What's Happening in Room 30.............

Important Announcements:

• Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!  It is not easy getting back into a routine after a couple of weeks of play and relaxation. Our day tomorrow will ease us back into school.  I know how tough it is waking up to the alarm tomorrow, and I also know how tough it is getting those kids out of bed and return to a school routine.  Our day tomorrow will consist of sharing about our break, thinking about a New Year's Resolution and easing our way into our new units.  I am looking forward to a wonderful 2nd half of 4th grade!

• THANK YOU, Mrs. Aikens, for the awesome holiday party!  The students had a great time with all the fun activities you had planned.  We had a lot of help at the party! Thank you, parents, for helping and sending in the treats and items to help make the party successful!

• Please let me know if you child is struggling with any new concepts while he/she is completing his/her homework at home.  An e-mail or phone call to make me aware is always beneficial to your child, and I can make sure to give your child extra support in the classroom. It is not always evident in the classroom, especially when we have a family of 19 students. My goal is to help the students learn how to advocate for themselves.  This can be difficult for some, but I encourage them to let me know when they are struggling. We have also talked about different ways to ask for help. I have students who send me a quick e-mail letting me know when they are confused on a specific problem in math and need help in the morning to work it out. I try to respond to the emails before bedtime to relieve any stress or pressure and allow them to have a good night sleep.  I am here to work with you to help your child be successful and a confident learner.

Word of the Week: Resolution  - The students will come up with a resolution for the remaining of the school year.

Dates to Remember: 
Monday:  Chess Club
                   Open Gym for Dads with Coach DC 6:30 - 7:45
Tuesday:  Variety Show Practice 3:30 - 5:00
                   Environmental Club
Wednesday: 4th Grade Girl Scouts                

Thursday:   Variety Show Practice 3:30 - 5:00
              

What's Happening in Our Room.... 

Reading Workshop:

• We will begin our non-fiction unit this week.  The students will learn how to read non-fiction books and learn how to pick non-fiction books that are at their interest level and are high quality reading. 

Writer's Workshop:

• The students will reflect on their growth as an essayist.  They will compare their 1st essay with their final essay to see how they have grown as a writer.
• The students will also focus on informal and formal writing.  They will learn the difference between each and learn when each is appropriate to use.

Math:

• We will begin chapter 7 on patterns.  This is a fun unit and will be a great way to get back into the swing of things this week! 
•  The students will continue to practice and review multiplication and long division so their new skills won't go "rusty" on us.

Social Studies:

• We have a guest speaker this week, Mrs. Jardon.  Mrs. Jardon is a retired Lindbergh teacher who loves to come back into the classroom to share her excitement and knowledge about Lewis and Clark.  She will be presenting this week everyday during Social Studies.