Newsletter-Reading Log due Tuesday, Decorated Writer's Notebooks due Tuesday

Hello,

Our first week of fourth grade was wonderful! The children adjusted easily to having two teachers and are following expectations, learning a lot and having fun!

We are very excited to welcome Nichole Allison, our student teacher this fall, to our classroom! Ms. Allison is working toward her Masters Degree in Education at Concordia University. We are happy to have her here and are enjoying learning from each other.

Reading Log-On the reading log, there is a spot to record reading for Friday, August 29. This reading can be done today, or sometime over the weekend. Reading logs will be collected on Mondays (Tuesday this week) and will be used for a homework grade. Reading summary and responses are due on Wednesdays and Fridays. New reading logs will be handed out on the first day of the new week.

In reading this week, we made reading goals, discussed just-right books, and shared great reading experiences and not so great reading experiences. Our goal is to have lots of wonderful reading experiences this year. We also read our choice novels and recorded the reading on our school reading logs. We practiced writing summaries and responses using One Green Apple and began a read aloud called How to Steal a Dog. The children wrote very thoughtful responses to the first chapter of our read aloud. We will use the read aloud to model fluency and to discuss reading strategies and elements using a shared experience.

In Writing, we are gathering writing ideas and learning about nouns. We wrote a personal narrative about summer and will be writing more entries for personal narratives to choose one to revise, edit, and publish. The assignment this weekend is to decorate their writer’s notebook. They may cover it with paper or not, they need to use at least 3 photos, stickers, or drawings that represent them. They may decorate the front and/or the back. Their names should be on the cover. These decorations will help them have more story ideas for writing and will help us get to know each other. It will be great to see their creations!

In Social Studies, we are learning about maps and Texas. We are using our textbooks to research some map vocabulary and are creating vocabulary posters with a partner. Next week we will do a little research on Texas landmarks and will make posters to teach others about these landmarks.

I hope to see all of you on Thursday, September 4 for our Back to School Night at 6:00. We will be in our classrooms from 6:00-6:30 then will go to the cafeteria at 6:45.

Have a wonderful long weekend! Be safe and enjoy!

Welcome to 4th Grade!

Welcome!

Happy Summer! August, 2014

I hope you are having a wonderful summer filled with fun experiences. Be sure to look for learning opportunities in all that you do.

Be observant, ask questions, be curious, research, solve problems....live your life aware of your surroundings!

Keep a journal about interesting and/or everyday things that you observe. Write about your activities and things that you realize or discover this summer. Write letters or postcards to friends and family. Create poems about your vacation and events of the break.

Read, read, read. Read novels, nonfiction books, poems, magazines, newspapers, comic books, website articles, plays, etc.... Lose yourself in books and read everyday. Research shows that kids need to read a bit everyday just to maintain their reading level. Challenge yourself and read A LOT to increase your reading level and your enjoyment of reading.

Play math games on the computer (Think Through Math, First in Math, Cyberchase, etc...) Practice facts, count money, measure, play strategy games like Mastermind and Rummikub, etc... Keep your math mind active and have fun!

Explore outside, go for hikes, go to museums, look at bugs, and conduct your own experiments. Make mudpies, plant a garden, make your own bubbles, paint outside with water and watch it evaporate. Interact with nature and be curious.

Help others this summer. Assist your parents or siblings. Collect food for the Round Rock Serving Center. Keep a water bottle in your car to give to someone without a home that you see at an intersection. Pick up trash and recycle. Find ways to volunteer in our community. Smile at people and be a good friend.

The 2014-2015 school year will be amazing! I know that you are all excited about fourth grade, but be sure to enjoy the rest of your summer as well. I can't wait to meet my new students and I look forward to the wonderful things we will learn together this year.

Sincerely,
Pam Bartholomew