Sunday, October 30, 2016

Hi Everyone!

How is already the end of October?!  This month has flown by!  Here are some things happening in our classroom:

Math- Students are working hard with factors, multiples, multiplication facts, multidigit multiplication, and finding the area of rectangles.  Next week we will learn about properties of triangles and quadrilaterals and discuss lines of symmetry.  We will have our unit 2 math test either at the end of next week or the beginning of the following week.  I will keep you posted on the blog!

Writing- Our narrative writing is going strong!  Over the last few weeks we have worked on writing memorable endings, adding transition words, figurative language, and editing/revising with peers.  Next week we will work on one more practice narrative before our final assessment.

Reading- This week students practiced a variety of reading responses that showed their thinking around literary elements.  We also worked on summarizing using somebody, wanted, but, so, then, finally, to help us organize our thinking.  Next week we will begin Greek Mythology and will start comparing characters and themes.

Science- Students have been learning about force and motion concepts and conducted experiments that tested the relationship between mass, acceleration and force.  We will be learning about Newton's 3 Laws of motion this week.

Upcoming Dates and Information-

Monday, October 31st- We will not have a Halloween party tomorrow, however we will spend time in the afternoon finishing our jitterbots from Genius Hour last Friday. We will also be watching The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tomorrow as well and will compare similarities and differences to the play that we saw at the Flynn Theater earlier this month.  If you have any concerns about your child seeing this movie, please email me and let me know.

Book Orders- Book order forms went home in Friday folders.  Book orders are due Friday, November 11th.  If you would like to place an order online, please use the Book Orders tab above.

Conferences- Parent/teacher conference are Monday and Tuesday November 21 & 22nd.  Sign up information should be going out this week in the MBS Buzz newsletter. I will also add a link to our blog once the sign up portal is open.

Thanksgiving Break- Students are off for Thanksgiving break from November 21-25th.

Genius Hour- Students are enjoying Genius Hour time on Friday afternoons and are in the middle of exploring circuits with their jitterbots.  If you have any tools that are not being used and would like to send them in to the classroom, we will take them!  We could use, screwdrivers, pliers, hand held wire cutters, hammers, and awls. Thanks for your support!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!  Let me know if you have any questions.

Mrs. Carney




Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Upcoming...


Thursday, October 13th- picture retake day

Friday, October 14th- Flynn field trip money and permission slips due

Friday, October 7, 2016

Hi Everyone!


Happy October!  As the weather starts to shift and more sweatshirts and jackets are coming to school, please remember to write your child’s initials inside.  We have already brought quite a bit of belongings to lost and found!


Here are some things happening in our classroom:


Math- We finished unit 1 this week and will begin unit 2 on Monday.  Unit 2 focuses on multiplication and geometry.  Any additional practice at home with basic multiplication facts will be extremely helpful.


Writing- Students have worked hard this week on a variety of narrative writing components.  We have practiced writing about characters and the setting, using descriptive writing, speaker tags and dialogue, and starting with a ‘catchy hook’.  Students started to plan their narratives and will begin their drafts next week.   


Reading- Literary elements has been the focus during our reading workshop.  We have learned about characters, character traits, setting, plot, and theme in literary texts.  Students have been practicing the ‘stop and jot’ strategy and recording their thinking about literary elements while reading independently.  Next week we will dive a little deeper into literary elements and will start comparing and contrasting different stories.  


Science- We wrapped up our mini unit on the scientific method with an experiment testing whether a skittle would dissolve faster in warm or cold water.  Students are becoming experts at reporting their results like scientists!  
Yesterday we incorporated some dance into our science class.  Students moved around the room to music and then when it stopped, they chose a table and wrote on the chart paper everything they knew about some vocabulary words for our upcoming Force and Motion unit. Their vocabulary words were potential energy, kinetic energy, gravity, mass, variables, and force.  We will continue with force and motion next week.  


Upcoming Dates and Other Announcements-  


Field Trip to the Flynn Theater- The lighthouse 4th grade will be going to the Flynn Theater on Monday, October 17th.  We will be leaving school around 8:35 and will be returning by 11:30.  Permission slips went home yesterday and are due Friday, October 14th.  Please let me know if you need another one.  


No School- A reminder that there is no school for students on Friday, October 21st.

Remind.com- If you haven't signed up to receive text message notifications and updates from our classroom and would like to stay connected, follow the link and sign up! https://www.remind.com/join/carneycrew


Password Cards- All students have a password folder in their google drive.  Inside the folder is a document with all of their usernames and passwords for programs that we are currently using in the classroom.  We will add to that list as the year goes on.  Please refer to it if your child needs help with remembering login information. Please let me know if you need a hard copy of this form.

Homework- Thank your for your help with dreambox and cloudk12 from home.  Homework expectations can be seen by clicking the homework expectations tab above.


I think that is it for now!  As always, please do not hesitate to call- 264-6909 or email kari.carney@colchestersd.org with any questions.

Mrs. Carney

Reminders