Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Wonderful Wednesday!

We had a great start to our study of animal adaptations today.  If you have a chance, ask your child about our blubber experiment. 

We started using the laptops this week to work on keyboarding, word processing, and publishing our writing.  The students are doing a great job with following directions, taking care of the laptops, and staying on task while on the computers. 

We are working on several skills in class:  personal independence, making good choices, self-control, and a concern and care for others.  I appreciate your emphasis of these same concepts at home.  I have already noticed progress in many of the students!

We are enjoying our chapter book, Frindle.  We have discovered the power struggle between the student and his teacher.  The students are doing a great job with comparing and contrasting the two characters.

Hope you had a great Wednesday!

Monday, August 27, 2012

A New Week!

We had a good start to a new week.  I know you are looking forward to a long weekend, everyone deserves a break.  We had a great time today playing a game to review types of animals in Science.  The students did a great job during the game.  We will be doing two experiments this week that focus on animal adaptations.

We had a brief homework assignment tonight.  Students just need to list the 5 Vertebrate groups of animals and give an example from each group.  They have a handout that can help with this if necessary.

Please see the note below from our Music Teacher, Mr. Price:

There will be a meeting for all 4th and 5th grade students who are interested in being in Chorus this year on September 4th from 2:45 – 3:45 in the music room. (Possibly the Library). Your child will be given a signup sheet and handbook that will need to be read and signed by both parent and student. If your child is not able to attend on that Tuesday, please let me know so I can get you the information another way. Rehearsals this year will be held on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s after school in the music room from 2:45 – 3:45. Your hand book will have other important information and calendar dates. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns. Stephen.price@scott.kyschools.us


Parents, Fourth grade students will be starting their units on recorders in the next few weeks. Please be on the lookout for information on how to purchase your recorders and their method books in the next few days. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to get in touch with me. Stephen.price@scott.kyschools.us  

Friday, August 24, 2012

Fantastic Friday!
We ended our week on a good note.  We will have a more "normal" week next week without the extra time for Drama.  However, the students did enjoy this time and did a great job performing for Mrs. Price's Class. 

We will be reading a chapter book, Frindle, for the next two weeks.  We will not have reading quizzes, but instead will have comprehension checks on both Fridays.  They will be allowed to use the book for the checks.  Vocabulary will be taught, but will not be included in the comprehension check.  I am introducing the words to aid in their understanding of the story.

Ask your child about animal classification and the five kingdoms, see what he/she can tell you!  We will continue our study of animals and ecosystems for the next several weeks.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Halfway There!
It is Wednesday and we have had a full week already!  We are working on a skit in our Drama workshop.  The students have worked hard on scenery and props.  They have done well with the break in our normal routine.

Today we took the time to look at objects under the microscopes.  Many students really enjoyed this and kept asking, how much do microscopes cost?  I bet some put them on their Christmas List this year! 

We have a reading quiz tomorrow over our story, Lewis and Clark and Me.  Students should reread the story tonight and complete workbook page 16 on Cause/Effect (we tore this out and put it into homework folders).  Students also have a two-sided spelling worksheet to complete tonight.  They have had about 25 minutes in class to work on it already. 

Have a great evening!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Monday, again???

I know the weekends go by so quickly, but I was happy to see those smiling faces today!  We will be having some fun this week by adding a drama workshop to our normal routine.  The students were introduced to that today.
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In Science, we started discussing cells today.  They will be "making" cells tomorrow using edible ingredients!  We will be moving into animal classification by the end of the week. 

Students were assigned a page from the reading workbook tonight for homework.  Please take time to look through the Monday folder and take note of graded papers.

Picture Day is tomorrow!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Finally Friday!!

I know it has been a long week!  The students are falling into our routines nicely.  We will have an additional element added to our routine next week, but this element only comes around every 5 weeks or so.  The students will be participating in a Drama Workshop with our Librarian next week.  We will have to adjust our morning schedule accordingly.  We have talked about this in class, and I am confident the students will do fine with the temporary change.  I think they will enjoy acting out parts, making scenery, etc.

I hope you have a nice weekend! 

Please look for yellow folders on Monday.  Don't forget Picture Day is Tuesday, August 21st!

Jennifer

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Wacky Wednesday

We have made it halfway through our first full week!  We have been very busy this week!  Tomorrow will be our first reading quiz over the story "Because of Winn-Dixie."  Students were asked to bring their books home tonight to reread the story and to review the vocabulary words.  In addition to reading homework, some students also had a spelling worksheet to finish.

The students work every morning on Daily Reviews.  We go over the answers each day.  On Friday we will have a check up quiz over the daily reviews from the week.  Those are kept in their binders so that they can review them on Thursday night and throughout the week.

The Scott County Student Code of Conduct (blue book) was sent home in the Monday Folder.  Please sign and return the form indicating you received your copy and are aware of school policies.

Thanks for all you do to help at home!
Mrs. Rase

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Terrific Tuesday

Today was another great day!  The student were able to complete a science experiment and make predictions and test them.  They did a great job working in their teams today and completing jobs. 

Most students had math to finish tonight for homework.  It was a worksheet on place value.  All students received a spelling worksheet today that was two-sided.  It will be due on Thursday morning.  If students have not finished by the end of the day tomorrow, it will be homework.  Our spelling test each week will be in a multiple choice format.  There will be multiple spellings of a word and students will pick the correct one.  Students should study spelling words each night.

We read our story for reading today "Because of Winn-Dixie."  I think the students enjoyed the story.  We will be taking a quiz over the story on Thursday.  Vocabulary words were sent home on Monday on the backside of our "Family Times" worksheet.  The vocabulary words will be on the quiz, along with questions from the story.

Don't forget to ask your child about their clip up/down status each night and look for his/her chart. 

Thanks!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Magnificent Monday!

We had a great start to a new week.  Please look for your child's yellow folder tonight.  You will find our class newsletter, picture order form, Code of Conduct form, and many other goodies.  Also, beginning today you will find your child's clip up behavior log and reading log.  I was happy to move many clips today as students demonstrated appropriate behavior and a willingness to learn.

I will still be sending out daily emails, as well as updating the blog.  I encourage you to ask your child tonight about what we are learning about in science and how he/she can apply the steps of the scientific method into everyday life.

Most students just have a Science worksheet to complete for homework tonight.  One group also has a vocabulary page to finish from the reading workbook. 

I hope you have a great Monday evening!
Mrs. Rase

Saturday, August 11, 2012

First Week Back!

Welcome to my classroom blog!  After one week, I have to say I am extremely tired!  I have lost my voice from talking so much, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I have a group of eager fourth graders who are going to be a joy to teach!  They even laughed at some of my jokes and stories.  We had a great start and I can't tell you how happy I am to be back in the classroom.

We will be in a normal routine beginning on Monday.  Be sure to look for your child's yellow folder to come home on Monday with important information.  We will be using our clip chart behavior logs also beginning Monday.  Don't forget to check your child' agenda each day to see information in regard to behavior/conduct.

Please email me if you have questions or concerns.  It is going to be a great year!

Mrs. Rase