News and Upcoming Events:
Monday 9/11: Please make sure your child return's his/her (empty) Friday Folder.
URGENT - Help needed for JPL field trip: If you are able to be in front of a computer Monday (9/11) morning, tour dates for JPL trips in February become available at exactly 9 a.m. Over the past two years these have booked up by 9:04. We could really use parent help to secure a field trip date.
This is the link: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/tours/views/
Student Council: Student council elections will be held this week. Interested students will have a brief assignment to complete Monday evening.
Field Trip Donation: If you have not done so already, please turn in your donation of $48 as soon as possible. The $48 covers costs for buses, entrance fees, and a field trip t-shirt for your child. Checks may be made payable to Mt. Washington Elementary. In the subject line write "Field trip Donation Grade 4". Thank you!
Other Donations: If you would like to make a donation to our class (this allows me to turn in receipts for purchases I have made for the students), you can write a check to "Mt. Washington El." In the subject line write, "Donation to Room 12". Any amount is appreciated! Thank you!
Birthday Celebrations: If you would like to send treats to celebrate your child's birthday, please email me a day or 2 in advance so that I can make time in our schedule for it. Treats must be something small and easy to pass out. Donuts, cookies, muffins, and mini cupcakes all work great. We currently have 30 students in our class. Your child will distribute them at the end of the day as their classmates are leaving the room.
URGENT - Help needed for JPL field trip: If you are able to be in front of a computer Monday (9/11) morning, tour dates for JPL trips in February become available at exactly 9 a.m. Over the past two years these have booked up by 9:04. We could really use parent help to secure a field trip date.
This is the link: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/tours/views/
- Select "educational group tour" and "65" for number of visitors and wait for the tour dates to go live.
- Wed., Thurs., or Friday 9:30 tour times are optimal, but we will take anything and make it work! (2/19 is a holiday). You may use my email address (slc5001@lausd.net) or your own. You will be asked for the school name, address, phone number, and number of buses (1). Don't worry about the details just fill in the form as fast as you can. Once we get a confirmed date, we will be able to edit and correct the information if needed.
- Please let me know if you were successful by sending me the confirmation number. If by chance we get multiple dates, I will cancel the extra tour. Thank you and good luck!
Student Council: Student council elections will be held this week. Interested students will have a brief assignment to complete Monday evening.
Field Trip Donation: If you have not done so already, please turn in your donation of $48 as soon as possible. The $48 covers costs for buses, entrance fees, and a field trip t-shirt for your child. Checks may be made payable to Mt. Washington Elementary. In the subject line write "Field trip Donation Grade 4". Thank you!
Other Donations: If you would like to make a donation to our class (this allows me to turn in receipts for purchases I have made for the students), you can write a check to "Mt. Washington El." In the subject line write, "Donation to Room 12". Any amount is appreciated! Thank you!
Birthday Celebrations: If you would like to send treats to celebrate your child's birthday, please email me a day or 2 in advance so that I can make time in our schedule for it. Treats must be something small and easy to pass out. Donuts, cookies, muffins, and mini cupcakes all work great. We currently have 30 students in our class. Your child will distribute them at the end of the day as their classmates are leaving the room.
What's Going On This Week In Class:
Math:
Addition and subtraction with regrouping; Modeling problems with tape diagrams; Using the CUBES* strategy to unpack 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!
Fluency with Math Facts
Reading:
Chapters 10-14 of Katherine Peterson's Newbery-award winning book, Bridge to Terabithia (realistic fiction). Our focus will be on drawing conclusions and making inferences about characters based on their thoughts and actions and identifying plot conflicts.
In pull -out, differentiated groups we will be reading selections from the Benchmark series. Comprehension goals and strategies will vary with each group.
Genre Blackout: Students are challenged to read books from 9 different genres in the first reporting period. Ask your child about his or her progress.
Accelerated Reader: Last Friday, students reflected on their AR points and habits from grade 3 and have made a new, individualized goals. Ask your child about his/her yearlong goal.
In pull -out, differentiated groups we will be reading selections from the Benchmark series. Comprehension goals and strategies will vary with each group.
Genre Blackout: Students are challenged to read books from 9 different genres in the first reporting period. Ask your child about his or her progress.
Accelerated Reader: Last Friday, students reflected on their AR points and habits from grade 3 and have made a new, individualized goals. Ask your child about his/her yearlong goal.
Writing:
This week we continue our first unit of Writer's Workshop: The Arc of A Story. This unit focuses on the skills and concepts young writers needed to craft realistic fiction stories. Lessons this week focus on character development: Imaging Characters and stories we wish existed, Developing believable characters; Giving our characters truggles and motivations.
Spelling & Vocabulary:
This week's prefixes are super, supr, sur (above, over, more) and pre (before).
- superhuman
- superabundant
- superb
- supervise
- surplus
- prehistoric
- predict
- prejudge
- precaution
- premier
Students should study both the meanings and spellings of these words. They will bring a study guide home on Monday. We will also complete activities and a pre-test in class to help them prepare for the quiz. The quiz will be Friday.
P.E.:
P.E. collaborative project: the Never-Before-Seen (NBS) Dance
Social Studies/ Science:
World Geography; Rock Formation and Layers
Arts:
P.E. collaborative project: the Never-Before-Seen (NBS) Dance
Social Studies/ Science:
World Geography; Rock Formation and Layers
Arts:
Drama with Ms. Beret on Wednesday- Performing Pantomime Plays. Giving and receiving critical feedback.
Visual Arts- Students will be introduced to the Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS). This is a way to look, think, and critically discuss media.
Visual Arts- Students will be introduced to the Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS). This is a way to look, think, and critically discuss media.
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.
