Vocabulary/Spelling Words 5/14/12
Please look under the Language Arts tab for the latest word list.
May 13, 2012
Dear Families,
I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather and had a chance to relax and celebrate Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all the great moms.
Thank you to everyone for making Teacher Appreciation week a warm felt celebration. I was overwhelmed with all the flowers, plants, gifts, and notes I received throughout the week. The kids were so cute, and I loved the messages they wrote to me. I do have a very special class.
We finished our poetry unit last week. I am in the process of grading their packets and will be sending them home in the Friday folders.
We started our pioneer unit on Friday. Unfortunately 6 students were absent, so I'll have to catch them up on what they missed.
The pioneer unit is a simulation of pioneer life and what they experienced during their trek as they headed west. The kids have been assigned a family, each having their own covered wagon. We will have four wagon trains, five to six families per wagon train and the objective is to try and reach their destination as they face adversities. They will need to work cooperatively in groups, earning points in order to achieve this goal.
I will encourage students to wear pioneer clothing to school; however, this is not a requirement. They will be required to write a brief research paper on a topic relating to the westward movement. I will also ask students to undertake a challenge project (extra credit), that will need to be done outside of the classroom. They received a list of project ideas on Friday.
We will be actively involved in this project from now until the end of the school year.
Friday, May 18th, is our field trip to This is the Place. I don't have all the permission slips yet. If your child misplaced the permission slip, please have them ask me for another.
Arts Festival will take place on June 1st. The kids did a spectacular job on their classroom art project and I can't wait for all of you to see the creativity that comes out of the class! Awesome work.
Thanks again for all your help and support. Have a nice week.
Barbara
Additional Comments
No sooner did I post, I realized I forgot to mention a few items.
We had to say farewell to one of our classmates. Andrew Terry and his family moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We already miss his bright smile and cherry disposition. Good luck to Andrew and his family. I'm sure they will love Steamboat.
Congratulations to Lane Myshrall and Kipling McClellan. Their watercolor paintings of birds were two of the four fourth grade art pieces selected to be in the Wasatch Back Student Art Show. The art show is held at the Kimball Art Center and represents student art work, K-12, throughout Summit County. The opening was on April 14th and will run through May 27th. If you get a chance stop by and see some fantastic student artwork!
4-16-12
Dear Families,
Greetings. I hope you all had a wonderful spring break whether you went out of town or enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and activities in Park City.
Here's a quick update.
Math - We started a new unit on decimals today. We are breaking into math flex groups, so it is conceivable that your child is with either Mrs. Kaufman, or Mrs. Buehner. We will be concentrating on decimal place values, ordering, adding and subtracting decimals for the next couple of weeks.
Language Arts - We wrapped up our unit on "Orphan Train Riders" prior to the break. The students enjoyed reading this non-fiction book and learned a great deal about life in American during this time period.
Spelling/Vocabulary - We did not take our spelling and vocabulary test on Friday, prior to spring break, due to the crazy weather, and the fact that 1/3 of our class was missing. I will be making up this quiz on Wednesday.
Today we started a unit on poetry. We will be reading "Love That Dog," by Sharon Creech, and and integrating other poets as we read this book of prose. Students will also be writing their own personal poetry.
Summit County Library is hosting a Poetry Recitation Contest for 4th and 5th grade students. Ms. Torzillo will hold a meeting in her classroom tomorrow afternoon from 3:25-3:45 for all students interested in participating. She will go over the rubric and the expectation. Students will have one week to find a poem, practice/memorize prior to the try-out.
We will select three students from 4th and three students from 5th to represent our school. The try-out for 4th grade will take place in my classroom on Tuesday, April 24th. I would like two parents to help with the selection. If you are available and would like to be a judge, please let me know.
The actual competition will take place at the Summit County Library on Tuesday, May 1st, 6:00pm.
Field Trip: Our field trip to the Water Festival (St Mary's Church) is on Thursday, April 26th. I will be sending permission slips home on Tuesday. Four volunteers have signed up to drive thus far, but I still need a couple more drivers. If you can drive, please indicate on the permission slip that you are available and let me know how many students you can take in your vehicle.
CRT Testing - Our class is scheduled to begin CRT testing on Monday, April 30th. We will also test on Tuesday, May 1st, and Wednesday, May 2nd.
Donations: I am looking for magazines that we can cup up, preferably magazines with colorful images. Please send them in with your student this week if possible. Thanks.
I think that's it for now. If there is something I missed, I will email you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Thanks for all your support-
3-23-12
Dear Families,
Thank you to all of you who where able to make parent/teacher conferences last week. It was nice seeing everyone and catching up on students progress. If you were not able to schedule a conference and would still like to do so, please email me and we'll set something up.
I sent home the Weilenmann folders today. Please be sure to look through all the papers. If you did not receive a Specialist Progress Report during our conference, I sent it home in an envelope in the Weilenmann folder. You will also find the last Scholastic Book Order. The due date for the order is April 6th to ensure delivery of all ordered items prior to the end of school. Another important piece of information included in the Weilenmann folder is next year's tentative schedule.
Math: We started our math flex groups this week and introduced fractions. This week we focused on defining fractions, working with equivalent fractions, simplifying fractions, and ordering fractions. We will continue to work with fractions again next week.
Language Arts: We are continuing with "Orphan Train Riders." The students seem to be enjoying reading the novel and learning about a time in our history that is unknown to many people.
We are also reading "Rodzina" as a class read aloud. "Rodzina" is a fictional story based on the orphan train riders about a girl who lives in Chicago with Polish origins. She becomes an orphan and finds herself on a train heading west.
As you may have already heard, the students were assigned a pseudo name they can use during our novel study. They use these names when they write in their orphan journal and take on the role of one of the orphans.
The kids took a spelling and vocabulary quiz today on the first set of words relating to our novel. Anyone who was absent will take the quiz on Monday and a few students need to retake the spelling quiz.
I am posting new words under the tab Language Arts, and your child should be bringing home the new list on Monday. Please be on the lookout.
We will be starting paper mache' projects this coming week. Could you please send in wire coat hangers and old newspaper. Initially, I was going to work on paper mache' projects as our class donation for the Art Auction, but decided against it. The kids were so excited about working with paper mache' that I couldn't deny them the opportunity to work in this medium. I will be doing something else for the class project, but don't want to share much about it at the moment. I'd rather it be a surprise!
We DO NOT have Outdoor Ed this coming Monday.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. I will try to get back with you the same day.
Thanks again, and have a nice weekend.
3-22-12
Dear Families,
We will be having a spelling and vocabulary quiz tomorrow. In your child's homework folder, you should find a list of definitions, as well as a worksheet to help them study for the quiz. We've been working on these words in class for the past two weeks, so I'm hoping they are familiar with the definitions and the spelling.
We have PE tomorrow so please make sure your child comes to school with appropriate shoes.
Thanks and have a good evening.
3-3-12
Dear Families,
We had another busy week last week with several fun visitors and assemblies.
On Monday, Mrs. Abraham came to our class and talked to all the 4th grade classes about dental hygiene. She talked about the importance of brushing and flossing teeth, as well as brushing the tongue (lots of bacteria on the tongue). Ask your kids about "hairy tongue!" The asked lots of good questions, and at the end of the presentation, each student received a pouch with a toothbrush, floss, and a funny little sticky guy. Thank you Mrs. Abraham.
On Wednesday, we had guest presenters from Planet Aquarium. Planet Aquarium is in Sandy, and they provide an outreach program to schools. The kids learned about the importance of water in Utah (we are the second driest state), and the water cycle. The also brought some interesting reptiles and amphibians natural to the Utah habitat.
We also enjoyed the "Famous People" exhibit that the 3rd graders put on. They did a fantastic job.
We started NWEA/Map Testing on Thursday morning. We began with math testing and will continue next week. There are three tests in total. Math and two components of Language Arts.
Our special assembly on Friday came from the Park City Jiu Jitsu Program. Aside from WSD students demonstrating Jiu Jitsu moves, they talked about bullying. The kids seems to be very amused and watched intently as some of the WSD students moved and flipped their counterpart.
Math: We finished chapter 11, Measure Length, Area and Temperature, this week. I'm planning to review on Monday, and depending on how they do, I may test on Thursday. You can expect to see Math Quiz 1, 2, and 3 in their homework pack. Please review this quiz with your child.
We will be starting chapter 12, Measure Capacity, Weight, and Volume this week. I will be testing on this chapter the following week.
Language Arts: We completed our novel unit on "Sadako and a Thousand Paper Cranes." I think the kids enjoyed learning about realistic fiction, historical facts, and the meaning of paper cranes; "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the World."
As we were reading the book, a member of our class suggested that we make 1,000 paper cranes for a young man he knows who is very ill with leukemia. The young man's name is Spencer, he is 17 years old and lives in Wasshington, D.C. I put the idea out to the class and received an emphatic "YES!" they all wanted to partake in making the cranes. All the students have learned how to make cranes, and we are in the process of stringing them now. We will be sending the cranes as well as cards to Spencer when we reach our goal of 1,000. If you are interested in learning more about Spencer, you can log onto the following website: www.wawasmusings.blogspot.com.
We will begin our next novel study this week. This time around, we'll be reading a non-fiction book, "The Orphan Train Riders." This book gives a biographical account of Lee Nailing's life as an orphan train rider. "More than 200,000 children rode "orphan trains" in this country between 1854 and 1930." It was a time when thousands of immigrants were entering the United States, cities were busting at the seams, and thousands of children were deserted by their parents or orphaned.
Your child will be reading the book in class - we may have some homework reading on occasion. We will be learning about immigration, Ellis Island, and life in the United States around the turn of the 20th century.
Our vocabulary and spelling will be related to the book. Students will be receiving vocab/spelling lists this week and I will post them on my website under "Language Arts."
Reminders:
Monday: Outdoor Ed. Please have your child come prepared for the snowy weather. They will need snow pants, jacket, gloves, snow boots, and a hat.
Tuesday: Music - instrument, signed black binder.
Wednesday: No bookmobile.
Thursday: Music
Friday: PE
I've posted more volunteer times for Tuesday and Thursday afternoon during our rotations. Feel free to sign up! I always appreciate any help in the classroom.
A couple of moms will be stopping in on Monday afternoon to string cranes. If you would like to drop in after 1:45, we'd love to have extra hands. Please email me and let me know if you are planning to drop by.
I think I've covered most everything. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me and I will get back with you the same day.
Thanks for sharing your children and all your support.
2-23-12
Dear Families,
I hope everyone had a fantastic, restful, and well deserved break. I certainly enjoyed the extra few days. Many students were out before the break with a stomach bug or a bad cold. Hopefully everyone has recovered and back to health.
I game a few tests prior to the break that will need to be made up. I would like to make up these tests over the next two days. If your child was absent on Wednesday of last week, they missed the math, chapter 8 test. If they missed Friday, they missed the spelling and vocabulary test. Please ask your child to review long division for the math test, and the spelling and vocabulary word list with the words beginning with mono- and the "Sadako" word list.
Once again, I'm requesting that you review the math test when you receive it, have your child correct their errors, sign the test, and return to me. I will be giving you all their tests during parent/teacher conferences.
I've been reading and grading the legend stories written by the students. We've got some really creative minds working in this classroom. I am missing papers from 5 students. Could you please check with your child if they need to turn in their legend story? Thanks, I realize how forgetful they can be at times.
We have a short week, but here are a few reminders:
Thursday: We have library. I handed out late library book notices to kids in the classroom last week. They should bring in any books to renew or turn in to the library.
Friday: P.E. Don't forget to bring appropriate shoes. We have several students who consistently show up in their snow boots. This doesn't work too well when they are running around in the cafetasium.
Language Arts: We will continue to read and work on our novel study of "Sadako". I will not send home vocabulary/spelling words this week, but you should expect to see something coming home next week.
Math: We started chapter 11, measuring length using customary measurements. We will continue to discuss and play around with measurement this week and learn how to convert customary lengths.
That's it for now, email me with any questions or concerns. I usually will respond the same day.
Thank you, and have a nice evening.
2-13-12
Dear Families,
I hope everyone had a wonderful snowy weekend. I heard there was about 6-10 inches up on Jupiter today! Nice :)
Upcoming Week:
Math: We are wrapping up chapter 8 on division. We'll review in class on Monday and Tuesday and the kids will be tested on Wednesday. I will be sending a practice test home on Monday evening. If they do well on the practice test, they shouldn't have any problem on Wednesday's test.
We will begin to introduce chapter 11, Measure Length, Area, and Temperature, this week; however, we won't dive into it too deeply until after the February break.
We continue to take one minute multiplication tests, and most of the students are coming along nicely. If your child is still struggling with multiplication facts, please get some flash cards and keep them in the car.
Language Arts: We will continue to read "Sadako and a Thousand Paper Cranes" this coming week. With each chapter they read, they also fill out accompanying worksheets. We also have discussion questions to promote deeper thinking and interesting dialogue.
Vocabulary/Spelling: All students received the vocabulary/spelling words last week. We've been working on using the words in context and defining the words as a whole class. This week, the students will be practicing using worksheets during rotations and as homework. Our vocabulary/spelling test will be on Friday morning.
Writing: Your child may have had some homework over the weekend, finishing up their Legend Stories. I apologize if this has been an inconvenience, but I did give ample time in class and several students did not utilize their time wisely. Others simply had lengthy stories and had to finish writing them on their own time.
I am very pleased with the results. We focused on the elements of a story - character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme. We also discussed how to incorporate written dialogue in a story and the correct use of quotation marks. Additionally, they learned when to begin new paragraphs and how to use "juicy" words instead of the usual boring words.
Our next writing assignment will be persuasive writing. The students will write a five paragraph essay, with a strong opening paragraph, three supporting paragraphs, and a final paragraph restating the introduction. We will build on what we've already learned and learn how to use transitional words.
Specialists and Activities:
Monday: We have Outdoor Education on Monday. With all the new snow, students will need to come to class prepared for the conditions. This means they will need snow pants, snow boots, a warm jacket, gloves, and a hat.
Tuesday: Happy Valentine's Day. If students bring in valentines for their classmates, they need to bring one in for everyone in the class. I did tell them they could bring in a little treat with the valentine if they would like. We are not having a party; however, I will let them distribute their valentines when they come in on Tuesday morning. We'll save any treats for later in the day.
We have art, science, and music on Tuesday. Mrs. Colby is pleading with students to practice their instruments at home and to come to class prepared. They need to bring their signed, black binder, and their musical instrument.
Wednesday: Bookmobile, bring your bookmobile library book. We also have art and Robo Thunder Assembly in the afternoon.
Thursday: Science and library. We have a special guest coming to our school, Jenny Oakes Baker will be working with our students and then performing to the entire school later that day.
Friday: P.E. We have a half day of school.
Scholastic book orders: If you would like to order any books, please have your order turned in by Thursday, February 16th.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
2-8-12
Hi all-
You've probably already noticed that we started our novel study on "Sadako and a Thousand Cranes." The kids should have read through chapters 1-3, and completed their worksheets.
We will review the work they've completed thus far tomorrow. If your child was absent in the last couple of days, I've already told them what they need to make up.
I've posted the vocabulary and spelling words under the Language Arts tab on this website. Your child should also have a "Home Copy" in their homework folder listing all the words. I will be testing them on vocabulary and spelling next Friday, February 17th. We will be reviewing the meaning of the words as we continue to read in the novel. We are also doing worksheets in class to help them with spelling as well as vocabulary. I will send spelling/vocab homework next week.
Math: We continue to work on the concepts of long division. I believe most of the kids understand the process, now they need practice. We've been practicing and practicing in class, and it's getting better.
We have library tomorrow. Please remind your child to bring in any books they've checked out.
Music: Mrs. Colby is asking all students to continue to practice their instrument at home. She would also like students to bring in their black, signed binder and their instrument.
Friday is pajama day. The Ward sisters will be "Principal of the Day," and they decided to allow students to wear their pajamas and have Creamies during lunch.
I will be posting another classroom volunteer list shortly. I am looking for a parent volunteer to come in on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon during our rotations. I can always use an extra pair of hands to help individual students with math, word work, or writing. The times will be from 1-3pm.
Thanks for all your help and have a nice evening.
2-6-12
Dear Families,
Another busy week behind us.
Math: We started chapter 8, division this week. The kids are learning long division and many have been catching on nicely. We've learned a couple of acronyms in class to help them remember the process. The process of long division is division, multiplication, subtraction, (check to see if another number should be brought down), and bring down the number. The acronym we use for this is: DMSCB or "Does McDonalds Serve Cheeseburgers?" Kind of goofy, but if it helps them remember the order in which to work out the problems, it's good with me.
Language Arts: We are finalizing our legend stories. We had to put the stories on hold since we were so busy getting ready for our exhibition and writing speeches for the presentations. I'm hoping to complete the final stories on Monday. They've been learning about transitional words, what they are and how to use them, descriptive words to make the stories more interesting, and how to write dialogue using quotation marks. I'm so impressed with the progress everyone is making.
Utah Studies: We wrapped up our county projects this week with the 4th Grade Exhibit. It was good to see so many parents and I know your children enjoyed seeing you as well. The kids did a great job. They were very proud of their displays and their presentations. Everyone had the opportunity to present their county in front of the class. The class critiqued the presentation and displays offering positive feedback, as well as, constructive criticism. The learning experience was tremendous. They not only learned how to research, but how to determine what was important, how to display the research, and how to speak publicly.
I'm hoping to begin the novel "Sadako" on Monday. I will also be handing out their new vocabulary/spelling words. This week our focus will be on words beginning with mono-.
Valentines Day is just around the corner. I'll send home a class list so students can send in Valentines cards on the 14th. If your child is bringing in cards for Valentines Day, please make sure they have one for every student in the classroom. I will permit small treats, but I'm not having a huge party. Valentines Day falls on a Tuesday and we have music rotations in the afternoon. I haven't decided yet how I'm going to manage the card exchange.
We do not have any specialist classes on Monday. Next Monday, February 13th is the next Outdoor Education Class.
Tuesday is art, science, and music. Please make sure your child brings in their black music binder, signed by a parent, and their instrument.
Wednesday is art.
Thursday is science and music and library.
Friday is PE.
Scholastic Book Orders: I sent home Scholastic Book Orders last week and I included the classroom code if you'd like to order online. If you would prefer sending in the book order, please send the order in no later than February 13th.
Thanks for all your help during the exhibition. It was fantastic having so many helping hands with the setup and tear down. Your help is greatly appreciated. :)
Have a nice weekend, and as usual, email me with any concerns.
1-30-12
Dear Families,
On Friday, I mentioned that I would be posting the new vocabulary/spelling words. I also said we would begin our classroom novel, "Sadako."
I've decided to wait until next week to begin anything new. We are so busy trying to get our Utah County Projects completed and I didn't want to add another thing to the mix.
We are also going to need to finish our legend stories this week.
Thank you for your understanding.
We have art, science, and music tomorrow. Mrs. Colby asked us to remind students to bring their black notebooks, with parent signature, and their instrument.
1-27-12
Dear Families,
We've had a busy week getting ready for our Utah presentations. I know many of you have questions, so hopefully, this newsletter will offer some clarification.
As you know, your child and a partner(s), were assigned a Utah county. As part of their research, they needed to answer questions on a worksheet. We used computer laptops, and handouts to do this. I encouraged students to do some additional research at home, as well as print out some color photos.
The groups decided what they were going to use as a display. Most groups chose tri-fold displays. They have been working on these displays during class time and most are coming along nicely. My hope is that they will be finished by the end of the day! If they are not completed, I'm going to ask that they get together over the weekend to complete the project.
A big part of the presentation is "selling" their county and convincing people that they should visit. They will present themselves as travel agents, and come up with at least three good reasons why someone would want to visit or move to their county. We will begin working on dialogue and what a good presentation looks like in class today.
Groups will also come up with three good questions relevant to the county they are researching. Attendees (students from other grades) will be designated to visit three specific counties with a question sheet. The students visiting the county exhibits will be required to answer two to three questions on each county. Our goal is to promote active listening and participation among the student body. It will also ensure that all counties get multiple visitors. Following the required three county visit, they will be allowed to meander through the exhibition.
Some groups made brochures to hand out, and other groups are handing out recipe cards. We encourage students to have something to give visitors ; however, this is not mandatory. We are not allowing any food, candy, or drinks.
Students can dress up as a character representing their county, or they can dress as a travel agent. We want our students to be animated when giving their presentations.
The event will take place on Wednesday, February 1, 2012, in the Cafetasium beginning at 2pm. Our setup will begin at 1:15. If anyone is available to help with the setup, we would greatly appreciate the help. We will also need help breaking down, beginning at 2:50. The breakdown cannot take more than 10 minutes so that students can be released to go home.
If you are able to help, please email me.
Several students took their tri-fold display boards home with them. I will not have anymore class time to work on the displays and had to request that they finish them at home. It would be great if partners can get together to share the workload.
Please email me with any questions. Again, detailed information can be found on this website under the tab "More" and the "Utah Projects."
Thanks for your help and understanding.
Weilenmann Folders: I realize not much has come home in the folders. We have been very busy working in class on the projects; however, that isn't to say that we haven't been doing other work. You should have received their math tests already. I would like parent signatures to verify that you've seen the test, and then send them back to school. I will keep them here in their individual folders and will give them back to you during parent/teacher conferences. Your child also took a spelling quiz yesterday and I've returned those as well. Today they took their vocabulary quiz. Have not graded them yet, but they should be coming home next week.
Vocabulary/Spelling: I will be handing out and posting the word list on Monday.
Literature: We will begin reading "Sadako" on Monday. Each student will have their own copy and will be assigned reading as homework.
Math: We pre-assessed for Chapter 8 this week and will begin the new unit on division on Monday.
Specialist: We do have Outdoor Ed on Monday. Please remember to send appropriate snow clothes with your child. They will need a warm jacket, snow pants, waterproof boots, gloves, and a hat.
Thank you to the volunteers who came in today to help with our breakfast, and then again this afternoon to help with the auction/store. The kids had a very full day and I'm soooooo ready for the weekend!
Hope you have a great one-
1-24-12 `
A couple reminders:
Our specialist tomorrow is library. Please have your child bring their library book to school.
Tomorrow is early release - kids get out at 12:30.
Students are encouraged to read, read, read. They will be bringing their tally charts back to school on Friday to drop marbles into the milk jug.
Thanks to all the parents who volunteered to send in food, drinks and supplies to make our Friday morning breakfast possible.
The kids are allowed to wear their pajamas on Friday. They can also get dressed up as their favorite character in a book, author, or book cover.
I will be updating you soon on class happenings.
Thank you and have a restful evening.
1-23-12
Dear Parents,
Our class filled the marble jar and earned a special treat. During our classroom meeting this morning, the class voted to have a breakfast celebration. The celebration will take place this Friday, January 27th from 8:30-9:00. The students will be allowed to wear their pajamas. We will be serving bagels, cream cheese, orange juice, and milk!
Any donations are greatly appreciated. If you have any additional ideas on food items, please email me. The kids wanted Einstein Bagels; however, I will not have time to run into town. If you feel so inclined to help out, let me know.
We will also be having our classroom store that afternoon (bust day). If you have any small prizes you'd like to donate to the class, please drop them off in my room.
A few quick reminders:
Tomorrow is music. Please make sure your child comes to school with their instrument, and music notebook.
I would like kids to have snow clothes, including boots and snow pants. The snow outside is deep and one student already lost a shoe! I'd like your child to stay warm and dry. It's difficult to keep them off the snow; they're having too much fun!!
Don't forget, we are in the thick of literacy week. All the students made a commitment to read a certain number of hours. Each student should be reading as much or more than they normally read. Students should be tracking their reading in 15 minute increments.
We are continuing with our Utah projects and would greatly appreciate your help if your child needs some pictures printed off the internet.
Thanks for all your help. As always, I appreciate everything you do!
1-20-12
Dear Families,
Although it was a short week, it was a busy week.
Your child will be coming home today with their yellow Utah Studies Folder. Today, each group filled out a form to determine what research still needs to be done, how they plan to display their research projects, and what supplies they will need to provide.
The groups assigned members with specific responsibilities that will need to be completed this weekend. It is imperative that they bring in supplies on Monday so that they can begin assembling their displays. Although several students indicated that they want to put together a slide presentation, I would still recommend that they have a poster or a trifold poster board as part of their display. If students do create a slide show, they will need to bring in their own laptop or iPad. We cannot use the school computers.
If you cannot find the folder, or if your child misplaced one of the worksheets, you can access any and all papers on this site under the tab "Utah County Project." If it is not displayed in the tabs above, look under the "More" tab.
Thanks for any and all help.
We do not have Outdoor Ed on Monday, so I plan to utilize much of this time working on our projects.
A few quick reminders: Our chapter 6 and 7 math test will be on Wednesday. The spelling test has been pushed back to Thursday, and the vocabulary test will be on Friday.
On that happy note, have a wonderful weekend.
I will provide the usual construction paper, glue, markers, etc.
Scholastic Orders
Hi all-
One quick reminder.... the Scholastic book orders are due tomorrow. You can send in your order or order directly online. There are several fabulous books, particularly in the "Amazing History" flyer.
Thanks.
Utah County Projects
Dear Parents,
Some parents have been asking questions about the Utah County Projects. I've posted the letter and handouts the students have or will be receiving on my website under "Utah County Project." Under this tab, you will find the introduction letter, a rubric (the kids will be getting this tomorrow), the county questionnaire sheet, and an organizational worksheet.
Please take a look at these files to get a better understanding of the expectation.
I will continue to post additional information.
Car Wash Fundraiser
Hi all-
Just a reminder that about the Travel Clean Car Wash fundraiser. Our goal is to have each student sell at least 2, $35.00 carwash cards. These cards are worth the face value and Weilenmann receives 50% of the money. If each child sells two cards, Weilenmann will raise approximately $20,000 for the school. The deadline to turn in the orders is Friday, January 27th!
1-19-12
Good afternoon.
We worked on the laptops this morning. I attempted to show the kids how to create a brochure using a template in their google docs account. They learned how to move pictures from files onto a template, delete existing items, enter new text, and create a new text box. I also showed many students how to change the font style, and size.
It's a learning process, but many students are catching on quickly. They will be able to log onto their google email account by going to the WSD website. From there, they will hopefully be able to navigate their way around.
Students are not required to create a brochure. This is simply an introduction to all that is possible. If they would like to make a brochure about their county, that would be fabulous. I encourage all the students to experiment.
Homework: I am asking students to complete the first draft of the legend they are writing. We spent time in class today, and most students were able to get a good start.
PLEASE NOTE: The 4th grade team met and decided that our students need more time and practice on concepts learned in chapters 6 and 7. We are going to review next Monday and Tuesday, and test on Wednesday.
1-17-12
Welcome back after a nice long three day weekend.
We jumped back in fast and furious, beginning with our Reader's Letters. I usually write back to the kids over the weekend, but I noticed several students didn't write at all, or their journal was missing entirely.
I would like student to write to me on a weekly basis, or at the very least once every two weeks. Students who have misplaced their Reader's Letters (journals), know who they are. I would greatly appreciate it if you could help your child find their journal. Thank you.
In math we used problem solving strategies using plastic money to find combinations of making, for example, 65 cents; or use 20 coins to make $6.00. We also reviewed multiplying using two and three digit numbers ending in zero, and estimation. It is important that students understand the difference between estimation and exact answers. We have a math test this Friday covering chapters 6 and 7.
I passed out their new vocabulary and spelling words today. They have two copies; one for home use, and the other will stay in school. You will notice the focus this week is on the prefix, post. I've also included 10 frequently missed words and four challenge words. If you misplace the "home" sheet, you can always find the words posted on my website under the Language Arts tab. The spelling quiz will be on Wednesday, January 25th, and the vocabulary quiz on Friday, January 27th.
We continue to work diligently on our Utah County Project. Several students have printed out information about their county; however, I'm concerned that some students are not very focused. This is a big project and I hope they are taking it seriously. Please look on my website under helpful links. I tried to include useful information for all the students to use. There are specific county websites, as well as general Utah websites. I recently posted a new site I think you will find very helpful. Look for "I Love History." Under the search tab, type in your child's county. Several great links will pop up and most are "kid friendly."
On Thursday morning, I will attempt to show the kids how to create a brochure using their laptops. I am hoping to get at least three volunteers in the classroom to help with this undertaking. I know I will have several frustrated kids and will need the help. We have access to laptops from 8:30 until about 9:20. If this is convenient for you, please let me know. Thank you in advance.
Homework: Review math worksheet, and a fun spelling/vocabulary "unscramble the word" worksheet (find the hidden message).
Specialists: Bookmobile and art.
Have a nice evening.
1-13-12
Good evening,
I will not be writing every single day any longer. I believe the students are at a point where they are beginning to be more responsible with their schedule and upcoming events. I will continue to keep you posted on a regular basis. You should continue to receive email reminders of their specialist activities during the week.
We finished our week on a very positive note. The kids did a fabulous job working diligently this week in all subject areas.
Language Arts: We took a spelling quiz on Wednesday, and I'm happy to report that a majority of the students received 100 percent. Many of the kids also did well on the majority of the bonus words. We had our vocabulary quiz today and once again, most of the kids did exceptionally well. They will be receiving the next set of words on Tuesday.
We also continued to work on our legend writing. They are creating a legend based on what they have learned with story-telling. Most of the students created a new name for themselves, and they are to use this name as one of the characters in their story. We also learned how not to use boring words in our story, and I taught a mini-lesson on synonyms for the word "big," and resources they can use to look up more interesting alternatives.
They will be writing a "creation" legend. Each student chose a natural phenomenon such as, tornados, hurricanes, lightning, eruptions, etc. They worked with a partner and pulled out words from easy to read books describing the topic. They also brainstormed ideas on story lines. Now they need to think about why this phenomena occurs; not from a scientific standpoint, but from the standpoint of people trying to make sense of something, as the ancient Indians did.
Next week, we will be working with graphic organizers and brainstorm some more before they actually begin writing the draft. The outcome should be interesting.
Math: We started chapter 7. This chapter expands on what they've learned in multiplication. they are learning to multiply multi-digit numbers. We will continue working on multiplication next week, and will test on Friday for chapters 6 and 7.
Utah Studies: They had an opportunity to work with their partners and research information on the internet. There are several links on my "helpful links" site they can go to for information. I would like students to continue to research at home, print pictures, additional information, and think about how they are planning to present the information. Some students are putting together a slideshow. I told them if they would like to bring in their iPad, or a laptop from home, they can set this up on presentation day. Not all students will be able to do this; however, there are many ways they can put together a nice display.
Please email me if you have additional questions.
The kids had some special guests visit them today in PE. Two karate instructors were kind enough to teach our kids some basic karate moves. They were so engaged and had such an amazing experience. I was so proud to see how involved they were in their moves, and the instructors were very impressed with their focus and respectful behavior!
Weilenmann folders should have come home. If your child was absent or left early, he/she will take the folder home on Tuesday. Please go through all the papers in the folder. Some papers request parent signature, and need to be sent back to school.
You will also find the latest and greatest Scholastic order forms. Please note the due date on the back.
Most of my students have turned in their bright orange pre-registrations forms. If you misplaced the form, you can get another in the office. The forms are due back by Friday, January 20th.
Recess: Due to an accumulation of ice under our playground structures, we are only allowed to use the concrete pads. We did make the best of our situation today and played "Sharks and Minnows" with the entire class. They actually had a great time, and they ran off lots of stored up energy.
I think I've covered everything. Again, please email me with any questions or concerns.
Have a nice long three day weekend.
1-9-12
Happy Monday.
We started our day today with a creative journal write. The prompt was as follows: "I woke up this morning and realized I was five inches tall. Why did this happen? What will I do?" The students shared their written responses with a partner and a few were able to share with the class. Funny ideas! Ask your child how he/she responded.
Class Meeting: The kids got paid their classroom bucks, and everyone got a new class job. Kipling presented the class with some tips on hygiene and killing bacteria before handling food. Hopefully the kids will take a little more care to either wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before eating.
Math Flex: We are continuing with multiplication, either multiplying two digit numbers, or three digit numbers.
Recess followed Math Flex, and we were able to take advantage of yet another beautiful day in Park City.
I am still reading "Mr. Tucket" to the class, and we are close to the end. Mr. Tucket gives detailed information on what beaver trapping was all about in the 1800s. Jim Bridger, one of Utah's famous mountain men is also a character in the book!
Language Arts: We watched a video clip on "The Indian Paint Brush." It is a legend retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Following the story, we filled out another worksheet building on what we've already learned (parts of a story), and discussing the meaning of rising action and climax.
Utah Studies: The Shoshone Tribe presented today. They all did a great job and I'm very proud of the learning and effort that took place. I will be sending home their rubrics in the Weilenmann Folder this week. If your child didn't receive an outstanding grade, it's because they left out some pertinent information. Each student received a rubric prior to the project, we went over it in class, and they all knew the expectation. As I've mentioned before, I'd rather they learn now, then when grades have a greater impact.
Outdoor Education took up the remainder of the afternoon. They all came back in rosy-cheeked and happy. I think they had a great time outside.
Homework: Math worksheet.
Tomorrow's specialists: Art, Science, and Music. Don't forget your instrument and your black binder.
Thank you to all the families who have sent in their pre-registration forms. They forms need to be in by Friday, January 20th. You can't miss the form, it's on bright orange paper!
I hope you all have had an opportunity to look over the letter "All About Utah." We will begin our research in class tomorrow. If you have any great information you'd like to share, brochures, books, websites, costumes, etc., please send it in.
That's it for now, hope you all have a wonderful evening.
1-6-12
Good Friday to all-
Our early morning start consisted of a small reading and math activity. It's always nice to circle around and check the skills they learned earlier in the year. We do small reading activities to check on comprehension. I believe the more we practice, the better we get at deciphering the material and answering questions related to the reading. We go over the questions as a class and students get to correct their own papers to see where their mistakes are. I also talk to the students about test taking skills.
We continued our day with language arts and myths and legends. We discussed how myths and legends are based on trickster, creation, how and why, hero, or warning stories. We also discussed the elements of a story: character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme. I read them a beautiful Goshute Indian legend, "Pia Toya." Following the reading, we did a whole class activity, identifying the various elements.
On Monday, the students will repeat this exercise using the myth or legend they picked out earlier in the week. Once they have learned the elements of a story, we will be writing out our own myths and legends. I'm excited to see what creative ideas they come up with. I'll keep you posted.
Our specialist today was PE.
Following PE we started our Native American Tribe presentations. The kids did a fabulous job. They learned so much and showed quite a bit of enthusiasm while presenting. I like seeing the ownership they took in their projects. Each presentation took approximately 20 minutes. Needless to say, the Shoshone Tribe still needs to present on Monday. I'd rather see things take longer than to rush them through something they worked so hard on. I will be sending home the scored rubric next week in the Weilenmann packet.
We had math flex groups today.
The Weilenmann folders should be in your child's backpack. Please go through all the papers. There are a few forms with deadlines. I also included the test results students took just prior to our winter break. Some of the tests have a "Parent Signature" request. If your child has one of these tests, please sign and send it back to me in the Weilenmann folder on Monday.
You will also find a letter describing the 4th grade "All About Utah" Exhibition. Your child has been assigned a partner(s) and the county on which they will be reporting. Most of the work will be done in class, but we are asking students to provide materials for the project. Please be sure and read the letter. The exhibit will take place on the afternoon of February 1st.
Our specialist on Monday is Outdoor Ed. Please make sure your child has appropriate clothing. It's supposed to snow this weekend (we're hoping), so they will probably need snow gear.
Have a pleasant weekend and THINK SNOW!
Best- Mrs. Jerome
1-5-12
Good evening,
Our day started out with computers. We worked on "Headsprout" for the first 30 minutes, and they had the option of picking a math game and practicing their multiplication facts the last 15 minutes.
I am noticing that the students who play multiplication games regularly are becoming extremely proficient with the timed multiplication quizzes we take in class. It makes a huge difference. Go to my website www.mrsjerome.shutterfly.com and find the helpful links tab. From there you will find many math free math games. The kids know how to log on and get there. Give it a try.
In math we worked with estimation. They worked with word problems and had to determine whether an answer was reasonable or not.
Our specialist today was science. They played a Jeopardy game to review what they've learned. They were so excited when I picked them up.
We had an early lunch today due to the early out and our class had an opportunity to eat lunch with their 1st grade buddies.
Getting ready for the GOAP Program went smoothly. Thank you to our parent volunteer, Nicole Snyder for helping out.
Our specialist for tomorrow is PE. As usual, please make sure your child has appropriate shoes.
Homework: Math 6-2.
The WSD Travel Clean Car Wash Fundraiser is still going on. Each carwash card sells for $35.00 and 50% of the proceeds go directly to WSD. It's a great cause, and who doesn't need their car washed around here?
Please email me with any questions or concerns.
Thank you and have a wonderful evening.
1-4-12
Hello,
Here is quick update.
The students started their day reading the Native American legend/myth they chose yesterday. We have a nice variety of legends and I can't wait to hear about all of them.
I also talked to the kids about book talks. I reviewed the book talk sheet with them and modeled how I would like them to present a book they have completed and would like to share. I am requiring that all students use the form and share a book with the class. The form (included in their homework folder), should help guide each student. There is no set deadline; however, I will encourage students to have fun with the presentation. I am hoping this will inspire students to want to present more than one book.
We had bookmobile today and all the kids who brought back books had an opportunity to check out new books.
Art was our specialist today.
We also had an opportunity to go out for recess and enjoy the balmy weather!
After recess we came back into the classroom and continued to work on our Utah Native Tribe projects. They are coming along nicely and the presentations should prove to be a success.
We started our math flex groups today. This means the kids split and go to Mrs. Kaufman's, Mrs. Buehner's, or my room.
This afternoon was our Weilenmann WOW and Reading Initiative Assembly. Three of our students have read 6 or more Newbery Honor Books. Congrats.
Please don't forget, tomorrow is a half day. Students who are not participating in the GOAP (Get Out and Play) Program will be released at 12:30.
Mrs. Kimball is allowing students who are participating in the program to wear clothing that will make the change a little easier. She did say students in the program can wear sweat pants. I did get clarification on shirts and was told that only shirts that make changing easier can be worn. She also stated that students not participating in the program should comply with the dress code.
NO MUSIC TOMORROW. Do not bring your instrument.
Have a nice evening.
1-3-12
Dear Families,
We started our day today with a math and reading worksheet. Both exercises are short, but build on previously learned strategies.
In math we started chapter 6. We learned simple strategies to multiply by 10, 100, and 1,000, by multiplying the basic fact first and adding zeros after the product of the basic fact.
Their homework tonight will reflect what we learned in class today.
Our specialists today were art, science, and music.
In rotations today, we completed math worksheets building on the lesson they had earlier in the day. This is a great opportunity for students to ask for help if needed. I was pleasantly surprised to see everyone grasping the concept.
They also worked on their spelling words during another rotation.
Computers: I asked students to log onto my Shutterfly web page, go to "Helpful Links," and find the section on Myths and Legends. They were to link to various websites, and find a story/legend of interest. I will be printing out their story of choice and they will be retelling the story in a poster using elements of a story.
Homework: Math 6-1
Specialists for tomorrow: Art
We also have Bookmobile.
Tomorrow is the last day we will be working on our Native Tribe Project in class. Please make sure your student brings anything they need to complete the project. They will present projects on Friday.
Don't forget, Thursday is an early out due to the GOAP (Get Out and Play) Program. We've been informed that students are allowed to wear sweatpants to make the clothing transition a little easier.
Hope all is well your way, have a nice evening.
1-2-12
Happy New Year! It was great to see everyone back, safe and sound. I hope you all had a wonderful winter break.
We started our day discussing New Year, resolutions, and catching up on classroom business. Following our classroom meeting we took a math pre-assessment. Our next unit will cover multiplying by one-digit numbers. We also took another multiplication timed test. Please continue to work with your child on their multiplication skills. A little practice will go a long way.
It was a beautiful day, and since we didn't have any specialists today, we were able to have an extended recess. They always love being outside and running around.
In language arts, I distributed the vocabulary/spelling words. They each received a sheet to take home and one to keep at school. You should see the list with a definition sheet in their homework folders. I will post the words on the "Language Arts" link above.
The students will be responsible for spelling all 20 words. I also expect them to attempt to spell the challenge words. Students will only be responsible to know the vocabulary of the first 10 words, beginning with pre-.
We will test for the spelling next Wednesday, January 11th, and the vocabulary test on Friday, January 13th.
Students will receive a new list every two weeks.
We are also beginning the "6 Minute Solution" reading exercisees. This activity requires students to work with partners. They will be reading 1 minute timings and checking each other for speed and accuracy. We'll be doing these exercises at least twice a week beginning this week. They had an opportunity to practice today and did well.
We started our unit on Native American myths and legends today. I talked to them about the importance of oral story-telling, and the differences between myths, legends, fairytales, folktales, and fables. We will learn about various Native American legends (trickster, hero, creation, etc.) and parts of a story.
In Utah Studies they continued to work on their Native tribe group projects. Each group member is responsible for contributing to the group project. Their homework tonight is to work on this project. In other words, if they are responsible for researching food, they should make sure they know the kind of foods eaten by the tribe - they can print out pictures, draw pictures and have a caption for the pictures. They can make food out of clay or salt dough to use in their three dimensional diorama. I will give them more class time on Wednesday to wrap things up, before presenting on Friday. All items should be in class no later than Wednesday.
Sand painting was the culminating activity of the day. We looked at an example of sand painting, discussed why the Navajo used sand painting, and then made our own sand painting. I think it was much more difficult than they originally thought it would be, but they had fun nonetheless.
Our specialists for tomorrow are art, science, and music. Mrs. Colby asked that students remember to bring in their instrument and their binder with the SIGNED practice chart.
Please remember the fundraiser we have going on right with Travel Clean Car Wash.
Thank you, and have a nice evening.
12-16-11
HO, HO, HO! It's Friday, and we're out for the next two and a half weeks!!!
Wow, what a crazy, whirlwind of a day. Thank you to everyone for all the gifts. I have not had a chance to look through everything yet, but I will very soon. I think I'll put the gifts under the tree and open them very, very slowly.
We actually did get some academics in this morning, including our vocabulary/spelling test, and a multiplication test. Amazing, but true; however, it was downhill from there..... well, it all depends on how you look at it. The kids would certainly disagree, they would say it was uphill from there! :)
The party was a blast. The kids made a very cute (shhhh, it may be a gift). Next, they grouped off, chose a victim (just kidding) to be wrapped up like a Christmas present, and the class had to vote who was wrapped the best. Of course they were all great and it was difficult to decide, so they all won. As a final activity, they decorated rice crispy treats with sugar and goo (that would be frosting). They had such a good time that I almost didn't get them to go to one of their favorite activities....... LUNCH.
Once they got back to the classroom, we cleaned up, they scribbled on the white board and we didn't get much of anything else accomplished (to be expected).
At any rate, I'm sitting here relaxing in the peace and quiet of an empty classroom and I just wanted to be sure to wish you all a very wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year.
See you all in 2012.
12-15-11
Good Morning,
We started our day with a drawing a mirror image using a grid. It is more difficult to do than it appears and does require good concentration.
Next we used our laptops to find information on line about our tribes. I want the student to know how to navigate the web by narrowing down their topic, and finding the information they are looking for. I think the lesson was a success! As I mentioned in previous newsletters, I'm hoping they will look things up over the break and begin building items that represent their tribes. This could be dolls with clothing, various food, pots, weaving, animals in a corral, living structures, etc. Items can be made out of recycled materials, yarn, string, sticks, clay (Sculpey is a good clay and easy to use - instructions are on the package. You can buy this clay at Michael's or Walmart).
Our specialist today was library and science.
Immediately following library, we met briefly with our buddies. Always a highlight of the day! My students made reindeer candy canes and a card for their buddy. We met with our buddies, as as usual, they had a fabulous time. They colored small holiday pictures and used the colored squares to play a memory game. The first graders won!
We spent some time working on our Utah Native Tribe projects. The kids are really making good progress. I would like your child to make something over the break to add to the three-dimensional village their group is creating. They were supposed to designate jobs for each person in the tribe. If your child doesn't know what their assignment is, they can make anything related to their tribe. I would like each student to bring in something to add to their village after the break.
The final event today was our infamous auction/store. The kids love this event. They are able to finally reap the rewards of all their effort of good citizenship, showing responsibility, and performing good deeds in the classroom by spending their $$$$ bucks. As your child about this fun event. Thank you Carol Bolinger and Lesli Whitworth for helping out. I could not do it without you!
Homework tonight: One quick worksheet of the vocabulary/spelling words. We will have our quiz first thing in the morning.
Tomorrow's specialist is PE. We will also have our classroom holiday party from 11:00-11:45. Lunch is at 11:45 and they will be dismissed at 12:30.
Have a wonderful rest of the day.
12-14-11
Hello Families,
We started our day with an easy holiday word search and followed up with the last eight of the 18 vocabulary words; writing the word in their word study notebook and using it in a sentence.
I am still reading "Mr. Tucket," by Gary Paulson as a read aloud. We are three quarters of the finished and they are really enjoying listening to the story. I think they also thoroughly enjoy eating their snack while listening! :)
Art was our specialist today.
We continued working and researching Native Utah Tribes. The groups are figuring out how to divide responsibilities, use various resources, and determine key points of interest. They are planning their presentation posters, both 2D and 3D. Most importantly, they are learning to work in a group dynamic, where everyone is required to make contributions. Most of the work is being done in school; however, I am hoping some students are thinking of artifacts they can build at home to use in the model they will be creating of an Indian village.
After lunch, we had holiday activity time. We created a couple of holiday ornaments, and started to learn how to make a four-pointed star using the technique of origami. Some of the kids decided the four-pointed star was more awesome when used as a Ninja star!
The music concert was the last event of the day. Thank you to all the parents who were able to come to this festive event. The kids put on a fabulous performance! Thank you to our wonderful music teachers for all the time and effort they put into this amazing program.
Homework: Just read tonight.
Our specialist tomorrow is library and science.
We will have our vocabulary/spelling quiz first thing on Friday morning.
Our party is on Friday from 11:00-11:45 (ish). Don't forget, it's a half day.
12-13-11
Good evening,
just a friendly reminder that your child's music performance is tomorrow beginning at 2:15. Students can wear festive attire as per Mrs. Colby's instructions, as long as clothing is aligned with the dress-code.
Homework: Two cursive practice sheets with this week's spelling/vocabulary words. They should write on the dotted line and subsequently, two more times.
Our specialists tomorrow are art and of course the fabulous music performance!
Please send a small class photo of your child; the smallest pictures that came in their school packet.
Thanks, and hope to see you all tomorrow.
12-12-11
Good afternoon and happy Monday.
We began our day today making greeting, holiday cards to accompany our reindeer ornaments for our buddies, since we will be meeting with them sometime this week.
Class meeting was quick. We kept the same jobs and seating. I feel I have a fairly nice arrangement with table groupings and won't be so quick to change.
Math: We are reviewing math skill and concepts this week. We will resume with chapter 6, Multiply by One-Digit Numbers, following the winter break.
Utah Studies: They met in groups today and started discussing what they are going to present on their posters. Each student should have an assignment that was designated by the group members. I've asked students to go home and find images on the internet that they will be able to use on the group posters. They are also thinking of ways to build a three-dimensional village that is representative of the tribe they are researching.
Much of the work can be done in class, but I would like everyone to bring some things from home. That could mean bringing in materials and building the items here. If your child would like to make some things at home, that is perfectly fine.
Language Arts: We reviewed ten of our vocabulary words with sentences and definitions. This was a whole class activity and students wrote the sentences in their Word Work Notebook.
Homework: Students have a crossword to fill out tonight. I gave each student a vocabulary sheet with definitions last week that they were supposed to keep. I told them they could use this vocabulary worksheet to help when finding answers on the crossword. Our test will either be on Thursday afternoon, or Friday morning. I will let you and the kids know by tomorrow. They will also have time to work on vocabulary and spelling in class.
A few students still need to turn in their personal narrative papers. They had the option of finishing over the weekend, but some did not. I asked if they could have it to me by tomorrow. If this is a problem, please email me.
Students should practice their musical instrument tonight. They have a practice performance tomorrow and I know the music teachers are doing all they can to make it a great performance. The concert is going to be on Wednesday, December 14, 2011, from 2:15 until 3:00pm. Hope to see you there.
Specialists tomorrow are art, science, and music rehearsal.
Parents, could you please send in a small school photo of your child. The little ones that came in the school picture packet is perfect.
Thanks, and have a nice evening.
12-9-11
Dear Families,
TGIF! I'm sure many of you are looking forward to the weekend.
We had a fabulous day at the Natural History of Museum. If you have not been yet, I highly recommend it. There there was something for everyone. I hope they tell you all about it. Thank you to Lesli Whitworth, Jennifer Lippman, Nicole Knotts, Ruth Zimmer, Becky Lund, and Missy Felsted for driving and chaperoning. We have an amazing group of parents!
We came back to the school shortly before 2:00 pm and went outside for recess. Had to work off more energy.
During the last 45 minutes of class, we created something to give out 1st grade buddies, and made cards.
I apologize, I didn't send home the Weilenmann folder with all the kids. I will make sure they bring them home on Monday.
We have Outdoor Ed on Monday, so make sure your child comes to school with appropriate clothing.
A few students need to finish their final writing of the personal narrative this weekend. The band teacher also sent home sheet music for most of the students. Please ask your child to practice over the weekend. Their concert is coming up and I know they all want to do a fantastic job.
Please check out the photos of the kids in and around the museum.
Have a bueno weekend, and we'll see everyone on Monday.
12-7-11
Good evening.
We began our day today with a reading comprehension worksheet on Pearl Harbor. The students read and answered a few questions. We discussed Pearl Harbor and it's significance and impact it had on the United States. FYI, there's a great documentary on the attack of Pearl Harbor, part II, on the History Channel tonight.
We had bookmobile today. Thank you to everyone who brought their book in. All the students had a chance to go to bookmobile and check out a book to read over the holidays. We will not have bookmobile again until January 4th.
The specialist today was Art.
We reviewed the math tests today, took a multiplication timed test and worked for quite a long time on our personal narratives. I'm glad to report, they are almost completed. A few students will need to finish their final written work tomorrow during rotations. I'm very impressed with the results, and I think you will be too. :-)
Homework for tonight is "Read Only." I did pass out their vocabulary/spelling list, but they don't need to work on it yet; unless they are biting at the bit to get started! The list they brought home today will stay at home. I will ask that they be responsible for the spelling as well as the definitions of the 18 words. The challenge words will be counted as bonus words. If you misplace the list, you can always find the words posted on this website under the Language Arts tab.
The other homework is music. They need to be practicing their instruments, using their music sheets, and come to school prepared for music class tomorrow.
Leslie Whitworth was kind enough to take orders for Scholastic up to tomorrow. This is a great opportunity to give your child a few books as gifts for the holidays, and there are some great deals!
I am still missing two permission slips for the field trip. Please send the permission slip in as soon as possible. I do not want anyone to miss this fabulous excursion.
Thank you to the elf that left the erasers and colorful bandaids on my desk........
Thank you and have a wonderful evening.
12-6-11
Happy St. Nicholas Day.
The students learned a little about St. Nicholas yesterday and coincidentally, he visited them last night and left a little surprise!
We started our day practicing our editing skills. They are learning how to find errors in written material and use specific marks to make corrections. They will be using this skill frequently for peer editing.
Math: Before taking the test, we reviewed the practice test they had for homework last night. This was also a good time for students to ask any questions if there was any confusion. I graded the tests and I very happy with the results. You should be seeing the test in their Weilenmann folder on Friday.
I've implemented a new policy with tests. Please look at your child's test, sign where it requests your signature, and have your child bring the test back to school. I will keep the test in a file for safekeeping, and I will give them back to you during parent/teacher conferences. Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation.
Our specialists today were art, science, and music.
They worked on their personal narrative essays this afternoon and they are almost ready to write the final, edited version. It's been a process, but I think we are getting some great stories! They also worked on Headsprout. Thank you Mrs. Lund for helping with the editing this afternoon.
Homework: Each student received information pertaining to the tribe they will be researching. We have five groups - Paiute, Ute, Shoshone, Navajo, and Goshute. I would like each child to read through the material, preferably with an adult, and write down information in response to their question sheet. It may also be helpful to highlight important information.
They will need to bring these papers back tomorrow as we are beginning our group projects.
We have bookmobile tomorrow. Many students have checked out books that need to be returned. Please remind your child about bookmobile.
Our other specialist tomorrow is art.
Don't forget, we have our field trip on Friday. I have several drivers signed up to drive. Would you please email me to confirm that you are still planning on driving? We are planning on leaving WSD at 9:40 am. You may want to be here no later than 9:30. We are planning on returning somewhere between 1:00 and 2:00pm. I will have an instruction sheet for you when you arrive. Thanks again for your help. It should be really fun!!!
Hope your evening is cozy-
12-5-11
Good evening. This will be a short entry.
We had a very busy day. No specialists today.
Your child will have a math test tomorrow. In their homework packet, you will find a math test review sheet for chapter 5. I encourage the students to work on as much as they can on their own before asking for help.
Specialists tomorrow are art, science and music.
It's cold outside, so please make sure your child has plenty of clothes, gloves, hat, warm jacket.
I will be handing out a vocabulary/spelling list tomorrow. I will also post the words on my site under "Language Arts."
Many students are missing bookmobile books. I went over the list with the students today and they should bring the book to school for bookmobile on Wednesday.
Thanks and have a nice evening.
Have a nice evening.
12-2-11
We had quite the busy day today.
We began with a worksheet on the overused word "nice." This is in conjunction with improving and elaborating in our writing. We agreed that we wouldn't use the work "good" or "nice" all next week. Of course, I'm the worst culprit and the students are ruthless!
We transitioned into our Language Arts block and continued they continued to write a draft on their personal narrative. I'm encouraging students to really think in detail when they are writing. Some students have chosen events that happened very early in their life and they can't remember the details. Please ask your child what they are writing about and perhaps you can add some interesting ideas that will help them elaborate on their stories! Details should include things they can see, feel, smell, hear, and taste, using vivid verbs and amazing adjectives.
We took our spelling quiz today and they did fabulous. A little studying sure does go a long way.
Their specialist today was PE. Mrs. Newman said they did a phenomenal job! I always like hearing that about my class! After all, they are pretty amazing. :-)
In math today we practiced with word problems and using various strategies in figuring out problems. Students are encouraged to use charts, patterns, or drawings when making sense of a word problem. It continues to be difficult for many students, but with enough practice, they will become more comfortable and proficient.
We also played a game called "The Eliminator." They each had a 100s number chart. I gave instructions on which numbers in their chart they needed to eliminate. For example: Eliminate all numbers with a 7. Eliminate any number divisible by 11 or two same numbers. What the kids are realizing, is there are patterns to the number grid. After receiving all the directions from the Boss, aka ME, they are left with one number. They circle the number and raise their had to give the answer. Not only is this a good lesson in math terminology, patterns, and number sense, it is also a good lesson in listening skills.
In Utah Studies, we continued to work on Chapter 4, Lesson 2; Prehistoric Peoples. They had to fill out a worksheet and fill in the blanks by reading information from the text. I had them work individually for the first 25 minutes, and then they broke off into pairs, or small groups. They are becoming very good at reading and garnering information from the text. We will begin on individual tribes next week.
We had a brief recess, brrrrrr, it's very cold outside, but it doesn't seem to phase them at all. They run around playing and chasing each other on the playground. After breathing the titillating, fresh air and working off some energy, we came back to do an activity involving creativity. I told the kids we are going to decorate out bulletin board outside the classroom to represent a winter wonderland. They got busy making snowflakes, snowmen, christmas trees and background scenery. This should turn out to be very interesting.......
I hope everyone got their Weilenmann folders. It was a mad dash trying to clean up and pack up at the end of they day, not to mention the fact that everyone is so ready to get out of the building.
I have almost all the permission slips, but I'm still missing one or two. Please send them in.
Thank you to all of you who signed up for the Spreebird - Screamin Deals. Our classroom got a $50.00 credit card to spend on classroom supplies! Yeah.
Our specialist for Monday is....... NONE. We do not have Outdoor Ed, but we'll be working on our fabulous, creative, ORIGINAL "Winter Wonderland."
Hope you all have a spectacular weekend (notice I'm not using the word NICE or GOOD), and we will see you all on Monday.
Aufwiedersehen!
12-1-11
Happy December!
We began our day on computers. The students went to the UEN (Utah Education Network) website, www.uen.org, and learned more about Utah. They had a scavenger hunt and had to fill out a worksheet as they found information. This lesson had many objectives, including reading and gather information, navigating the internet, and learning more about their state. Did you know that Jello gelatin is our official state snack?
We had our last presentation today. The student did a fabulous job informing the class about WWII, Hitler, Hirohito, and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The student was very passionate about his topic and he captured the attention of all his peers. Well done.
Next the students went to library.
Following library, we continued working on our personal narratives. It's slow going, but we're getting there - it's a process.
Science was their specialist for today.
This afternoon was music and rotations. In rotations we continued with our Utah Studies scavenger hunt and Headsprout on the computers. We also worked on a spelling worksheet to reinforce correct spelling for the quiz tomorrow. They also continued working on their personal narrative. The essays are coming along nicely.
Homework: Spelling worksheet. Please have your child study the words for the spelling quiz tomorrow. I will hold most everyone accountable for the first 18 words. The four challenge words will be optional and I will use them as a bonus.
Tomorrow's specialist is PE. Please have your child bring appropriate shoes.
Don't forget to send in the permission slip for the field trip next week.
Most of the students who ordered Original Works merchandise received it today. It is my understanding that a few items still need to be distributed. If you do not receive your order by tomorrow, please email me and I will look into the matter.
Thank you and have a superb evening!
11-30-11
Last day of November.
We began the day with a little reading comprehension worksheet where they need to read and answer four multiple choice answers.
Following the early start, we had two more presentations. One on sea turtles, and the other on the history of skateboarding. Both students were extremely knowledgeable about their topic and did a fabulous job answering questions. Did you know that only 1% of sea turtles make it to adulthood?
We were able to have about 25 minutes of Reader's Workshop and silent reading. :-)
Next was art. They only had art class for 30 minutes today due to an assembly. The topic was Weilenmann's Time Capsule. We were also informed that a 2nd grade student is going to be principle for a day on Friday. He's established that we are all going to have ice cream on Friday, students can dress up as their favorite hero, and teachers have to wear a moustache! Now that should be quite a sight.
We learned more about effective writing, compared and contrasted good from not so good, and how to use colorful, vivid, and interesting words. They will continue to work diligently on their personal narratives for the remainder of the week.
Math Flex - each group covered lesson 5-6. In this lesson the students learned to find the missing variable in multiplication and division problems.
Homework is just "READ" night.
I received many permission slips. Thank you to all who sent them in and thank you for your generous donations toward our field trip(s).
We received our orders from Original Works. Please be on the look out for these items.
That's it for now. Email me if you have any questions or concerns.
Specialists for tomorrow are science and music.
11-29-11
Greetings from the desk of Mrs. Jerome!
We began our day with a short math worksheet building on concepts they are learning.
We continued with an interesting and very informative presentation on Paris! Wow, I am always blown away with how much these kids have learned in their short lives.
In math we took another timed multiplication test. I have the students begging to take these tests. It's like a game to them and they're hooked! I'm seeing steady progress and most students are passing off their numbers with relative ease. I also had them take a mid-chapter test on chapter 5 to assess their progress. I'm actually very pleased with what they have learned and feel they should do well on the chapter test next week.
Following math, they went to art and science. In science they learned about the water cycle.
Lunch and lunch recess. We are having some problems on the playground with students disrespecting one another. I had a little chat with the class following recess today and told them what the expectation is and how recess is a privilege. I also said if they don't behave appropriately, they stand the risk of losing recess. I hope it won't go that far.
Afternoon rotations - they worked on typing and keyboarding skills on the computers. By the way, students can always log onto any of the sites we use in the classroom from home and work on additional lessons. We never deter kids from moving ahead. The three major sites we use are www.khanacademy.com, http://www.headsprout.com/myheadsprout/, and www.typingweb.com.
They also worked on Utah Studies, learning about the earliest inhabitants of Utah, using "thick and thin" questions.
In another rotation they worked on spelling words.
Homework: They need to complete a spelling worksheet, front and back. If they didn't finish their work in rotations, it is also homework. Most students complete the work in the allotted amount of time, but a few either work more slowly or are not on task.
You should have received the permission slip for our field trip in the homework folder, as well as a Scholastic order form. Please send the permission slip back as soon as possible. The book order is due on Wednesday, December 7th -you also have the option of ordering on line by using the code that is written on the form.
We DO NOT have bookmobile tomorrow. I will let you know the next time we have bookmobile. If your child has a book to return to bookmobile, they can always bring it to school and drop it off in the bookmobile basket in the front office.
Have a nice evening-
11-28-11
Welcome back! I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving break.
Our day began with a little journal writing about an exciting event that happened over the Thanksgiving Day break. I hope I'll be able to read about some fun activities.
Next, we jumped into a few more research presentations. We learned about elephants, Ancient Egypt, Siamese cats, and the Prairie Falcon. We are enjoying learning about all the topics of interest. We will hopefully wrap up or presentations tomorrow.
We continued with our math flex groups on lesson 5-5, writing basic algebraic expressions. The variables, or letters, don't seem to confuse or phase the kids one bit. They're on it. We will continue with this unit through the week and will plan to test for chapter 5 the beginning of next week.
A short recess break followed math followed by 30 minutes of reading.
In Language Arts we continued with our personal narratives. The are learning to construct an introductory paragraph using the "who, what, when, and where." Everyone also received a new vocabulary list today. The list consists of words beginning with the prefixes "de" and "dis." In addition, there are a few frequently missed words and some challenge words. You can find a list of these words on the tab above that reads "Language Arts." We will take a spelling test on these words on Friday. Expect to see some homework coming home to support their learning.
We also started a new chapter in Utah Studies. In this chapter, we will learn about the indigenous people of Utah, the first Native American Tribes. We will study the five tribes at length, assigning each group a tribe to study in detail. The five tribes are the Goshute, Navajo, Ute, Shoshone, and Paiute.
Outdoor Ed was next on the agenda. I think most everyone came equipped and prepared for the outdoor outing. I think they participated in some sort of outdoor obstacle course. It is also my understanding that they saw a family of moose resting up on the hill. Pretty exciting!
The homework tonight is math 5-5; however, a few students did not get the sheet. If your child is one of those students, they can work on the math assignment tomorrow in class. Please have your child read in their novel instead and make a notation that they did so. Thank you.
Our specialists for tomorrow are art, science, and music.
I will be sending home the permission slip for our upcoming field trip to the Museum of Natural History. The field trip is scheduled for December 9th. If you signed up to drive, please confirm with me that you received a background check. In addition, you will be receiving a Scholastic order. Please note the due date on the Scholastic orders is Wednesday, December 7th.
Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful evening.
Bookmobile
If kids have any bookmobile books, they can bring them to school any time and deposit them in a box in the office. You do not need to wait until our class goes to bookmobile.
Thanks-
11-21-11
Hello Families,
I'm a little off track lately due to the 1/2 day schedules, parent/teacher conferences, and the upcoming holidays.
Our "early start" consisted of Reader's Letter entry - writing me about the novel they are reading, and a Thanksgiving activity. I'm encouraging students to write at least a full page entry, and to give some thought when they write.
We had a quick class meeting. Thank you Mila for sharing a news article on the endangered Black Rhinoceros. We assigned new jobs, and made a few seat changes.
In math they learned about number patterns. They had to assess the numbers and write the number rule. Their homework tonight (5-4) reflects what they learned in class today. All the students seemed to grasp the concept in class, so hopefully they aren't having any difficulty completing the homework tonight.
Good news.... if you are trying to help your child with their math homework, but find that you are frustrated, you can log onto a website that correlates directly with our textbook. Log onto: http://www.mhschool.com/math/mathconnects/grade4/sg4c1lesson1.html
Click on the chapter and lesson. Right now we are working with 5-4 (chapter 5, lesson 4). If you scroll down, you will see a link for "personal tutor." There are many lessons under the personal tutor link that will help explain a particular math concept. You will also find a readiness quiz, self-check quiz, chapter test, and practice test.
Many students and parents have requested help and/or ideas on helping their child with multiplication skills. This site has math games using the four major operations; addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You can also go to "helpful links" on this page, look under "math" and find additional math games that will help strengthen basic math skills. Don't forget, Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org), is always an option.
If you are having difficulty accessing my website, please email me at barbarajerome@wsdpc.org.
Following our math lesson, we started with our presentations. The kids were so excited to share what they learned. I was very impressed with their knowledge on the topic they chose. They were articulate, well spoken, and were able to answer the majority of the questions asked by their peers. Very impressive. We will continue again tomorrow, and hopefully get in the rest of the students who did not get a chance to present today.
After lunch we went to Mrs. Buehner's class to listen to a professional story-teller via Skype. The kids were very amused with the expertise of our guest story-teller. He told the story of "Ananzi the Spider," and spoke about the importance and history of story-telling. It was a nice segue way to our Utah Native Indian myths and legends that we'll begin following the Thanksgiving break.
We continued with our research presentations for the last hour of the day.
Our specialists tomorrow are art and science. Please don't forget that we only have a half day and will be released at 12:30; consequently, there will be no music.
Have a nice evening and a wonderful Thanksgiving.
11-18-11
Sorry folks, not writing a long letter tonight. Just finished conferences, which by the way went well, and I'm on my way home.
We did have a great day today. Your children are awesome..... we had a lesson and discussion on bullying and I felt it was very productive. I'm hopeful that everyone in the classroom came away a little enlightened. I know I did. Please ask your child about it.
Have a nice weekend, and thank you to all the parents who were able to meet with me during conferences. I know why the kids are so great......
11-16-11
Sorry all, I missed yesterday. Had to leave school for an appointment and didn't get around to it.
We celebrated Lucy's birthday yesterday! She brought in a treat for everyone, (they always love treats), and we sang her happy birthday.
In math on Tuesday we continued to work on variables, expressions, and equations. I think most of the kiddos are getting the concept. It's really not that difficult if they understand that the variables (letters) are basically asking for the unknown. If they can also understand to perform the opposite operation of the problem, they will come up with the answer much more easily. In other words, 5 + n = 11; then 11 - 5 = 6; n=6.
The specialists for Tuesday were Art, Science, and Music. I hope many of you were able to observe your child in their music class for Parent Observation. I heard they performed nicely.
We are still reading "Mr. Tucket" as the whole class read-aloud and it seems the kids really enjoy this story.
Afternoon rotations on Tuesday comprised of "Headsprout" on computers, and they had to work on filling out a worksheet for Utah Studies. They partner read and filled out the questions together. If they didn't finish the worksheet on Tuesday, it was homework. I'm seeing progress in time efficiency. They also worked on math worksheets we started earlier in the day.
Wednesday - We started our day with Reader's Letters. This is the journal in which they write letters to me referencing the book they are reading. I'm noticing much better writing as of late. I believe they are beginning to think more thoroughly about what they are going to write and organizing their thoughts a little more clearly.
We also had an opportunity to read for a full 30 minutes this morning. A few students continue to forget their book or switch from one book to another. I would like them to remember to bring their book to school everyday. I would also like your child to read the same book at home in the evening.
Language Arts. Today continued working on a personal narrative essay. I started from the very beginning, discussing what writing is, who writes, and how does a writer get their ideas. We brainstormed as a class and came up with ideas on personal experience. It had to be something in any or all of the following categories: exciting, joyful, scary, sad, surprising. From there, we wrote down notes answering, who, what, where, and when. I had many of the students share their ideas and thoughts, and I can't wait to hear more about their stories. They wrote down some major details telling us something that we can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste. i want them to "paint a picture" in their writing. We are on our way to writing fabulous, entertaining stories!
We also had a lesson on overused words. Today's word was "good." Ask your child how many ways they can use another word meaning good.
Our specialist was art.
We will have library tomorrow. Please remind your child to bring in their library book.
I've also noticed that a few students still have their research report, diorama information, in their homework folder. The dioramas are due on Monday, unless I've spoken with individuals who will be going out of town.
If your child will be out of school this week or next, please let me know with enough notice so that I can put a packet of work together for them.
Please don't forget, it's an early out due to parent/teacher conferences. The kids will be released at 12:30.
Looking forward in meeting with many of you tomorrow or on Friday.
11-14-11
Dear Parents,
Today we worked on getting organized and finishing up projects! We started our day cleaning out folders, sorting through papers, cleaning seat sacks and cubbies.
I came in over the weekend and discovered that many students are stuffing their papers in all the wrong places. When I ask them to take out a piece of paper, many of the kids can never find anything! We will continue to work on being more organized.
Math Flex Groups - we started chapter 5-1 today, addition and subtraction of expressions. Everyone has a worksheet they need to complete for homework tonight.
In Language Arts we started to fill out a graphic organizer in preparation of writing an essay that goes hand-in-hand with the story we read by Lanston Hughes, "Thank You Ma'm." They need to think about someone who is influential in their lives and has taught them right from wrong. They can write about a specific incident or be more general. At this point, I'm trying to get the students to think about and organize their thoughts.
Utah Studies followed lunch. The objective was to finish all the unfinished work from our Mountain Man unit. We are ready to move on, but have to finalize our packets. I've been having a problem lately getting the students to focus and work in class when I give an assignment. I've reminded them several times that the work they don't complete in class becomes homework. Tonight is one of those nights. If your child comes home with an inordinate amount of work, it's because a) they were absent; or b) they don't use their time wisely in class.
This afternoon is Outdoor Ed. I think 4 to 5 students came prepared for Outdoor Ed today. Now that snow is on the ground, students need to bring snow boots, snow pants, gloves, a hat, and a jacket. Hoodies do not substitute jackets. They will be trekking through snow and sitting in snow. I have a feeling I'll have many kiddos returning today with wet bottoms and feet. If you are unsure about our schedule, you can always look at the calendar posted on this website or email me with questions. At this point, your child should know their schedule, but I realize there are times the still forget.
We have music parent observations tomorrow. Here is the schedule: Orchestra A - 1:00-1:30, Orchestra B - 1:30-2:00, Band 2:00-2:30, and Chorus - 2:30-3:00.
Our other specialist classes tomorrow are art and science.
Band and Orchestra Parent Observations
Dear 4th and 5th grade parents,
Please remember to have your children bring their instruments to school this Tuesday, November 15, so they can participate in our Music Class Parent Observations. We look forward to having all of you join us for this event to celebrate your students' musical expressiveness!
Thank you,
Devon Colby
Alison Samuels
11-10-11
Our day started out on the computers with Khan Academy. Some students had a difficult time logging onto the site, but no fault of theirs. Finally, we managed to get everyone on and work independently on math skills.
Following Khan Academy, I passed out their math tests they took on Tuesday. I explained that their scores did not reflect what they knew; however, I told them they should read the questions carefully and understand what is being asked. We went over each problem and I believe they know where they made errors.
Library was next.
Following library, they all took a pre-assessment for the next chapter in math. We will begin Chapter 5 on Monday. This chapter introduces the students to basic algebra and describing algebraic patterns.
They had science next. Mrs. Leger let me know that they were fabulous today! I always like hearing glowing reports.....
We had our classroom rotations this afternoon along with music. They learned how to log onto their school email accounts using google. I told them they could also log onto their account at home. All they need to do is go to www.wsdpc.org and click on the "Students" link. Their email address is as follows: LastnameFi@students.wsdpc.org (last name, first letter capitalized, first two initials of their first name, first letter capitalized). They had a blast sending friends in their class and other classes emails. Only 4th grade and up have email addresses through the school.
They took their vocabulary quiz in another rotation, and in the last rotation, they wrote a thank you letter to Mountain Man Scott. Some students said they would like to write a tall tale, and draw a picture. I said they could do this at home and I would wait until Monday before mailing the batch of letters. I think I'll make copies of the letters - they are precious.
Homework: there really isn't any. I had the kids bring home their homework folders with their research assignment. Please look over the packet (card stock paper included). Their diorama is due on Monday, November 21st. We will begin with our presentations on that day. If they would like to make larger dioramas, they can; however, you will need to provide the larger paper. I showed them examples today, and they got very excited!
We had a great day, lots of activity and learning.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Please email me with any questions.
11-9-11
What a busy, but fun, fun, day!
The kids were so excited as they filed into the classroom dressed in costume and ready to go. We had mountain men, women, Native American Indians.... they looked amazing!
We started our classroom rotations soon after everyone arrived. Each rotation was 35 minutes in length, so we had to work quickly. The kids who came to my classroom made dreamcatchers. Thank you to all the volunteers who came in to help. It would have been virtually impossible for everyone to make a dreamcatcher if I didn't have 10,000 hands to help! Thank you.
The group with Mrs. Kaufman participated in some math activities. They predicted, measure, weighed and jumped across imaginary rivers. Mrs. Buehner's group listened to her read a tall tale and created a postcard with their own tall tale.
Following the rotations, the kids had a snack and spent a little time at recess while we cleared out our classroom in preparation for the infamous Mountain Man Scott. Mountain Man Scott was absolutely fantastic. He told a fantastic tall tale, shared a great slide show presentation, and showed the kids an array of animal pelts! If you ever have an opportunity to partake in one of his presentations, I highly recommend you attend. I was extremely proud of the kids and the respect they showed Mountain Man Scott. The kids were well informed and were able to share in their knowledge.
Our rendezvous, bartering and trading commenced immediately after lunch. The kids placed their blankets, out and displayed their wares. There were so many different hand-made items. Anything from bracelets, necklaces, beanie buddies (beanbags with eyes), sailboat kits, origami, leather possibles sacks, and duct tape wallets, and sock monkeys, among many other things. They had a blast wandering around the classrooms bartering and trading.
Following all the fun activities, we had an assembly. Three police officers came to the school with two police dogs; a basset hound puppy in training, and a 9 year old shepherd. the kids were amused and entertained by the dogs.
Homework: They brought home their vocabulary words to study for the quiz tomorrow. Again, they are not responsible for the spelling, only the definition.
We have library tomorrow. Please remind your child to bring their book to school.
i will not be sending homework home tomorrow night since we don't have school on Friday; however, you will be receiving a packet explaining what they will need to do for their research project. Please email me if you have any questions.
11-8-11
Good evening,
The kids had a great day today! We started our day with some cursive practice using our vocabulary words.
The kids who brought in books for Book Exchange had an opportunity to pick out new books to replace the ones they brought in.
We took our chapter 4 test in math. I've graded the tests, but would like to review them with the kids on Thursday before I send them home. Most did fairly well, better than last time. I believe all the students understand the math concepts, but some continue to struggle understanding the questions. We will continue to work on that.
They had a nice chunk of time to read their chapter books once they were finished with their test.
Following our morning work, they had art and science. They made fun paper salmon stuffed with shredded paper in science. They looked fantastic!
This afternoon they had music and rotations. They worked on the computers using the Headsprout program, they made "possibles sacks" for Rendezvous tomorrow, and they continued to work on their Utah Studies Packets.
Homework: They have three vocabulary worksheets. We will be having a quiz on the vocabulary on Thursday and I will be sending the worksheets home Wednesday night so they can study their words. I realize it's "Just Read" night, but they should know their words fairly well, so it won't take too long to review them.
Tomorrow is our big day of Rendezvous. We encourage the kids can dress up as a mountain man/woman, or a Native American Indian. Please help your child remember to bring in the items they made to trade during our afternoon session. This will take place immediately after lunch, from 12:50 until 1:50. They should also bring a rug or blanket to show off their wares!
A reminder from the Mrs. Colby, our wonderful music teacher. Practice, practice, practice, and remember to bring binders to class on Thursday.
That's it for now. Thank you in advance to all the wonderful volunteer who are helping in my class tomorrow morning with making dreamcatchers.
Have a nice evening-
11-7-11
Our class started the day with a journal write. We had our class meeting, got new class jobs, and new seat assignments.
In math we reviewed Chapter 4, worked on a few quizzes in preparation of the math test they will be taking tomorrow. That is their only homework tonight. Please make sure your child completes the worksheets to use as a test review.
We had a much needed break with recess. It's cold outside, but everyone seems to be dressed appropriately.
Reader's Workshop and snack followed recess. Some students are forgetting their chapter books. They need to have one in class at all times during our silent reading. I don't want kids looking at comics, magazines, etc., it needs to be some sort of novel.
Language Arts - we continued with our research paper. They are almost ready to write paragraphs about the topic they chose. It's imperative that each student have a research book they can use in class. If they don't have a book, it's difficult to do the research. I've asked kids to go to the library if they need to, they can also pull information off the internet if the library is not an option. If the later is the case, please print out the information and your child can bring it to school.
The later part of our day consisted of Utah Studies. We are finishing our chapter on mountain men in preparation of our visitor on Wednesday. We worked in five different groups; each group was assigned a specific mountain man to research. Peter Skene Ogden, Etienne Provost, Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, and Jams Beckwourth. As your child which mountain man they studied and what they learned about that person.
Unfortunately, I was not in the classroom for the last hour and a half, but it looked as if they made some progress. We will go over what they learned tomorrow.
Again, homework is to review for the math test tomorrow. If they understand what is on Quiz 1, 2, and 3, they should do fine on the test.
Our specialists for tomorrow are art, science, and music.
Please make sure your child comes to school with a good research book on their particular topic. I will continue to work with individuals during rotations tomorrow afternoon.
I heard the Gala was a huge success and all had a good time. Thanks to everyone who went. Hopefully, I'll make it next year.
Have a great evening.
Reminders for Monday
Here are a few reminders for Monday, November 7, 2011
No Outdoor Ed on Monday.
We will continue to work on our Mountain Man Unit and hope that you have a costume and some homemade items to trade on November 9th for our Rendezvous.
I am counting on our volunteers who signed up for the event to help in our classroom. We will be making dreamcatchers and I will need the extra hands. It should be a great time.
Please remind your child to bring the book they are using to write their research report. It's difficult to do the work without the book.
We have a math test coming up on Tuesday. They will have some review worksheets for homework on Monday night.
Thanks, and hope you had a wonderful weekend, even if it was a bit chilly.
11-4-11
It's Friday!
I will post something over the weekend.
Please look at the new pictures I posted to our website. They make me laugh every time I look at them!
Have a nice weekend.
11-3-11
We started our day on computers with Khan Academy. As I mentioned before, this program allows our students to work at their own pace. Some are reaching higher level addition and subtraction, and some students have gotten as far as adding decimals and learning how to read degrees with a protractor.
Following computer time, they had a quick snack while I read "Mr. Tucket" to them.
Library and Science were our specialist classes today.
In math we learned about factors and multiples and discussed ways to use the multiplication chart to help find the different factors. We also learned about prime numbers.
We had music and classroom rotations this afternoon. They worked on their keyboarding skills, math worksheets (building on what they learned earlier in the day), and lots of vocabulary! It's a lot of work, but I feel they are up for the challenge and are doing quite well.
Homework: 4-8 and 4-9 Homework Practice only. Please disregard the word problems on the flip side of 4-8, unless they are so inclined to do the work. :-)
***IMPORTANT*** All students need to remember to bring their research book tomorrow.
Tomorrow's specialist is PE. I reminded the kids to bring appropriate shoes. Hopefully they will be responsible and remember on their own.
The collection of Book Exchange continues.
Last chance to send in any artwork you would like to order through Original Artworks. Thank you to everyone who sent in their order. I was so impressed with the artwork that came out of this classroom. We do have some extremely talented students.
Good evening to all......
11-2-11
Happy Wednesday!
We started our day with a worksheet reviewing homophones. I'm impressed with how much they remember and how much they can figure out through reasoning. We will continue this review periodically. It's always a good idea to circle around....
In Language Arts they narrowed down their topic. We discussed how to look up information using a table of contents and an index. They skimmed their book, found what was interesting, and wrote down three "thick" questions. There are some really interesting topics and some great questions. Love the creative thinking outside of the box. One student is researching earthquakes, and he wanted to know if earthquakes have an effect on marine life? I'll be curious to hear what he finds out.
Our specialist today was art.
Utah History: They worked with a buddy and read a few more pages in their textbook. While reading, they were required to write down as many nouns, adjectives, and verbs that described the early Utah Mountain Men. Following the reading and brainstorming on words, they wrote an Acrostic Poem using the letters "A MOUNTAIN MAN."
We took another timed multiplication test. I find students are beginning to take these mini-tests more seriously since their scores are improving; however, I continue to encourage them to practice skip counting and multiplication facts. Please help your child with this on a regular basis. Challenging them in the car is a great time to practice. A few minutes a day will produce great results.
Math Flex: We learned how to multiply three numbers using the Associative Property of Multiplication. We also learned how to work problems where two factors are given, one factor is blank and the product is given; e.g., 3 X ____ X 3 = 63. Students find it difficult to fill in the blanks in the equations. Remind them that they should find the product of the two given factors first and then find the missing factor. 3 X 3 = 9, 9 X ___ = 63.
I hope this makes sense. They will be getting a homework sheet tomorrow night with some of these problems.
They spent 30 minutes this afternoon reading in their individually selected novel. It's so quiet in here while they're reading.
We also had an opportunity to visit the 5th graders in the Cafetasium during their Colonial Exhibit. There were some interesting exhibits. I learned about shoemaking, candle making, and the food they ate. I was also told that coffee was a luxury item and very expensive.
Homework: I asked everyone to read in their research books for at least 30 minutes. I also told them that they are going to be the experts on their topic! We will be learning how to take notes from their books on Friday and would like them to be very familiar with the book.
Science and music are the specialist classes for tomorrow.
Don't forget, this week we are collecting books for the Book Exchange next week.
Thanks again, and have a good evening.
Rendezvous Letter
Here is the letter that was sent home some time ago with information on the rendezvous.
Dear Parents,
We are coming to the end of our classroom novel study of The Sign of the Beaver, and we have also been reading aloud Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen. These are wonderful stories which correlate well with our history units on Trappers and Mountain Men, American Indians, and westward expansion. As a culminating activity, we are planning a Rendezvous for Wednesday, November 9th.
A “rendezvous” is a large festive gathering of mountain men where furs and supplies were bought, sold, and traded. Students have the option to come to school dressed up, and they'll spend the day doing various activities related to a rendezvous.
Parents are welcome to observe or help with this special event. We'll send out more details as the event draws closer, but students may need some advance help with the following:
(1) Students can choose to dress up as one of the following. Costumes don't need to be elaborate, just something fun (i.e., bonnets, long skirts, cowboy hats, fur caps, etc.). Be creative!
* AmericanIndian * MountainMan * PioneerWoman * Cowboy/girl
(2) Students can bring in homemade items that they will use to barter with during the rendezvous (barter = to trade or exchange goods or services without the use of money). The trade will take place in the afternoon with all three 4th grade classes. Students will lay out their homemade items on a blanket and have the opportunity to trade with other students. No food, drinks, weapons, or candy items. They don't need to make a certain number of items, they can trade with whatever they have. Past items have included jewelry, bookmarks, leather wristbands, decorated rocks, origami - we encourage students to be creative, it’s fun to see what they come up with!
Here is the schedule for the day:
Wednesday, November 9
8:40-10:35 Classroom Rotations (we’ll need volunteers)
10:35-11:00 Snack & Recess
11:00-12:00 Mountain Man Presentation
12:00-12:45 Lunch
12:45-1:45 Trade with all 4th grade classes
We are really excited for this fun event - thank you in advance for your support!
Mrs. Jerome, Mrs. Kaufman, and Mrs. Buehner
11-1-11
This will be very quick, but I wanted to update you on today.
Our day began with a journal write. The students wrote about a funny or scary thing they experienced last night. I pulled sticks for three students to share. They laughed and enjoyed the stories.
Our math consisted of graphing the candy everyone collected last night. It was interesting to see the results. I think between 16 students reporting back, they accumulated over 1,400 pieces of candy - chocolate was by far the winner.
Art and Science followed. They learned to draw animals in art and glued the skeleton of the creatures they retrieved from the owl pellet the previous week. They looked really cool.
Rotations consumed most of our afternoon. They practiced reading comprehension with "Headsprout" on the computers. The also began reading about mountain men and drew a picture of what they thought a mountain man and his surrounding looked like back in the day. We have some creative thinkers in this group. I worked with small groups on multiplication and division facts, skip counting, patterns, and how to read word problems.
Homework: Math worksheet 4-5 and 4-6. I've also asked each student to bring in a book they plan to use for their research topic. If they don't bring one in, they'll have to settle for something I have in the classroom.
Tomorrow's specialist is art.
I spoke to the kids in detail about the the Rendezvous and making items to trade/barter during the event. They are really excited.
That's it for now. Hope all is well this snowy evening.
10-31-11
Happy Halloween,
I'm sure most of you are out trick-or-treating tonight. Hope you all are staying warm!
We started out our day creating as many words as possible using the letters in Jack-O-Lantern. It was slow going initially and many students weren't able to make many words, but we had a few who managed to get over 30 words! I write them on the whiteboard and the students make sure there are no mistakes or duplicates. I think they are always surprised to discover how many words can be made with a few letters.
We had a very quick class meeting and I'm happy to report that nobody had any major concerns. Then again, I'm not so sure they would voice their concerns in front of the whole class. If you know of anything going on, please bring it to my attention and we can address any issue as a whole class keeping the concerned parties anonymous.
Math Fex Groups followed our morning meeting. We are working on math word problems using various operations. Determining what operation to use is one of the most difficult areas for students to master. They need to read the problem carefully, look for key words, visualize what is happening, and draw a chart or an array or anything to help with the process and determine if the operation is addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. In the meantime, they are continuing to become more proficient with their multiplication and division skills. I can see where the timed multiplication tests are paying off.
We started working on our new group of vocabulary words. They will not be required to learn the correct spelling, but they will be tested on the definitions and usage in sentences. If you ever need to look up the latest words we are studying, you can go click the Language Arts tab and they will be posted there.
We are also continuing to learn how to narrow down research topics. We didn't have much time to over this, but I'm beginning to talk to them about thin and thick questions. In other words questions that have substance and questions that don't.
We had a very fun Halloween party following lunch. Thank you Lesli Whitworth for planning and setting up the party. The kids had a great time and were very engaged in every activity. They decorated cute little "trick" boxes, made a wire ribbon snake, and tried to eat a donut hanging from a string. I took plenty of pictures and will try to get them posted asap. Also a big thank you to all the moms and dads who showed up to help. I know the kids always love seeing their parents in the classroom.
They ended their day with Outdoor Education so they were able to work off some of of their energy. A good way to end an exciting day.
Tomorrow is our big specialist day with art, science and music. The kids have been very responsible with remembering their instruments. Thank you.
Our Mountain Man Rendezvous is approaching rapidly and I want to remind everyone that we are going to be bartering and trading homemade/handmade items on that day. Please, no food or candy. This is not a requirement, but I'm sure they will have more fun if they can participate in the trading process.
Again, Happy Halloween to all and good night.
10-28-11
We had another good day today, lots to do, but we did accomplish all that was planned.
Our day started with some review work for the spelling quiz. The kids are getting so good about coming into class and getting started with their work. I had car duty all this week and was pleased when I walked into the classroom to see most everyone on task and working.
We jumped right into Language Arts and finished the class novel "Sign of the Beaver." We discussed the last few chapters and I believe they acquired some valuable insight about the characters and decisions that were made. They are learning to think more deeply about the content of what they read. I enjoy hearing their ideas and thoughts and pushing them to think a little beyond.
We took the spelling quiz following Language Arts. Most of the kids rocked. The kids who studied soared and some were truly surprised to get 100% including the challenge words. I did notice the words they missed were the words they misspelled when they were practicing on their homework papers. I emphasized the importance of copying words correctly in order to get the words correct on the test.
Fortunately, they were also able to read in their free choice novel for about 40 minutes today. It's so quiet in the classroom that you could hear a pin drop (even on the carpet)! It's great to see how absorbed they are in their books.
Following lunch we met with our 1st grade buddies. It's really precious seeing the 4th graders take the "little people" under their wing. I took more pictures and will post them this weekend. We participated in an activity with our buddies that involved Skittles, yum. They first had to predict how many Skittles in a small package, then open and count how many of each color were in a package. While doing this activity, they had to fill out a multi-page worksheet and create a graph. They also had to use the Skittles to measure a crayon, their little finger, a pencil, and some scissors. It was a fabulous learning experience for all.
Once we got back into our classroom, I asked the 4th graders to get out their Skittles packets. We used the information and related it to previous math lessons. We used a plot line to determine the mode and median of the number of Skittle in each package. Did you know that 14 Skittles in a package is the median and mode? We also predicted what color was most abundant. After tallying all the colors, we determined that red was first followed closely by purple. Great trivia!
The final activity of the day, we played the game "Around the World" with multiplication and division facts. They had a blast. I'm always surprised to see how much they excel when put in a game situation.
We ended our day cleaning the classroom. As you know, we have a lice issue and I'm trying my best to prevent it from getting into our room. The kids were great helping clean. Hopefully we'll be spared.
Monday is Outdoor Education. Please send warm clothes as it's really getting cold outside.
Thank your for all your Original Works orders. We got a tremendous response and I know you will be very pleased with the merchandise. Since many people have requested an extension, we will be taking orders through next week, so you still have time. Again, if you don't want to order, please send in the portraits. I would really like to use them for another assignment, and would like to post them on our bulletin board. Thanks for your help.
Bood Exchange begins on Monday. Send in up to five books to exchange for five books.
Don't forget, your children can wear pajamas to school on Monday. If they do this, they will need to bring extra clothes for Outdoor Ed.
Our Halloween Party is on Monday as well. It begins at 12:45, immediately following lunch, and will end at 1:30. Outdoor Ed begins at 1:45.
Thanks in advance to all the volunteers helping with the party. The kids are very excited. :-)
Have a wonderful weekend, and never hesitate to contact me with any thoughts, ideas, or questions.
10-27-11
Our day began with a cursive writing exercise using our spelling words. This exercise helps reinforce writing skills and spelling practice. I'm encouraging the students to copy what they see. Many continue to misspell words even when they are copying.
Ae continued our morning work on computers and Khan Academy. I really like that I can monitor their progress and each student can work at their own pace. I mentioned this before, but I would like to reiterate that students can log onto Khan Academy at home. All they need to do is type in www.khanacademy.org, use the google link to log on. They will need to type in their school email address and the password they use at school. If you need this information for your child, please email me and I will send it to you. I have some kids in my class who are learning how to add decimals and work with protractors. WOW! You can also check out this website and practice your skills. The amount and level of information on this site is amazing for kids and adults. I keep telling my college aged kids to use it!
We had library today. They had an opportunity to look over the non-fiction books in our library. There may not have been many to choose from since the other 4th grade classes are also doing research projects. If you get the chance, please take your child to a public library.
We had another mini-math lesson today. We talked about patterns in counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s. We also reviewed the various terms and multiplication properties.
Science was next. I had to hang out with the kids today because I wanted to partake in the activity. They got to break apart an owl pellet! There were two to three students per pellet. It was so cool to watch them dig in and sift through the muck. I have to admit, I couldn't bring myself to touch the pellet with my hands, but the kids didn't seem to have any problem with it. We found bones, skulls, teeth, claws, and lots of fur in some. The next time they meet they are going to try and reconstruct the skeleton using a diagram. Should be interesting.
When they came back in from science, I gave a quick quiz covering chapters 22 and 23. The kids who did not read, had to come back in during lunch recess, read the chapters and answer the questions. I know it's a drag when they can't go outside and play, but I want them to learn that I take my homework assignments very seriously, and if we are doing activities in class related to the reading, they won't be able to do the work.
In the afternoon we had music and rotations. I don't think anyone forgot their instrument! Yeah! In rotations today, we wrote sentences using our spelling words. If they didn't finish the worksheet, I asked them to take it home and finish it as homework. They also worked on math multiplication and division concepts. We also had more time on the computers with Khan Academy.
I was going to have the students work with "Headsprout," but they need to use headphones for this activity. As you may have heard, some students in the Park City Schools have head lice. Our school is not excluded. I don't think we have any issues in our class at the present time, but I didn't want them sharing headphones since other classes have used them as well. Please be cognizant of this issue and check your child's head from time to time. If anything comes up in our class, I'll be sure to let everyone know.
Homework: Spelling worksheet. There's a small mistake on side with the word "probably." Just have the kids write the word. We do have a spelling test tomorrow. The words they need to know are on this website under "Language Arts." Please look at all 20 words. Not all students need to know the challenge words, but if they's like to try, I will let them.
PE is our only specialist class tomorrow. They will need appropriate shoes to participate, otherwise they have to sit on the side.
Original Works orders are due tomorrow. Please send in the oil pastel portraits even if you are not ordering.
Thank you to the families who have continued to send in the Boxtops.
Book Exchange is coming up. All next week we will be accepting books, up to five, for students to exchange. I will make a notation of how many books they bring in. If a student brings in three books they will be allowed to take three books from the Book Exchange etc. The actual exchanging of books will take place the following week.
Thank you Mrs. Knotts for helping on Bookmobile day and thank you Mrs. Myshrall for helping in the classroom today.
Your kids were amazing today!
Barbara Jerome
10-27-11
We started our day with a quick reading/comprehension exercise and a math review. We go through the answers as a class so the students can see their results immediately and get a feeling on how they are doing.
We had Bookmobile today, but before they went to Bookmobile, I told the kids that we are going to begin to learn how to research, write a research paper, and give an oral presentation to the class. We discussed how important it is to find a topic of interest. I asked the kids to look for a non-fiction book while in the Bookmobile and bring it back to class.
Following our Bookmobile excursion, we brainstormed ideas on topics. I wrote the topics they were interested in on the whiteboard. We talked about how broad some of the topics were and how some topics are too narrow in scope. We discussed what the "just right" topic could be. They were to choose no less than three topics they thought they might be interested in. Nothing is written in stone as of yet, but I did ask them to think about ONE topic they would really like to research. Once they decide, they will need to get my approval before moving forward.
Tomorrow is library, and I've asked Kathy Turner, our librarian, to show them where to look for books pertaining to their topic of interest. I will also encourage students to use other resources such as the Park City, or Summit County Libraries. I will be showing them where to go to research on-line articles as well.
Art was our specialist for the day. I hope you all received you Original Works packets. They should be returned to me by this Friday. If you would like to order both pieces of artwork, you will need to fill out separate order forms. Please let me know if you need another one and I'll send it home tomorrow.
Our Math Flex Groups started today. It was great seeing so many new faces in my class. We covered the various properties of multiplication: Commutative Property, Associative Property, Identity Property, Zero Property, and Distributive Property of Multiplication. I was very impressed with how quickly they caught on.
We had our first Weilenmann WOW Assembly today. Two of our students received a Weilenmann WOW. Congrats. I don't give these out lightly, but I am always on the lookout for acts of kindness and being helpful beyond the norm. Students also received recognition for the Newbery Honor Book Challenge. I encourage all our students to continue to read, read, read. Many are on their way to achieving the Trekker Level (must read 6 Newbery Honor Books).
Don't forget to send in your Boxtops. They are due on Monday, October 31st.
Homework: Wednesday, Just Read Night. I've asked the students to read chapters 22 and 23 in "Sign of the Beaver." I would like to complete this novel by the end of the week. I may give a small quiz tomorrow, so I hope they all READ.
One last little reminder. Our Mountain Man is coming to visit us on November 9th. A letter was sent home a couple of weeks ago informing you of the rendezvous. We are asking our students to make homemade items to trade on the day of the event. No candy or food please. We will brainstorm in class to give students ideas on things they can make.
Have a nice evening.
Barbara Jerome
10-26-11
Good afternoon,
Our day started out with an alphabetizing exercise using our spelling words. This is as much a following directions activity as it is to check their skills. Most of the students don't have any problems alphabetizing, but I'm always perplexed when they don't read the instructions. This is something we will work on throughout the year.
In math we started Chapter 4, "Apply Multiplication and Division Facts." They learned the basic difference between multiplication and division. They were also required to write down math vocabulary in their journals. We defined multiplication, division and fact family. They learned what an array is and what factor, product, dividend, divisor, and quotient are. I don't expect everyone to know all the terms right away, but with enough practice they'll get it.
Please continue encouraging your child to practice their multiplication facts.
Our specialist for today was art, science, and music.
Our rotations today consisted of computer work on the "Headsprout" program, math practice from the lesson earlier today, and "Sign of the Beaver" activities. All the students should be finished with chapter 21. We will finish our whole class novel this week.
Homework: 4-1 Homework Practice, 4-1 Problem Solving. 4-1 Enrich is optional.
Tomorrow's specialist is art and Bookmobile. Please send in any books that need to be returned to Bookmobile.
A few additional notes:
1. I sent home the Original Works packets today. Please read through the information and send the packets back no later than Friday. If your child will be out of school, I will not be able to accept them after Friday. Even if you do not wish to order anything, please send back the portrait. This art project was done in our class and I would like use the images to continue with a writing lesson.
2. Boxtops are due no later than October 31st. Send any last minute Boxtops this week please.
3. I am still collecting items for our grade/class basket for the upcoming gala. We are collecting things that have to do with the outdoors.
Last reminder, it snowed today, so thank you for sending the kiddos in with jackets. It won't be long now until we need our gloves, boots, scarves, and hats.
Thanks again and have a pleasant evening.
Barbara Jerome
10-24-11
Good Monday,
I hope everyone had a very fun, exciting, and relaxing 4 days off from school. I'm not sure if it's possible to have fun, excitement, and a relaxing time.... I managed to make it back in one piece after spending three days on the Colorado River!
We began our morning finishing our abstract portraits. They are really turning out well. I will include them in your packets for Original Works in the event you'd like to use this piece.
Following our early start we had our class meeting. Everyone had an opportunity to share their thoughts on our class store and auction. The consensus is that everyone really like it. I also took suggestions and ideas on things we could add to the store. Some of the kids thought we could have some magic trick items for sale in our store. They also would like to see magnets, little parachute guys, hot wheel cars, small Legos, and Zots. The kids thought it was great that they had improve their money counting skills before they could participate in the auction or buy things in the store.
We also heard about the fun some kids had over the weekend. We had kids who went to Las Vegas, Goblin Valley, Fruita, Colorado, and The Westgate at the Canyons. It's great hearing about out of town as well as local adventures.
In math students took a pre-assessment for chapter four: Apply Multiplication and Division Facts. We will continue with our flex grouping. Students will be with me two to three days a week and with their flex group on the remaining days.
Math tests: I've graded most of the math tests but am waiting on a few students to make up the test before I send them home. You should see them this week.
We reviewed chapter 19 in "Sign of the Beaver." I am working on student reading comprehension. Often students read text, but overlook key points pertinent to the story. Reviewing previously read material helps with comprehension.
In Utah Studies we reviewed all the lessons in Chapter One. They were given a study guide and asked to work in groups. The culminating activity was a Jeopardy Game that tables played for points. The kids had fun while learning at the same time.
Homework for tonight is spelling. Students received a list of 20-24 words. I've asked them to write each word three times. There are 14 frequently missed words, six Halloween related words, and four challenge words. I will modify the test, but do expect all the students to know the 14 frequently missed words. We will have a quiz on these words on Friday.
Our specialists tomorrow are art, science, and music. Please send your child to school with their instrument. I know if they forget their instrument, the music teacher sends them back to class.
Tomorrow is the last day I can collect the forms for Screamin Daily Deals. If you've misplaced your form, you can get another one in the office.
I hear the weather is supposed to get colder tomorrow. Please send your child to school with a jacket.
Have a nice evening and I look forward to seeing their smiling faces again tomorrow.
Barbara Jerome
10-19-11
I'd like to begin by telling you all how amazing your children are. They are all getting into the groove of things and we're really having positive and fun learning experiences.
This morning we began our day with one of our perplexors. Basically a puzzle using logic. The kids who thought they would never "get it" are getting it! It's great to see their faces light up when they realize they've accomplished the impossible!!! Just goes to show, with enough practice and confidence, they can do just about anything.
At 9:00 am, a few students went out for picture retakes. I only had four, Joey, Nick, Noah, and Ryan. I hope we got everyone who was supposed to go.
Math - we went over last night's homework practice test. I reviewed each problem and took questions.
Art was our specialist for the day. The student came back with their Original Works packets that I will be sending home next week, mid week. I have another art project I would like to include in their packets; they're just about finished.
We went out to recess for a quick break before coming back in to take the chapter 3 math test. They worked very quietly and were focused. I graded the tests this afternoon. Almost all the students understand the basic concepts of plot lines, bar graphs, and charts. If your student got a relatively low grade, please look to see where their mistakes were made. If I asked to "show your work," and they didn't show their work, they did not get full credit. I would rather see them learn now, in elementary, than have to learn to pay attention to detail later down the road. As the year progresses, I believe they will become better readers and interpreters.
Four students missed the test today and will need to make it up following the break.
After lunch we finished working on our maps of Utah. They will hopefully be able to have an idea of where to find some of the major attributes of Utah, e.g., mountain ranges, rivers, National Parks, major cities, and lakes.
We spent the last part of our day counting classroom bucks, previewing the store, and our auction. I think they all had a really fun time. Five items were up for auction and the kids enjoyed bidding against one another. Following the auction, they each had the opportunity to select items that were for sale from our classroom store. Everyone went home with something in hand and I believe they were all smiles. Sorry for the kids who missed out, but the next time around, they'll have twice as much to spend.
Thanks again for sending in the form signing up for Scramin Daily Deals. If you can't find your form and would still like to sign up, you can get another form in the office. We are at 15 and need three more to meet our 80% goal.
Science Sleepover CD orders are still being accepted.
We do not have any specials on Monday since we had Outdoor Ed. this week.
Have a nice break and see you all back at school on Monday.
:-) Barbara Jerome
10-18-11
Happy Tuesday.
Our day started with cursive practice and a challenging math problem. We also had our weekly current event person bring in an interesting article. The article talked about the rapid growth of human population. She shared that in 1999 the world population was at 6 billion people and today, we've already exceeded 7 billion! Another student shared that there are 250 births every second! Okay, so that's a bit of an exaggeration, it's actually 4.17 births per second as compared to 1.8 deaths per second. Nevertheless, it made for interesting conversation. Thank you current event person.
In math we learned about double bar graphs and how we compare similar date on one graph. We also discussed and worked with probability. The learned how to compile data using a tree diagram and a grid. They also reviewed probability terminology: impossible, unlikely, equally-likely, likely, and certain.
Our specialist classes today were art and science.
Following lunch was music and our class rotations. They worked on "Headsprout" on the computers, and we continued to work on math concepts in preparation for our test tomorrow. They also read chapter 20 in "Sign of the Beaver" and were asked to complete two worksheets covering chapters 19 and 20. Band students did not have the opportunity to work on the computers today since the were in band class for an hour. They had a guest visit their class today, but I don't know any details.
Homework: They have 3 math pages. These are review problems on chapter 3. If they understand how to do the math practice test, they will have no problem with the test tomorrow. We will be reviewing the practice test first thing in the morning and I will answer any questions in areas where students are still confused. The test will follow immediately following the review. Students who miss the test tomorrow will need to make it up on Monday. Please make sure they review the practice test on Sunday night as I will not have a chance to review the test with them during class time. Thanks for your help.
Our specialist tomorrow is art.
Thank you to all the families who sent in the form with email addresses for the www.screamindailydeals.com in support of our school and our classroom. We have 14 turned in thus far. Two-thirds of the way to reaching our 80% goal.
Tomorrow is picture retake day. Let me know if you want your child's picture retaken.
We are also going to have our class store/auction tomorrow toward the end of the day. I told the kids about it today, and the seem really excited! No they'll have an opportunity to spend all their hard earned classroom bucks.
Several students sent in their request and $7.00 for the memory CD of the Science Sleepover. If you would like this nice, compact memory CD, please send in the form with payment as soon as possible.
Hope your travels are fun and safe if you're leaving town soon.
Barbara Jerome
10-17-2011
UEA is quickly approaching and we will only be in school three days this week. If your child is planning to be out, please let me know in advance. I will put the work aside and they will need to make up missed work when they return. If you give me enough notice, I can have things ready before they leave.
Today started with a journal write on what they did over the weekend. I'm encouraging students to write more detailed sentences, using interesting adjectives and verbs. I emphasize writing so that the reader can get a visual image of what they are saying. I point out how authors of stories and books we are reading write using descriptive words.
We sat in our community circle and shared journal writing and fun weekend experiences. I'm always amused with the stories they come up with!
In math we continued to learn about line plots and learned how to read bar graphs. The concept seems fairly easy to grasp for most of the students.
I read chapter 19 to the kids in "Sign of the Beaver." We are nearing the end of our class novel and most of the children seem to enjoy the story. The novel goes hand in hand with what we will be studying in Utah History and it gives them a little background knowledge of life in the wilderness in the late 1700's. Our next chapter in Utah History will be about the explorers, Escalante and Dominguez, and the Mountain Men. Don't forget that our very own Mountain Man will be spending part of the day at school presenting and talking to the kids. The date for this is November 9th. Our students also need to be thinking about homemade items they can make to trade and barter during our rendezvous.
We continued to analyze the story "Thank You Ma'm." They are learning how to look at a story from a different perspective and see beyond the literal meaning.
In Utah History, the kids received a map of Utah. They will be required to use their textbook and draw points of interest on their map to include lakes, rivers, mountain, National Parks, and cities. They will also need to know the states surrounding Utah and create a key on their map.
Outdoor Education was the final activity of the day. I actually joined them for a short stroll to see the beaver dams. Very cool and educational. The weather is perfect and the kids love being outdoors.
Homework: There are two math worksheets. 3-4 has two sides, and 3-5 one side. The homework should not take too long and hopefully they understand the concepts of plot lines and bar graphs. They will have a math test on Wednesday covering chapter 3.
You will also notice a flyer in their homework packet. Please read and send back to school by Wednesday. If we get 80% of the students in the class to return the flyer with email addresses, we get a $50.00 Visa Card to buy more classroom supplies. Please note that Spreebird NEVER shares or sells emails. This is a great way to take advantage of fabulous deals, and we earn money for the school!
Tomorrow is our busiest specialist day with art, science, and music. Please don't forget to remind your student to bring their instrument with them in the morning.
Wednesday are picture retakes. If you would like your child's picture taken again, please send in a note or email me. If this is the case, please send back their original packet of pictures.
Have a wonderful day-
Barbara Jerome
10-14-11
Hallelujah! It's Friday.
Our day began with a brain teaser; logic puzzles for a sharper mind! Some students grasp the concept with no problem, but as we go over the problem and think out loud, I can see others beginning to catch on. With enough practice, they will all be experts by the end of the year!
Our vocabulary/spelling test followed. I don't think anyone felt overwhelmed; at least I hope not. I will grade the tests over the weekend and have results for the kids on Monday. Be looking for them in their homework folders.
The students had an opportunity to do a fair amount of silent reading while everyone completed the test.
We also continued with our lesson on "Thank You "M'am." I'm always amazed with the insight these 9 and 10 year old children have. I get really excited when I see the lightbulb go off.
PE was next. It's always one of their favorite specialist classes. I pick them up sweaty and red-faced, and I know they've had a great time.
In math we went into a little more depth with line plots. I showed them how to plot data on a line and read the data. They also discovered how easy it is to find the mode doing it this way. I'm very please with how quickly they catch on to certain math concepts.
Utah History followed lunch. They worked in table groups and did a book scavenger hunt. They read about Utah's Land Regions - the Rocky Mountain Region, The Colorado Plateau, and the Great Basin. I told them that we would have a small contest between tables. It's a fun and engaging way to get the kids motivated. They love a little competition and it's all in good fun.
We spent the last hour of the day working on our abstract portraits using oil pastel. I really like the creativity I'm seeing. You will see them displayed on our bulletin board very soon.
Mrs. Whitworth came in after school today and we sorted through all the treasures we've accumulated for our class store. As you may recall, the students have been earning classroom bucks for a myriad of things. They will be able to spend their bucks on items in our classroom store. I will also hold an auction where they can bid on larger items. Our inaugural class store will open on Wednesday, October 19th, from 2:00-3:00. If you would like to help or volunteer, please sign up on the volunteer post that I have added. I know the kids will be extremely excited since they ask me about "store" often.
Monday is outdoor. Yeah! The weather is still fabulous and it's one of their absolute, favorite specials. Please check with your child or email lorileger@wsdpc.org if you have any questions.
I realize Book Fair just ended, but if you didn't have a chance to buy any books or didn't find the books you were looking for, you can still order from Scholastic through our classroom. Scholastic makes ordering very easy, by simply going to their website: www.scholastic.com. If you have any questions email Lesli Whitworth at lhwhitworth@yahoo.com.
Weilenmann folder should have come home today. Please look for them and return them on Monday.
Thank you again for your support in all you do.
Have a fantastic, fun filled weekend.
Barbara Jerome
10-13-11
Another beautiful day in Park City, Utah!
Greetings from the desk of Mrs. Jerome :-)
Crazy kind of day, but we learned and yes, we all survived.
Our day began with computers. We were a little challenged with getting started on a new program, but in the end, all managed to have some time working with Khan Academy. The kids seemed to really enjoy this program since they start working with very basic concepts and can work at their own speed. I encourage them to work at home whenever possible. The website is www.khanacademy.org. In addition to working at their own pace, they can view a video as a reference for any concept they are struggling with. It's pretty awesome. The students need to log in using the following information:
email address: LastnameFi@students.wsdpc.org (here's another example for email addresses: JeromeBa@students.wsdpc.org), and the password is the same password they use to log onto their computers at school. They should know how to do this. Once they are logged on, they should continue the lessons in a sequence. I am registered as their coach which means I can log into the program and monitor their progress..... very cool!
Library with Mrs. Turner was our next activity. Thank you to everyone for turning their books in on time. Don't get Summit County Library books and Weilenmann books mixed up. So far so good.
In math we had another 1 minute multiplication timed test. I told the students that we will be testing four to five times a week and they were excited. I also told them that they should brush up on their skills and study the multiplication table I provided. It is in their orange homework folder. We continued math with an introduction on line plots. We'll continue to work with line plots tomorrow.
In science, students were learning about classification. I don't know much more than that, but I noticed them in the hall working with partners and fully engaged!
Several of my students didn't do their required reading for homework last night. I gave the students a five question quiz on the reading, and the students who did not read had to come in my room during lunch recess to complete their homework. :-( I don't like taking their recess away from them, but they also have to know that I assign homework for a reason and I expect them to complete the work.
Music followed lunch. Most students are good about bringing their instruments. Please don't bring your child's instrument to school if they forget it at home. I know it's difficult for your child to miss music, but I guarantee, if they miss one or two classes, they will become more responsible about bringing their instrument.
During class rotations we worked on the new Khan Academy program. We also worked on the vocabulary and spelling words. Thank you Mrs. Myshrall for helping. It's always great to have an extra pair of hands during rotations.
Homework: They have two worksheets with vocabulary and spelling practice. I asked the students to take home any sheets with vocabulary and spelling words and review tonight for our test tomorrow. They should know how to use the vocabulary word in a sentence as well as spell the words.
I sent home school pictures today. Hopefully you received them in one piece.
Tomorrow is PE so don't forget appropriate shoes.
We are still collecting Box Tops. This will continue until October 31st.
We are also collecting items for our 4th grade basket that will be auctioned off during the upcoming Gala.
Have a wonderful evening,
Mrs. Jerome
10-12-11
Happy Hump Day!
Our day began with a graphing math sheet. It was fairly simple, but I'm glad the students are reading bar graphs with accuracy. Beginning the day with a feeling of success is a good way to start.
Bookmobile started at 9:00. Thank you Mrs. Knotts for coming in to help. All but eight of the students got a chance to visit the bookmobile today. The eight who did not get to go today, will be the first in line next time. Thank goodness we have library each week, so they aren't missing out on checking out books. Speaking of library, we have it tomorrow as one of our specials. While many of the students were out of the classroom, others had the opportunity to read their personally selected chapter books. It was a nice, quiet, relaxing time.
Art was our other specialist class today. The kids got to go outside and draw. I'm not sure what they drew, but they seemed happy when I picked them up. They said they had to pick out something small and draw it.....
Following Art, a quick recess. It's so beautiful outside right now, and we want to take every opportunity to enjoy the few warm days we have left.
Back in the classroom we circled around and pulled out the notes they took from the reading of "Thank You Ma'm." The tables discussed thoughts about the story, questions they had, or general comments. Once the tables talked about it and refreshed their memory, we had a class discussion. We will continue doing activities revolving around the story for the next week or two. It's an ongoing lesson to improve comprehension, thought process, and writing skills.
We managed to squeeze another lesson on Utah. Today the kids graphed the precipitation in the various sections/regions in Utah. They were also required to fill out a question sheet where they had to calculate the driest area, the area with the most precipitation, the difference of rainfall in specific areas, the total average rainfall for a specific season in Utah, etc... The tables worked as a group in a quasi "Competition Between the Tables!" Funny how a little challenge will get them going. I was very impressed with number of right answers. They had to work with decimal points and were able to do it.
Math - we went over the homework papers and the word problems again. I realize there are some math concepts that the students don't feel very comfortable with, but if they see it enough and watch the modeling, they will catch on. We have not covered our unit in multiplication or division, and I know some of the problems required this skill. Not to worry, we'll circle around again.
I'm going to begin testing with 1 minute multiplication tests on most days. It would be beneficial if your child begins reviewing and practicing their multiplication table on a regular basis. I know they will grow more quickly if they see success in passing off the tests. Please help them practice.
The last 30 minutes of the day was spent on Reader's Theater. They performed each play in front of the class. It was amusing and the kids had fun. I know it helps build fluency, and is especially good for struggling readers in that they can practice ahead of time and feel confident when reading in front of the group.
Our specials for tomorrow are library and science and music. Please remind your cherub to bring their instrument.
Homework tonight: They need to read chapters 17 and 18 in their "Sign of the Beaver" book. I told them they may have a quiz tomorrow.
Book Fair continues to be a big hit and I'm seeing kids with many purchased items. I've asked the students to keep the little do-dads in their backpacks or take them home.
I received their school pictures today and will send them home tomorrow.
Have a good evening and I'll see those smiley faces again in the morning!
Barbara Jerome
10-11-11
Hello Families,
We began our day with cursive practice. Each week I try to give a practice sheet to improve their cursive writing. As the year progresses, I will be asking students to use cursive on a more regular basis. Don't forget, our school teaches the d'nealian style of cursive.
In math we worked on word problems and problem-solving strategies. Word problems seem to be a difficult concept for many students. I encourage students to draw charts to help them understand what the problem is asking. See their notes attached to their homework to see an example.
Homework: They have a worksheet, front and back. You are welcome to help them understand the word problems. Many of the problems have several steps, and I know with practice, it will come easier. The spiral review should be relatively easy.
Quick snack and then off to art. Science always follows art on Tuesday's.
The kids had music this afternoon. Please help them remember their instruments every Tuesday and Thursday. If they don't bring their instruments, the music teacher sends them back to the classroom, and they read silently. :-(
While students are in music, we have 30 minute rotations in the classroom. Today, we worked on our vocabulary words and spelling. Our test is on Friday, so they will bring work home on Thursday to study. They worked on the "headsprout" program, which they all seem to enjoy immensely. They also started a new "squiggle of the week." I thoroughly enjoy seeing the creative juices running both in drawing and writing. You will be able to see some of their work during parent/teacher conferences.
We have art and bookmobile tomorrow. Please make sure they remember to bring their books in so they can check out new ones. I have a few students who have overdue books.
Thank you for supporting Book Fair. I always see lots of parents and kids buzzing around the foyer.
We are still collecting Boxtops to support the schools in Kenya, and don't forget to send in your donations for our class/grade basket in support of the upcoming Gala.
Thanks again, and have a nice evening.
Barbara Jerome
10-10-11
Good afternoon,
Our day started with an "early start" activity. Everyone read a short passage called "The Wilderness," that had to do with the Pilgrims. They answered a few questions, checking for comprehension. We also did another math activity - probability and word problem.
I set 30 minutes aside on Monday mornings to select names for class jobs. We also sat in a community circle today to discuss some things we did over the weekend. I tell the students that they should express problems or concerns during community circle time. I realize there may be times where they want to approach me personally, and they should know that they are always welcome to do so. First thing in the morning, during lunch, or after school are usually the best times to meet with me.
Math: I continued to review median, mode, and outlier with them. I reviewed their work over the weekend and realized that many did not understand that they needed to organize data from least to greatest before determining the median. I think they get it now!
Their homework is a review of what they've already learned. The last two problems, 5 and 6, are bonus problems. I did review the meaning of range, and showed them how to arrive at the number, but they don't really need to know it right now. They were supposed to bring home a foldable with the definitions of all the terms. They should refer to the definitions if they forgot the meaning.
I continued to read Mr. Tucket to them while they ate a snack. Following the snack, we went out to recess, their most favorite activity!
Following recess, they had time to read in their personal choice chapter books during Reader's Workshop.
I introduced a new concept to the students today that involved a response to reading. I chose a short story "Thank You Ma'm" by Langston Hughes. I told the students that I would read and when I stopped I would ask them to respond. They could write down questions, general thoughts, or connections. Basically, they could write anything that popped into their mind. I think they liked the story, and it wasn't the first time some of them had heard it. Ask your child about the story. The next time we meet, we will discuss some of their thoughts and questions.
Following lunch we continued with our Utah Studies worksheet, coloring the various regions, and making a bar graph using data of average temperatures. We discussed why people make bar graphs and they decided that it was a good way to organize data, and an easier way to quickly assess data.
Recess again..... Mondays can be long on the weeks we don't have Outdoor Ed, and since we don't have any other specials, I try to build in a couple of breaks.
The final activity of the day was a little lighter, academically speaking. I started the lesson showing them a slide of an abstract self-portrait of Pablo Picasso. I didn't say anything about the image; only asked them to write three to five sentences about what they observed. I went around the class as called on every student who wanted to volunteer information. All volunteered! They came up with some very interesting comments.
Following this discussion, I projected an actual photograph of Picasso and compared the "real" with the "created." Definite similarities. I told them about his various art movements, Rose Period, Blue Period, and Cubism. We talked about Cubism and what that means. This mini-lesson is an introduction to an activity where they will be creating an abstract of themselves. We made rough sketches today and will continue hopefully on Wednesday.
Our specialist classes for tomorrow are art, science, and music. Please don't forget to send an instrument to school with your child.
I've posted the volunteer lists. Thanks to all of the parent volunteers who have signed up. There are a few more spots available.
Lesli Whitworth dropped off the box that we will be using to collect outdoor activity items for our 4th grade basket to be auctioned at the upcoming gala. If you have anything to donate, you may send it in any time.
Thanks again for sharing your wonderful children, they had a great day today!
Barbara Jerome
10-7-11
Happy, happy Friday!
We started out the morning finishing our "Squiggle" writing activity. The students receive a piece of paper with a few drawn lines or squiggles. From this, they need to create a drawing and write a piece to accompany the drawing. They absolutely have a great time with this activity. Early finishers were challenged with making as many words as possible using the letters from the word "INSTRUMENT." One student managed to get approximately 36!
In language arts we read two stories. One was titled "The Hidden One," and the other "Cinderella." Each table discussed the similarities and differences of these two stories and highlighted specific examples in each story. We came back together, and as a class worked on a venn diagram. The conversation that ensued was very engaging, interesting, and thought provoking. Ask your child about the two stories.
We had a substitute in PE today, but the kids seemed to have a good time and she said they were all great!
In math today, we learned how to figure out the mode, median, and identify the outlier in a sequence of numbers. I think everyone got it. We use little mnemonic devices such as "mode" think of "most," and "median" like the median in the "middle" of a road.
In Utah History we talked about Utah being a cold desert. We discussed regions and precipitation. They started to color in a map identifying the regions which will be followed up with an activity where they graph temperatures and precipitation in each area.
We attempted a reader's theater activity in the late afternoon. It was a little chaotic, but then again, what do you expect late Friday afternoon. We will continue with our reader's theater on Monday and play out the two stories we read today. It should be quite amusing!
I will compile a list of volunteers and post it this weekend, but I intend to ask parents to come in beginning next week.
Thank you Lesli Whitworth for putting in the time to compile a class directory. I've downloaded the file on this web page. If you would like to access the directory, go to the icon at the top of the page and pull down the "More" menu. Click on "Class Lists and Contacts." You will need to download the file. Thanks again Lesli, it looks great.
Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see everyone here on Monday morning!
Barbara Jerome
10-6-11
Good morning, and what a way to start the day..... it's October 6th and already snowing!
We started our day with our usual "early morning start." They received a math worksheet that required them to do a little reasoning and working with ratios.
Following our early start they took the last of our three NWEA tests. Thank you for making sure your child is here every day. It makes life so much easier when they don't have to make up any tests!
The homework last night was to read chapters 15 and 16 in "Sign of the Beaver." I told my students that I would give them a quiz on the chapters the following day and if they did not read, they would have to stay in for lunch recess. Unfortunately, seven students did not read the two chapters. They are sitting in for lunch recess reading the chapters. :-(
We had some more issues during science today. I will be emailing individual families about students' behavior. Please talk to your children about being respectful to our specialists.
Boy, it sounds like we are having huge discipline problems, but I want to assure you that I do have a fabulous class and I will also be sure to let you know how wonderful they are.
In the meantime, it keeps snowing and snowing and we had to have indoor recess today; however, they are doing great playing in the POD.
Prior to music I read them a Native American Indian story called "The Hidden One." I told them that many cultures have stories that have been passed down through generations, and emphasized the importance of oral story-telling, since people did not know how to read and write. For homework tonight, they will read a traditional western version of Cinderella and we will do a comparative analysis of the two stories. Following our comparison, we will act out the story.
Afternoon rotations: They worked on their vocabulary/spelling words and Reader's Letters. They spent their computer time working in the Headsprout Program to strengthen comprehension skills.
The administration would like me to ask that you send your child to school with appropriate outerwear. Students who don't have a jacket, or are wearing shorts will not be allowed to play outside and will be required to stay in and read.
Our specialist tomorrow is PE. Students need appropriate shoes to participate.
Thanks again for all your support. I thoroughly enjoy all your children and continue to be grateful to have such a wonderful class.
Barbara Jerome
10-5-11
Happy Wednesday.
We always begin our day with an "Early Start" activity and utilize our time to complete unfinished work.
Language Arts - The students received the additional eight words they will be responsible for on our vocabulary and spelling list. The words are words that students seem to miss frequently in their writing. The are as follows:
1. favorite
2. friend
3. sincerely
4. wait
5. great
6. learn
7. excited
8. again
We created a fun foldable (a great listening and following directions activity), that the students will use as a study guide. They were busy looking up words in the dictionary and writing down the definitions. You'll see our "magical" study guide in their homework folder very soon.
Our vocabulary/spelling test will be next week, probably on Friday, but I'll be sure to let you know as the time get closer.
They had art as their specialist class today. A substitute was there and she said they did great! Yeah!!! They worked on a piece of art, free choice, for "Original Works." You'll be receiving more information on the "Original Works" fund-raiser very soon.
Utah History: We watched a short video clip and discussed how to read a map using longitude and latitude. They tried to complete a quick little worksheet - some got it, others struggled. We will review this concept again on Friday. What I realized, was some students don't really understand the difference between continent, country, state, county, and city. We'll review this as well.
Math: I handed back the math tests they took last week covering chapters 1 and 2. The tests should be in their homework folders. I gave the students the option of "fixing" any errors they made to receive a regrade. Anything circled in green is an error. If a problem asks for an estimate, it cannot be an exact amount. This is something we learned about in class. Please go over the test with your child.
Reading: Today was the kick-off for the Reading Initiative. Thank you parents who where able to come and read with your child. I know they love having you in class and it's always a fun diversion from our normal routine. The students who did not have an adult to read with, were paired up with a buddy. We started reading chapter 15 in "Sign of the Beaver;" an exciting chapter!
Homework: Students are to read chapters 15 and 16 in "Sign of the Beaver." I told them ahead of time that I would give a little quiz on Thursday on these two chapters. They don't have any other homework. By the way, great job initialing the homework folders. We almost had 100% of the class return and have a parent initial today! :-)
Our specialists for tomorrow are science, library and music. Please have your child bring their library book and their instrument.
If your child has their log-in computer information at home, please make sure they bring it with them tomorrow. We will be working on computers in the afternoon, and they need to know their gmail email address.
Scholastic: Book orders went home on Friday. Many students forgot to take their Weilenmann Folders home on Friday, so my may have gotten it on Monday. If you didn't receive your Weilenmann Folder, please check your child's backpack. We will need to have these back at school asap.
That's it from my end. Hope you have a nice evening.
Barbara Jerome
10-4-11
Our day started out with a cursive handwriting practice sheet using our current vocabulary words to practice correct spelling.
We followed up with a timed multiplication test. In our class, we take 1 minute tests weekly to improve multiplication skills. The students are required to pass each multiplication fact, beginning with 2, three times before moving on. I gave each student a multiplication table today and had them insert it in their homework folder with the expectation that they will practice whenever they have an opportunity.
Our specialists were art and science. The kids always seem to enjoy their time in these classes, but there are days when behavior continues to be an issue. I've emphasized numerous times, the importance of respectful behavior toward our specialists and some students continue to make poor choices. Today, three students lost their lunch recess due to inappropriate behavior.
The kids had music this afternoon. We rotate through various stations in 30 minute intervals. 30 minutes music, 30 minutes on a language arts related activity, 30 minutes on a math activity, and 30 minutes on the computer. They are becoming very proficient at working independently and getting the work completed! I'm seeing much progress.
Homework: Students who did not read chapter(s) 13 and 14 need to complete these chapters tonight. All students have one math worksheet on organizing data using tally marks and answering a few questions.
Tomorrow is the "Read with Me" initiative. Parents are invited to spend time with Mary Kimball and Kathy Turner from 2:00-2:30 pm as they present this year's Reading Initiative. From 2:30 - 3:00 pm, parents are invited to individual classrooms for paired reading. Classroom teachers will provide reading material. Hope you can make it. Students who do not have an adult to read with, will either buddy-up or read with me.
No Bookmobile tomorrow. It's every other week.
Please email me with any questions or concerns.
10-3-11
Happy Monday. We began our day with the usual "Early Start." Kids roll in and begin with an activity or activities posted on the white board. Following our early morning start we have our usual Monday meeting. We assigned new table seats and the students chose names for their tables. Each week we also pick new jobs for each student. Fortunately we have enough jobs for everyone to have a responsibility.
Math: We started a new unit today. In this unit we will be learning about surveys, charts, graphs, and probability. We began the unit with a discussion about surveys, the importance of surveys, and why we take surveys. The kids had the opportunity to survey one another using a chart and tally marks. They had fun discovering everyones favorite pet, fruit, and color.
We followed up our math activity with a quick recess break outside - trying to take advantage of the few warm days we have left.
Each morning we have a read-aloud and/or Reader's Workshop. This morning I started reading them "Mr. Tucket" by Gary Paulsen. This book takes place in the mid 1800's with a boy's westbound journey, and correlates nicely with our whole class novel "Sign of the Beaver." These novels also tie in with the units we will be studying in social studies.
Language Arts: The students were given their new vocabulary list consisting of 12 words today. These words are taken directly from "Sign of the Beaver." The handout they received, listed the words with the definitions, and the page number where the word is used in the novel. They were asked to find the sentence with the word and copy it in their "Word Study" notebook. What they didn't complete in class was homework for tonight.
Utah History: We started Chapter 1, Lesson 1 "Utah's Place in the World." We will be learning terminology and the meaning of such things as latitude, longitude, equator, Southern and Northern Hemispheres, and the prime meridian.
Outdoor Education: They stayed in today due to the weather but they certainly looked engaged when I walked past the science room!
Homework: They need to finish writing their vocabulary sentences and read chapters 13 and 14 in "Sign of the Beaver."
We have art and science for our specialists tomorrow.
Updates
Dear Families,
I am going input news to my teacher page on a regular basis throughout the week, beginning today. I'm hoping it will be easier to recall all the events of the day rather than writing lengthy newsletters on a weekly basis. This way I will be able to send reminders as the come up and keep you posted on homework assignments as well as daily classroom activities.
I'd like to welcome Prestyn to our classroom. We are now at 23!
Please check out the photos I've posted of my class with our buddies in Mrs. Johnson's class.
Thank you, and have a wonderful week.
Barbara Jerome
Jerome's Journal Week Four - September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Our class welcomes Andrew F. to our class and we will also welcome Noah S. this coming week. We are now at 23.
Classroom Happenings:
The kids received a new vocabulary/spelling list on Monday. This list focuses on homophones. The spelling is relatively easy, but I want the students to know the proper sentence usage. We’ve been practicing all week and will continue to practice spelling the words and using them in a sentence next week as well. Please look for the words, they should be coming home in their orange homework folder. You can also find the word list on this site under the Language Arts tab.
We continue to read “Sign of the Beaver” as a whole class and do assignments in class related to our reading. Ask your child about the note they have to write using Native American symbols. They’re having a good time figuring out different forms of communication other than the English language.
In math we started Chapter 2, learning about the various addition and subtraction rules. We are beginning to work with simple word problems, determining if the answer is an estimate or exact number, and learning how to look at numbers and quickly determine an estimate. I brought in an old abacus called a Schoty Abacus, from Russia. They had a great time learning how people used an abacus in the days of the past and we followed up with an interesting discussion.
I heard great things about their outing on Monday. They had to look for life forms in the water! The classroom was all abuzz as they were sharing stories about their experience.
Picture day went smoothly on Tuesday. Thank you to all the families who sent in their order forms. If you did not send one in and would like to order pictures, I was told you will be able to on-line when you receive the proofs.
We had an assembly on Wednesday about the Reading Initiative program. Students are being asked to read Newbery and Caldecott books over the course of the year. There are different levels of achievement: Explorer, Trekker, and Pathfinder. When a student reads six Newbery books, and fills out a tracking form, they move to the next level. Students are not allowed to count books they have read in the past; however, they can re-read a book, they can count a book they are in the process of reading, and they can count Newbery novels we read as a class. “Sign of the Beaver” is a Newbery honor book!
Weilenmann will hold a “Read With Me” event on Wednesday, October 5th from 2-3pm. The first 30 minutes will be spent with Mrs. Kimball and our librarian Mrs. Turner discussing the program. The following 30 minutes will be spent in class reading with your child. Students who do not have a parent to read with, will be invited to read with another student and their parent or with me.
We had a “Shelter in Place” drill on Thursday. We stayed in our classroom, turned off the lights, closed the door and window and sat quietly for about 5 minutes. It allowed us the opportunity to talk about why we practice these drills.
Peter Leeman, our computer specialist, came to our class on Thursday morning and administered the NWEA MAP Test in math. This test is administered to monitor their progress. If you have any further questions regarding the testing, please contact peterleeman@wsdpc.org.
On Friday, the students wrote a piece on their personal hero. The same writing assessment will be administered again toward the later part of the year to track student progress.
Happy Birthday Mila. Her birthday was on Saturday and we celebrated with some yummy brownies on Friday!
Upcoming week:
We do not have Outdoor Ed this coming week, but we do have Bookmobile on Wednesday. If you sent in your Bookmobile permission form, thank you. If not, I sent another one home in the Weilenmann folder on Friday. Please fill it out and return it to school on Monday.
Your Scholastic Book orders should be coming in soon. I received notification that they’ve been mailed.
Dismissal: Please communicate with your child when and where you plan to pick them up. We are still having some problems with pick-up running smoothly. Students are to remain in the classroom until their name is called at which time they need to scoot upstairs. If you would like your child to meet you somewhere, please communicate with me via email: barbarajerome@wsdpc.org.
We are still collecting Box Tops for the kids in Kenya. WSD is having a school-wide contest to see which classroom can collect the most boxtops.
I will be emailing volunteers who signed up very soon.
Thanks again for all your help and support and email me with any questions or concerns.
Barbara Jerome
Information for Classroom Directory
Hello Parents,
Many of you have requested a class directory. In order to protect each child's' contact information, Weilenmann is not publicly distributing this information without a parent's consent.
We would like to create a directory for just our class. If you would like to participate in Mrs. Jerome's class directory to help coordinate play dates outside of school hours for your child and be informed of activities happening in the classroom by our room parents (Nicole Knotts and Lesli Whitworth) please email Lesli Whitworth at lhwhitworth@yahoo.com.
Please provide the contact information you would like to make available to others in our class; name, phone number, email, and/or address.
Once this information is collected it will distributed it to our class. If you would like to be part of this list, please reply by Friday, Sept. 30.
Thank you,
Lesli Whitworth
Friday, September 2, 2011
Hi Families,
Just a quick note to let you know the kids have PE tomorrow. We are also going on a 4th grade hike behind the school. Please make sure you're child wears appropriate shoes and clothing.
Thanks,
Barbara
Mrs. Jerome's Pics
So here we are on our first day of school. I have to say, we are an awesome bunch. Just look at us...... Can't wait to get to know everyone. I already know we are going to have a fabulous year. Thanks to all the donations everyone has sent in for the classroom, and thank you to those parent who have signed up to volunteer. I will know more about volunteer schedules in the next few weeks.