October 29-November 2

Reminders:

• 4th grade is beginning a can food drive on October 22nd and it will run until November 2nd.  Please help support this cause by sending in can food items next week.  
• Please remember that students are not allowed to dress up on Wednesday, Oct. 31st.
• Monday, October 29th is the beginning of the 2nd 9 weeks.  Please encourage your child to try their very best and to complete all of their work.  Report cards for the 1st 9 weeks will be sent home on Tuesday, November 6th.
• Please check your child's backpack every Thursday night for documents in the Thursday folder.  I use that as a way to communicate upcoming events and grades.
• Please have your child practice multiplication facts nightly.  (There may be a surprise activity in 4th grade that requires students to know their facts!)

What we're learning...

• Math: Division
• Science:  Types of Energy/Electricity, Insulators, and Conductors
• Social Studies: Native Americans/Early explorers and missions
• Writing: Poetry
• Reading: Poetry

Homework:
Daily- Practice multiplication facts and read for at least 20 minutes every evening.
Monday - Meaning of Division/p. 92
Tuesday - Nonfiction reading passage
Wednesday - Relating Multiplication and Division/p. 93
Thursday - Revising and Editing practice

Clock Timeline

Parents,

I have taught my students a strategy for elapsed time using the clock timeline below.  I know some kids are trying to recreate this at home, but I wanted to let you see  a copy of mine so that you can make sure they are correctly recreating it. 

Our elapsed time, graphing, and temperature test is on Wednesday.  It would be a great idea to have them practice at home.

I also sent home a word problem about temperature for extra credit.  If they return this on Wednesday, they will receive extra credit on their assessment. 

Let me know if you have any questions!

Red Ribbon Week

I'd like to say a huge thank you to those who donated items to help us learn about mixtures and solutions!  The kids had a great time with it and I think that it helped them understand the difference between the two.  I feel truly blessed to be a part of such wonderful, generous families. 

Reminders:

• 4th grade is beginning a can food drive on October 22nd and it will run until November 2nd.  I am so excited about this community project and even more excited that it was one of my student's ideas!  I believe that it is crucial to make our kids aware of the needs of others and how they can be a part of the solution.  Please help support this cause by sending in can food items next week.  A flyer about this will come home on Friday, October 19th.  
• McTeacher Night is here again!  It will be held on October 23rd from 5-7pm.  I'll be there greeting and handing out condiments from 5-6pm.  This is a great way to help support Wells Branch Elementary so I hope to see you all there!
• We will have early release on October 24th.
• Please remind you child to turn in any missing assignments or corrected assignments for grade below a 70 no later than the 25th.  October 26th is the last day of the 1st nine weeks and I want grades to reflect their academic standing, but I must have all assignments turned in to do so.  
• Please check your child's backpack every Thursday night for docmuments in the Thursday folder.  I use that as a way to communicate upcoming events and grades.
• The week of October 22nd is Red Ribbon Week!  Please encourage your child to participate in the activities below:
• Monday: Wear boots or western wear - "Give drugs the boot!"
• Tuesday: Wear crazy socks - "WBE will sock it to drugs"
• Wednesday: Wear red day - "Show off your drug-free spirit by wearing as much red as possible"
• Thursday: Wear mismatched clothes - "Don't let drugs mix you up"
• Friday: Wear your WBE T-shirt - "We're on a Drug-Free Team at WBE!"

What we're learning...

• Math: Elapsed time, temperature, and graphs/First nine weeks review
• Science:  Mixtures and solutions/Types of Energy
• Social Studies: Early explorers and missions
• Writing: Personal Narrative and review for Curriculum Based Assessment
• Reading: Thinking as you read/Critical thinking skills

Homework:
Daily- Pratice multplication facts and read for at least 20 minutes every evening.
Monday - Hours and Minutes/Writing Time
Tuesday - Nonfiction reading passage
Wednesday - Happy Grandparent's Day/Elapsed Time
Thursday - Revising and Editing practice

Week of October 15th

Reminders:

• Individual pictures are scheduled for Wednesday, October 17th.  Be sure to dress nice!
• We will be learning about mixtures and solutions next week and will be using these items to illustrate the difference between the two.  Please let me know if you are able to donate any of the following items by Monday morning.  The items needed are: pretzels, Cheerios, M&Ms, goldfish, and a canister of lemonade powder.
• We will have early release on October 24th.
• Please remind you child to turn in any missing assignments or corrected assignments for grade below a 70 no later than the 25th.  October 26th is the last day of the 1st nine weeks and I want grades to reflect their academic standing, but I mist have all assignments turned in to do so.  I will be sending home a list of missing assignements with students today.
• Please check your child's backpack every Thursday night for docmuments in the Thursday folder.  I use that as a way to communicate upcoming events and grades.

What we're learning...

• Math: Elapsed time, temperature, and graphs
• Science:  Mixtures and solutions
• Social Studies: Early explorers and missions
• Writing: Expository writing
• Reading: Procedural Text

Homework:
Daily- Pratice multplication facts and read for at least 20 minutes every evening.
Monday - Hours and Minutes/Writing Time
Tuesday - Nonfiction reading passage
Wednesday - Happy Grandparent's Day/Elapsed Time
Thursday - Revising and Editing practice

Conference Week

We were fortunate enough to have an exciting assembly today that taught us about the importance of being strong enough to stand up for ourselves and our friends to help put an end to bullying.  Here's how Mrs. Drain, Mrs. Hayden, and I got in on the fun!!! 

Reminders:

• Fall Conferences will be held on Monday, October 8th. If you don't remember your conference time, please email me.  Also, the schedule is very tight so please do your best to be here on time. 
• The PTA meeting and Health Fair will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6:30 pm.  It looks like it's going to be a great opportunity to connect with the community and learn about healthy living!

What we're learning...

• Math - table relationships
• Science - changes from heat (matter)
• Social Studies - early Texas Indians
• Reading - text structures with expository text, cultural expository text 
• Writing - revising and final draft of expository

Homework:

Daily - Practice multiplication facts. Read for at least 20 minutes.
Monday - No homework
Tuesday - nonfiction reading passage
Wednesday - Alegebraic Resoning Step 2 B & C/ Math Machines
Thursday - revising/editing practice

Holiday Scholastic Book Order

Parents,

I know that we have just gotten into October, but I am sending home a Holdiay Scholastic Book order home in tomorrow's Thursday folder.  I know it seems a little premature, but many of you will soon begin holiday shopping and I want you to be able to use this for gifts if you'd like.  If you purchase something and intend on it being a holdiay gift for your child, please email me with the items you'd like me to hold back and we can come up with a way to get that purchase to you without any little eyes seeing.  The easiest way is to order online (there is a link to the left of this blog) but feel free to order the old fashioned way if that is better for you.  I can't say enough how much I am enjoying my students and the great conversations we are having in class!  Thank you for your continued support! 

Welcome to October!

This week we had our Multiplication Bee and I am very happy with how hard the kids worked to learn their facts. I encourage EVERYONE to continue practicing their facts because it will make 4th grade much easier if you know your multiplication. We will be having another Multiplication Bee in April...so keep practicing!
Reminders:

• Fall Conferences will be held on Monday, October 8th. Please keep an eye out for the reminder form so you know your time. If you have not yet signed up, please do so by Monday, October 1st. The schedule is very tight so please do your best to be here on time. 

What we're learning...

• Math - table relationships
• Science - changes from heat (matter)
• Social Studies - early Texas Indians
• Reading - cause/effect in nonfiction 
• Writing - expository

Homework:
Daily - Practice multiplication facts. Read for at least 20 minutes.
Monday - Music Sales/CDs and DVDs
Tuesday - nonfiction reading passage
Wednesday - Table Relationships HW
Thursday - revising/editing practice