Weekend Update

Hi Team 201 Families,

There are a few things that I need to tell you! Check back later in the weekend, as I will most likely edit and add to this post!

• 201 will take the Science MAPS test Monday morning.
• ST Math at home should be up and running.  Kids, try to log on!
• Think Central should work. I set up my class last night. Kids should try to log on to make sure they have access to the 4th grade materials.
• We will begin Chapter 2 in Math on Monday.
• Progress Reports go home next Friday.

Fabled Fourth Graders Finale Friday

Today we....

Took down the house in the CAC! Bravo Team 201!  Parents, please continue to send me photos!
I will write more later when I have more time.

Due next week by Friday......

• complete the Fables diorama. Each section should depict a fable of your choice. You may use fables from the show or others. Make sure that each section depicts the events, characters, and setting of each.  Use a variety of materials. Plain old paper works too!
• read and record!

Tell Me A Tale Thursday

Today we....

• are working on our fables dioramas.
• rehearsed
• rehearsed
• rehearsed
• went to gym
• Cranes, some of you brought in a white shirt. Thank you. Others,need to wear one.
• All kids are wearing black on the bottom.
• Peacocks and tigers should wear black on top too.
• It is very hot under the lights! Short sleeves will be more comfortable for the kids.

Parents, I can't wait to see you all tomorrow. Doors open at 8:45. After the show, we will clean up to get ready for the pizza party. Before lunch and recess, we will pack up and move back up to the pod. Once upstairs, we will work on our Fable books. Each child should have a strong finished product. I can't wait to read them.

This evening at home...

*rest up!

*read!

*don't forget that the pizza will be a snack. Kids should bring a regular lunch. We will go to lunch as usual.

Winged Wednesday

Thanks to a team of parents, our wings are ready! I hope to see you all in the CAC on Friday morning. Flyers went home today.

This evening at home...

• practice the lines to our skit and the songs!
• read!
• scroll back to previous posts for notes about costumes and pizza!
• please bring in pizza money!

Perhaps some of you are on your way to Open House now.  I am looking forward to greeting you!

Time To Shine Tuesday

Hi Parents,

I am adding a few CAC notes to today's post.

• Cranes: Thanks to generous donations, we have about 6 plain white t-shirts.  This means we need 5 more! If you child is a crane who owns a plain white t-shirt, please bring it in as soon as possible.  We will keep it safe!
• Don't forget, kids should wear their "base layer" to school on Friday. This means black pants and t-shirts for tigers. Peacocks, you should also wear black. Leggings or pants are fine.
• Pizza money: please bring in $5.00 for pizza. 
• Thanks to all of the parents who are working on costumes. I couldn't do it without you. Really! We could use some more help, and any parent is welcome to come on in tomorrow morning!

Today we.....

• worked out the choreography for our dance and figured out how to incorporate instruments into our story telling.
• practiced our poem
• sang!
• began phase one of a mixed media lion portrait
• worked on staging and blocking with the entire pod.
• read

It may sound like songs and games, but your kids worked  today. Show business is hard work!

This evening at home...

• practice your lines.  Give me personality!
• practice the song
• practice again
• Parents, please indicate that your child practiced. A quick note on the Gold Card is sufficient. 

I hope to see you all in the Pod tomorrow night! I will be there to greet 201 families from 6 p.m.-7p.m..

Manic Monday

Many thanks to all of the pod 200 parents who are volunteering today!



This evening at home...

• you do not have any math homework.
• read and log it!
• write a one to two paragraph reflection about what you have read. I want to hear your thoughts, not a summary.
• show the "pizza note" to your parents. The money for our Pizza Party is due on Friday. Parents, if you need more time, please reach out to me!

Flood Friday

Yes, we had a bit of an issue with the sink today.  All students and their property are dry and safe!

Today we.....

• corrected the Chapter Review. We are ready for Monday's test.
• worked on our oil pastel peacocks. 
• introduced a new project: A Book of Fables
• worked on our staging and rehearsed 
• send thanks to parent volunteers! We can't do it without you! 

This weekend at home...

• Read! Log it!
• Memorize your lines.  Remember, you are a storyteller. Give us some expression and draw us in to your tale!

CAC Needs:

• Parents, we need you! Come on in to help us get costumes ready.
• We need white Hanes T shirts for our cranes. Please let me know if you can donate a package of 5. I think we will need an assortment of sizes small and medium. If you child is a crane, you are welcome to provide a t shirt. Please label it and bring it to school.
• Paper grocery bags: I know that these are precious, but we need one per child to store costumes and props for the big day.
• White or grey bed sheets. No patterns, please. If anyone has time to thrift and wash them, that would be great!

Costumes

Cranes: white t shirt, black pants or leggings

Peacock: black base ( leggings, skirt, plain black t shirt)

Tigers: black base ( see above)

On the day of the performance, students will arrive at school wearing their "base" layer. This will enable us to slip on costumes and accessories over the base layer.

Thursday Themes

Hey Team201 Familes!
\
I hope that you are all reserving Friday, September 29th. We can't wait to share our work with you. The show begins at 9:00. Doors open at 8:45.

This evening at home...

• Complete the Fables Graphic organizer. You may pick the fables. Each child has a packet of fables in the green folder.
• complete the odd problems in the Chapter 1 Review. We will correct tomorrow. The Chapter 1 test will be on Monday.

Parents, come on down! We would love to see you in the CAC! 

What's the Moral Wednesday

This evening at home...

• Read the The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg and answer the questions. This is a handout! Write your answers directly on the page.
• Complete the Homework and Practice for Go Math lesson 1.8. Show your work!
• Read and record

Get Ready, we will take the Chapter 1 Math Test this Monday.

Tales to Tell Tuesday

Today we...

• practiced a Code Red drill in the pod.
• worked on regrouping and subtracting large numbers
• read The Eagle and the Serpent and introduced Story Strurcture
• created and painted our own serpents
• finished up our Traditional Literature posters

This evening at home....

• finish the math classwork. This includes problems 10, 11 and 12 and the entire back page.
• complete the math homework and practice.
• read for pleasure and log it!

Making Posters Monday

This evening at home...

• complete Go Math hw for 1.6
• read the Fables handout and answer the questions.
• read and log it!
• get the GC signed.

If you received a script for tomorrow's video shoot, don't forget to wear solid colors to school. No green or blue, please!

Parents, please note that I have limited access to a computer in the CAC. Emails are not checked as frequently once school begins. If you would like to volunteer, come on in!

Feeling Good Friday

Hello Team 201 Families!

Today we...

• sang a song about the 7 Continents.
• practiced our 7 Continents pneumonic device.
• helped one another prepare for the spelling test.
• held a "Pod Pow Wow" to talk about pod procedures and the CAC
• took the spelling test
• went to Tech with Ms. Kostecki
• took the reading test
• spent time catching up on unfinished work and weekly projects

This weekend...

• READ! I will expect to see one or more entries on the Gold Card.
• finish up projects: Me By the Numbers, Lab Comic, Vocab. Mind Map.

Make sure that you bring these to the CAC:

• a book to read.
• your green folder and gold card.
• your pencil case
• your math book, if you left it at home today. I have most of the books and will bring them down to the CAC.

On Monday, in the CAC, we will...

•  make posters that answer the question: What is a Fable?
• compare and contrast fables.
• get more details about 201's scene: The Peacock and the Crane, a Panchatantra Tale from India
• correct 1.5 and begin 1.6 in Go Math. Parents, kids should be ready for a Chapter 1 Math test toward the end of next week!
• pass out the PTA Fall Fundraising Kits. I apologize that you did not get them today.

We need.....

• volunteers in the CAC! Parents, please drop me an email to let me know when you are available. mport@cps.edu
• empty and clean prescription bottles, with lids. Please remove the sticky label.

Time Crunch Thursday

This evening...

• complete Go Math 1.5
• reread Winn Dixie to prepare for test
• math corrections are due tomorrow
• study for the spelling test
• read and log it!

What's a Variable Wednesday

Hey Team 201 Families!

What's a variable? Your kids should know. Today we went to the Science Lab to test out the Scientific Method.   Our experiments had varied results. Most likely, this was due to all of the variables!

Today we....

• took the Go Math Mid Chapter Checkpoint.
• went to library
• watched a Study Jams about Scientific Method and discussed how to conduct an experiment
• went to the Science Lab
• practiced finding subjects and predicates
• read

This evening at home...

• complete the double sided math sheet
• read and log it!
• in Journeys, read Because of Bookends on pages 36-38
• in Journeys, on page 39,complete the TEXT to TEXT activity: Compare Actions. Write your response in a notebook
• get the Mid Chapter Checkpoint signed

Mid Chapter Check point: extra points can be earned if corrections are written out on a separate sheet of paper. I must have these corrections by Friday.

MAPS math is tomorrow!

Talking Tuesday

Hello Families-

I hope to add more later, but want to make sure that I get the homework up...

This evening at home....

• read for 20 minutes and enter on your log
• Go Math 1.4 HW and Practice. We will take the mid chapter checkpoint tomorrow.
• In the Readers Notebook workbook, complete pages 3 and 4

Please bring in  pennies for tomorrow's Science Lab!!


Tomorrow we will talk about Subjects and Predicates. Click here to get a jump start!

http://www.myschoolhouse.com/courses/O/1/55.asp

Tutoring Opportunity

Hello Team 201 Families,

Chicago Tutoring is a wonderful program that offers free tutoring, based on need.   Many former 201 students have worked with Chicago Tutoring. They are a fantastic organization!  Click on the link to learn more.

https://www.tutoringchicago.org/enroll/

Making Awesome Progress Monday

I just could not give today the title MAPS Monday.  Making Awesome Progress is much better!

Today we....

• took the BOY MAPS Reading test. This will help us set goals.
• corrected last nigh'ts math homework.
• worked on comparing and ordering numbers.
• read from Aesop Elementary
• welcomed Jordan to the team!
• received our Brag Tag necklaces. Some kids earned their x2 Brag tag and are going for 3!

This evening at home...

• read Because of Winn Dixie in Journeys
• complete the spelling activity sheet
• complete the vocab activity sheet
• complete the homework and practice, both sides, for lesson 1.3

1. Yes, we will have a spelling test on Friday.
2. Yes, you can count Winn Dixie on tonight's reading log.
3. If you want to read another book too, go for it!
4. Keep the word lists, sent home today, at home.

Many parents are asking about Think Central logins.

The district is Chicago299

School is Walt Disney 60613

Username: Cpsstudent number

Password: disney

Example:

Cps0954367

disney

We need pennies for  Wednesday's Science Lab!

Funny, Fantastic Friday

This weekend at home...

• complete the Go Math hw for lesson 1.2
• read! Please record your reading and get your Gold Card signed.
• finish coloring ME By the Numbers

Don't forget that the OWL PROJECT is due on Monday.  I can't wait to see your work!

Look for the Green Note that was sent home today. It contains next week's MAPS schedule.  201 tests on Monday and Wednesday.

Thinking Thables Thursday

I know, I know, it's Fables, not Thables.


It was a busy day, and today's post will be quick!

This evening at home....

• make sure that the back page of 1.1 in Go Math is finished.
• complete the front and back of Go Math Homework and Practice
• Use the Lion and Mouse fable packet from today. Find the "Help" poem activity and write your own "help poem." Use the template and sample to help you. LOL!  Write the poem in the notebook you used to write last night.

Today we...

• took a timed multiplication test. Most kids are ready to move on the the 3s. We will give you the results tomorrow.
• read the Lion and the Mouse and had some small group discussions
• went to Gym
• talked about the Scientific Method
• read Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary
• tested out some of our new seating options
• changed our "home base."
• learned about place value and value

201 will take the Reading MAPS test on Monday. We will take Math on Thursday.

What's My Number Wednesday

Greetings Team201 Families!

Today we....

• went to the Science lab to discuss Lab Safety. Kids created storyboards/comics to illustrate the rules.
• worked on problem solving and "numbers about me."
• read The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary
• discussed the Who Are You project, which is due Monday, September 11.

This evening at home...

• complete the "Show What You Know" in Go Math Chapter 1
• read a book of your choice for 15-20 minutes.
• use the writing template, sent home today, to write about the book you read. This writing response should be about 7-10 sentences. The sentence starters are ideas. Select the ones that work for you!
• please write in a notebook.
• get your Gold Card signed.

Parents, thanks for getting those forms in! 

MAPS testing, reading and math, will take place next week. I will post the schedule as soon as I receive it!

Time To Teach Tuesday

It's go time, Team 201! Welcome to the first day of 4th Grade. It is great to greet all of the students this morning.  This week, we are working on establishing routines.

Today we....

• came in and found our "home base" spots.
• unpacked supplies. This took a while!
• filled out a student survey. I will collect it tomorrow.
• went to Art.
• read two books: How Full is Your Bucket? and First Day Jitters.
• helped create our HAPPY board.
• completed a Draw and Write called First Day Emojis.
• went to lunch.
• discussed Gold Card routines.
• wished Marjani a Happy Birthday! ☺

This blog will be your "go to" to learn about 201 happenings. I will post each day.  Please scroll back to read posts from last week.We will dedicate time each day to recording homework in an Agenda.


This evening at home...

• Parents, please go through the CPS envelope to sign and return all forms, including the CPS Code of Conduct which is located in the small book.
• Parents, please look over and read through the Team 201 Welcome Packet. There is a Parent Survey for you to complete. Please return this to me as soon as possible.
• Students, please read, in a book of your choice, for 20 minutes or more. Fill out the log on the back of the Gold Card. Get a signature.
• Students, please finish the A Good Teacher Is... page in your Day 1 packet. I will collect the packets tomorrow.
• Students, bring a book to school each day!
• Parents, please find a note from Ms. Varner in the Green HW folder.

As the week progresses, we will settle into our core subject routines.  Thanks for making today a great one!

One last note: Our facilities schedule has changed. Here is the current schedule:

Monday- Gym

Tuesday- Art

Wednesday-Library

Thursday- Gym

Friday- Technology

Parents, most of the homework this evening is for you! I appreciate how much time it takes to complete school forms. Thank you so much for taking the time to go through all of the information.

Soon To Be In School Saturday

Hello Team 201 Families!

I am looking forward to greeting you all on Tuesday. There are so many exiting things going on in 201 this year. I can't wait to share them with you! Scroll back to the previous post to read about flexible seating in 201.

Guess what? It's showtime for Pod 200.   Our first day in the CAC is September 18. The performance will be on Friday September 29.  Please let me know if you are able to help.

Our topic revolves around Fables and Storytelling, and the entire 4th Grade will begin with a novel study to get us ready for this topic.

If any students are able to purchase the book, please do so. I will be reading aloud in class, but it would be even better if each student has a copy! Donations are always appreciated, too.

Click here to purchase on Amazon

Enjoy this beautiful weekend!

See you on the...