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End of March Updates

Mar23

I can’t believe we are nearing the end of March.  Spring is definitely here, with the fluctuation in weather, and mood, I can tell your kids are ready for spring break!  Having said that, it is important that your children are fulfilling their potential, as well as the expectations that have been set for them.

Each week your child has a Utah Compose essay due.  Assignments are available Monday, and due Friday morning.  Your child has time during class to work on this (approx. 20 min each day Mon-Thurs), but it should be considered homework.  4th level students should be writing a minimum of three complete paragraphs, while 5th and 6th level students should be writing at least 5 complete paragraphs.

We have our first SAGE language assessment on Monday, March 28.  Please ensure your child gets plenty of sleep, eats a healthy breakfast, brings a protein packed lunch as well as a nice healthy (no chips or fruit snacks please) snack so they can do their best.  This is the time to show what they know.  I have stressed to the children that they wouldn’t show up to a music recital or a sporting event without having practiced;  the same is expected for our state testing.

Knowing that some children feel extreme anxiety over the test itself, I try to treat the exams as a “show what you already know” event.  All of their hard work for the school year so far, is on display this coming Monday.

Utah Compose Homework

Mar10

A reminder that all students have Utah Compose essays assignments weekly.  Every child has access to computers in the classroom (approximately 20 minutes daily) and the majority of the class has an additional 1.5 hours, once a week, to work on this assignment. For some, this may be all the time they need.  For most, this time is not enough to do their best work and they will need to spend time at home working on these assignments.  Please encourage your children to do their homework, it directly affects their improvement in writing.

These expectations have been communicated to your children verbally, as well as on their weekly work expectation sheets.  Please see previous blog posts where I spoke about expectations for Utah Compose here and here.

If you have any questions about Utah Compose, or the assignment expectations, please let me know.

 

 

International Festival and Quick Reminders

Dec14

Just a quick reminder that the International Festival is on Wednesday, December 16 from 9am-11am.  Your children should bring their projects in tomorrow to give them an opportunity to practice their presentation with their peers before presenting to the rest of the school.

A quick reminder: Though I know Star Wars Fever is abundant, please remember no characters or logos on your children’s clothing.  This policy minimizes distractions for all of our students.

Science Fair

Nov4

We had a great discussion about science fair today during class.

For our 4th grade students, science fair is an opportunity to experience the scientific process (perhaps for the first time for some) and what it is like to present findings to others.  5th grade students are using their experience from 4th grade and building on that from a simple “experiment” to a more complicated design process.  Our 6th grade students are using everything they learned from 4th and 5th grade to design, test, redesign, retest and put it all together into a presentation and research paper worthy of middle school standards.

Your students will be bringing home a “Background Research Plan Worksheet” to help them with their research.  This worksheet is designed to help your children design a plan for gathering the background information needed to complete a successful science fair project.  This plan is due November 11 (next Wednesday).   If your student still has not decided on a topic and a question they plan to investigate, this is due at the same time as the research plan.

A really great resource for helping your child with their project is Science Buddies.

I have adjusted our classroom’s science fair time line slightly.  Upcoming Science Fair Project due dates are as follows:

Research Plan: November 11

Hypothesis and Variables: November 30

Materials and Procedures: December 18

Data and Graphs: January 29

Research Paper (6th Grade Only): February 12

Final Report (4th and 5th Grade Only): February 16

Display Board: February 17-18

 

We will discuss each of these items in class as the time approaches.

2nd Trimester Review and Fall Festival Update

Oct18

Thanks to everyone who made it to parent teacher conference!  I hope you have been able to decompress a little and unwind with your kids (even those of you who still had to work) during fall break.  I know I needed the rest, yet I am looking forward to the upcoming weeks of school!

Work Expectations

Each day your children are responsible for planning their work, and have done a great job so far.  Tomorrow I will be introducing a new step in planning the day.  This will include an expectations sheet with specific work required each week.  It will be up to your kiddos to plan and complete the work required.   This expectations sheet will likely undergo a few tweaks over the next couple of weeks as we work out the bugs together, but the format and use of the sheet will remain consistent.

Ask your children about it tomorrow after school, your interest will encourage them to utilize this tool to help them plan work that is appropriate for their ability level.  It will even serve to push those who need just a little nudge.

I am so excited to have received new measurement materials for our classroom!  They are cut and ready to be used!   Your children have taken to measurement like ducks to water.  They love weighing, measuring, filling and all things associated with measurement.   Last week we had a “walk off” to test which was further, a kilometer or a mile.  Ask your child which is further.

Book Reports

I have had several of you ask about book reports this year.  My focus so far this year has been on reading non-fiction in the classroom, and because your students are so engaged with their Scholastic magazines, I have not assigned any book reports (that isn’t the only reason).  I really want the reading they do during silent reading, and at home for pleasure, to be just that – pleasurable.  My experience last year with book reports were both positive and negative.

The experience was positive when the students were really excited about the particular book and type of book report that was associated with the book at the time (you have some really creative kids), but negative when the students could not find a book that excited them or when they had a great book, but didn’t like the style of book report.  It is partly because I’m wrangling with just the right way to go about it that I am delaying book reports.   In addition, we have international festival in December (don’t worry, assignments have not gone out for this yet) and Science Fair immediately following in January.  I do not want your children to be overwhelmed with home projects, particularly when the about of research they will be doing at home is going to be increasing very soon.

Fall Festival

 

And finally, the Fall Festival is this week! Mark your calendars for Friday October 23 from 4-7pm. We are in need of 12 volunteers, between mine and Ms. Holly’s class, to help run the Goodie Walk game and the Batman Obstacle. The volunteer slots are for one hour increments. We need 2 volunteers at the Goodie Walk per hour and 2 volunteers at the Batman Obstacle per hour. Please click   http://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/nkztu  to sign up for a one hour slot. Remember this goes towards your 40 hours of volunteer time the school requires.

Thanks again for all you do to support your kids and our school community!