Your children will be getting a small IXL homework assignment today. This assignment is due Sunday, October 11.
Please remember that IXL is not optional. This homework directly aligns with the concepts we are learning in the classroom. If your child is frustrated or struggling with their IXL, please remind them to write a note in their planner, and I, or Ms. Kari, will help them with additional lessons.
Happy Wednesday!
Tomorrow our 4th grade students will be going to The American West Heritage Center. This annual field trip has been a fantastic experience for our 4th grade classes. In order to ensure your child has an amazing time, please consider the following:
All students will need to come into the classroom prior to getting on the school bus for transport to the American West Heritage Center.
On Friday, your sixth grade child should have brought home a copy of the intent to attend the 6th grade field trip to Alliance Redwoods. This information was initially provided to 6th grade students and their families on Thursday, September 3rd during our first meeting. The date on the paper stated it needed to be returned September 25th. Because of my own oversight, I sent it home on the day it needed to be returned.
If you intend for your child to attend the field trip, please return this form at your earliest convenience. Please note, the individual contribution, which includes transportation to and from California, meals and accommodations, is $200. This payment is due November 20th.
If you are personally interested in attending the trip as a chaperone, please email your interest to Stephanie Speicher no later than October 1st. All details included in the information your child is bringing home can be found at this link:
The transition from lower to upper elementary is an exciting, yet daunting one, for our 4th grade students. Your child might often feel as though he can’t possibly fulfill the requirements in the upper elementary classroom, yet I see it time and again, as soon as he understands the expectations and has time to normalize, he finds he can do hard things.
Fourth grade is a big step. Not only are students leaving the comfort of their classroom, they are leaving beloved friends, and teachers, behind as well.
As our sixth week of school comes to an end, our 4th grade students have grown so much. Unsure what to do when she enters the classroom, she now begins her day by making a plan. Nervous about making new friends, she confidently explores new games on the playground. Excited to learn new things, she now shows her progress by helping those who may need an extra lesson.
My third year of teaching brings insight, experience and joy as I see how far my students, your children, have come in three years. The growth between 4th and 6th grade is phenomenal. Once timid and unsure, sixth grade students are confident and ready to lead.
The “end of normalization”, by no means, draws a definitive line between not-knowing and knowing, but it is a time when we can stop, take a deep breath, and celebrate how far we have already come.
Please make an appointment to hear your child’s progress, see personal goals, and discuss any questions you might have October 12-14. You can sign up for a 25 minute conference at the following link.
Happy Autumn Equinox!
Knowing math facts is a supremely important skill in order to advance in the upper elementary classroom. Until students are fluent in math facts, they are “stuck” in terms of abstract (paper-pencil) math progress. It is my goal to work with all students in order for them to become fluent in all multiplication facts before they leave for Christmas Break. As such, we are using a variety of methods for practicing these skills.
If you have an unused deck of cards, or one missing one or more bits, that you would be willing to donate to our classroom, it would be greatly appreciated. We are building skills and having fun at the same time.
Please take this opportunity to practice the facts that they may not know yet. As a group, we identified the facts that they know (ones and tens) and facts they may not know (6,7,8,9). Your children will be coming home with 2 to 3 flash cards daily of facts they are currently working on. We will call these facts their “meanies”. Multiplication facts that, for one reason or another, are difficult to your child. Throughout the day we will practice “meanies” until all students in our room are fluent with their times tables.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact me with questions regarding what your child is doing in the classroom. I am happy to share our triumphs as well as struggles with you.