Studying our Country and Math Facts!

Today, we began a look into our social studies curriculum and got a feel for what we are going to focus on as we learn all about the land around us.  It is going to give you a chance to "travel" around the country without actually going anywhere (although a trip to Alaska would be nice about now!).  We will study each region in detail eventually, but for right now, we are just trying to set our brains up for what's to come...like tasting a bit of the frosting on your birthday cake when no one is looking!
 
Speaking of your brains, did you know that the more you let your brain see something in many different ways and in different places, the better you will learn it?  Have you passed your math fact levels this week?  We've taken three tests over math facts and you should be passing the levels each time, if you are using the time I give you efficiently (that means getting right to the task at hand).  Here is the format for passing through the levels of math facts, including some tips for how to pracice at home:

OTTER CREEK LEVELS

 

MULTIPLICATION

One minute tests (level A - X)

Two minute tests (pass goal 3 times; different tests)

One minute tests (11s and 12s)

Two minute tests (11s and 12s)

 

DIVISION

One minute tests (level A - W)

Two minute tests (pass goal 3 times; different tests)

One minute tests (11s and 12s)

Two minute tests (11s and 12s)

 

MIXED PRACTICE

 

HOW TO PASS EACH LEVEL:

1.  Set personal goals for yourself.  Where do you want to be by Halloween?  Diwali?   Kwanzaa?

2.  Make plans for how to reach each goal.  How often will you study your facts?  Will you use a website or flashcards?  Who will help you? 

3.   Take time to reflect on what you've done.  Do you want to change your goals?  Are other things getting in the way of your studying?  How far have you come? Are you celebrating when you pass?

So, how do you practice?  You should have all the level tests and your Otter Creek folder in your Pendafile.  You could ask a parent or a sibling to practice with you at home.  Teach them how to "POP" with you.  It is a VERY effective method for learning the facts and it doesn't take long at all. We can put a video of it on our blog so you can see it.  SHOULD WE DO THAT?  Would YOU want to be a star in that video?   Really, if you spend only a few minutes each night studying the facts (again, everything you need is in the Pendafile - except your smartpal, but you don't really need that), and then use the time I give you in class, that should be all you need.  However, there are sights you can use to practice at home.  Search on Google for "math fact flashcards" and there are sites where you can make your own flashcards.  I even have a few links down the margin under math sites.  Just type in a few of the facts that you are struggling with and PRESTO! you are set with some personalized flashcards and on your way to passing every level you want to!

IF you haven't been passing levels this week, there is a reason and a solution.  See me if you have any questions....or I will see YOU...during "POP" time or other times during the day!  Yes, this may include "Free Fun Time!"  "Free Fun Time" is something you earn if you have all homework done and you are making progress with math fact work.    Make it happen!  You can do it!!

CHEERS!

Hey!  Tell your parents about the following cheers we learned today (mostly from each other!):

Alaskan Hurrah!
Rodeo Round Up!
FANTASTIC!
Gingerbreads Cheer
Candy Warriors
Dojo Dolphins
GamaBombers
Wild Tigers
Codetalkers
Cheetah Champs

We had another full day, didn't we?  You all did such a great job, I am doing a cheer for you right now!  Guess which one it is!  It has a "Swoosh!" in it!

Today, we talked a little bit about what makes us pick up a book and start reading it.  We still need to add some of our tips on our poster.  Your entrance slip tomorrow will be to tell me how you picked the book you are currently reading.  What made you pick that book?  What made you stick with it?  I hope you read your 20 minutes tonight in a nice, cool, comfy spot that you love.  I also hope that you READ THE WHOLE TIME!  It is so easy to get distracted!  You really have to tell that brain of yours to "Calm Down!  I am trying to read!!"  Your brain will do what it's told (although you may need to tell it twice!).

Tomorrow or Friday, we will be personalizing our writing notebooks.  Everyone has the assignment to bring somethings in that will inspire your writing each day.  Photos, stickers, embellishments, clips from the newspaper or magazines, special drawings,etc.   Please bring a few things! 

Finally, please remember that chorus and drum ensemble begin NEXT THURSDAY!  NOT TOMORROW!  Sorry about the confusion!  Slips are due this week, however!  I am so glad so many of you are going to give this new opportunity a whirl!

It's Almost Time!

Guess what?  It's about time to get linked up to my Edline page!  I am so excited to share it with you!  First, I will connect you to it at school and show you how to navigate the page.  Here is a preview of what it looks like:

Then, later this week, I will send home activation codes for your parents to log on and see.  You can help them!  Do you see where it asks you if you'd like to sign up?  That is where you will start, by clicking the green "Click here" if you have a new activation code to use.  You can actually activate multiple pages on your account, so you can see multiple pages by loggin on one time.  To sign up for the first time, you click those green words, "Click here."  Ok, that will be step one!  Not too bad, huh?  More to come!


You all did a great job today, even though it was a tad on the warm side!  It is definitely challenging to stay attentive and try to  follow directions when you really just want to jump into a cold pool of water (or have your teacher spill her freezing cold water on you in the hallway...sorry, A.R.!).

Image from Google Images

 I appreciate all the effort you make during every part of our day!

See you all tomorrow!

A Full Week!

Here are some things to look forward to this week in 4G:

MATH!  Wooo Hooo!  This will include our Otter Creek math facts fun!

Getting Dolphin Dollars and Dojos for getting homework completed, keeping chairs pushed in, and remembering to get your assignment book signed (among other ways)

A new seating arrangement (and table mates)!

Reading, reading, and more reading.  Some will be assigned work, but more will be reading of your own material - so make sure you have a good book (a good fit book, if you know what that means)every day

Continuing our read aloud of A Wrinkle in Time (I shared with you how I don't want you to read any story I am reading as a read aloud.  I want you to spend time working on your listening skills, developing vivid images and taking your thinking about the author's purpose in a new way using my guiding questions).  Some of you said you have the movie at home.  Spending time reading and watching our read aloud book at home will work against you and will not allow you to fully experience the story with the class.  Even if you had read a story I chose BEFORE the read aloud, you can get so much out of the story the way it is read and discussed and analyzed in class. Thank you for supporting this rule I have for our classroom.  Plus, there are SOOO many other wonderful books to read out there.  Try some NONFICTION!! 

Beginning our new Word Study program, which will replace the spelling program we've used in previous years.  You will notice some similarities and some differences.  I think it will add a whole new understanding of how to use words, spell words, and comprehend words and word parts.

Diving into our Social Studies curriculum by taking time to digest how our social studies book can be used as a resource.

Writing everyday.  Coming up with lists about what we can write about.  Writing about something everyday!  Those writing notebooks are going to be filled pretty soon.  Also, decorating those writing notebooks.  Bring in what you'd like, special sports paper or newspaper clippings, photos of favorite friends or cousins, pictures from favorite magazines, stickers or embellishments, etc.  You'll make it your special place to keep your amazing thoughts!!

More time in the computer lab

A four day weekend (no school on Labor Day or Sept. 3, which is our Building Articulation Day)

And much, much, more!

Day Two, Something New!

What a great day two in 4G!  We accomplished so much in class yesterday, I was amazed!  I don't think I have ever crossed off so much on my to-do list for the start of the year.  Here's a little taste of what you did on Friday (in case you forgot!): 

• Took part of our Otter Creek placement test to see what level you should start on - talked about personal goals, not competing with anyone but ourselves
• Learned how to play 1, 2, 3, Math! (like Rock, Paper, Scissors, but with numbers - try it at home!)
• Learned a new review structure called Fan and Pick, which is part of the Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures we will use this year.  Some of you made me VERY OLD (YIKES!) when asked the year I was born, and some of you made me very YOUNG (thank you!)
• Met our new class pet, Sapphire
• Wrote about a favorite pet or a pet you wish you could have
• In the computer lab, learned or reviewed how to start a new word document, how to change the margins and preview the document, and how to add clip art and manipulate clip art in a document.  You did such a great job of teaching others around you!  Remember, "Talk them through it, but let them do it!"
• Had our first art class with Mrs. Heller
• Helped an almost lost kindergartner, Lilly, find her way back to class (Thanks! T.L.)
• Talked about how we, as fourth graders, can help all the kindergartners feel welcome and included in school (well, really in the bathroom - which sounds weird, but we share the restroom with the kindergartners, so this was a very meaningful discussion!)
• Played OUTSIDE during recess (yesterday, we were in the gym!) 
• Played a game placing library lables in our classroom library so we know where to find books
• Wrote and sketched about a place we've been and a place we'd like to go
• Listened to our read aloud book
• Created a list of classroom jobs for the year
• Ate our snacks (Thanks, P.M.)
• checked out books from our classroom library
• Did a little reading so Mrs. Grezlik can see what kind of books we pick and observe some of our casual reading behaviors (I'm tricky like that!)
• Amazed me with your manners, kindness toward others (including me), and just your general awesomeness!!!!
• About 100 other things that I can't remember right now....

I can't wait to spend a full week with you next week, but until then....
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Our First Day Together!

What a day!  It started with weird rumbling storms, but you all were very attentive and I think you even learned a thing or two about me and how our classroom will function. The first few days are hard, there is so much to learn, but we will persevere and get through it together.  It would be sooo much easier if teachers were all clones and nothing really changed from year to year.  How BORING, that would be!  It could make for an interesting story, though!  I give you permission to borrow that idea!

Did you all run home and tell your parents all about your first day?  I'm SURE you did!  Right after you cleaned the toilets and made your snack for tomorrow!!  😋  I know some of you took the news of no "free" time in computer lab a little hard, but tomorrow I will show you what lab time will look like (AND FEEL LIKE!!) this year.  Our time will always focus on a learning target/task and will include three "Choice" activities for when you've completed the agenda (schedule). Most days we go into the lab with an agenda and the choice activities are clearly defined on there. Tomorrow, I will also show you class Dojos, read more from our read aloud book, and get started with Otter Creek (math facts), just to name a few things. I sure hope you come back and that I didn't scare you off  with my weird fear of packaged fruit and liquid yogurt!  Remember, we are a peanut free classroom, so check those package ingredients so we all stay safe.

I have something very, VERY, special  to share with you tomorrow!  I hope you like it.

Excitement Overload!!

Well, it's about that time!  A new school year is just around the corner!  I am so excited for the new year, new classroom, new faces, new stuff to teach AND learn!  YAY!  I just can't wait!

If you are visiting this blog, you are either a former student (Hi!  Miss you all!) or a student I will have this year.  No matter what brought you here, I want to welcome you.  I hope you will take some time to look all around, at some of the tabs (individual pages) listed at the top (under the title), some old blog posts (they go WAAAAAYY back) to get a feel for what I am like and what I put on the blog, or some of the links on the right hand side (organized by subject area).  This year, I intend to keep up on this blog a bit, but will be using more as a resource, like a big binder with things I have collected over the years. 

This year, our school is using Edline, which is very much like a blog, except my Edline page will ONLY be viewable by a parent or a student in my current class.  My blog is available to anyone with the address or link.  Edline is going to be a wonderful addition to the way I communicate with my current class.  So, if you ARE a former student of mine, I am sorry to say that you will no longer be able to keep up on daily/weekly news reports, photos, videos, etc.  All the links will still be here, but my daily/weekly posting will take place on my Edline page, which ONLY my current students (and their parents) will be able to view.  Information will come home soon after school starts on how to activate your Edline so you can view my page.  I look forward to frequent communication!

So, in a way, I am saying "See you later" to this blog.  It will be like my trips to McDonald's.  I will visit it every once in a while, but I will not be a regular guest.   Wait!  That is a HORRIBLE example!  I go to McDonald's every week (sometimes a bit more) for my very favorite drink.  If you know what that is, you ARE a former student!  If not, you will soon find out!

See you all around Young, hopefully very soon!