Sunday, April 13, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
February Update
We hope everyone had a wonderful President’s Week.
DATES TO NOTE:
Thursday, February 28 6:00 pm Community Meeting Math Information Night
Elysha will be presenting with Fran about POM and problem solving at the CLC. We hope you can make it. Learners are welcome to attend.
Tuesday, March 4 STAR Writing Test
Please make sure that your learner is on time for school that day. It’s only a one day assessment.
Monday, March 24 – Wednesday, March 26, CODS Gold Rush Overnight
UPDATE:
Here’s a peek at what we’ve been working on and what’s coming up in our classroom.
LA
We ended a round of book groups facilitated by Patti, Sandee, Jacqui, Laurel and Emma right before our break. Thanks, ladies! The learners had weekly assignments and meetings and after the books were finished, each group worked together to create an informational poster that included historical background, vocabulary discussed during the reading, a description of the narrator and his/her point of view in the story, and other literary elements. We are working on informational writing in Writer’s Workshop. Minilessons have included finding important facts and phrases and avoiding copying words and organizing work chronologically. We’ve critiqued sample student summaries and we’re currently using an article on Fort Ross to practice writing summaries in groups and independently. Learners will be choosing articles and writing summaries in the next couple of weeks.
Kim Holl, our school Reading Specialist, will be running a word work/reading seminar with the fourth graders. Learners will work with Kim in small groups on Tuesday mornings. In Kim’s words, “Students at this level need to learn to visually take words apart and put them back together quickly. We will be starting with single syllables and moving very quickly into longer multisyllabic words. This process is about pronunciation, not word meanings. We will be working on these skills in isolation first,. Later they will have the opportunities to put it together in context.” Learners continue to work on word roots and affixes meanings and other skills that dovetail with this work.
Math
Learners have been working on problem solving through practice MARS tasks. We are helping them to prepare for the MARS testing that will be taking place next week. We have also been working on decimals, percents, and fractions and their relationship to one another. We’ve used 100 grids to create designs and then label the percent and fraction shaded. In the next few weeks we will begin to order and compare fractions on a number line. We will look at how to reduce and simplify fractions through “peanut buttering” (stay tuned for more details about exactly what this is) and will explore equivalent fractions. We be concurrently introducing and working on geometry as we continue work on decimals and fractions.
Social Studies
We have been exploring settlers in the 1800’s. Californios, the Donnor Party, the Russians, Alaskans, Kashaya, and Coast Miwok of Fort Ross, are some of the people we have looked at through discussions, informational articles and reading historical fiction as book groups and as read alouds We are sending a message in a bottle, hoping for the bottle to time travel and reach a very special Commandant at a certain Russian settlement. We hope he can make it so that we can interview him about life at Fort Ross. We are moving into the Bear Flag Revolt and the Gold Rush as we prepare to be miners of the past.
Coloma Overnight
We will be ready to go by 7am, Monday, March 24. We will be returning sometime between 2:30 and 3:30 (est.) on Wednesday, March 26. Please read over your yellow handbooks with your learners, if you haven’t already done so. Remember that there is a DVD available to borrow that shows every detail of the trip if you are interested or think that your child may be feeling nervous and may feel more secure seeing what will happen. A question that came up in class more than once when going over the handbook was in regards to bringing a stuffed animal or blanket. Toys are not allowed, but if you know that your learner will be comforted and is very used to a sleeping “item”, they can bring it. Please remind them that these items should be for sleeping and not playing purposes during the trip. There is limited car space for packing, so please keep that in mind. This field trip does require a detailed medical form. It should have come home with the handbook. Please return them as soon as you can. You can return them in the envelope in my folder, or your child can return it to me directly. (I will have some school approved first aid items with me for scrapes btw.) Direct all questions about this trip to Lale.
FAB
This is the last week of some “FAB”ulous enrichment classes. We want to thank Emma (again), Lucia Sanchez, Sonya Sigler, and Sharon Collier, for providing these experiences for this round. After next week’s LAB break, the learners will switch groups and experience different activities.
LAB
Our scientists will be exploring rocks and minerals starting next week. We will make connections to Social Studies as we explore the Gold Rush. More information will come shortly.
Learner Updates
Don’t hear it only from us! We regularly post updates from learners about fourth grade happenings. You can check it out on our website. Here’s the direct link
http://v3.scclc.net/class_4/default.aspx
It can also be accessed through our class homepage if you click on learner updates.
Thanks for reading!
Lale and Elysha
DATES TO NOTE:
Thursday, February 28 6:00 pm Community Meeting Math Information Night
Elysha will be presenting with Fran about POM and problem solving at the CLC. We hope you can make it. Learners are welcome to attend.
Tuesday, March 4 STAR Writing Test
Please make sure that your learner is on time for school that day. It’s only a one day assessment.
Monday, March 24 – Wednesday, March 26, CODS Gold Rush Overnight
UPDATE:
Here’s a peek at what we’ve been working on and what’s coming up in our classroom.
LA
We ended a round of book groups facilitated by Patti, Sandee, Jacqui, Laurel and Emma right before our break. Thanks, ladies! The learners had weekly assignments and meetings and after the books were finished, each group worked together to create an informational poster that included historical background, vocabulary discussed during the reading, a description of the narrator and his/her point of view in the story, and other literary elements. We are working on informational writing in Writer’s Workshop. Minilessons have included finding important facts and phrases and avoiding copying words and organizing work chronologically. We’ve critiqued sample student summaries and we’re currently using an article on Fort Ross to practice writing summaries in groups and independently. Learners will be choosing articles and writing summaries in the next couple of weeks.
Kim Holl, our school Reading Specialist, will be running a word work/reading seminar with the fourth graders. Learners will work with Kim in small groups on Tuesday mornings. In Kim’s words, “Students at this level need to learn to visually take words apart and put them back together quickly. We will be starting with single syllables and moving very quickly into longer multisyllabic words. This process is about pronunciation, not word meanings. We will be working on these skills in isolation first,. Later they will have the opportunities to put it together in context.” Learners continue to work on word roots and affixes meanings and other skills that dovetail with this work.
Math
Learners have been working on problem solving through practice MARS tasks. We are helping them to prepare for the MARS testing that will be taking place next week. We have also been working on decimals, percents, and fractions and their relationship to one another. We’ve used 100 grids to create designs and then label the percent and fraction shaded. In the next few weeks we will begin to order and compare fractions on a number line. We will look at how to reduce and simplify fractions through “peanut buttering” (stay tuned for more details about exactly what this is) and will explore equivalent fractions. We be concurrently introducing and working on geometry as we continue work on decimals and fractions.
Social Studies
We have been exploring settlers in the 1800’s. Californios, the Donnor Party, the Russians, Alaskans, Kashaya, and Coast Miwok of Fort Ross, are some of the people we have looked at through discussions, informational articles and reading historical fiction as book groups and as read alouds We are sending a message in a bottle, hoping for the bottle to time travel and reach a very special Commandant at a certain Russian settlement. We hope he can make it so that we can interview him about life at Fort Ross. We are moving into the Bear Flag Revolt and the Gold Rush as we prepare to be miners of the past.
Coloma Overnight
We will be ready to go by 7am, Monday, March 24. We will be returning sometime between 2:30 and 3:30 (est.) on Wednesday, March 26. Please read over your yellow handbooks with your learners, if you haven’t already done so. Remember that there is a DVD available to borrow that shows every detail of the trip if you are interested or think that your child may be feeling nervous and may feel more secure seeing what will happen. A question that came up in class more than once when going over the handbook was in regards to bringing a stuffed animal or blanket. Toys are not allowed, but if you know that your learner will be comforted and is very used to a sleeping “item”, they can bring it. Please remind them that these items should be for sleeping and not playing purposes during the trip. There is limited car space for packing, so please keep that in mind. This field trip does require a detailed medical form. It should have come home with the handbook. Please return them as soon as you can. You can return them in the envelope in my folder, or your child can return it to me directly. (I will have some school approved first aid items with me for scrapes btw.) Direct all questions about this trip to Lale.
FAB
This is the last week of some “FAB”ulous enrichment classes. We want to thank Emma (again), Lucia Sanchez, Sonya Sigler, and Sharon Collier, for providing these experiences for this round. After next week’s LAB break, the learners will switch groups and experience different activities.
LAB
Our scientists will be exploring rocks and minerals starting next week. We will make connections to Social Studies as we explore the Gold Rush. More information will come shortly.
Learner Updates
Don’t hear it only from us! We regularly post updates from learners about fourth grade happenings. You can check it out on our website. Here’s the direct link
http://v3.scclc.net/class_4/default.aspx
It can also be accessed through our class homepage if you click on learner updates.
Thanks for reading!
Lale and Elysha
Monday, February 25, 2008
Dear Families,
This year we are trying to gather feedback in a different way. We have created an online survey for you to answer questions specific to the fourth grade. At the end of that survey, you will automatically be redirected to a short individual survey for both Elysha and then Lale. Please take a moment to complete this survey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=3pcw2gfxa1zkw0y395557
Please don't hesitate to ask if you have questions. I will also add this link to our class website (on the educators page).
Best,
Elysha and Lale
This year we are trying to gather feedback in a different way. We have created an online survey for you to answer questions specific to the fourth grade. At the end of that survey, you will automatically be redirected to a short individual survey for both Elysha and then Lale. Please take a moment to complete this survey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=3pcw2gfxa1zkw0y395557
Please don't hesitate to ask if you have questions. I will also add this link to our class website (on the educators page).
Best,
Elysha and Lale
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Pictures from FAB today
Here are some photos from two of our FAB classes today. The learners cooked cactus and sang songs and did a dance from the Californio Rancho Period in the early 1800's. I was surprised at how tasty the cactus was, it had a lot of flavor!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
2008 Has Been Busy so Far...
Hello, Families!
We hope that your 2008 has gotten off to a great start. We have all been very busy in the room since school resumed just a couple of weeks ago. Here's the latest...
ROPES
Many of you went to the ROPES informational meeting on last Thursday. If you didn't,no worries, there is plenty of information in the packets, from the educators, and from the plethora of ROPES veterans at the CLC. Those who have read/seen information regarding ROPES probably noticed that it dovetails nicely with the philosophy behind the Personalized Learning Projects (PLP). The packets are very informative. One of the few changes we impose is that we ask that learners do not work with partners in the fourth grade; their first year attempting ROPES. In many projects in class, learners have opportunities to work with others, so that isn't an experience from which they are lacking. Learners can pick similar ROPES and work together if activities happen to coincide, but the projects should ultimately be solo. In order to save paper, we will be sending home packets with learners who tell us they do not have one. If you do not see a ROPES packet by the end of the week, and do not already have one at home, please let us know. The ROPES takes the place of the annual Personalized Learning Project (PLP). If your child (or family) decides that he/she (they) will not participating in the district ROPES project, we can have a discussion about how to do an alternate PLP that is based on the ROPES, yet modified as needed. Please note that you are responsible for turning in a form to participate in ROPES. The form is in the ROPES packet. It is due to the district office on February 15. We will be turning in all forms to the district as a group, so please put your form in Elysha's family folder once you have completed it. There will be an envelope inside the folder to put it in. We will send out more information about ROPES shortly. Spending some time looking over the packet with your child and having them brainstorm some of their personal interests would be a good idea this week.
Instructional Assistant
As you know, Emma made the decision to focus on her role as a librarian and her graduate work earlier in the school year. We have finally found a new Instructional Assistant who can fulfill the twenty hours of aiding allotted for the fourth grade classroom. Christina Harris, our new IA, will be introducing herself to the classroom and it's routines this week. She's a recent Sociology graduate from San Jose State with a strong interest in working with children, and experience as a volunteer student aide and peer mentor. She will be working in our classrooms in the mornings and in Educare some afternoons. Luckily, the learners will still have the opportunity to connect with Emma during our regularly scheduled library hours, and the many fun library events Emma schedules.
Reader's Workshop
We have begun a new round of literature circles based on the genre of Historical Fiction The books all take place in California during the 1800's and connect with what we're focusing on in Social Studies. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Patty Reed's Doll , and The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung are the books that the learners chose from. They are being facilitated by some wonderful volunteers: Emma Moore, Patti Miller, Jacqui Inglis, Laurel Skillman, and Sandee Althouse. Some of the children are learning about the Gold Rush through the eyes of a girl from the East Coast and a boy from China. Some are learning more about Native American life through a book based on a true survival story that took place during that time. Lastly, some are learning about the fateful Donner Party (rated G version) and westward expansion from the eyes of well, a wooden doll. You may see them carrying their book home if they haven't finished it during the Reader's Workshop times we have scheduled almost daily. Ask your child about what they're reading!
Writer's Workshop
We're finally publishing our personal narratives. Learners had conferences during the writing process and continue to refine their essays, even in the publishing stage. Mini-lessons on items like correct punctuation of quotation marks, using juicier words than "said" in dialogue, and indenting and spacing of dialogue are examples of skills and techniques being reviewed and taught while working on the final piece. We are looking forward to sharing them with the K/1 buddies. If you are looking for home hours and would like to format the already typed pieces of the learners so that they can make a small picture book, please let me (Lale) know.
FAB
Art, Drama, and the extra Library Research groups running on Wednesdays ended today! Irene reported that she loved hearing the conversations about color as they explored color in various ways this session. Drama has been filled with lots of laughter and some silly plays. The library research project has given the learners some new exposure and skills for researching. Thanks to Irene for teaching Art, Sharon Collier for teaching Drama, and Emma for teaching Library Research Skills. We'll let you know about our next exciting round of FAB soon!
Math
The last couple weeks have been filled with review. We reviewed addition and subtraction as well as multiplication of larger numbers. Before the break we looked at decimals and percents and their relationships to one another. We will now take that a step further and start to look at fractions. Last week learners divided crazy cakes into two halves and then had to prove that their cake was divided fairly. In the upcoming weeks we will use geoboards to look at fourths, eigths, etc. We will also begin to compare and order fractions. One thing you can do at home is cook together. What if you double the recipe or cut it in half? How does this change the fractional parts?
Social Studies
We are almost finished with our mission brochures and all of our mission drawings are finished. I have attached some photos below. They have really turned out great. The mission brochures will be available shortly.
One of the groups of settlers we'll be studying in class are the Russians. If you would like to be a part of providing some cultural experiences from the day. (ie cooking, art, dance, storytelling) please let Lale know. She has lots of resources and ideas if you're interested. She's hoping these will happen sometime in early February. We are also beginning to look at the California Ranchos. We recently read about the closing of the missions and what happened to the land in California. We made diseno's (handmade maps that were created for land grants). We will continue to learn about ranchos, and will participate in a variety of hands on activities at our next field trip to the Adobe House on Feb 1.
Hello, Families!
We hope that your 2008 has gotten off to a great start. We have all been very busy in the room since school resumed just a couple of weeks ago. Here's the latest...
ROPES
Many of you went to the ROPES informational meeting on last Thursday. If you didn't,no worries, there is plenty of information in the packets, from the educators, and from the plethora of ROPES veterans at the CLC. Those who have read/seen information regarding ROPES probably noticed that it dovetails nicely with the philosophy behind the Personalized Learning Projects (PLP). The packets are very informative. One of the few changes we impose is that we ask that learners do not work with partners in the fourth grade; their first year attempting ROPES. In many projects in class, learners have opportunities to work with others, so that isn't an experience from which they are lacking. Learners can pick similar ROPES and work together if activities happen to coincide, but the projects should ultimately be solo. In order to save paper, we will be sending home packets with learners who tell us they do not have one. If you do not see a ROPES packet by the end of the week, and do not already have one at home, please let us know. The ROPES takes the place of the annual Personalized Learning Project (PLP). If your child (or family) decides that he/she (they) will not participating in the district ROPES project, we can have a discussion about how to do an alternate PLP that is based on the ROPES, yet modified as needed. Please note that you are responsible for turning in a form to participate in ROPES. The form is in the ROPES packet. It is due to the district office on February 15. We will be turning in all forms to the district as a group, so please put your form in Elysha's family folder once you have completed it. There will be an envelope inside the folder to put it in. We will send out more information about ROPES shortly. Spending some time looking over the packet with your child and having them brainstorm some of their personal interests would be a good idea this week.
Instructional Assistant
As you know, Emma made the decision to focus on her role as a librarian and her graduate work earlier in the school year. We have finally found a new Instructional Assistant who can fulfill the twenty hours of aiding allotted for the fourth grade classroom. Christina Harris, our new IA, will be introducing herself to the classroom and it's routines this week. She's a recent Sociology graduate from San Jose State with a strong interest in working with children, and experience as a volunteer student aide and peer mentor. She will be working in our classrooms in the mornings and in Educare some afternoons. Luckily, the learners will still have the opportunity to connect with Emma during our regularly scheduled library hours, and the many fun library events Emma schedules.
Reader's Workshop
We have begun a new round of literature circles based on the genre of Historical Fiction The books all take place in California during the 1800's and connect with what we're focusing on in Social Studies. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Patty Reed's Doll , and The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung are the books that the learners chose from. They are being facilitated by some wonderful volunteers: Emma Moore, Patti Miller, Jacqui Inglis, Laurel Skillman, and Sandee Althouse. Some of the children are learning about the Gold Rush through the eyes of a girl from the East Coast and a boy from China. Some are learning more about Native American life through a book based on a true survival story that took place during that time. Lastly, some are learning about the fateful Donner Party (rated G version) and westward expansion from the eyes of well, a wooden doll. You may see them carrying their book home if they haven't finished it during the Reader's Workshop times we have scheduled almost daily. Ask your child about what they're reading!
Writer's Workshop
We're finally publishing our personal narratives. Learners had conferences during the writing process and continue to refine their essays, even in the publishing stage. Mini-lessons on items like correct punctuation of quotation marks, using juicier words than "said" in dialogue, and indenting and spacing of dialogue are examples of skills and techniques being reviewed and taught while working on the final piece. We are looking forward to sharing them with the K/1 buddies. If you are looking for home hours and would like to format the already typed pieces of the learners so that they can make a small picture book, please let me (Lale) know.
FAB
Art, Drama, and the extra Library Research groups running on Wednesdays ended today! Irene reported that she loved hearing the conversations about color as they explored color in various ways this session. Drama has been filled with lots of laughter and some silly plays. The library research project has given the learners some new exposure and skills for researching. Thanks to Irene for teaching Art, Sharon Collier for teaching Drama, and Emma for teaching Library Research Skills. We'll let you know about our next exciting round of FAB soon!
Math
The last couple weeks have been filled with review. We reviewed addition and subtraction as well as multiplication of larger numbers. Before the break we looked at decimals and percents and their relationships to one another. We will now take that a step further and start to look at fractions. Last week learners divided crazy cakes into two halves and then had to prove that their cake was divided fairly. In the upcoming weeks we will use geoboards to look at fourths, eigths, etc. We will also begin to compare and order fractions. One thing you can do at home is cook together. What if you double the recipe or cut it in half? How does this change the fractional parts?
Social Studies
We are almost finished with our mission brochures and all of our mission drawings are finished. I have attached some photos below. They have really turned out great. The mission brochures will be available shortly.
One of the groups of settlers we'll be studying in class are the Russians. If you would like to be a part of providing some cultural experiences from the day. (ie cooking, art, dance, storytelling) please let Lale know. She has lots of resources and ideas if you're interested. She's hoping these will happen sometime in early February. We are also beginning to look at the California Ranchos. We recently read about the closing of the missions and what happened to the land in California. We made diseno's (handmade maps that were created for land grants). We will continue to learn about ranchos, and will participate in a variety of hands on activities at our next field trip to the Adobe House on Feb 1.
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