Saturday, October 31, 2015

Classroom News for the Week of November 2nd

News and Upcoming Events:
Thank you to all the parents who helped on Friday at the Celebration and the Parade! We appreciate your time!
  • No SS homework this week
  • Don't forget Orchestra instruments on Monday!
  • 11/11 Veterans Day Holiday - School closed
  • 11/16 - 11/20 Report Card Conferences
Please click on the link to view my Amazon wish list.Ms. Convey's Amazon Wish List

What's Going On This Week In Class:

Math:
This week we will use the standard algorithm to multiply 2, 3, and 4 digit numbers x 1 digit numbers in the context of word problems. Students will also be learning to connect area models and the distributive property.

Accelerated Math (self-paced practice)

Multiplication Madness (Fact Practice) 

Reading:

Students will be taking English Language Arts Interim Assessment #1 this week. This assessment covers reading comprehension and 

Island of the Blue Dolphins, chapters 19-24. 

Last Week! Genre Blackout:  Students have been challenged to read books from 9 different genres in the first reporting period. Ask your child about his/her progress.


Spelling & Vocabulary:

This week's words are -
(un, il, ir, non = not)

  • unquestionable
  • unruly
  • unlimited
  • unrest
  • unrelenting
  • irregular
  • illogical
  • irreplaceable
  • nonconformist
  • nonexistent

Writing:

Writer's Workshop: Analyzing Student Work Samples, Freewriting with Elaboration Prompts, Mining Our Writing for Essay Ideas 

Social Studies/Science:

Science: Magnets
Social Studies: The First European Explorers in California


Reminders:

Tardies:
 Please make sure your child is at school and in line by the 8:06 bell. We try to start the school day at 8:11 promptly. Thank you for your help!

Homework:
Please check your child's Homework Log nightly and sign or initial after the work has been completed. Remind your child that completed homework and the HW log are due in class daily.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Classroom News for the Week of October 26th

News and Upcoming Events: 
  • 10/30/15 4th Grade Day of the Dead/Halloween Celebration.

Please click on the link to view my Amazon wish list.Ms. Convey's Amazon Wish List

What's Going On This Week In Class:

Math:
This week we will model multiplication problems (2,3,4 digit numbers x 1 digit numbers) on a place value chart. On Wednesday the students will review the standard algorithm for multiplication.

This week we will also start Accelerated Math (self-paced practice).

Multiplication Madness (Fact Practice) 

Reading:

Non-fiction text structures: sequence, problem and solution, cause and effect, description, and comparison. This week we will focus on cause and effect. Students will read several different non-fiction texts and will use graphic organizers to show how the author structured his/her writing.

Island of the Blue Dolphins, chapters 14-18. 

Genre Blackout:  Students have been challenged to read books from 9 different genres in the first reporting period. We are halfway there! Ask your child about his/her progress.


Spelling & Vocabulary:



This week's words are -
No Spelling and vocabulary this week.

Tip: Spend 10 minutes verbally studying the words each day. Research suggests that studying for small periods regularly is more effective than cramming. In addition to having your child spell the word aloud, ask your child to use the word in an imaginative sentence. You can pick a "theme" for the sentences, such as Halloween or the Desert…"Give me a sentence with 'collide' that has to do with Halloween." This can provide some challenge and novelty to a routine task.

Writing:
This week we begin a new writing unit. Student will be learning how to write persuasive and personal essays. This week's lessons include collecting ideas as an essayist and writing to learn.

Social Studies/Science:

No social studies/ science rotation this week.


Reminders:

Tardies:
 Please make sure your child is at school and in line by the 8:06 bell. We try to start the school day at 8:11 promptly. Thank you for your help!

Homework:
Please check your child's Homework Log nightly and sign or initial after the work has been completed. Remind your child that completed homework and the HW log are due in class daily.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

News and Upcoming Events: 
:) A big thank you to all the volunteers who chaperoned on Friday's trip. We appreciate your time and energy, and thank you for making the long drive!

Please click on the link to view my Amazon wish list.Ms. Convey's Amazon Wish List

What's Going On This Week In Class:

Math:
This week we will be working with patterns in multiplication.

Using the CUBES* strategy to unlock word problems:

  • C - circle the numbers
  • U - underline the question
  • B - Box key words
  • E - Eliminate unnecessary information
  • S - Solve (lots of strategies to choose from)
  • * Check!

Multiplication Madness (Fact Practice) 

Reading:

Non-fiction text structures: sequence, problem and solution, cause and effect, description, and comparison. This week we will focus on description. Students will read several different non-fiction texts and will use graphic organizers to show how the author structured his/her writing.

Island of the Blue Dolphins, chapters 8-12. Students will be identifying and charting the type of conflicts found in the text.

Genre Blackout:  Students have been challenged to read books from 9 different genres in the first reporting period. We are halfway there! Ask your child about his/her progress.


Spelling & Vocabulary:



This week's words are -

  • interior
  • intersection
  • international
  • interval
  • intermediate
  • telemarket
  • telescope
  • telephoto
  • televise
  • telethon

Tip: Spend 10 minutes verbally studying the words each day. Research suggests that studying for small periods regularly is more effective than cramming. In addition to having your child spell the word aloud, ask your child to use the word in an imaginative sentence. You can pick a "theme" for the sentences, such as Halloween or the Desert…"Give me a sentence with 'collide' that has to do with Halloween." This can provide some challenge and novelty to a routine task.

Writing:
This week we begin a new writing unit. Student will be learning how to write persuasive and personal essays. This week''s lessons include writing a "flash draft", collecting ideas as an essayist, and writing to learn.

Social Studies/Science:

No social studies/ science rotation this week.


Reminders:

Tardies:
 Please make sure your child is at school and in line by the 8:06 bell. We try to start the school day at 8:11 promptly. Thank you for your help!

Homework:
Please check your child's Homework Log nightly and sign or initial after the work has been completed. Remind your child that completed homework and the HW log are due in class daily.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Classroom News for the Week of October 12th

News and Upcoming Events: 
  • 10/15 Science Quiz 
  • 10/15 Great Shake Earthquake Drill
  • 10/16/15 FIELD TRIP - We have all the chaperones we need. Thank you! Students should wear their field trip shirt (which they will get this week) and shoes appropriate for walking on gravel and dirt. Students should bring a lunch in a reusable lunch container, small snack such as a granola bar (they may only have a few minutes to eat) and a water bottle. Though there is shade, students will be outside all day so please make sure they are dressed and "sunscreened" accordingly. Thank you!
  • 10/30/15 4th Grade Day of the Dead/Halloween Celebration. Please click on the link to sign up to bring something or volunteer. Grade 4 Day of the Dead/ Halloween Celebration

Please click on the link to view my Amazon wish list.Ms. Convey's Amazon Wish List

What's Going On This Week In Class:

Math:
Perimeter and Area continued.

Using the CUBES* strategy to unlock word problems:

  • C - circle the numbers
  • U - underline the question
  • B - Box key words
  • E - Eliminate unnecessary information
  • S - Solve (lots of strategies to choose from)
  • * Check!

Multiplication Madness (Fact Practice) 

Reading:

Non-fiction text structures: sequence, problem and solution, cause and effect, description, and comparison.

This week we begin reading Island of the Blue Dolphins, chapters 1-8. Students will be using depth and complexity Icons to look at the Rules, Details, and Ethics of life in the village of Ghalas-at.

Genre Blackout:  Students have been challenged to read books from 9 different genres in the first reporting period. We are halfway there! Ask your child about his/her progress.


Spelling & Vocabulary:



This week's words are -

  • embellish
  • engulf
  • immigrate
  • influence
  • inhibit
  • multipurpose
  • multimedia
  • multimedia
  • polygon
  • polyhedron 





Tip: Spend 10 minutes verbally studying the words each day. Research suggests that studying for small periods regularly is more effective than cramming. In addition to having your child spell the word aloud, ask your child to use the word in an imaginative sentence. You can pick a "theme" for the sentences, such as Halloween or the Desert…"Give me a sentence with 'collide' that has to do with Halloween." This can provide some challenge and novelty to a routine task.

Writing:
Publishing realistic fiction.
We will also be writing "flash-draft" opinion pieces.

Social Studies/Science:

Social Studies: Geography of California & Native Californians
Science: Rocks and Minerals


Reminders:

Tardies:
 Please make sure your child is at school and in line by the 8:06 bell. We try to start the school day at 8:11 promptly. Thank you for your help!

Homework:
Please check your child's Homework Log nightly and sign or initial after the work has been completed. Remind your child that completed homework and the HW log are due in class daily.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Classroom News for the Week of 10/5

News and Upcoming Events: 
  • 10/8 Picture Day
  • 10/15 Science Quiz - Students will receive study notes this Monday. Please review a little each day.
  • 10/16/15 FIELD TRIP - We can take up to 7 chaperones (5 would be sufficient) for our field trip to Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. Currently, we have 3 chaperones confirmed. Please email me (slc5001@lausd.net) if you are able to come and supervise a small group of students. This trip involves lots of walking/standing outdoors and chaperones will need to drive themselves or carpool. 8:30 a.m. to 2:30p.m. Volunteers will be assigned on a first-come/first-serve basis.
Volunteers Needed- 
  • GARDEN - Renee Frisbie has generously offered her time as our class garden representative. She will be coordinating with me to provide your child with hands-on activities in our school garden. If you are interested in assisting, we'd love to hear from you. Please email Renee at renee.frisbie@monarchd.com
Please click on the link to view my Amazon wish list.Ms. Convey's Amazon Wish List

What's Going On This Week In Class:

Math: 
The students have been working very hard on complex math problems. I am very proud of their efforts and am impressed with their progress!

This week we begin a new unit on using formulas to solve perimeter and area problems.

Using the CUBES* strategy to unlock word problems:

  • C - circle the numbers
  • U - underline the question
  • B - Box key words
  • E - Eliminate unnecessary information
  • S - Solve (lots of strategies to choose from)
  • * Check!

Multiplication Madness (Fact Practice) 

Reading:

This week students will be reading articles from Scholastic News to determine the main idea and identify supporting details. We will also be reading closely to identify different non-fiction text structures: sequence, problem and solution, cause and effect, description, and comparison.

Genre Blackout:  Students have been challenged to read books from 9 different genres in the first reporting period. We are halfway there! Ask your child about his/her progress.


Spelling & Vocabulary:
This week's words are -

  • century
  • decade
  • decimal
  • milligram
  • million
  • triplet
  • trilogy
  • triathlon
  • quadrangle
  • quadruple
 
 
Tip: Spend 10 minutes verbally studying the words each day. Research suggests that studying for small periods regularly is more effective than cramming. In addition to having your child spell the word aloud, ask your child to use the word in an imaginative sentence. You can pick a "theme" for the sentences, such as Halloween or the Desert…"Give me a sentence with 'collide' that has to do with Halloween." This can provide some challenge and novelty to a routine task.

Writing:

This week we will be making final revisions and peer editing our realistic fiction stories.


We will also be writing "flash-draft" opinion pieces.

Social Studies/Science:

Social Studies: Geography of California & Native Californians
Science: Rocks and Minerals


Reminders:

Tardies:
 Please make sure your child is at school and in line by the 8:06 bell. We try to start the school day at 8:11 promptly. Thank you for your help!

Homework:
Please check your child's Homework Log nightly and sign or initial after the work has been completed. Remind your child that completed homework and the HW log are due in class daily.