Wonderful Wednesday

Our day began on the right foot. Team 201 kids did a fantabulous job on last night's JOT IT homework.  Kids had a chance to add some final touches today, and they are ready to display.

Today we also.....

• spent some time researching our congressional representative, senators and state leaders.
• read Jose Born to Dance  together and discussed key points.
• worked with partners to dig for evidence, discuss and  respond to this text.
• worked on using partial quotients and bar models to solve division problems.
• created " A Day In the Life" Energy cartoons

Do you have an extra roll of blue, or any color, painters' tape? We need some rolls for an art project tomorrow.

This evening at home

• complete the hw and practice for lesson 4.9. Choose your method!
• complete pages 111 and 112 in the Readers Notebook
• read for 20 minutes or more

Need help with using the Partial Quotients strategy? Maybe this will help:

Tried and True Tuesday

Greetings Team 201 Families,

Many kids in 201 prefer the "tried and true" method of division that you and I learned when we were in fourth grade. We are learning LOTS of different ways to divide. Today, we used partial quotients, rectangular models, and the good ole'-fashioned, " tried and true," long division.

On tonight's homework, select the method that works best for you! Please show all of your work.


This evening at home...

• Please find and sign the Mid Chapter Checkpoint. I had the chance to work with small groups today, and we went over some of the problems as a class. After looking at the problems at home, ask your child to circle problem- problems.  I can meet with kids individually this week.
• Read pp.428-439 in Science Fusion. Do not write in the book.
• Complete the JOT IT "artistic note taking" sheet.
• Complete the homework and practice for Go Math lesson 4.8

Mournful Monday

Well, today's title is a bit misleading. Don't be confused. Team 201 is not mourning. We did debut some new vocabulary today, and mournful is one of them. Don't be discouraged,  I know that with practice we will triumph!  Some kids may need to haul out those dictionaries this week!

This evening at home...

• finish pages 109 and 110 in the Readers Notebook.
• read for 20 minutes or more and record.
• prepare for Multiplication Madness tomorrow.
• show your parents the Field Trip form.
• complete the Lesson 4.8 Enrich Math sheet that was handed out today.

Today we took a Mid Chapter Checkpoint quiz. This helps me assess readiness to move on to new concepts.  Some of you will be getting a "grade trigger" this evening that indicates that your student's average has risen or fallen. I will be spending time reviewing these concepts with small groups or one on one tomorrow. I will send home the original quiz tomorrow.

Enjoy this poster and video on Divisibility Rules.  Memorizing Divisibility Rules can help you compute large numbers quickly.  I hope that this helps you with your homework!

Thankful Tuesday

Today we are thankful for our friends! 201 is saying farewell to our classmate Lucas. We know that you will make lots of new friends in your new school!  Thanks for the treats, Lucas. Stay in touch!


This weekend....

• Read!
• Finish your Snake Project. Please note that if you are bringing it home, it is officially late and points will be deducted.
• Do some IXL and ST Math
• Enjoy time with family
• Field Trip forms went home today. Our trip to the Field Museum is December 19th.
• The Quarter 1 Awards Ceremony is December 2.

Making Connections Monday

This morning began with a discussion of the root "inter-."  We are learning how to break down words and use root meanings to help us gain understanding.  Ask your child to explain the difference between interstate and international. At the intermediate level,  we are interjecting more "root" work into the curriculum.  As your kids know, I find Etymology, or the study of words, extremely interesting.

Here's a fun, to me, link to help you learn more about roots and word origins.

http://www.membean.com/wrotds/inter-between

This evening at home...

• finish the writing portion of the Snake research. Kids had lots of time in class to take notes and do research.  Please Do Not complete the first/cover page.  If you don't have time to do the sketches or drawings, that is fine. We can do them in class tomorrow.
• complete the Homework and Practice for lesson 4.7

Check out this Brainpop to give you a math boost. You will need to log in!

https://jr.brainpop.com/math/additionandsubtraction/repeatedsubtraction/preview.weml


Here is a sample of how we can use repeated subtraction to divide a number into groups.

Book Buffet

What a feast! 201 Welcomed members of 202 today.  These projects are certainly worth showing off!  Thanks for all of your hard work on this one. This is the first year that we've had a "Book Buffet" in 201.It is great to see such creativity on display.  Thanks for all of the support at home parents!  

Thursday Before Thanksgiving Thursday

This evening at home...

• Use your Book Buffet Book to complete the  "Giving Thanks for Story Elements" page.
• Complete your Project and bring it to school!
• Complete the Math for lesson4.5. Kids should have plenty of sample problems done in their math books. This was a tricky lesson. EVERY kid in 201 needed some extra support. 

Thanks for providing today's title, Lucas! We are thankful for your quick thinking!

Weird Weather Wednesday

Where are we? Georgia? I am not complaining, but it sure does not feel very "November in Chicago."

It was a great day to go on a field trip.  We really enjoyed seeing these short films.  Thank you so much to our parent volunteers!

This evening at home....

• complete the homework and practice for lesson 4.4. Please also complete any of the "circled" problems that were classwork.
• Read! Record!
• Put those finishing touches ( I hope) on your Book Buffet project.
• Tomorrow is picture day!

Tuesday Cluesday

Today we spent time in class learning how to interpret a remainder. Sounds fancy? Interpreting the remainder meanings making sense of the information. What does the remainder mean?  It can be kind of tricky. You have to read the question with care. You have to think!

Reading today followed a similar path.  We are working on drawing conclusions. This means that we are looking for clues in a text and backing up our ideas with evidence.


This evening at home...

• complete the Math hw and practice for lesson 4.3. Today we did every question in the lesson, because they are all so important.  Your child should be coming home with all of the correct answers and the steps that lead to them.
• READ!
• Write a paragraph about what you have read in which you DRAW A CONCLUSION  about a character or event.  What do you think about this character, or what do you think this character will do next?  Back up your writing with solid evidence from the text. Proofread your work.

• Field Trip tomorrow!
• We will eat lunch at school.
• Book Buffet Projects are due on Friday
• Thursday is Picture Day

Make a Motto Monday

Hello Team201 Families,

This morning we met in our "government simulation groups" once again.   Each group made some important final decisions: each group now has a State Motto and a State Flag.  Each state name is based on Greek and Latin roots.  Ask your child about the meaning.

Here is what the teams came up with:
Potdemsimil- Power People Together
Omniequfortpot- Together, We Are One
Omnifortpot- Fighting For The Unity And Freedom Of Tomorrow

In Math, we went over last week's homework and delved deeper into division.  We discussed the vocabulary and talked about how division relates to fractions.

Tonight's homework may ask your child to use counters.  In class, we used both models and regular old division.  Feel free to use the method that works for you tonight.

• Our Film Fest trip is this Wednesday. We will be eating lunch at school, so just go with your regular lunch routine.  Kids will be able to get a school lunch.
• The Book Buffet is this Friday!  I hope that those projects are coming along. I can't wait to see them!
• Picture Day is this Thursday! There is still time to turn in the form.
• This week, we will continue to focus on the skills presented in Dear Mr. Winston. We will take our weekly test on Friday.
• Next week is a short one, in terms of school. We will be together Monday and Tuesday.

This evening at home...

• complete the HW and Practice for lesson 4.2
• in the Readers Notebook, complete pages 103 and 104.
• Read!!! We will take a "status of the class" tomorrow and tally books read.

Time to Talk Tuesday

It is almost that time! I am looking forward to seeing Team 201 Parents tomorrow.   I will try my best to stay on schedule.  Please allow time to park and get up to the 2nd floor so that you are here for your scheduled time.

Ask your child about today's Government Simulation experience.   Working together is hard work! Today "state" groups defended their positions on state names and symbols.  Each group was able to form a consensus and take a vote.

The Chapter 3 Math test results are available on Think Central.  Some students are coming home with targeted skill work and a letter for you. Please have all corrections done by next Monday.


Students are busy working on their Auto Bio poems now.  They may or may not be ready for you to see tomorrow. Please leave these poems at school!  We want to put the finished products on display.

This evening at home...

• Complete the "Show What You Know" on pages 195 and 196 of the Chapter 4 Go Math book.
• Cut out  the math vocabulary cards and keep them in a safe place.
• Read! 
•  Select and complete one of the topic in Journeys for Dear Mr. Winston: text to self, text to text, or text to world.  Sorry, no Venn Diagrams.  Please write your responses and use complete sentences.

Don't forget that the Book Buffet projects are due on November 18th.
Don't forget that field trip forms and fees are due November 10th. If your child has lost the trip form, simply write a note:
My child, ________, has permission to attend the Film Fest trip on November 16th. Please sign the form and include an emergency number. The trip fee is $8.50.

Looking to get ahead?

• Read books on Myon and take the quizes.
• Spend time with JiJi.
• Check out IXL math and reading.  Your child may be ready to check out some of the 5th grade goals!
• Practice those multiplication facts!

Making Generalizations Monday

This evening at home....

• study for tomorrow's math test.  We corrected the Review Test today in class and ran question and answer sessions.  
• Complete the Write About Reading activity on page 275 in Journeys.  Make sure to use letter format, just as Cara does.   Your letter from Mr. Winston to Clara should make reference to the specifics!

Some parents have not signed up for a conference. A reminder note went home today.  I understand that some parents may not be able to attend. Please write me a note so that we can schedule a meeting on another day or by phone.  If you are having trouble reserving a spot, please let me know. I will reserve one for you.  

Thrilling Thursday

Today's Science  Lab, The Mystery Powder, was pretty thrilled.  We tested cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt with water, vinegar and iodine. We observed bubbling, clumping, mixing and overflowing.  Finally, we ran our tests on a Mystery Powder. A few kids were able to guess correctly.



This weekend at home...

• sign up for a Parent Teacher Conference. The link is on the previous post.
• finish the Math Review.  We will take the test on Tuesday.
• Finish the Social Studies project: the directions can be found on Thursday's blog post.
• read on your own for an hour or more.
• work on your Book Buffet Project.
• put in an hour of ST Math or IXL
• don't come to school tomorrow!

Picture Forms are going home today!

Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up

Report Card Day is Wednesday, November 9th.  The link to sign up for a conference  is finally live. I am so sorry about the delay. The times for Report Card Day were confirmed this afternoon.

Click on the link to get to sign Up Genius.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4ba4a82babf85-november

W Wednesday

Hi Team 201 Families,

Thanks to all who have turned in Field trip money. If you have not done so, please return the form and funds soon. 

Don't forget that Friday is a Professional Development Day for teachers.  There is no school for students.

Report Card Conference Day is next Wednesday. I am looking forward to meeting you all!

We will take a Reading Test tomorrow. We spent some time talking about the grammar today. I think we are ready!

We are nearing the Chapter 3 finish line.  I plan on giving the Chapter 3 test next Tuesday.

This evening at home...

• complete the hw and practice for lesson 3.7
• complete the idioms activity
• read
• Please bring your Book Buffet book to school tomorrow if you have it.
• Kids should have a completed, double sided Me and Uncle Romie activity in the green folder. I will collect it tomorrow.  We spent lots of time on this today!

Symbols of Patriotism Project:
Most kids do have some work to do on this project. I will extend the deadline until Monday.
Projects should include 6 symbols and 10 or more facts about those symbols. We are using pages 41 and 42 in the SS book as our guide. Kids have also be using the internet to research.  All headings should be colored. Diagrams and illustrations should be colored or outlined in color.

Too Much Candy Tuesday?

Many members of Team201 will disagree with this title. I will speak only from personal experience.

If you did not come to school today, here is what you missed:

• we began a new Social Studies project on the Branches of Governmnet
• we corrected the homework from 3.5 and went on to finish 3.6
• we esparked in both reading and math
• we did Multiplication Madness and earned Brag Tags
• we received a Happy Halloween Brag Tag
• we went to Gym outside
• we read
• we discussed Me and Uncle Romie and began a digital collage
• we learned how to add slides on Google Slides

This evening at home...

• complete the homework and practice for lesson 3.6
• I will be collecting the Symbols of Patriotism projects on Thursday.  Take it home to add finishing touches.\
• complete pages 87 and 88 in the Readers Notebook
• read for 20 minutes or more. Make sure that you are keeping up with the Book Buffet!
• don't forget  that Field Trip money is due next week.

There is no school for kids on Friday!