Important information about the week ahead

Hopefully, you will find having this information early will be helpful as you plan the next two weeks.

• There will be no grade sheets or mark chart sheets sent home this week. They will be sent home next week as usual.
• I will be at a conference in St. Charles on Thursday and Friday. I have the same guest teacher scheduled for both days.
• Monday, March 2 is Pulaski Day. Students and teachers have the day off.
• Tuesday, March 3 is the beginning of ISAT. Click here to see our schedule for testing. If possible, please avoid these times for appointments if you can. It's very difficult for students to make-up these tests. Their best shot at testing at their level is to take the tests at the same time as their peers.

It's hard to believe that we are looking at March already. Where has the year gone? It's been quite a slow and frigid winter, but spring is coming! Yeah!

A long weekend ahead

Have a wonderful, long weekend!

Mark chart summaries went home today. Please sign them and have your student return them.

The main bit of homework is the President Packet. Up through page 15 is due by Wednesday. We will not have any more lab time at school, so timelines should be complete.

See you Monday!

Alert! Guest teacher on Wednesday

Hello to all,

I will be in Springfield at a conference tomorrow. Just a reminder!

Social studies: Discussed essay requirements for President Project; had time in lab for timeline
Social studies homework: Keep reading and taking notes

Science: Went over chapter review
Science homework: Test Thursday; study

Reading: Extended response practice

Conference week

Hello to all!

Some of you will be coming in for meetings this week. I am mainly focusing on parents with whom I have not had a face-to-face meeting, or those whose sons or daughters are in the midst of severe struggles. I also am taking anyone who is interested in a conference. My door is open! I will not be in on Friday. Please remember that the students have no classes that day.

I will have a guest teacher on Wednesday. I thought I would give a heads-up to anyone whose child had a hard time the last time we had a guest teacher.

Reading: Read about courage; brainstormed for a Reading Extended Response practice; Six-Minute Solution fluency practice

Math: Discussed ISAT practice packet; practiced extended response with T-chart

Science: Finished Ch. 7, Lesson 2; completed a chart-reading activity; read about the first pilots to fly into a hurricane intentionally
Science homework: p. 230-231, #1-6, 11, 14, 15-19; test Thursday on Ch. 7

Social studies: Discussed timelines; got Internet site printouts from Mrs. Plato
Social studies homework: Come to school tomorrow with your items needed for your timeline ready to go; lab time tomorrow!

Weekend Update

Friday was a great day of celebration. The students had a packet of Valentine-themed activities. We exchanged valentines and had way too much sugar at our party.

We watched Remember the Titans today. This came from a discussion we were having as I read Jackie's Nine to the class. Jackie's Nine was written by Sharon Robinson, the daughter or Jackie Robinson. She takes nine character traits that her father possessed. For each one, she writes a story from his life where he exemplified this trait. She also adds stories of others who exemplify this trait. Recently, we read about the first trait in the book: courage. She told the story of when her father met Branch Rickey, manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Branch tested Jackie to see how he would handle the pressures that would confront him as the first black player in the major leagues. Jackie was infuriated, but kept his cool... even to the point of clasping his hands behind his back so he wouldn't lash out at Rickey. Rickey was enormously impressed with Robinson's composure. When asked, "Mr. Rickey, do you want a ball player who will fight back?", Rickey responds, "No, I want a ballplayer with the courage NOT to fight back." That's a really hard thing for students to ingest, especially since they get a lot of mixed messages in their lives. We discussed the difference between prideful fighting and defending yourself from physical attack. The discussion made me think if Remember the Titans. The students really wanted to watch it Friday, so we did.

Remember the Titans was based on the true story of Coach Boone, an African American football coach brought to be head coach in a community in the early 1970s where the football team had no African American players. It shows the struggle of two coaches who eventually become good friends. It shows what Coach Boone endured to create a team from students who hated each other for no other reasons than that is what society had taught them to do. The team went on to win the State title, with a 13-0 season, despite the team captain becoming paralyzed in a car accident. The students loved this movie, and it is one of my all-time favorites.

The students left today with a few things:

• book orders need to be returned by February 27 if you wish to order
• mark charts need to be signed and returned Monday
• parent-teacher conferences will be held next week; if you wanted/needed a conference, I write a note to you on your child's Home Communication form (sent home Wed.) to confirm at date and time; otherwise, you do not need to worry about having an additional conference with me

Happy Valentine's Day! Thanks to all for the generosity of treats for the party!

Rain!?

It was a great day! Thunder, lightning! Valentine boxes!

Math: ISAT practice
Math homework: HW packet; get grade sheet signed

Language Arts: TOFGN Ch. 5 quiz; TOFGN Ch. 6 read and completed packet
Language arts: get grade sheet signed

Science: Lesson 2, Ch. 7 - tornadoes
Science homework: TRL Lesson 2 - if you need to finish it for homework, please do; test next week; get grade sheet signed

Get planner signed; get home communication and social studies sheets signed
Party Friday - if you signed up for treats - THANK YOU!
Students may need to finish their Valentine boxes for Friday

What a great bunch of...

...parents! I can't tell you enough how much your support of your students' learning means to us all. If I haven't said it lately or often enough... thank you!

Several conference forms were not returned today. These forms are to be returned whether or not a conference is needed. I mainly need to know the correspondence reached home.

Popcorn Friday will be held this Friday. Interested students need to hand in money Wednesday because we have no school on Thursday.

Got extra shoeboxes or tissue boxes? We could use some for our Valentine boxes. I have a few students in need.

Math: ISAT Prep. - Extended Response
Math homework: ISAT Prep. Packet due Wednesday

Language arts: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing - Chapter 5
Language arts homework: Completed and approved Obama letters will be sent tomorrow

Science: We took a surprise second recess!
Science homework: Students have an extra day to complete the Lesson 1 paper that was due today.

Social studies: Went over packet for President project; Presidents randomly assigned
Social studies homework: Page 2 of packet needs to be signed by Wednesday

Just a reminder

Students have a science assignment due Monday. Also, check out Friday's post for other things they need to remember for tomorrow.

Thanks!!

Happy 100th Day of School!

I am having a hard time believing it is Day 100! The time is passing so quickly!

Today, we celebrated a few things. We celebrated the 100th day of school by completing a few fun activities. Ask your student about them.

We also celebrated my half birthday (yes, I am just a big kid) and Dekhari's birthday with some special treats. The weather was a celebration in itself, as the students finally got to have outdoor recess!

We went to the computer lab for our last class day of typing the letters to Barack Obama. I am so proud of the student work on these. Not everyone has finished, but everyone has shown growth as a writer and peer editor with this assignment. The kids are hoping he will write back. We will see!

We have been doing some preparation for taking the ISAT tests. In math, we discussed how to solve multiple choice and short answer questions. We will also spend some computer lab time next week on practice exercises. The students have certainly learned a great deal so far this year. It's nice to see how much they retained.

Several things went home today:

• This week's mark chart slip needs to be signed.
• A form about parent conferences needs to be signed.
• A form about the Valentine's party next Friday has important information.

Students are asked to bring a shoebox to decorate for valentines. If they bring valentines to school, they must hand them to all the students. A list went home today with the names of classmates. I hope I spelled them all right!

Have a wonderful weekend! Make sure to have your child show you his/her social studies test. They did a wonderful job on them as a whole. They can do corrections if they did not do well.

Happy Thursday!

Hello! Sorry yesterday was not posted. I was ill in the afternoon.

All classes: Signed grade sheets collected

Math: ISAT prep

Language arts: Obama letter
Language arts homework: TOFGN Ch. 4 packet (was due for a grade today; late grade tomorrow); last day for Obama letters in the lab tomorrow

Social studies: got test back; corrections recommended for students who scored low; watched video on Presidents' Day

Science: Homework collected; students with missing homework are to complete it for tomorrow for a late grade; worked in groups on TRL worksheet for Ch. 7, lesson 1
Science homework: TRL worksheet due Monday

Tomorrow is the 100th day of school! We'll also have some birthday and half birthday treats. :)

Northeast Test on the Horizon

Several students neglected to complete their social studies study guide for tomorrow's test. That puts them at a disadvantage for their test tomorrow.

Some students have started using outside activities as reasons why homework is incomplete. It is explained to these students that extracurriculars are not an excuse for missing homework. I completely support student interests outside of school, which is why I do not give a great deal of homework. However, when tests are on the horizon, a student will not do his/her best without preparing at home and at school.

Tomorrow is the last day for students to purchase recorders from Mr. Lawrence. A letter went home last week about this. It is optional for students to purchase one.

Math: Assessment

Language arts: Ch. 3-4 in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Social studies: Discussed study guide
Social studies homework: Study for tomorrow's test on the northeast

Science: Reading a map worksheet; Ch. 7, Lesson 1

Music: Quiz tomorrow; study

Lots of assessments this week!

Mark charts went home today for signature

Math: Review packet discussed; set up February planner
Math homework: Test tomorrow; study Math Minutes, homework, and blue booklet

Language arts: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Ch. 3 discussion; Six-Minute Solution

Science: Brainpop video and practice quiz on tornadoes; video on storms; vocabulary preview matching sheet

Social studies: Time to explain and work on review sheet
Social studies homework: Complete review sheet; test Wednesday