Dear Families,
I am writing to let you know that the Julian field trip has been postponed for two days. In otherwords, we will be going on Thursday, February 4th instead of on Tuesday, February 2nd! I hope all of you that had planned to drive can still make it.
Also, I don't have time tonight, but please read my upcoming BLOG as I will be posting some of your children's writing. This first post will feature Kaya and Isaiah's "sandwich" paragraphs! Ask them what a "sandwhich" paragraph is.
Take Care,
Kim
Arriving at Smith Ranch
Arriving at Smith Ranch!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
EXCITING NEWS! January 23rd-31st
Dear families,
I want to apologize for my late BLOG. I usually try to have a new one written early each week; however, I've been waiting for a confirmation on an exciting field trip we will be taking on Tuesday, February 2nd. We have reservations for the "Julian Train & Gold Mine Tour". Yeah!! I am looking for approximately five drivers, so please let me know as soon as possible if you can volunteer. The cost is $7.00 for students and $10.00 for adults. I'm sorry, we cannot cover the cost of drivers, but I'm sure this field trip will be worth every penny. Please bring the $7.00/$10.00 fee as soon as possible. The train ride and tour starts at 11:30am, so we will leave IA at approximately 9:45am. As you know, we are reading a book about the goldrush in class, as well as learning about California's history, so this field trip will help the whole idea of mining for gold come to life! I can't wait!
We are on Lesson 10 in Wordly Wise for the upcoming week. Students practice learning the definitions of the words on the word list through a variety of in class activities. I have just discovered that your child can also go on-line to www.wordlywise.com and practice their words though various game activities. I would encourage all students to do this as I am still seeing some low scores on the weekly assessment for definitions. Additionally, for spelling, each week the word list is being entered on www.spellingcity.com. If you go to Kim's list, students can practice their spelling.
For writing, almost all students have started their "not so rough drafts" for their fictional narratives. Yes, this took a long time, but I believe the results will be worth it. Ask your child why I call them "not so rough"! We are also working on our informational reports on an important California figure. As soon as the reports are done, we will have one more session on dioramas and schedule the "Wax Museum" activity. You will all be invited to this event.
Once we have finished this writing, I will be focusing on science. In other words, the time we spent writing will be devoted to covering science standards we have not gotten to so far this year. I know your children are enthusiastic about moving on to this important academic area.
In math, we continue to practice multiplication and division facts. This week we will be looking at how to approach word problems. They will learn what to pay attention to, what certain words indicate, drawing as a strategy, etc.
I think that is it for now. If you have questions or concerns, please email or stop by.
Kim
I want to apologize for my late BLOG. I usually try to have a new one written early each week; however, I've been waiting for a confirmation on an exciting field trip we will be taking on Tuesday, February 2nd. We have reservations for the "Julian Train & Gold Mine Tour". Yeah!! I am looking for approximately five drivers, so please let me know as soon as possible if you can volunteer. The cost is $7.00 for students and $10.00 for adults. I'm sorry, we cannot cover the cost of drivers, but I'm sure this field trip will be worth every penny. Please bring the $7.00/$10.00 fee as soon as possible. The train ride and tour starts at 11:30am, so we will leave IA at approximately 9:45am. As you know, we are reading a book about the goldrush in class, as well as learning about California's history, so this field trip will help the whole idea of mining for gold come to life! I can't wait!
We are on Lesson 10 in Wordly Wise for the upcoming week. Students practice learning the definitions of the words on the word list through a variety of in class activities. I have just discovered that your child can also go on-line to www.wordlywise.com and practice their words though various game activities. I would encourage all students to do this as I am still seeing some low scores on the weekly assessment for definitions. Additionally, for spelling, each week the word list is being entered on www.spellingcity.com. If you go to Kim's list, students can practice their spelling.
For writing, almost all students have started their "not so rough drafts" for their fictional narratives. Yes, this took a long time, but I believe the results will be worth it. Ask your child why I call them "not so rough"! We are also working on our informational reports on an important California figure. As soon as the reports are done, we will have one more session on dioramas and schedule the "Wax Museum" activity. You will all be invited to this event.
Once we have finished this writing, I will be focusing on science. In other words, the time we spent writing will be devoted to covering science standards we have not gotten to so far this year. I know your children are enthusiastic about moving on to this important academic area.
In math, we continue to practice multiplication and division facts. This week we will be looking at how to approach word problems. They will learn what to pay attention to, what certain words indicate, drawing as a strategy, etc.
I think that is it for now. If you have questions or concerns, please email or stop by.
Kim
Monday, January 11, 2010
Calling All Parents! January 11th-18th
Dear Families,
It looks like I am going to need some assistance this year, so I am looking for help in the following areas:
1. Lunch support from 12:15-1:00pm M,T,TH, & F. Our fourth grade class is now having lunch with the kindergarten class. Students eat from 12:15-12:30pm and then move to the playground. When students move to the playground, DeeDee and I have a chance to eat our lunches. I would like to have supervision on the playground I can count on - can you help?
2. I need some help in the classroom with reviewing student work and recording, filing, posting vocabulary words, etc...can you help?
3. A parent of a fourth grade student is interested in starting a student used book store. She is looking for help! Let me know if I can give her your name.
4. I am still looking for art supplies for the oil-painting classes I would like to have for the fourth graders. Michaels has 50% off coupons if you go to their site. I will print some so that they are available in my classroom. Oil paints are $8.99 per tube. I need Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, and Cadmium Red. We need something to clean brushes and last year I purchased a product that was safer than turpentine, so if someone could check into the options for this and donate it, that would be great. Finally, 11x14 canvasses cost $7.99-10.99 depending on the type you want. If each parent could supply one canvas we will be able to get started. If possible, I would like these supplies by the end of January!
5. Bookbags have been graciously donated by Leisa Mitchell (Landon's mom). They are the perfect size; however, I need the handles changed, so they can hang on the back of the chairs. Is there anyone who can possibly work on this job? Please let me know.
6. I am starting to plan a field trip to the Julian mines for a tour. This will be an all-day field trip and I would like to go the last week of January, perhaps on Thursday, January 28th. Please check your calendar as we will need drivers. I will update you by next Monday on details such as cost, the time we will be leaving and get back, and the specifics of the field trip.
There is a parent meeting this Thursday which includes a Spaghetti Dinner starting at 5pm. The dinner is sponsored by the 5th grade class. I hope you are able to attend.
Sincerely,
Kim
It looks like I am going to need some assistance this year, so I am looking for help in the following areas:
1. Lunch support from 12:15-1:00pm M,T,TH, & F. Our fourth grade class is now having lunch with the kindergarten class. Students eat from 12:15-12:30pm and then move to the playground. When students move to the playground, DeeDee and I have a chance to eat our lunches. I would like to have supervision on the playground I can count on - can you help?
2. I need some help in the classroom with reviewing student work and recording, filing, posting vocabulary words, etc...can you help?
3. A parent of a fourth grade student is interested in starting a student used book store. She is looking for help! Let me know if I can give her your name.
4. I am still looking for art supplies for the oil-painting classes I would like to have for the fourth graders. Michaels has 50% off coupons if you go to their site. I will print some so that they are available in my classroom. Oil paints are $8.99 per tube. I need Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, and Cadmium Red. We need something to clean brushes and last year I purchased a product that was safer than turpentine, so if someone could check into the options for this and donate it, that would be great. Finally, 11x14 canvasses cost $7.99-10.99 depending on the type you want. If each parent could supply one canvas we will be able to get started. If possible, I would like these supplies by the end of January!
5. Bookbags have been graciously donated by Leisa Mitchell (Landon's mom). They are the perfect size; however, I need the handles changed, so they can hang on the back of the chairs. Is there anyone who can possibly work on this job? Please let me know.
6. I am starting to plan a field trip to the Julian mines for a tour. This will be an all-day field trip and I would like to go the last week of January, perhaps on Thursday, January 28th. Please check your calendar as we will need drivers. I will update you by next Monday on details such as cost, the time we will be leaving and get back, and the specifics of the field trip.
There is a parent meeting this Thursday which includes a Spaghetti Dinner starting at 5pm. The dinner is sponsored by the 5th grade class. I hope you are able to attend.
Sincerely,
Kim
Sunday, January 3, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!
D ear Families,
What a great break I had this year and I hope you did too! I want to thank everyone for their generosity as I received many cards, gift cards, and gifts for the Christmas celebration. I was and am touched by all of your thoughtfullness and caring! I am grateful for all of your support.
We start back tomorrow morning with the addition of another new student. Welcome Sarah! That leaves me with just one seat open in my classroom! Wow, how we have grown! This week your children will be identifying the four regions in California and creating posters that identify the positive aspects of those regions and what would draw people to live in them. They will also be making murals of those regions. The posters, along with the murals will be posted outside our classroom. By the way, if you haven't, please take the time to read some of the wonderful poetry written by fourth graders about the mountains and deserts that is currently posted on the bulletin board closest to the exploratorium.
By next Tuesday, we will finally be finishing Patty Reed's Doll. As a final celebration, I am looking for a volunteer parent to donate and make a "Calico Bean" recipe (trail food) for 20 that the class can eat for lunch that day. That said, we will also need paper bowels, spoons, napkins, and drinks if possible. I have the recipe in my classroom, so if you like this type of thing please let me know soon, so we can plan. As soon as we finish, we will begin reading a book on the goldrush - By the Great Horn Spoon!
I am also still looking for canvases and paints for our oil painting adventure! I have the artist all lined up and just need the supplies to make this exciting art experience possible. Please see my previous BLOGS for the canvas dimensions and oil paint colors. We will be painting the CALIFORNIA POPPY, transferring those images onto fabric, and creating a quilt to be sold! If it ends up like last year's quilt, it will be beautiful!
In math, we are starting a unit on multiplication and division. Please work on skip-counting with your children so their facts become automatic sooner than later. We will be moving a little quicker in math now as we have so much to cover by the end of the year! I may be sending home some practice sheets for those students needing a little extra help!
In science (finally), we will beginning to look at animal adaptation. Some students will be asked to bring information into class on animals within the four California regions. We will be looking at why those animals survive well in those places.
We are also continuing on our fictional narratives and reports on important California people in writing with the later a part of our project. The project dioramas are almost finished, so I expect we should be ready for our "Wax Museum", no later than the last week in January. I will keep you posted.
Our next parent meeting, is next Thursday, January 14th. Please stay tuned for details regarding this meeting via our out-going phone blast or flyers coming home! Progress reports will also be coming out this month.
That's it for now. Stop by the classroom anytime!
sincerely,
Kim
What a great break I had this year and I hope you did too! I want to thank everyone for their generosity as I received many cards, gift cards, and gifts for the Christmas celebration. I was and am touched by all of your thoughtfullness and caring! I am grateful for all of your support.
We start back tomorrow morning with the addition of another new student. Welcome Sarah! That leaves me with just one seat open in my classroom! Wow, how we have grown! This week your children will be identifying the four regions in California and creating posters that identify the positive aspects of those regions and what would draw people to live in them. They will also be making murals of those regions. The posters, along with the murals will be posted outside our classroom. By the way, if you haven't, please take the time to read some of the wonderful poetry written by fourth graders about the mountains and deserts that is currently posted on the bulletin board closest to the exploratorium.
By next Tuesday, we will finally be finishing Patty Reed's Doll. As a final celebration, I am looking for a volunteer parent to donate and make a "Calico Bean" recipe (trail food) for 20 that the class can eat for lunch that day. That said, we will also need paper bowels, spoons, napkins, and drinks if possible. I have the recipe in my classroom, so if you like this type of thing please let me know soon, so we can plan. As soon as we finish, we will begin reading a book on the goldrush - By the Great Horn Spoon!
I am also still looking for canvases and paints for our oil painting adventure! I have the artist all lined up and just need the supplies to make this exciting art experience possible. Please see my previous BLOGS for the canvas dimensions and oil paint colors. We will be painting the CALIFORNIA POPPY, transferring those images onto fabric, and creating a quilt to be sold! If it ends up like last year's quilt, it will be beautiful!
In math, we are starting a unit on multiplication and division. Please work on skip-counting with your children so their facts become automatic sooner than later. We will be moving a little quicker in math now as we have so much to cover by the end of the year! I may be sending home some practice sheets for those students needing a little extra help!
In science (finally), we will beginning to look at animal adaptation. Some students will be asked to bring information into class on animals within the four California regions. We will be looking at why those animals survive well in those places.
We are also continuing on our fictional narratives and reports on important California people in writing with the later a part of our project. The project dioramas are almost finished, so I expect we should be ready for our "Wax Museum", no later than the last week in January. I will keep you posted.
Our next parent meeting, is next Thursday, January 14th. Please stay tuned for details regarding this meeting via our out-going phone blast or flyers coming home! Progress reports will also be coming out this month.
That's it for now. Stop by the classroom anytime!
sincerely,
Kim
Monday, December 14, 2009
OOPS! I MADE SOME ERRORS ON DATES!!
Dear Families,
I must have been really tired when I wrote my BLOG last night because I made a few errors. The field trip was today, the 14th and was wonderful. Ask your child! We come back to school, Monday January 4th, not the 3rd.
I also forgot one last thing. I was asked if there were any art supplies I might need and "yes" there are as I would like the students in my class to have the opportunity to oil paint when we get back from Christmas break. I need the following and cannot afford to purchase these items myself:
Canvases should be 11 x 14 and I need 20. The oil paint colors we will need are Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultrmarine Blue, and Titanium White. I also need some brushes, thin plastic (like painter's use) to cover the floors and tables, and the safer version of turpentine (I can't remember what it is called). It would also probably be a good idea to have plastic gloves.
For the art supplies, BLICK Art on India Street is a good place.
Thanks
Kim
I must have been really tired when I wrote my BLOG last night because I made a few errors. The field trip was today, the 14th and was wonderful. Ask your child! We come back to school, Monday January 4th, not the 3rd.
I also forgot one last thing. I was asked if there were any art supplies I might need and "yes" there are as I would like the students in my class to have the opportunity to oil paint when we get back from Christmas break. I need the following and cannot afford to purchase these items myself:
Canvases should be 11 x 14 and I need 20. The oil paint colors we will need are Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultrmarine Blue, and Titanium White. I also need some brushes, thin plastic (like painter's use) to cover the floors and tables, and the safer version of turpentine (I can't remember what it is called). It would also probably be a good idea to have plastic gloves.
For the art supplies, BLICK Art on India Street is a good place.
Thanks
Kim
Sunday, December 13, 2009
"Tis the week before Christmas Break!
Dear Families,
Thanks to all the families that came out to Barnes and Nobles last Thursday! I thought the poetry recitations went very well and I was proud of those students that conquered their fear of "public speaking"!!
I also appreciate the support all of you parents are giving your children in finding resources for their informational reports. The last I checked, which was on Friday, there were only a few students that hadn't brought their information. I did neglect to send a note home with the students on Friday regarding bringing supplies to school for their dioramas. Again, the idea is for them to create a scene from their chosen person's life inside a shoe box. We talked about the supplies they could use on Friday. I would like to have these items, no later than Wednesday morning. Please contact me, if you have any questions.
On Monday, December 18th from 10am-2pm we will be on an exciting field trip to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. Thanks ahead of time to all of you wonderful parents who volunteered to drive. Don't forget to pack a lunch for your child as we will be there over the lunch hour.
Our last day of school is on December 18th. That afternoon, I am planning for students to relax and have fun decorating cookies and one other suprise item for home! I think we all deserve to let our hair down a bit as they mostly work hard while they are in class with me! School will be back in session on January 3, 2010!
I hope you all enjoy your holidays.
This week in school, your children will be:
Having lots of laughs during our morning meetings.
Learning new vocabulary and grammar skills (compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions).
Working on their fictional narrativies. They have their overall outlines completed and will now start adding details, making careful word choices, and checking for spelling and punctuation errors.
Completing an assessment in math.
Continuing work on their project, which will include finishing "Patty Reed's Doll", starting to write their informational reports, make dioramas, and hopefully if time allows create some desert art and poetry. They will also be watching a PBS special about the west during the 1800's.
Our first progress reports for the year will be completed in January. I'm excited to share with you all the ways your child has grown and developed.
Sincerely,
Kim
Thanks to all the families that came out to Barnes and Nobles last Thursday! I thought the poetry recitations went very well and I was proud of those students that conquered their fear of "public speaking"!!
I also appreciate the support all of you parents are giving your children in finding resources for their informational reports. The last I checked, which was on Friday, there were only a few students that hadn't brought their information. I did neglect to send a note home with the students on Friday regarding bringing supplies to school for their dioramas. Again, the idea is for them to create a scene from their chosen person's life inside a shoe box. We talked about the supplies they could use on Friday. I would like to have these items, no later than Wednesday morning. Please contact me, if you have any questions.
On Monday, December 18th from 10am-2pm we will be on an exciting field trip to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. Thanks ahead of time to all of you wonderful parents who volunteered to drive. Don't forget to pack a lunch for your child as we will be there over the lunch hour.
Our last day of school is on December 18th. That afternoon, I am planning for students to relax and have fun decorating cookies and one other suprise item for home! I think we all deserve to let our hair down a bit as they mostly work hard while they are in class with me! School will be back in session on January 3, 2010!
I hope you all enjoy your holidays.
This week in school, your children will be:
Having lots of laughs during our morning meetings.
Learning new vocabulary and grammar skills (compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions).
Working on their fictional narrativies. They have their overall outlines completed and will now start adding details, making careful word choices, and checking for spelling and punctuation errors.
Completing an assessment in math.
Continuing work on their project, which will include finishing "Patty Reed's Doll", starting to write their informational reports, make dioramas, and hopefully if time allows create some desert art and poetry. They will also be watching a PBS special about the west during the 1800's.
Our first progress reports for the year will be completed in January. I'm excited to share with you all the ways your child has grown and developed.
Sincerely,
Kim
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Ten School Days Until Christmas Break!!!!
Dear Families,
Our mandatory Family Night meeting will be held at Barnes & Nobles at 6 pm on Thursday, December 10th. Please attend so you can stay informed of important IA updates and information. As I've mentioned before, my class is memorizing poetry to recite at 6:30 in the bookstore that night. Please have your children there by approximately 6:15, so that we are organized and ready to go! Should you decide to purchase Barnes & Noble items that night or any time from December 10th-16th, a percentage of the proceeds goes towards the 8th grade Washington D.C. trip. Also, rather than going home after picking up your child, an IA dinner is being held at Applebee's before the meeting from 4-8 pm. IA gets 15% of the proceeds, so invite friends and family to join in.
In class, we are continuing to study California history. Students have been asked to choose a historical figure that was significant to California's history. Most students chose their person on Friday, but some did not. The requirement for Monday is that your child have their historical figure chosen and bring in three informational resources about that person. The resources can be a book and two internet articles or any combination of the two. Your child will be writing an informational report on their chosen person. Additionally, because we are reading about westward expansion and pioneers, we have recently discussed bartering. Students were asked to bring in five items on Monday to barter away (items should be things your child can part with) during our "Bartering Fair" A note went home on Friday, so I hope you all received it!
For math, we have been studying mean, median, and mode and how to organize data. Students and I co-created a tally chart and line-plot that described the number of people in our families. The lowest number was three and highest was eleven! We are also practicing various strategies for addition and subtraction as well as skip counting and drilling on multiplication facts. Students are also having to learn how to round in order to calculate ball park estimates, a skill we commonly use as adult. The rounding is presenting some difficulties.
Students are busy writing their next narrative, a fictional one about a dilemma with water. We have everything from a boy falling in a walrus tank (mine), to avalanches, sinking boats, and being pulled into ocean waves without being able to swim. Ask your child what they are writing about. The process of writing these narratives well is time consuming, but time well spent. Your child is learning to plan, organize, and revise what I consider to be fairly high level pieces of writing.
We are also working hard on learning 15 new high level vocabulary words weekly. For example this week, students learned the meanings of words such as contempt and abrupt. They also took a pre-test on these words in spelling. At least four of the students were able to spell all 15 words correctly on the pre-test which tells me that I need two lists in the future. Our final spelling test will be on Monday. Each week your child makes 3 X 5 cards with their words on them. I have asked them to practice them at home and at school, so you might ask them about them. A good time to practice together is in the car while driving to school.
We are also practicing grammar on most days. We have gone over all capitalization requirements for 4th grade and we are on to punctuation. For the most part, this is going well; however, using commas to separate an appositive from the noun that proceeds it is a bit confusing, so we will be engaging in additional lessons on this topic this week.
I would like you and your child to begin gathering supplies for them to create a diorama of a scene from their historical figure's life. As a matter a fact, if your child could be ready to bring their shoe box and supplies by Monday, December 14th, that would be great as we will start working on them that day. Upon our return from Christmas break and soon as their informational reports and dioramas are done, your child will also need to create a costume depicting their historical figure. When all is ready, we will conduct a Wax Museum in our classroom, where your child is the expert on their historical figure, they are dressed as them and the entire school as well as families will be invited into our room to learn! I will keep you updated concerning the date.
I will also be looking into having an artist come into the classroom to teach oil painting after the Christmas break. I will need supplies for this venture such as oil paints, brushes, turpentine, and canvases. I would like each student to paint the California Poppy. After the paintings are completed, we can transfer the images onto fabric and make a classroom quilt. So, I will also need fabric and quilting supplies. If you can supply any of these items, I would appreciate it. We did a similar project last year and the end result was beautiful!
Please contact me with any questions or concerns. I think that is it for now!
Sincerely,
Kim
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