Weekly Reminders- March 27, 2012

WELCOME BACK!!!!!

I sure hope everyone had a restful Spring Break and that you are ready to come back and work hard during this last nine weeks of the school year! The FCAT is just a few weeks away and we are in that final push for brushing up on our skills in Reading and Math. After FCAT is over, our learning does not stop. We will be working on the 1st nine weeks of 5th grade and on getting prepared to become the Seniors of the school!!!

Weekly Spelling Words- All of the words from this week's list have Latin roots. 

strain

restrain

constraint

legend

legible

lecture

versions

versus

adverse

manual

manage

manicure

disrupt

abrupt

erupt

secondary

sequel

sequence

prime 

primate

CHALLENGE WORDS:

interrupt

rupture

Reading- This week's story is "John Henry Races the Steam Drill". It is a tall tale about a man who races a steam drill to dig a hole through a mountain to put a railroad in. The vocabulary words are:

1. bulge- to swell

2. strain- to hurt yourself by trying to do too much

3. generous- kind and unselfish

4. muscular- having well-developed muscles

5. legend- a story passed down through the years that is not entirely true

6. version- a variation of a story

Math- We are continuing on our skill review with a daily mixed benchmark practice sheet. We will work on these skills for the entire week, and Friday they will take a quiz.

Monday- No school- Teacher Planning Day

Tuesday- Homework packets are sent home.

Wednesday- Wednesday folders will be sent home! Please sign and return on THURSDAY! Information regarding the last payment for St. Augustine will also be sent home.

Thursday- no reminders at this time

Friday- Homework packets are due; Reading test; Spelling Test; AR test must be taken! ST. AUGUSTINE BALANCE IS DUE!

Please make sure that your child has turned in their Science Fair project proposal! Science Fair projects are MANDATORY for each student to complete, or they will receive an "F" on the last nine week's report card. Contact me with any questions!

***Please continue to work on basic multiplication facts at home!!!***

Thank you so much for all you do!!! :-) Have a great week!

March 5, 2012- Weekly Reminders

Weekly Spelling Words- This week's spelling words are a review from Unit 4: Science Fair. 

LESSON 1: These words have a root word plus a suffix. There are no spelling changes to add the suffix. All you do is spell the root word and add the suffix to the end.

humidity

digital

governor

LESSON 2: These have a root word plus a prefix. 

immobile

copilot

dehydrate

LESSON 3: These words are spelling changes with affixes. The spelling of the root word will change when adding an ending.

collision

supplement

ambitious

LESSON 4: These words either -ing or -ed added to the end of them. These are called inflectional endings. Most of the words have spelling changes when going from the root word to the root word with the ending. The spelling changes are mainly changing -y  to -i before adding -ed, or doubling the final consonant.

married

equipped

newfangled

LESSON 5: These words are closed compound words. These are made when 2 words that can stand alone are put together to form one word. 

blueberry

keyboard

handkerchief

Reading- This week we will be reviewing and taking our Benchmark Test on Thursday. We will go over past benchmark tests in small groups, and work on UNRAAVELing Reading stories. 

Math- We are continuing on our skill review with a daily mixed benchmark practice sheet. We will work on these skills for the entire week, and Friday they will take a quiz. We are also going to be reviewing Fractions- Decimals- Percents, and the correlation between the 3. We will begin working on Simplifying fractions as well.

Monday- Homework packets will be sent home today!

Tuesday- No announcements at this time.

Wednesday- Wednesday folders will be sent home! Please sign and return on THURSDAY!

Thursday- Reading Benchmark Test

Friday- Homework packets turned in; Spelling Test; AR test must be taken!

February 27, 2012- Weekly Reminders

TUESDAY is the BIG day! The students will finally get to SHOW WHAT THEY KNOW and take the FCAT Writing Test! Please be sure that they are RELAXED, RESTED, and READY for FCAT. We will have a special breakfast on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28th- the morning of the test. Students need to be ON TIME in order to receive this special breakfast. We will begin testing at approximately 9:15. No students will be allowed in the classroom past 8:45. The only homework they have tonight is to go over the Narrative writing that we wrote together with the other 4th grade classes. The rest of the week they will only have Reading log and spelling assignments which will be sent home Tuesday night. 

Weekly Spelling Words- This week's words are closed compound words. These are made when 2 words that can stand alone are put together to form one word. 

 everyone

sideways

laptop

 playground

 bathtub

 swimsuit

 mailbox

 goldfish

 upstairs

 blueberry

 heartbeat

teaspoon

popcorn

 birthday

 fireplace

keyboard

yearbook

rainbow

 wheelchair

 townhouse

CHALLENGE WORDS:

nighttime

handkerchief

quarterback

Reading- This week we will finish our last story in our Science Fair Unit. The story is titled "How Fast Do You Eat Your Ice Cream?" and it is about an experiment that a middle school student did on brain freeze and ice cream. We will be conducting this same experiment in class, and the student's who work hard will get to enjoy a tasty treat. The vocabulary words for this story are:

1. pace- rate; speed

2. common- happening often; familiar

3. previous- happening earlier

4. major- important

5. randomly- by chance

6. publication- something that is printed or published

7. questionnaire- a printed list of questions used by researchers

8. rejected- to turn down

 Looking ahead, the students will take a Reading Benchmark Test next week! 

Math- We are continuing on our skill review with a daily mixed benchmark practice sheet. We will work on these skills for the entire week, and Friday they will take a quiz.

Monday- No homework is being sent home today OTHER THAN a Narrative writing story to be read together.  

Tuesday- FCAT WRITING TEST!!! PLEASE BE RELAXED, READY, AND RESTED! 

Wednesday- Wednesday folders will be sent home! Please sign and return on THURSDAY!

Thursday- No announcements at this time.

Friday- Spelling Test; Reading Test; Vocabulary Quiz; AR test must be taken!

I am so proud of all of my students for their hard work in preparing for FCAT Writing. I know they are going to do AWESOME!!! Thank you, parents, for all of the support and encouragement you give them!!! 

***Please continue to work on basic multiplication facts at home!!!***

February 20, 2012- Weekly Reminders

Weekly Spelling List- This week's words either -ing or -ed added to the end of them. These are called inflectional endings. Most of the words have spelling changes when going from the root word to the root word with the ending. The spelling changes are mainly changing -y  to -i before adding -ed, or doubling the final consonant.

charted

shocked

 jerked

bowling

cried

crying

married

amusing

tired

jogging

strummed

grinning

webbed

feeling

pleasing

dried

controlling

equipped

willing

daring

CHALLENGE WORDS:

newfangled

occurred

increasing

READING: This week's story is called "How Benjamin Franklin Stole the Lightning". It is a biography that highlights his life and experiments with electricity which led to the invention of the lightning rod. The vocabulary words for the story are:

1. genuine- real or true

2. forecast- a prediction about what will happen based on evidence.

3. eclipse- a darkening or hiding of the sun by the moon OR of the moon by the Earth's shadow

3. mast- a pole that holds sails

4. chart- a map

5. invention- a thing that is made or thought of for the first time

6. charge- a load of electricity

7. shock- to jolt by electricity

WRITING: This is our last full week before the FCAT Writing Test on Tuesday, February 28th. We will have our FCAT Simulation on Monday, February 20th. This means that we will practice just like we will on the day of the test.

MATH: We are continuing our countdown to FCAT prep for morning work with a follow-up quiz on Friday.

Monday- FCAT Writing Simulation @ 9am; Homework packets are sent home

Tuesday- No announcements at this time

Wednesday- Wednesday folders will be sent home! Please sign and return on THURSDAY!

Thursday- Reading test day!

Friday- Spelling Test; Writing Test; AR test must be taken!

***Please continue to work on basic multiplication facts at home!!!***

February 13, 2012- Weekly Reminders

Weekly Spelling Words- This week's words are spelling changes with affixes. The spelling of the root word will change when adding an ending.

drizzly

crumbly

sensibly

terribly

activity

rarity

mobility

clarity

diversion

collision

tension

intrusion

argument

supplement

elevator

senator

furious

nervous

cautious

CHALLENGE WORDS:

curiosity

emperor

ambitious

READING- Our story this week is "The Case of the Gasping Garbage". It is a cute story about 2 student scientists who have to solve a mystery that deals with a science concept. We will start the week by doing another experiment and going through the steps of the scientific method. The vocabulary words for the story are:

1. drizzly- lightly raining

2. technique- a method

3. overwhelm- to overpower or to make helpless

4. environment- surroundings

5. competitor-  goods or services in the same market as another person (EX: Publix and Winn-Dixie are competitors)

6. findings- the result of an investigation

7. peer- to look closely

8. pursuit- the act of chasing after 

WRITING- In writing this week we will be reviewing Narrative AND Expository writing. For Friday's test, we will have both types of prompts and the student's will have to write one or the other. We will pass these out randomly. This is good practice for FCAT Writing. 

MATH- We are working on expressions and equations with more than 1 operation. We are also continuing our countdown to FCAT prep for morning work with a follow-up quiz on Friday.

Monday- (I will be interviewing as a finalist for the Leon County District Teacher of the Year at the District office and will return at 10:30. They are set to announce the winner sometime of Thursday, February 16th!!! You can find the link to the article here.) Homework packets are sent home. Writing homework for tonight should be turned in tomorrow.

Tuesday- VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! A letter was sent home Friday with a class list. We will have a party in the afternoon. If your child would like to bring Valentine cards (either homemade or store-bought) please make sure that they bring one for each student. :-)

Wednesday- Wednesday folders will be sent home! Please sign and return on THURSDAY!

Thursday- Reading test day!

Friday- Spelling Test; Writing Test; AR test must be taken!

***Please continue to work on basic multiplication facts at home!!!***

On a personal note, I would just like to thank you all for the kind words about me being a finalist for Leon County District Teacher of the Year! It is a pure joy to teach your children everyday. I am so proud to represent Oak Ridge Elementary School and the AMAZING teachers, students, and parents I get to work with each day!  

February 6, 2012- Weekly Reminders

Weekly Spelling Words- This week's words have a root word plus a prefix. 

deflate

demerit

declaw

derail

impure

immobile

imperfect

impolite

prefix

preview

preheat

preschool

costar

copilot

co-host

co-pay

enlarge

enclose

enrich

enforce

CHALLENGE WORDS:

dehydrate

immature

cooperate

READING- This week's story is on Magnetism and how magnets work. All of the stories in this unit deal with Science and we will begin each week with an experiment to go over the steps of the Scientific Method. This is a great practice for completing a Science Fair project, which is required for ALL 4th graders.

WRITING- We are working on Narrative and Expository writing this week. On Friday, each student will be passed out a prompt randomly. This is why it is so important that er know how to write BOTH types of prompts. When it is time for FCAT Writing, we have no clue what kind they will get.

MATH- We are starting a 40 day countdown review this week. Monday-Friday the students will have 5 morning work problems on different benchmarks, but each day will cover the same benchmark. On Friday, they will have a quiz on the 5 types of problems we have worked on all week. We are also working on expressions and equations with variables.

Monday- Homework packets are sent home. Writing homework for tonight should be turned in tomorrow.

Tuesday- No reminders for today.

Wednesday- Wednesday folders and progress alerts will be sent home! Please sign and return on THURSDAY!

Thursday- Reading test day!

Friday- Spelling Test; Writing Test; AR test must be taken!

***Please continue to work on basic multiplication facts at home!!!***

Thank you so much for all you do!!! :-) Have a great week!

January 30, 2012- Weekly Reminders

Wow! I can't believe that January is coming to a close! February means that the FCAT Writing test is ALMOST here!

Weekly Spelling Words: This week's words have a root word plus a suffix. There are no spelling changes to add the suffix. All you do is spell the root word and add the suffix to the end.

1. locality

2. oddity

3. humidity

4. finality

5. priceless

6. flavorless

7. needless

8. lifeless

9. actor

10. editor

11. collector

12. inspector

13. normal

14. digital

15. critical

16. national

17. briskly

18. jointly

19. properly

20. vividly

CHALLENGE WORDS:

21. governor

22. certainly

23. entirely

READING- This week we are beginning our new unit: Science Fair. All of the stories in this unit deal with scientists and the scientific method. We will be conducting several experiments in class and I know that the kids will really enjoy it.

WRITING- We are moving back to an Expository this week. (writing to explain). Since we are so close to FCAT Writing, and we don't know what type of prompt they will receive, we have to be sure that they are proficient in both types and are able to tell the difference. Monday will start with a pretest, and then we will work on editing those all week and take a post-test on Friday.

MATH- We are continuing with Patterns, Input/Output tables, and double digit multiplication. Be sure that you are reviewing basic facts with your child each night. This is so important!!!

MONDAY- Homework packets are sent home. Today is the last day to comment on the blog for JANUARY'S drawing. The comments have to be on the weekly posts, have to say your child's first name, and tell me what they did on the website.

TUESDAY- Blended Lives Field Trip. We will leave at 9:30 and return at 1:30. Be sure that your child wears jeans and brings a jacket.

WEDNESDAY- Wednesday folders go home. Blue Pop money is due!!!

THURSDAY- Wednesday folders should be returned.

FRIDAY- Spelling Test; AR Test, Reading test, Expository Post-test, Blue Pop Day- homework packets are due!!!

January 23, 2012- Weekly Reminders

WEEKLY SPELLING WORDS- This week is a REVIEW week for spelling. There are 15 words, and 3 challenge words. The first 15 words review each lesson we have done in this unit, with 3 words per lesson:

Lesson 1- HOMOPHONES- These are words that have the same sound, but different spelling and different meanings. The students have to listen to the words in the sentence in order to determine the correct spelling.

1. higher

2. would

3. phrase

Lesson 2- HOMONYMS- These are words that sound the same, are spelled the same, but have different meanings.

4. pitcher

5. hamper

6. concentrate

Lesson 3- COMPARATIVES- These words compare two things.

7. cloudier

8. scarier

9. quieter

Lesson 4- SUPERLATIVES- These words compare 3 or more things, and describe one of these to the HIGHEST degree. 

10. gloomiest

11. narrowest

12. scarcest

Lesson 5- CONTRACTIONS- These words are formed by putting 2 words together by taking out 1 or more letters and putting an apostrophe in for the missing letters.

13. don't

14. weren't

15. would've

CHALLENGE WORDS: 

16. tremendous

17. gigantic

18. delicious

READING- This week we are learning all about Florida's Role in the Civil War, and the Reconstruction that took place after the Civil War ended. While learning all about this important time in our history, we are working on reading strategies, too! We are learning all of this in preparation for our Blended Lives Field Trip on January 31st. Please look for more information on this field trip in your child's Wednesday folder this week.

WRITING- Our focus this week has switched back to a Narrative- writing to tell a story. The students need to plan their writing around a BIG MOMENT, and only tell about what happened JUST BEFORE their big moment, and JUST AFTER their big moment. They will take an assessment on Friday.

MATH- We are continuing our work on patterns, equations, and expressions. 

Monday- Homework packets are sent home; Narrative writing pretest

Tuesday- no announcements

Wednesday- Wednesday folders will be sent home with grade reports, field trip info., an important survey, and any report cards that have not yet been picked up. Please be sure to look through your child's work and discuss it with them. Sign any paperwork that needs to be sent back, sign the folder, and return it on THURSDAY.

Thursday- no announcements at this time

Friday- Homework packets are due; Spelling Test; AR Tests should be taken; Multiplication Quiz, Narrative writing assessment

We are getting down to the wire for the FCAT Writing Test. Please contact me ASAP to discuss your child's progress in writing, and I will be happy to meet with you to give you some strategies to work on at home. Thanks for all you do!!!

January 16, 2012- Weekly Reminders

Weekly Spelling Words: This week's words are contractions. A contraction is the shortened form of two words. It is formed by combining two words and leaving out one or more letters. It includes an apostrophe to show where the letter or letters have been left out. (Ex: I am- I'm)


I'm
don't
he'll
weren't
it's
can't
hasn't
we'll
we're
she's
we'd
o'clock
you'd
they'd
I'll
won't
isn't
wasn't
that's
we've

CHALLENGE WORDS:
would've
doesn't

Reading- This week's story is on Abraham Lincoln. It is a biography that tells the story of his life from birth. Most notably, this story discusses how Abraham Lincoln changed America through the Emancipation Proclamation- ending slavery.

Writing- We continue our work on Expository Writing. Students will take a timed test on Tuesday, and the rest of the week we will work on editing and improving it.

Math- This week we will continue on our two digit by two digit, and three digit by two digit multiplication. We are also going over another benchmark that deals with finding the pattern to fill in a chart.

Monday- NO SCHOOL- Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

Tuesday- Honor roll Assembly; Homework packets will be sent home; Writing Assessment; Math Benchmark MA4A41 Pretest

Wednesday- Wednesday folders and grade reports will be sent home.

Thursday- Reading Assessment

Friday- AR Test, homework packets are due, Spelling Test. St. Augustine payment is due!!!!

IMPORTANT REMINDERS: 

The 2nd payment of $20 for the St. Augustine is due this Friday, January 20th. Please send cash or money orders ONLY. 

Also, if you were not able to attend report card pick-up, please contact me so that we can set up a time for you to pick up your child's report card and discuss his/her progress. 

THANK YOU! :-)

Report Card Pick Up

This is just a friendly reminder that Report Card Pick Up is TONIGHT- January 12, 2012 from 3:30-5:30 and 6:00-7:00. I am looking forward to seeing everyone! 

Change for Monday's Homework

The students will not have a writing prompt to complete at home this week. Instead, I have sent home a Similes worksheet that needs to be completed and turned in TOMORROW. Your child should also have come home with his/her homework packet to be completed each night and turned in Friday.
Please call or email me with any questions!
Thanks!

January 9, 2012- Weekly Reminders

Weekly Spelling Words- This week's words are superlative adjectives. A superlative adjective compares three or more nouns and describes the noun to the highest degree. EX: July 8th was the hottest day of the summer. In this sentence, no other day during the summer was hotter than July 8th.

hottest

neatest

fullest

oldest

bravest

sweetest

brightest

fondest

clumsiest

dearest

sharpest

gentlest

smoothest

gloomiest

narrowest

fittest

heaviest

noblest

fanciest

CHALLENGE WORDS:

friendliest

scarcest

Reading- This week we are reading A Covered Wagon Girl: The Diary of Sallie Hester. This story is a series of diary entries written by Hester as she and her family traveled by wagon train West in search of gold. The assessment for this test will be on Thursday.

Writing- We are continuing our work on Expository writing. We are working on an essay to explain something we enjoyed over Winter Break, and 2 reasons why we enjoyed it. Our writing assessment will be on Thursday.

Math- We are reviewing word problems that deal with multiplication and division concepts. This benchmark will be tested on FCAT. It is important that your child knows how to multiply two-digit by two-digit number.

Monday- P.E. Day- Don't forget your sneakers!!! Homework packet sent home.  Writing homework- Plan and Introduction- due TUESDAY!

Tuesday- Writing homework- 2nd paragraph- due WEDNESDAY

Wednesday- Writing homework- 3rd paragraph and conclusion- due THURSDAY. Wednesday folders sent home. Please review the work and return the folder SIGNED on Thursday.

Thursday- Report Card Pick-Up from 3:30-5:30 and 6:00-7:00. I hope to see you there!!! Reading and Writing Assessments.

Friday- Homework packet is due completed and signed; Spelling Test; AR Test; Fun Friday

Welcome Back!!!

I am so excited to see what this year has in store!!! Since this is such a short week, I will resume with the Weekly Reminder posts and extra credit on Monday, January 9th!