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!