Great American Math Challenge

This just in....I have just come across Mr. Nussbaum's Great American Math Challenge.  Many kids in 201 report that they need some support when it comes to multiplication facts.  This is a skill that each student can and should master. Middle and High School teachers agree: speed is key.  Knowing the "facts-like-that"  provides an important mathematical base.  Don't wait any longer to start building!

Let's do this 201!

http://mrnussbaum.com/gamc/
Click on the link to begin the G.A.M.C..

Wacky Wednesday

Hello Team 201 Families!

 Students will be coming home with the Week 2 Reading Test tomorrow. I am still working on the Math tests. You will have them by the  end of the week.

Today we....

• spent some time getting ready for tomorrow's Continents Quiz
• practiced a Code Red drill.  201 did a fantastic job!
• worked on building models and equations to represent multiplication.
• worked on our individual reading goals in Espark.
• watched a quick Bill Nye video amount  about measurement tools. *Teachers need to edit their work too!
• went to the Science Lab and practiced using those tools.

This evening at home....

• complete Math 2.1 Homework and Practice
• complete the Reading Pages: Vocabulary and Fun Facts using My Library Is A Camel
• study for tomorrow's SS quiz.
• read and record.
• write your name on your new Gold Card and pledge to be 100% prepared this month.
• If you have time for ST Math, go for it. Kids, you know my goal! I want 201 to be #1 in the entire school.  We can do this!

Tomorrow we will....

• take our SS Quiz
• practice a Code Yellow Drill
• discuss Cause and Effect and discuss MLIAC
• write dialogues. We will create characters and write some conversation!
• work on more multiplication models and explore patterns in multiplication

Tuesday Thoughts

Today's post will be quick.....


This evening at home...

• select ONE of this week's vocabulary words and complete the Interview.  You MUST use complete sentences.  Try to make your writing colorful and interesting.
• complete pages 61 and 62 in Go Math Chapter 2.  Cut out the vocabulary cards and use them to help you.  Keep these clipped in a safe place!
• Study for Thursday's SS test.  Study guides went home yesterday. The test will be an exact replica of the study guide. So...study!
• complete pages 31,32, and 33 in the Readers Notebook

We are taking the MAPS Science test on Friday.  You can't study, so just come in rested and ready to try your best.

Mobile Library Monday

Today's title is related to the topic of this week's Journeys selection: My Librarian is a Camel.  We read this informational text today.  This evening, students will use the text to complete an activity in the Readers Notebook.  Kids, use your books!


This evening at home....

• Study for tomorrow's Go Math test.  All kids should have all of the correct answers and explanations on the Review/Practice test.  A great way to study is to complete the same problems subbing in different numbers.   Pay close attention to key words such as under, combined, how much more, the difference, in total.
• Reread selection of M.L.I.A.C. to help you complete pages 25-28 in the Readers Notebook
• Begin looking over this week's spelling and vocabulary words. If you want extra practice activities, look on the Journeys tab on the blog.  Select "Spelling Choice Board." You can also do these activities using the vocabulary words. I am NOT collecting Spelling/Vocab Tic Tac Toe. This is optional extra practice.
• Study for the Social Studies quiz that will take place on Thursday.   A study guide was sent home today.  Students have crossed out the terms city,and state.   On the test, students will be asked to label the map to show the location of  each term.  They will draw in the Equator and Prime Meridian. The rest of the terms can be shown with arrows, labels and lines.

Enjoy this video by Bill Nye. This week in the lab, we will use some of these "6 Tools of Science." Next week, we will move on to Unit 7 in Science Fusion and the study of Matter.

Full of Math Friday

Thanks for your help with today's title today, Jordan!

Today we....

• worked on our Continental Research
• went to Gym
• read Ivan
• took our Reading/LA test
• worked on the Chapter 1 Review
• spent some time with JiJi

This weekend at home....

• Please finish the entire Chapter 1 Review. Show all work!  Be ready to ask questions on Monday. We will test on Tuesday!
• Read at home for in an hour or more!
• All Continent Research Projects are due next Thursday, October 1.  Most kids are almost finished!  We will not be spending any more class time on this project. Make sure that......1. All sections are complete 2. Spelling is correct 3. Pictures are colored and contain informative captions. 4. Work is neat! 5. Landmarks include precise locations.
• We will have a S.S. Quiz next Thursday. Kids are expected to know the locations of the Continents and Oceans.

Thinking About Graphs Thursday

Today we worked on graphing data. Ask your kids about the x axis, the y axis, and about some of the decisions they need to make before creating a bar graph.  Kids can explore this cool site at home. It is chock full of information and offers lots of opportunity for learning.

Create A Graph


This evening at home...

• continue to read Ivan!
• complete the Go Math homework and practice for lesson 1.8.  Also complete or check your work on the problems we circled in class today.
• complete the following pages in the Journeys Reading Notebook: 18,21,22 and 23. Read the directions carefully on page 23. You will get it!
• study for the Reading/LA test tomorrow.

***We will be reviewing Chapter 1 in Math tomorrow and will be ready to test on Monday!  All students will come home with a corrected Chapter Review tomorrow that they can use as a study guide.

Wiz Kid Wednesday

Thank you Maxwell!  Maxwell's Marvelous  List of Appropriate Alliterations inspired today's title. Keep them coming 201!



Today we....

• opened with a bit of Math and a bit of Reading.
• moved on to our Continent research.   
• took the MAPS Math test
• went outside to practice our Bus Evacuation Drill.
• estimated and subtracted.
• did some Algebra.  We worked backwards to find the solutions.
• visited the Science Lab.  We did some graphing and made some "beautiful mistakes." Tomorrow we will fix them.

This evening at home....

• complete the second page, front and back, of the IVAN packet.  These pages are entitled " Glossary" and  "The One and Only Ivan Assignment #1."
• complete the Homework and Practice in Go Math lesson 1.8
• Read and Record: If you are behind in IVAN, make this your priority.  You need to reach page 99 A.S.A. P..   If you are on target in IVAN, read a book of your choice.

Total Blank Tuesday

Hey 201ers!

I need some help. Total Blank Tuesday just doesn't have to be. With 31 great minds at work, we should have a meaningful title for each day of the school year.  Here is how you can help: Make a list of alliterations can can work for each day of the week. Time Travel Tuesday, Tornado Tuesday?  Please help. I will keep the lists in a file near my desk.


This evening at home...

• show your parents/guardians your Gold Card. 
• show your parents/guardians your Math Quiz and the Winn Dixie test. Get it signed and return it to me.
• complete the "Similes and Metaphors" page in the Ivan packet. Now, look on the back. Do this page too.
• make sure you are  approaching page 100 in Ivan.
• complete Go Math Homework and Practice for Lesson 1.6. If classwork problems are circled, please complete them.

Please finish today's Math classwork!

Please do last night's homework. You know who you are. Parents, check the Gold Card to see your child's standing.

Math Quiz Monday

Hello Team 201 Families,

What a beautiful day!  Happy Monday! Those sentences are exclamatory.  That last one was declarative, as is this one.  I wonder when I will get to interrogative? Oh, I just did!  Do all of your homework tonight 201.  That one was imperative.  Tomorrow is Bucket Ticket Day.


This evening at home.....

• In the Ivan packet, complete the front and back of the  " Let's Get Acquainted" page.  Get specific.
• Math Homework Lesson 1.5
• Book Fair tomorrow!
• Read and record, please.

Book Fair Alert

Happy Sunday Team 201,

I hope that you all are enjoying this beautiful day!   We are scheduled to go to the Book Fair tomorrow.  I am trying to change this to a later day, but I am warning you just in case. I also posted this on Edmodo Friday, so some of you may have already gotten the message.

See you bright and early!

First Test Friday

Hi Team 201 Families!

We had our first Reading/ Language Arts test today.  They are scored, and I will get them entered and sent home A.S.A.P..  If your child did poorly on one of the sections, you may get a Parent Portal Alert.  Please remember that this is the first of many scores that will be entered.  Because there are so few grade entered, this one will really bring the average up or down.   Don't fret! We will look for trends and will be able to focus on areas that need the most help. The weekly test are entered by category: Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar and Decoding.   Seeing the scores in isolation will help us pinpoint targets and successes!


This weekend at home.....

• Please look over the  Go Math "Mid Chapter Checkpoint" together.  We corrected this homework together today and I looked over each one. 
• We will take a Quiz on the " Mid Chapter Checkpoint" concepts on Monday morning.
• Make sure that you have read to page 50 in Ivan.
• Read and record 1 or more times!

Help! We need Band Aids!

Back to School Basics: Welcome to Open House

Good Evening Team 201 Families,

Thanks for coming back to school this evening.  I hope that you will enjoy looking around our space. Do you have questions? I hope that I will be able to answer most of them this evening. Here are some possible topics to get us started:

• How can I use this blog?
• What is the Homework Policy?
• What are Homework expectations?
• What is the Gold Card?
• Where can I find the weekly Spelling and Vocabulary words?
• Tell us more about Edmodo assignments.
• Where can I find online resources?
• What about the snack?
• What is the best way to contact the teacher?

That's How You Round Thursday

Today we worked on Rounding. Students corrected last night's homework and learned from their errors. That's how we do it here in 201.  Another thing we do in 201 is use strategies to solve problems. If you don't get it, get active. Underline, write something down, do something! Chances are that you will be able to solve the problem if you start the problem. No blank spaces on homework, people!  You can do it!


This evening at home.....

• study for your Reading/spelling and vocab. test.
• Complete the "Plot/Summary" page.
• complete the Mid Chapter Checkpoint in Go Math
• read a book of your choice and record on your log.
• come to Open House! I will also be attending my daughter's Open House, so I will need to leave Disney at 6:45.   I hope that you will come to 201 first. 

World Map Wednesday

Hello 201 Families!

Today we....

• Used Edmodo links to begin our World Regions study.  We also learned a bit more about navigating on Edmodo.
• Switched the order of Math and Reading so that we could work on Math while we were fresh. We talked about why we use Estimation and how we round so that we can make life easier.
• Met in small groups to talk and do Math.
• Launched Esparks. We will be working on our individualized quests by next week.
• Read!  We discussed and compared the two selection in Journeys.
• Talked about Subjects and Predicates.
• Went to the Science Lab.
• Went to Library.

This evening at home....

• Don't forget that Owls are due on Friday
• Please use Because of Winn Dixie and Bookends to complete Side B of the Response to Reading Sheet.
• Complete the Homework for lesson 1.4 in Go Math. If the Lesson Pages are circled,  your child should also complete these pages.

Totally Connected Tuesday

Greeting 201 Families!

Today we...

• got to know our new ipads!
• connected on Edmodo. Our class network, EspritdeCorpsinFourTeam201 is up and running. We will complete our first learning assignment linked on Edmodo tomorrow.
• discussed the Edmodo Code of Conduct. Digital Citizenship is a 21st Century must.
• corrected our Math homework and worked on the problems in Lesson 1.3. We are comparing numbers.
• finished up our "Adjective Art." Thanks for the great idea Mrs. Varner!
• Used Science Fusion to discuss the Scientific Method.

This evening at home...

• complete the Homework and Practice for Lesson 2.3.  Select kids have been asked to complete today's classwork. Check your child's book and make sure the following problems are done: 15,16,17,18, 22
• read the Edmodo Code of Conduct. Please discuss, sign and return.
• use Winn Dixie to complete side  A of the double sided Thinking It Through Reading Response  sheet.

Team 201 Tips...

• Unfinished Math class work is not always homework. I will let you know!
• It is very warm in the Pod.  A water bottle is a good idea.
• Tomorrow we launch Esparks! 
• Thursday is Open House. I will be zipping out to attend my daughter's High School Open House at 6:45. Come to me first, if you can!  I can't wait to meet you all!

Making Progress Monday

201 is making awesome progress when is comes to learning classroom routines and structure. Thank you parents, for helping your child come to school ready to learn each day.  Our Gold Card signature rate is excellent!  Keep it up!


Today we......

• completed our morning Math and Language warm up
• read our first story in Journeys: Because of Winn Dixie
• introduced the week's spelling and vocabulary words
• went to Dance with Ms. Smith
• discussed and practiced working with Expanded Notation ( thanks Ian O.), Word Form, and Standard Form
• revisited the adjectives that evoke the mood, tone and feeling expressed in The One and Only Ivan,  focusing on similarities and differences

This evening at home....

• Reread Because of Winn Dixie in Journeys
• Complete the "Analyze Text" questions that are found throughout the text. These questions appear in a small box and are labeled "Analyze Text." Answer in complete sentences and use evidence from the text to support your ideas.
• Complete the Math homework for lesson 1.2. You do not need to finish the unfinished classwork tonight.
• Owls are due on Friday!
• We will have a Spelling/Grammar and Reading test on Friday. The study sheet can be found on the tab on this blog: Weekly Study Guides. Kids were also given hard copies.
• Please put September 17 on your calendar. Open House is at 6:00 p.m..  

First Week of Fourth Friday

We made it!  Congratulations Team 201!  It was a great week. Parents, I will post more later.  Here is the short list.


This weekend at home....

• Complete any morning work that may be unfinished. Parents, this is the sheet that reads "Day 1- Day 4" Many kids have already turned this in.
• Read and Record on your log. I am looking for a minimum of one reading session. Get a signature.
• Don't forget that the Owl is due next Friday.
• Come to school ready to work hard on Monday.
• Have a relaxing weekend. You deserve it!

Toothpaste Thursday

Today's title refers to our work in the Science Lab. We put the Scientific Method to the test.  Ask your child about the variables in today's experiment. There were too many of them!  It was another busy day in 201.

Today we....

• did a Language and Math warm up.
• discussed our first at home project: Whoooo Are You.  It is due on Friday, 9/18. All of the materials are in your child's green folder.
• cut out our "buckets" and posted them
• read The One and Only Ivan and had a short discussion
• went to Art with Mrs. Varner
• began Chapter 1 in Go Math. 
• went to the Science Lab
• are currently transitioning from lunch to recess
• will continue to work on lesson 1.1 in Go Math after lunch

This evening at home...

• Complete your daily reading in The One And Only Ivan. Read for 25 minutes or longer and record on your log. Get a signature.
• Complete the "Looks on a Book" page based on T.O.A.O.I. ( Get it?  That's an acronym! )
• Complete the Go Math  homework and practice pages for lesson 1.1. Students were asked to circle these pages in their book.
• Finish up the questions on today's Lab sheet. I will collect it tomorrow.
• Pick up your shoes and put them away. Don't leave them scattered in the house!  Do this before anyone asks you to do so.  

Wacky Wednesday

Thanks to Andrea for helping me create today's title. Today was a bit wacky.  We had some delays in taking the MAPS test, which threw us off schedule just a tad.  Later, I was sooo hungry that I apparently tried to time travel, walking us to lunch a full hour early!  We will end our day with Library, and we will definitely be in the Science Lab tomorrow.

Help!
Are you able to help in 201 tomorrow morning? I have several classroom and Pod jobs that need attention. Send me an email if you are able to spend some time here tomorrow. Thank you!

Today we....

• Began our morning routine. We did a little math, and we did a little reading. We learned how to organize our work space and homework so that we can start the day on the right foot!
• Took the MAPS test. This took up most of the morning.
• Created "Name Glyphs," using a code to communicate "us stuff."
• Read the first few pages of Jack Adrift: Fourth Grade Without a Clue, which is our first read aloud of the year.

This evening at home....

• Check your child's Gold Card. It may have a little note from me about a missing homework assignment! If this is the case, please sign to indicate that we are on the same page.
• Make sure that you have checked the book bag for important forms: CPS Code of Conduct, Lunch, Emergency, Media, Opt Out Communication
• Students, read the Teammate Top 10 List with care.
• Use the Graphic Organizer to show/write about one example for each tip. There are 10 Tips and there are 10 spaces.
• Complete the Bucket page for your table and teacher. Try to be specific!  
• Don't forget to bring a book to school each day.

Tomorrow we will.....

• Go to the Science Lab
• Get our new Math books: Place Value, here we come!
• Go to Art.
• Read and discuss!

Team 201 Tuesday

Welcome to Team 201!

 I am so happy to welcome a fresh batch of children and families to 4th grade. It was a busy day, filled with administrative work. I am working on learning names, getting kids to the correct spots after school, and establishing routines. Your child is coming home with notes and forms galore today!
Please take some time to read the green welcome letter. It contains lots of important information about rules, homework, and communication. I apologize, parents, that most of tonight's homework is yours. I know how long it takes to complete lunch, emergency, discipline and other forms. Thank you in advance for getting forms returned to me as soon as possible!



 This evening at home.....

• Read the green note and get familiar with the GOLD CARD. It comes home and is returned to school with signatures each day.
• Kindly complete my parent survey.
• Find the CPS Envelope and other Disney forms. Again, return them as soon as possible.
• Students: Read a book of your choice for 25 minutes or longer.  Record your pages on the Reading Log and get a signature.
• Students: Write one paragraph about what your read tonight.  Here are some questions that may help you get started. What was your favorite part? What do you think about the main character's actions? Do you have an opinion about what you read? Back it up with evidence.   Please make sure that your paper has a heading that includes your name, the date,  and the title of the book and author.
• Students: show your parent your writing and ask them to sign the gold card on today's date.

Important News

• Team 201 will take the Reading MAPS test tomorrow morning. This data will help me get a sense of where your child is right now and will help me individualize instruction.
• Today was not your average day! Don't worry, our regular academic routines will be in place by the end of the week.
• Lunch is served at 12:30
• Open House is September 24

Facilities

Monday: Dance

Tuesday: Music

Wednesday: Library

Thursday: Art

Friday: Gym

Please feel free to send me an email or to contact me with concerns or for a friendly hello. I look forward to meeting you all. I have a fantastic group of kids in front of me. I can already tell. Thanks for sending them my way.