First Week

We had a productive first week!  After two days of baseline testing,  we set up our Interactive Math Journals (and have already completed two entries!) and had our first full Math Workshop session today when we reviewed how to represent numbers in standard, expanded, and word forms.  Our first basic facts fluency test (x0 fact families) today was a huge success!  For the first time, everyone in both classes earned an A+!  I can tell there was practicing going on during Home Learning.  Thank you!  Keep it up!  :-)  Since we don't need the extra week for this fact family, we'll start x1 next week.

In science, we reviewed making observations and read about tools scientists use to measure what they observe.  We also discussed science safety.

What was your favorite part of our first week?

First Day & Birthdays

We had a successful First Day!  We learned attention signals, reviewed our school's Guidelines for Success, Behavior Expectations, and use of CHAMPS.  We also learned how we evaluate our daily conduct and be positively reinforced for making good choices (Chief Cash, 100 Squares), set-up our STAR Notebooks (planners), discussed Home Learning expectations, and participated in a Bully-Free lesson (How Can I Make Good Friends and Be a Good Friend?).  We even learned a few things about Ms. Kirkham and me during Reader's/Writer's Workshop when we made a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast each other.

One highlight was that three of our students celebrate birthdays today!  To kickoff our school's theme this year, we decided to read aloud

Here's how we celebrate our students on their special days:

First, each classmate creates a birthday page for the birthday boy or girl.

We put the pages together to make a birthday book for the student.  The student also receives a note and gift from Ms. Kirkham and me.

Sometimes students bring treats to share at lunch.  We have a few students with food allergies or medical conditions, so we encourage healthy or non-food treats like these:

These mini-bags were a hit!

 

Who wouldn't enjoy a cool (or frozen!) yogurt tube on a hot day?

 

A pretty sweet birthday treat!

 

Fun pencils or erasers!

 

Inexpensive toy party favors!

We hope our students enjoyed today as much as we did!

 

Meet and Greet

We enjoyed meeting some of our students today!

Thank you to those who dropped off and organized school supplies; this will help our first week go smoothly.  In case you need the fourth grade supply list:

Backpack (no wheels)
(1) plain white over-sized t-shirt for resource
Zippered pencil pouch
(2) glue sticks
(1) 1 1/2 inch binder (white view binder with pockets)
(1) 1 inch binder (white view)
(5) black and white composition books
(1) pkg sticky notes
(1) handheld pencil sharpener
(1) ream of copy paper (8 1/2 x 11)
(10) #2 pencils at all times during the year
(2) colored checking pens at all times during the year
(1) box of colored pencils
Notebook paper at all times during the year
(1) package of 25 page protectors
(1) package of 8 writable tab dividers
(1) highlighter
(5) 3-prong folders (red, yellow, green, blue, 1 must be purple)
Headset (may be purchased at dollar store)
Boys Only: box of facial tissue, small Ziploc bags, (2) disinfectant wipes, liquid soap
Girls Only: box of facial tissue, large Ziploc bags, (2) disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer

Backpack and t-shirt should be labeled with child's name.  All items are considered community supplies.