• Edmodo_Parent_Information_Note_2013.pdf

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful break, especially with the added day!  We are ready for a great start to 2014!  I am looking forward to seeing all of the students back on Tuesday, Jan. 7, due to the Monday closing of Blue Valley Schools because of extreme weather conditions.  Stay warm out there! 

The new year will also bring new math homework to 4th grade.  Since we will be transitioning the practice pages into our small group rotations and independent work time during math time, our math homework will look a little different.  On Mondays, we will send home a two-sided "CCSS Skills Review" (Common Core State Standards).  The skills that the students will be required to practice each week will be review skills from 2nd, 3rd, and earlier in 4th grade.  The math problems will be split up into the 5 main domains under the new Common Core State Standards (Operations & Algebraic Thinking, Number & Operations: Base Ten, Number & Operations: Fractions, Measurement & Data, and Geometry).  This method of homework cycles through previously learned and mastered skills to help keep those skills fresh in the students' minds.  In addition to the math problems, each week the students will be asked to write a reflection on the skills that we are learning in class, state what they feel good about, and make a goal of something to work on.  The homework will still be due back the following Monday and we will go over the problems together in class.  The students will be awarded completion points for their homework each week.

In addition to the new homework, we will begin implementing a weekly CCSS Skills Quiz based on the weekly homework.  The quiz will have similar problems from the same skills as the homework.  In place of the reflection, there will be a 3-point writing to explain problem on the quiz that covers one of the skills covered that week.  The students will take the weekly math quiz after we go over the homework together each Monday.

The new math homework and quizzes are very similar to what we have used in 4th grade for years prior to this one.  We have adapted what we have used in the past to cover the new math standards that we are implementing this year.  Please let me know if you have any questions about the new weekly homework/quiz.

All parents are invited to attend the State of Cedar Hills Address on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 6:30pm.  The event will cover a wide range of topics.

The Student will learn to:

Reading: Unit 4: Patterns in the Sky

• distinguish between fact and opinion using details from the text.
• make connections while reading.
• use knowledge of noun suffixes to understand the meaning of a word or phrases.
• demonstrate understanding of synonyms.

Grammar: 

• correctly use and understand regular verbs (present/past/future) in reading and writing.
• correctly use and understand irregular verbs in reading and writing.
• correctly use and understand comparatives and superlatives, subject  & object pronouns, contractions, and possessive pronouns in reading and writing.

Writing:   Science Fiction

• recognize and use science fiction features while writing.
• recognize and use a problem & solution text structure while writing.
• use descriptive words while writing a science fiction story.
• use proper sequencing and transition words & phrases in a science fiction writing.
• use an ominous or dark tone of voice in a science fiction writing.

Math: Topic 8 - Developing Fluency: Multiplying by 2-Digit Numbers

• use arrays and area models to find products of 2-digit numbers. (8-1)
• use arrays and an expanded algorithm to multiply 2-digit numbers. (8-2)
• use grids and patterns to multiply 2-digit numbers and multiples of 10. (8-3)
• use partial products and the standard algorithm to multiply 2-digit by 2-digit numbers. (8-4)
• solve two-question problems. (8-5)

Science: Metric Measurement

• identify and use metric measurement tools and vocabulary.
• make metric unit conversions.
• make reasonable estimations of metric measurement.

• Monday, Jan. 6 - School Resumes
• Tuesday, Jan. 7 - Winter MAP testing: Math 2:00pm
• Friday, Jan. 10 - Grade Cards Go Home
• Monday, Jan. 13 - Winter MAP testing: Reading 2:00pm
• Tuesday, Jan. 14 - Early Dismissal @ 2:00pm
• Wednesday, Jan. 14 - Parent Technology Information Night
• Thursday, Jan. 16 - State of CHE Address @ 6:30pm
• Saturday, Jan. 18 - February Conference Sign Up Times Go Live @ 12:00am
• Monday, Jan. 20 - No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Saturday, Jan. 25 - PTO Auction
• Wednesday, Jan. 29 - Wilderness Science Center Learning Excursion 9am-2:20pm (Claiborne & Monsees)
• Thursday, Jan. 30 - Wilderness Science Center Learning Excursion 9am-2:20pm (Auvigne & Anduss)

*Please check our Edmodo calendar for important dates.

Monday - No School - Extreme Weather Conditions

Tuesday - Day 3: Art

Wednesday- Day 4: Computers

Thursday- Day 5: Spanish/PE

Friday- Day 1: Spanish/PE

I will send Scholastic Book Club flyers home each month.  If you would like to order books, you can do so one of the following two ways: 

1. send the order form back in with a check
2. click the link below to order online with our class code - FZPKM 

I will close out each order on the 15th of each month and the books should arrive about a week later.  Thank you!