddos, we are declaring it Student Appreciation Day this week. I have attached the list of activities for you again.
J

Back to the cold weather in May! Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the up and down temperatures!
Subject
Learning Targets and Activities for week of:  5/8-5/12
Reading
We are taking figurative language a step further this week and learning about personification and hyperbole.  We will also be having one more Time for Kids quiz this week. I will drop their lowest quiz grade for this quarter. The students will get to experience a book tasting this week! They will get a chance to sit and read about new books with a light snack at each table. Students will be able to pick their favorite book from the book tasting to read, talk, and write about with their classmates.

Homework: Read for 20 minutes each night.
Writing
Mrs. Flynn and I have been conferencing with students about their writing. We are making suggestions, but also allowing them to write on their own. I will be grading student’s written work on what they have accomplished on their own. Then, we will be revising and editing together to make sure their writing is ready to publish. Students started decorating their tri-fold boards!  If your family has pictures, clothing, or items they would like to add to their display they are welcome to bring into school.
Students will present their projects the afternoon of Wednesday, May 17th from 2:15-2:45. We would love for your family to join us. You may take your child home with their board after the presentation.  An official invitation went home last week.
Word Study
Skill: hard and soft consonants -g; -c;
No homework for word study or vocabulary. Please review your words at home.
Test: Thursday, May 18, 2017
Math
We continue to work on open-ended math tasks that promote creativity in math. This week I posed this question:

There are 120 sheep.
There are 5 sheep in a flock.
How old is the shepherd?

I was blown away by the persistent attitudes of my kiddos who just HAD to find an answer. I was told several times that there MUST be an answer. I also heard murmurs of “What?”, “This doesn’t make sense!”, “Is this a trick question?”. . . What we learned from this question is most powerful……. ALWAYS QUESTION and make SENSE of the world.

For more information, click on the link!

Additionally, we will have a division quiz on Tuesday, May 9th.

Homework Due: No Homework!
SS/Science:
We wrapped up our Economics unit watching the discussing the video “From Poop to Profit”. It gave a good summary of taking cow manure and composting it. We discussed how money should not be the main focus of an invention or idea as an entrepreneur. However, something that gives back to society or benefits the common good, etc. That greed can lead to poor choices as an entrepreneur.  

This information comes from Mrs. Troman at Craddock. We thought it was worth sharing with you as well.

Ticks
I have been reading in the news recently that we are experiencing one of the worst years for ticks ever recorded in Northeast Ohio. Maybe it was the relatively mild winter, or maybe it’s a cyclical thing (like cicadas?), but, whatever the reason, they are out in full force. We are aware of at least two cases where ticks were found on students at school, and one at home. Therefore, we wanted to make sure to communicate a little information to help you at home should you encounter one of these unwelcome guests. Thanks to our magnificent nurse, Sandy Petti for the information (source: Center for Disease Control). Even though ticks are known to carry Lyme Disease, the risk of you, or your child, getting it is fairly low.

The CDC recommends immediate removal of the tick (see below), and diligent follow-up checking to watch for redness or infection at the site. You may elect to alert your pediatrician of the bite, as well. You may want to regularly check your child (and your pets if they go outside), to keep them tick free.

If you do find a tick, the CDC recommends the following method for removal:
Description: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/aeRNBwOhlr4XZxPaPVW2_U6036JloWA02r6EZcHQu1frFXpoL6GW3ZtBwIwwBS3YJuP60XHb9izylYGMT7lnn829i_xgkrPLm5fcFOlwG4xXC8oa9gWz_2LUzUQZs-0G1u6OAgw
Step 1: Use fine tipped tweezers to grasp the tick firmly at its head or mouth (as close to the skin as possible).
Step 2: Pull upward firmly and steadily until the tick lets go. Do not twist or rock it from side to side. If part of the tick stays in the skin, don’t worry! It will eventually come out on its own.
Step 3: After removing the tick, clean the area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
Step 4: Dispose of the tick by submerging it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed plastic bag, or flushing it down the toilet. NEVER crush a tick with your fingers.

Note: Please avoid “folk” remedies such as putting nail polish or petroleum jelly on the tick, or heating or burning it to make it detach.

Follow up: Watch for signs of redness and infection at the site and report any symptoms of a rash or fever to a doctor immediately. Be sure to let them know when the bite occurred and, to the best of your knowledge, where you think the tick was acquired.

Field Trip
We are looking forward to our field trip to visit Dr. Munson’s Chemistry Class at the high school on Thursday, May 18th. We will be learning about electrons, heat conductors, and doing a few cool experiments. Students will also partner up with a high school student to make slime. We will discuss the different properties of slime and students will be able to take it home. Please have your child bring in a clean plastic container with a twistable lid. Permission slips went home last week. Please return by this Friday May 12th.

Important Dates:
Extra Orchestra practice - 5/9 - 8 AM
BOGO Book Fair-5/11
Extra Orchestra practice in school - 5/16 - DON’T FORGET INSTRUMENTS
Immigration Presentations-5/17 2:15-2:45
Field Trip to the high school-5/18 1:00pm
Last Day of School- 5/25
Description: https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif


Friday, April 28, 2017

Friday, April 28, 2017

                             

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
*Please send in your child’s music selection sheet for next year. It is due Monday, May 1st.
Subject
Learning Targets and Activities for week of:  5/1-5/5
Reading
We having are a great time learning about figurative language. The students know the  difference and can recognize similes, metaphors, and idioms. We are more aware of figurative language in our reading. As well as, creating our own! This past week we watched a silly video about idioms (https://vimeo.com/37200904-The students loved this!)  and played the game “I Have, Who Has?” Next week, we will review 1st and 3rd person point of view, theme, and continue our figurative language review. Students will be tested on these skills Friday, May 5. A study guide for similes, metaphors, and idioms came home Friday, April 28th.
Homework: Read for 20 minutes each night.
Writing
Students are using Google Docs to create their report about their culture. We are focusing on taking the information from their notes and developing it into paragraphs. Today we discussed writing a paragraph about the push and pull factors of their culture. Next week, we will develop our contributions and conclusion paragraphs.

If your child has not done so already, please have them print a picture of a map where their country is located and the country’s flag. Students have access to a black and white copier here at school. We will also start our tri-fold boards next week. If your family has pictures, clothing, or items they would like to add to their display they are welcome to bring into school.
Students will present their projects the afternoon of Wednesday, May 17th from 2:15-2:45. We would love for your family to join us. You may take your child home with their board after the presentation.
Word Study
Skill: -en; -on; -an; -ain
Homework due: Wednesday,May 3, 2017
Test: Thursday, May 4, 2017

Students should complete 2 activities from the choice board for lesson 12.
Homework due: Thursday, May 4, 2017
Math
Students are continuing to wrap up our geometry study with creating their own Geometry Town. Also, we engaged in real world problem solving such as the chalk experiment. Check out the video! This lesson lended itself to conversations about economics as well as how businesses produce quality products and advertise them. Ask your child about it!

http://www.aodmath.com/math/chalk-lines

Additionally, we will have a division quiz on Tuesday, May 9th. A study guide will go home on Monday that we will complete in class.

Homework Due: No Homework!

SS/Science:
Students did a great job discussing economics. We will be watching a video titled “The Ox-Cart Man” and discuss factors of production. After economics, we will begin science focusing on electricity.  

With warm temperatures and the end of 4th grade approaching, we see each year some changes in student behavior. Children are becoming more aware of behaviors and how to “fit in” with other children. We have had many discussions within the classes about the appropriate ways to treat others and inappropriate ways that cause hurt feelings. This also could lend itself to great discussions at home around the dinner table, driving in the car, etc.

Additionally, as the warm weather sets in, the homework will lessen in 4th quarter. We continue to ask that students practice their math facts and read for 20 minutes each night. We want students to be able to enjoy family time and the outdoors these last few weeks.



Reminders & Important Information

Important Dates:
Music Course Selection Sheets - 5-1 (see attached)
Extra Orchestra practice - 5-9 - 8 AM
BOGO Book Fair-5-11
Extra Orchestra practice in school - 5-16 - DON’T FORGET INSTRUMENTS
Immigration Presentations-5-17 2:15-2:45
Last Day of School- 5-25

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

April 18, 2017

                                                 
The Leighton Spring Luau has been rescheduled for Friday, April 28th.  Refunds cannot be given if students are unable to attend the new date.
Subject
Learning Targets and Activities for week of:  4/18-4/21
Reading
This week we will be starting to learn about figurative language. Students will be discovering how authors use similes, metaphors, and idioms to help their readers visualize what they are reading. Students will recognize and understand the meaning of these different kinds of figurative language.
Homework: Read for 20 minutes each night.
Writing
We are well underway with researching about different cultures. We practiced together how to take notes and discussed what to look for when researching. Students have a graphic organizer and websites in google classroom to assist them in their research. I am encouraging students to find pictures and place in a google document. If possible, we would appreciate them printing pictures at home. They will need a picture of a map where their country is located and the county’s flag. Students have access to a black and white copier here at school.
Students will present their projects the afternoon of Wednesday, May 17th. We would love for your family to join us.
Word Study
Skill: -cher(/chur/); -ture (/chur/); -sure (/zhur/); -ure (/yur/)
Homework due: Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Test: Thursday, April 20, 2017

Students should complete 2 activities from the choice board for lesson 11.
Homework due: Thursday, April 20, 2017
Math
Students have been wrapping up our geometry study with creating their own Geometry Town. They are applying what they learned from class to create a town that has certain angles, lines, rays, polygons, and much more. We are also looking more into patterns and how they grow and the rules they follow. We’ve discovered a variety of ways to organize patterns as well to keep track of our thinking.

Homework Due: No Homework!
Content Areas
SS
Understanding our representative democracy has become a focus in social studies. We have learned about rights and responsibilities, our 1st amendment rights, and our constitution. Additionally, we will be focusing on the federal and state levels and branches of government.

Government Summative: Friday, April, 28th - A study guide will be going home later this week.

Testing Information:
*Your child will need working headphones/earbuds.
Students this year are tested in the following subjects:  Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies.  Each test will be two parts.  Please make note of these dates, and make every attempt to ensure your child is in attendance first thing in the morning of each scheduled test day.  Students who arrive after 9:05 will not be allowed into the classrooms.  Students who are absent will have to miss instructional time on other days in order to make up any missed tests.  Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.  


  • Wednesday, April 19- 4th Grade Math Part #2
  • Friday, April 26- 4th Grade Social Studies Part #1
  • Tuesday, April 27 - 4th Grade Social Studies Part #2


With warm temperatures and the end of 4th grade approaching, we see each year some changes in student behavior. Children are becoming more aware of behaviors and how to “fit in” with other children. We have had many discussions within the classes about the appropriate ways to treat others and inappropriate ways that cause hurt feelings. This also could lend itself to great discussions at home around the dinner table, driving in the car, etc.

Additionally, as the warm weather sets in, the homework will lessen in 4th quarter. We continue to ask that students practice their math facts and read for 20 minutes each night. We want students to be able to enjoy family time and the outdoors these last few weeks.



Reminders & Important Information

Important Dates:
4th Grade Math Part 2 AIR test - 4-19
4th Grade SS Part 1 AIR test - 4-21
4th Grade SS Part 2 AIR test - 4-25
Leighton Luau - 4-28
Book Fair-5-11
Immigration Presentations-5-17 (PM)
Last Day of School- 5-25