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