Mr. Smith's 4th Grade

April News

2011-04-20T13:28:00.001-07:00

** Please send in clear empty 2 liter soda bottles to be used in Science Class **

Upcoming Dates:
• 4/12-4/27: Feinstein Challenge (see details below)
• 4/21: NO School – Institute Day
• 4/22: NO School – Good Friday
• 4/26: Family Reading Night (Please see below or the electronic backpack for more details)
• 4/27: Progress Reports sent home
• 5/3: Author Night – Paula Kluth (see details below)
• 5/4: ACES – All Children Exercise Simultaneously
• 5/20: Olympic Day

Student Council: Fantastic Fridays (some upcoming dates)
Weird Hair Day (April 29)
Blast From the Past Day (May 6)
PJ Day (May 13)
Blue and White Spirit Day (May 20)
Twin Day (May 27)
Tie-Dye Day (June 3)
Flip-Flop Tuesday (June 7)

Reminders/Notes:
• Author Night: DO YOU HAVE AN EPIC COLLECTION? On May 3rd, Longfellow will be welcoming Paula Kluth for its annual author night. Her book, Pedro’s Whale, tells a heartwarming story about a boy who loves whales and eventually begins to collect pictures of them, with the help of his classmates. In anticipation for Longfellow’s author night, we want to know what you collect!

• Family Reading Night: is coming, Tuesday, April 26th (6:30 – 7:30 p.m.) - “Read, Recite, Recycle” The “Recycle” part will again include a book swap! Begin collecting gently used children’s books. Bring the books to your homeroom teacher by Tuesday, April 19th. Your teacher will help you keep track of how many books you donate. Come to the Family Reading Night on the 26th, and you will take away “new” books to enjoy! There may be a limit of taking 7-10 books that evening. However, if you can donate more, that will help us make another very successful book swap!

• PE NEWS: Exciting news! Gymnastics is coming to Longfellow from Thursday, April 7 through Wednesday, April 20. Students will be learning skills on the balance beam, parallel bars, rings, uneven bars and mats, as well as rope climbing. Your child may participate either in regular gym shoes or gripper socks. Gripper socks have non-slip coating on the bottom. These can be purchased or homemade using "puffy" paint from a craft store. No one may participate in stocking feet without non-slip bottoms. All students should have gym shoes on PE days, just in case. Also, Long hair needs to be tied back during gymnastics classes.
Please contact The PE Team if you have questions. We are looking forward to two exciting weeks of gymnastics! The Physical Education team.

• Feinstein Challenge: April 12 -27 - Each spring philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein challenges food pantries across America to collect as many food items and cash donations as possible. To spur donations, Feinstein donates $1million dollars to feed the hungry. Those funds are divided proportionally among competing food pantries based on what they collect (cash and food items) during the months of March and April. Last year the OPRF Food Pantry collected an incredible $64,938 and 21,618 food items in response to the Feinstein Challenge and this year, they know they can do even better.

• Custom Typing: We are continuing formal keyboarding lessons and students will routinely go to the computer lab for Custom Typing. This offers the opportunity for your child to become familiar with “home row” and allows for an increase in words per minute. This program can also be accessed at home through our school’s homepage. In order to access a child’s particular screen, that can be accomplished by typing “d97username” (i.e. = d97melsmith). The password is your child’s student ID #. Students should be familiar with this process and can access the program at home for more practice.

• Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.

• Verification of Residency this year: When families first enrolled their children in District 97, they provided several documents that verified their residency in Oak Park and their children’s eligibility to attend our schools. We are asking parents/guardians of all current students to participate in this important process again to ensure that we continue to provide the children of this community with a quality education in accordance with state law and district policy. To access information about the re-verification process please visit the following website: http://www.op97.org/Verification%20of%20Residency%20for%20all%20Current%20D97%20Students.pdf

• ACES - All Children Exercise Simultaneously – is the world’s largest exercise class. On Wednesday, May 4 all Longfellow students and staff will participate in this even. This event, occurring at 10:00 AM, will happen in many countries all over the world in efforts to promote physical fitness and health. Please be sure your child has their gym shoes on this day!

• Olympic Day: Friday, May 20 is Olympic Day! There will be a climbing wall, tug ‘o war, crab soccer, relay races, and so much more! Students in grades 1, 3, and 5 will participate in the morning, and students in grades K, 2, and 4 will participate in the afternoon.

• District Referendum Information: Referendum information can be found at: http://www.op97.org/referendum/index.html

• Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way.

• Special Education Parent Nights: Please save the dates for upcoming K-5 Special Education Parent Nights. There was a change in some of the dates, so please take note of these new dates: March 22nd, April 26th, and May 24th. All parent nights occur at Whittier from 6:30-8 in the library. In March, parents of middle school and high school students with special education needs will be sharing their experiences at parent night. Hope to see you there.

• PBIS: PBIS program is still accepting donations from families and community partners. You can visit the PBIS blog at http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/ for a wish list on the right side menu; it is titled “Bears’s Den Wish List.”

• New Last Day of School: Due to our snow days, the last day of school is no longer Friday, June 3. Instead the last day of school will be Tuesday, June 7.

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: This week we continued our reading and discussion of “Frindle”, by Andrew Clements. Students should read the final few chapters over the weekend. We will have a small project, related to “Frindle”, due at the end of next week, so look for details next Monday.
Next week we will also begin Open Court, Unit 4, “Survival”. In this Survival Unit, the students will read various fictional and true stories about extreme situations. Our discussions with the different stories will center on how the characters stand up to the situations, and how we might respond if we were in their place. The selections include accounts of real and fictional people and the many ways they have learned to survive. In a variety of circumstances, these survivors exhibit a great deal of strength, courage, and thought. Some of the stories are about ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary situations.

Math: Next week students will continue working on Unit 9, Percents. The unit focuses on the links among fraction, decimal, and percent names for numbers, with a special emphasis on percents. Students will practice conversions among fractions, decimals, and percents. They will use grid pictures, the multiplication rule for renaming fractions, memorization of simple conversions, and a calculator for more complex conversions.

Social Studies: Students will begin their six week Social Studies rotation next week, which will continue through the end of the school year.

~ March News ~

2011-03-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Dates:
• 3/18: Report Cards Sent Home
• 3/21: Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Tour
• 3/21: Spring Arts Fiesta 6:30 p.m.
• 3/28 – 4/1: Spring Break – School resumes on Monday, April 4

Reminders/Notes:
• Custom Typing: We are continuing formal keyboarding lessons and students will routinely go to the computer lab for Custom Typing. This offers the opportunity for your child to become familiar with “home row” and allows for an increase in words per minute. This program can also be accessed at home through our school’s homepage. In order to access a child’s particular screen, that can be accomplished by typing “d97username” (i.e. = d97melsmith). The password is your child’s student ID #. Students should be familiar with this process and can access the program at home for more practice.
• Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
• District Referendum Information: Referendum information can be found at: http://www.op97.org/referendum/index.html
• Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way.
• Special Education Parent Nights: Please save the dates for upcoming K-5 Special Education Parent Nights. There was a change in some of the dates, so please take note of these new dates: March 22nd, April 26th, and May 24th. All parent nights occur at Whittier from 6:30-8 in the library. In March, parents of middle school and high school students with special education needs will be sharing their experiences at parent night. Hope to see you there.
• PBIS: PBIS program is still accepting donations from families and community partners. You can visit the PBIS blog at http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/ for a wish list on the right side menu; it is titled “Bears’s Den Wish List.”

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: Next week we continue Open Court Unit 3: “From Mystery to Medicine.” Next week’s story, titled “Sewed Up His Heart,” is a biography text piece that focuses on the decisions Dr. Daniel Hale Williams faced and the surgery he ultimately performed to save the life of his patient, James Cornish. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams pioneered heart surgery in this country and saved the lives of untold numbers of patients because of his courage to perform an operation that had never been performed before. We will be focusing on the comprehension skills of Drawing Conclusions and Author’s Purpose while reading the passage this week.

Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors have finished drafting their biographies from Black History Month. Students will now begin publishing their work in the form of word processing. We will be spending time in the computer lab typing these pieces throughout the next two weeks. A scored rubric will be coming home regarding your child’s progress in each of the following areas: word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. This biography will also count as a portion of the research grade on the upcoming report card. This grade, along with the state report in social studies, will be combined for their final score.

Math: Students are now working on Unit 7 (Fractions and Their Uses; Chance and Probability), which focuses on three main objectives:
1. To provide reminders, review, and practice of fraction ideas introduced earlier
2. To develop a good understanding of equivalent fractions
3. To provide informal activities related to chance and probability
The probability lessons illustrated a new use of fractions for most students. Fractions, along with decimals and percents, may be used to express probabilities. In the lessons probabilities are expressed most often using fraction notation.

Science: Students will begin the study of Ecosystems starting next week. No organism on earth lives isolated and independent from all others. All living things, including microorganisms, exist in a community of living organisms call an ecosystem. An ecosystem includes nonliving elements too, such as soil, water, air, and sunlight. A stable ecosystem is virtually self-sustaining in the absence of human interference.

Over the next two weeks, students will be busy building ecosystems in class. First, they will set up aquariums with duckweed, algae, and elodea for the mosquito fish and pond snails. Next, they will grow alfalfa, mustard, and rye grass in terrariums, so there would be a food supply for the crickets. They will also provide leaf matter, twigs and a rock for the isopods.

~ Bottles Needed ~

2011-01-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

Beginning next Trimester, the 4th grade will be creating ecosystems in Science. We are in need of clear 2 liter plastic bottles with their cap. If you happen to come across any over the next few weeks, would you please send them into school with your child.

January News

2011-01-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Dates:
•1/24: NO School – Teacher Institute Day
•1/31 - 2/4: Conference Week
•1/31 – 2/4: PTO Book Fair
•2/3 – 2/4: Half Days – Dismissal from school is at 11:00 a.m.
•2/4: Froebel Block workshop in class
•2/11: Field Trip - Ice Skating
•2/21: NO School – Presidents’ Day

Reminders/Notes:
• Frank Lloyd Wright/Froebel Blocks: Frank Lloyd Wright grew up playing with a set of blocks that helped to inspire him to go into architecture. These same blocks, named after the gentleman who created them, will be coming into all fourth grade classrooms the first Friday in February. Students will have the opportunity to create a number of different structures with these blocks throughout the one hour time period.
• Custom Typing: We are continuing formal keyboarding lessons and students will routinely go to the computer lab for Custom Typing. This offers the opportunity for your child to become familiar with “home row” and allows for an increase in words per minute. This program can also be accessed at home through our school’s homepage. In order to access a child’s particular screen, that can be accomplished by typing “d97username” (i.e. = d97melsmith). The password is your child’s student ID #. Students should be familiar with this process and can access the program at home for more practice.
• Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
• District Referendum Information: Referendum information can be found at: http://www.op97.org/referendum/index.html
• District Food Service Survey: District 97 has created an online survey parents/guardians and students can use to provide feedback about our food service program. The survey features questions about a variety of topics, including the quality of the menu and overall satisfaction with the program. Links to the survey can be accessed off of our webpage at http://www.op97.org/longfellow/index.html Print versions of both surveys are also available. The deadline for completing the survey is January 26, 2011. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about our food service program, and for your continued support of District 97.
• Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way.
• PBIS: PBIS program is accepting donations from families and community partners. You can visit the PBIS blog at http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/ for a wish list on the right side menu; it is titled “Bears’s Den Wish List.”

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: Next week we will be focusing on modeling and practicing Literary Responses. In class we will read a short story, and then use a graphic organizer to help build each response. This additional practice will help students include details that support their answer.
Next we will be starting Unit 3: “From Mystery to Medicine.” In this unit, your child will read and discuss a variety of selections that present many concepts about medicine. This will include modern medicine, as well as folk medicine. The first story, titled “Medicine: Past and Present,” is an expository text piece that focuses on how medical practices and technology have greatly advanced over the years.

Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors will be starting a new genre in writing –biographies. For the upcoming Black History month students will be choosing one individual (past or present) that they would like to research in depth. Students will be assessed in the following traits: conventions, sentence fluency, and word choice. Students will be learning how to read information and take notes. Using a strategy called RTW (Read, Think, Write) students will learn to put printed information in their own words using abbreviations. Students will then compile all of their information to create a four paragraph essay. We ask that students choose an individual that has made strong contributions to our society. Please discuss some possibilities with your child over the weekend. Feel free to start gathering resources together for research. Students will be doing the actual research at school, but if you would like to visit the library and start gather resources to support this, please have your child bring them in next Tuesday.

Math: Students have started working in Unit 6 (Division; Map Reference Frames; Measures of Angles), which focuses on understanding the division operation, developing a method for dividing whole numbers, and solving division number stories. Students will learn a division method “Partial-Quotients Algorithm” to build up partial quotients until the exact quotient and remainder are determined. We will then practice a “Traditional” method for long division. There is also focus on numbers in map coordinate systems, and informal work with rotations and angles.

Science: In Science the students are finishing the Land and Water Unit. In this unit, students investigate the interactions between land and water. Using a stream table as a model, they create hills, build dams, and grow vegetation. Miniature valleys, waterfalls, and canyons form in the stream table as water flows over and through the soil. From these firsthand observations, students discover how water changes the shape of land and how features in the land, in turn, affect the flow of water.

~ December News ~

2010-12-09T15:32:00.001-08:00

Upcoming Dates:
• 12/10: Report Cards sent home
• 12/11: Books, Board games and Winter Bazaar; 10:00am – 2:00pm; Mini-Gym
• 12/13: Family Math Night, 6:30pm – 7:30pm, in the Gym and Mini-Gym
• 12/14: Field trip to the Chicago History Museum
• 12/17: Winter Break Class Party, 1:45pm
• 12/20 – 12/31: NO School – Winter Break; School resumes Monday, 1/3/2011

Reminders/Notes:
• Books, Board games and Winter Bazaar: This Saturday the 4th grade families are hosting a Books, Board games and Winter Bazaar to raise money for next fall's outdoor ed trip. We have lots of great books for kids and adults alike and many great games. This is a perfect opportunity to pick up 'new to you' books and games for winter break and the cold months ahead. There will also be tempting treats and treasures to find at the Bazaar. Hope to see you there. Saturday the 11th. 10am - 2pm in Longfellow's mini-gym.
• Family Math Night: Longfellow's annual family math night is scheduled for next Monday, December 13th, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM in the gym and mini gym. It is open to all students in grades PKP - 5, and their families. All students who attend will be entered into a special raffle, will get to be active in the gym while practicing math skills, can create geometric artwork, participate in the estimation challenge with the chance to take home the contents of the estimation jars, and much more. The homeroom with the highest attendance percentage will win a fun prize! Come on out on Monday night for an evening of fun math activities!
• Custom Typing: We have begun our formal keyboarding lessons and students will routinely go to the computer lab for Custom Typing. This offers the opportunity for your child to become familiar with “home row” and allows for an increase in words per minute. This program can also be accessed at home through our school’s homepage. In order to access a child’s particular screen, that can be accomplished by typing “d97username” (i.e. = d97melsmith). The password is your child’s student ID #. Students should be familiar with this process and can access the program at home for more practice.
• Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
• Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way.
• PBIS: PBIS program is accepting donations from families and community partners. You can visit the PBIS blog at http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/ for a wish list on the right side menu; it is titled “Bears’s Den Wish List.”

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: This week we are reading our fourth story, “Food from the Hood: A Garden of Hope” in our unit: Dollars and Sense. This story tells how students worked together to rebuild the neighborhood around their school after riots destroyed the area. Their plans for a garden soon turned into a “growing” business, and they turned a small garden into the nation’s first student-run natural food company.

We will focus on the comprehension skills of identifying the Main Idea and Details as well as the author’s use of Sequence. Authors use Main Idea and Details to let the reader know what the selection is about. Students will identify the Main Idea and Details within paragraphs throughout the story. Student will also scan the passage to find the author’s use of Time and Order words to understand in which order the events took place.

Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors have been revising and editing their mysteries. We spent many lessons working on the trait of sentence fluency. Students have learned how to vary their sentence structure by using phrases and creating rhythm. We spent a portion of our lessons specifically studying prepositions in order to create phrases. Students have also studied the various types of sentences, as well as the appropriate punctuation for each.

Next week we will be hosting a brief study of poetry. Using our knowledge of prepositions, authors will write prepositional poems, as well as cinquains. We look forward to using our custom typing skills to publish a piece on the computer.

Please be on the lookout for a flyer coming home next week regarding an upcoming writing contest. Each 4th grader is required to submit a piece for the contest. It will not be due until at least one week after winter break. If students would like to get a head start on this project over the break, details will be following soon.

Math: Students started working on Unit 5 (Big Numbers, Estimation, and Computation) this week. The unit begins with two lessons that focus on extending multiplication skills, in preparation for the introduction of the partial-products algorithm for multiplication. The lattice algorithm is also introduced as an alternative to the parital-products algorithm. Unit 5 also emphasizes reading, writing, and using large numbers, including the use of powers of 10 to represent large numbers. Estimation is highlighted, both as an important step in adding and multiplying numbers and as a tool to facilitate the communication of large numbers.

Science: In Science the students have begun working on the Land and Water Unit. In this unit, students investigate the interactions between land and water. Using a stream table as a model, they create hills, build dams, and grow vegetation. Miniature valleys, waterfalls, and canyons form in the stream table as water flows over and through the soil. From these firsthand observations, students discover how water changes the shape of land and how features in the land, in turn, affect the flow of water.

Contact Info: As communication is very important, please contact me with a note or an email if you have any questions, concerns, or information to share.

~ November News 2 ~

2010-11-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Dates:
• 11/17: PTO Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. – Library Media Center
• 11/23: End of Trimester
• 11/24: Teacher Institute day – NO School
• 11/25-11/26: NO School – Thanksgiving Holiday Observed
• 12/10: Report Cards sent home

Reminders/Notes:
• Custom Typing: We have begun our formal keyboarding lessons and students will routinely go to the computer lab for Custom Typing. This offers the opportunity for your child to become familiar with “home row” and allows for an increase in words per minute. This program can also be accessed at home through our school’s homepage. In order to access a child’s particular screen, that can be accomplished by typing “d97username” (i.e. = d97melsmith). The password is your child’s student ID #. Students should be familiar with this process and can access the program at home for more practice.
• Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
• Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way.
• PBIS: PBIS program is accepting donations from families and community partners. You can visit the PBIS blog at http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/ for a wish list on the right side menu; it is titled “Bears’s Den Wish List.”

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: This week we are reading our second story, “Henry Wells and William G. Fargo” in our unit: Dollars and Sense. This story is a great example of how to make a successful business. Two comprehension strategies we will be working on during this story include monitoring and clarifying, and summarizing. When reading independently, your child should use these strategies. Monitoring and clarifying means to stop reading when confused and look back to understand the meanings of words or difficult ideas. Periodically ask your child to summarize what he/she just read. This helps readers keep track of what they are reading.

Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors are starting a new genre of writing – the mystery. After studying many published mysteries in class, students have become familiar with a wide range of vocabulary words including: sleuth, detective, evidence, suspect, alibi, and witness. Writers are currently organizing their individual plots based on their creative ideas. The writing traits that will be focused on in these lessons are sentence fluency, organization, and word choice. Parents and family members are encouraged to participate in writer’s workshop at any time. Please contact Ms. Carter if you would like to join us!

Math: Students have started working in Unit 4, Decimals and Their Uses, this week. This unit summarizes the concepts that underlie decimal notation and focuses on some special uses of the notation. Throughout the unit, students will solve a variety of problems involving addition and subtraction of decimals using estimation, mental arithmetic, algorithms, and a calculator. After reviewing place value for whole numbers, place value concepts will be extended to decimal numbers.

Social Studies: In social studies, this upcoming Friday, (11/19) students will be taking their test on the state capitals. Each student has a study guide/mock test in hand so they know what to expect on Friday. This will count worth four grades in reference to their trimester assessment. The final test, Chapter 2, will be given next Monday, and students will also have a study guide in hand to prepare for the test. This will account for three grades in reference to the overall trimester performance. Please make sure your child is bringing these guides home in order to prepare for each assessment. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Mr. Weber.

Homework: Homework is either work that is not finished in school or practice of material that was taught in class. If your child has a busy evening, and homework cannot be completed, remember that the Sunrise Study Hall is open every morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in the library media center. Passes are available at the front office. Students may also go to the library media center at lunchtime to complete homework.

Contact Info: As communication is very important, please contact me with a note or an email if you have any questions, concerns, or information to share.

Regards,
Mel Smith

~ October News ~

2010-10-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Dates:
• 10/19: Dr. Albert Roberts, Longfellow community chat – 7:00 p.m. (see details below)
• 10/18 – 10/22: Fall Parent Teacher Conferences

Reminders/Notes:
• Reading Logs: Your child should be reading at least 30 minutes 5 days a week, and completing 5 responses. Students should be using the “Sentence Leads” page that was given to them. This will help them vary their responses, and remind them not to write summaries, but to instead “interact” with the text.
• Water Bottles: It is strongly encouraged that students bring a water bottle from home to minimize distractions and keep focused on learning. On cooler mornings, they should dress in layers, because it can heat up on the third floor by afternoon.
• Healthy Snacks: A light healthy snack may be brought into class every day.
• Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
• Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way.
• Please join Superintendent Dr. Albert Roberts for a Longfellow community chat. This chat, scheduled to last approximately 90 minutes, will provide the staff, parents/guardians, and neighbors of Longfellow an opportunity to participate in an open, informal dialogue with Dr. Roberts about a variety of issues (district finances, integration of technology in the classroom, state of facilities, etc.) that impact their individual building or the district as a whole. The Longfellow community chat will take place on Tuesday, October 19 beginning at 7:00 pm. We will meet in the Longfellow Auditorium. Please be sure your neighbors know, even if they do not have children in the district.
• PBIS: PBIS program is accepting donations from families and community partners. You can visit the PBIS blog at http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/ for a wish list on the right side menu; it is titled “Bears’s Den Wish List.”

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: This past week the students read “Escape,” an excerpt from the familiar story, Charlotte’s Web. Two of the comprehension skills we focused on were cause and effect and sequencing. Next week we will read Mae Jemison: Space Scientist. This biography teaches us about the first African-American woman astronaut in space. We will discuss the fact that Mae Jemison grew up having to deal with prejudices, which made it difficult for her to reach her goal. One of the main comprehension skills that accompany this selection is the use of main ideas and details. We have been working hard in class learning about writing good topic sentences and including details that stay on topic. This work will lead to better extended response answers.
Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors have enjoyed drafting personal narratives. In our lessons students have learned to come up with a creative idea, organize the plot and then put their thoughts into a story form. Students have also learned to use resources in class which can enhance their word choice. We have studied transitional words as well as sensory details when explaining specifics in our stories. The writers published these stories last week.

This week we look forward to studying voice in writing. Writers will take on the personality of a pumpkin and write a fictitious persuasive essay in the form of a letter. By taking on this personality, students will use the first person point of view while letting their imaginations take off into the autumn season at the pumpkin patch.

Parents and family members are encouraged to participate in writer’s workshop at any time. Please contact Ms. Carter if you would like to join us

Math: Students have started Unit 3 Multiplication and Division; Number Sentences and Algebra – Students will practice and review basic multiplication facts. These facts should be practiced to the point of instant recall. Multiplication facts will also be used to find division facts. Students will learn about general problem-solving schemes to help solve number stories and mathematical models for more complicated problems. Logic grids are used to take a specialized approach to solving logic problems. The unit concludes with extensions of some familiar algebra concepts and skills that were used in earlier grades of Everyday Mathematics.

Math Club: Mrs. Scaro will be pushing into all of the 4th grade classrooms for math club this year. Starting the week of October 11, she will rotate through each classroom, spending time in a different fourth grade class each week. During math club, all students will participate in math competitions, enrichment activities, and math games. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Social Studies: This week students started their study of Illinois with Mr. Weber.

Homework: Homework is either work that is not finished in school or practice of material that was taught in class. If your child has a busy evening, and homework cannot be completed, remember that the Sunrise Study Hall is open every morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in the media center. Passes are available at the front office. Students may also go to the media center at lunchtime to complete homework.

~ September News ~

2010-09-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Dates:
•10/6: Walk to School Day
•10/8: Unsatisfactory Progress Reports sent home
•10/11: Columbus Day – NO School
•10/19: Dr. Albert Roberts, Longfellow community chat – 7:00 p.m. (see details below)
•10/18 – 10/22: Fall Parent Teacher Conferences – Scheduling letters will be sent home within the next week

Reminders/Notes:
•Water Bottles: It is strongly encouraged that students bring a water bottle from home to minimize distractions and keep focused on learning. On cooler mornings, they should dress in layers, because it can heat up on the third floor by afternoon.
•Healthy Snacks: A light healthy snack may be brought into class every day.
•School Supplies: If your child is still missing any school supplies, please check the list on the school’s website, click this link, or in the office if you do not have internet access available.
•Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
•Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way. A letter came home about his last week from the superintendent.
•Ice cream Fridays are back! (Send money in an envelope marked “PTO ice cream” with your child’s name on it. Ice cream is $1 or $2; students must have an account set up to buy ice cream.)
•Flip Flops: are not allowed for the safety of the children.
•Please join Superintendent Dr. Albert Roberts for a Longfellow community chat. This chat, scheduled to last approximately 90 minutes, will provide the staff, parents/guardians, and neighbors of Longfellow an opportunity to participate in an open, informal dialogue with Dr. Roberts about a variety of issues (district finances, integration of technology in the classroom, state of facilities, etc.) that impact their individual building or the district as a whole. The Longfellow community chat will take place on Tuesday, October 19 beginning at 7:00 pm. We will meet in the Longfellow Auditorium. Please be sure your neighbors know, even if they do not have children in the district.

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: This week the students have been reading the realistic fiction piece, “Toto,” which is our second story in our Risks and Consequences Unit. Students learned about game reserves, which were established in Africa to protect endangered species. One of the main comprehension skills we worked on was comparing and contrasting. In this story, like last week’s, both characters took risks in helping one another. Next week we will read an excerpt from Sarah, Plain and Tall, a historical fiction piece. Continue to talk to your child about the concept of risks and consequences.

Continuing next week, your child will be responsible for completing a reading log. The next reading log will be due Friday, October 1. Please ask your child more about this.

Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors have enjoyed collaborating ideas in the form of a class story. We have studied creative ideas, the organization of plot, and the need for descriptive details. The class voted on a topic and developed their story together. All authors have signed their name to the published piece, and the final copy will be found in their writing portfolio. It was a great opportunity for writers to share their ideas, and learn the value of compromising. Our next project will involve studying and creating our very own personal narratives.
Parents and family members are encouraged to participate in writer’s workshop at any time. Please contact Ms. Carter if you would like to join us. ** Please be on the lookout for an upcoming notice regarding a Scary Story Contest. It is an optional contest and published work is due Wednesday, October 6th.**

Math: This week we started Unit 2, Using Numbers and Organizing Data. Students will examine different uses of numbers and review the system we use to record numbers. Students will also review procedures for addition and subtraction of multidigit whole numbers. The unit concludes with lessons involving data collection, organization, display, and analysis.

Also check that your child is bringing home their Student Reference Book (SRB) every night. This book is a math text that provides definitions, examples, and details about all types of math terms and topics.

Science: We are continuing to work in the FOSS Magnetism and Electricity Module. In this module, students investigate permanent magnets, build circuits, and explore electromagnetism. You can increase your child’s understanding and interest in magnetism and electricity by asking him or her to talk about the investigations we are doing at school.

Homework: Homework is either work that is not finished in school or practice of material that was taught in class. If your child has a busy evening, and homework cannot be completed, remember that the Sunrise Study Hall is open every morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in the media center. Passes are available at the front office. Students may also go to the media center at lunchtime to complete homework.

Contact Info: As communication is very important, please contact me with a note or an email if you have any questions, concerns, or information to share.

~ Early September News ~

2010-09-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

The fourth grade school year is off to a great start. Students are becoming familiar with the routine of changing classes as well as classroom procedures.

Reminders/Notes:

Water Bottles: It is strongly encouraged that students bring a water bottle from home to minimize distractions and keep focused on learning. On cooler mornings, they should dress in layers, because it can heat up on the third floor by afternoon.
Healthy Snacks: A light healthy snack may be brought into class every day.
School Supplies: If your child is still missing any school supplies, please check the list on the school’s website, click this link, or in the office if you do not have internet access available.
Scholastic News: In order to add current events and additional non-fiction reading to our curriculum, I have ordered a subscription to Scholastic News for each student. The cost is $5.00, and the fee was listed on the supply list. If you have already paid, I thank you. If you haven’t, I would appreciate your sending the money in with your child.
Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
CoGAT Testing: IQ testing for every fourth grader in the district will take place this week. At Longfellow, fourth grade teachers are hosting the three batteries of testing on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Each battery is approximately ½ hour. Every year – all current second and fourth graders are given the CoGAT (Cognitive Assessment).
Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way. A letter came home about his last week from the superintendent.
Ice cream Fridays are back! (Send money in an envelope marked “PTO ice cream” with your child’s name on it. Ice cream is $1 or $2; students must have an account set up to buy ice cream.)
Gym Shoes: are needed every Thursday.
Flip Flops: are not allowed for the safety of the children.
The first PTO meeting: will be on Wednesday, Sept 15.
Special thank you: A special thank you to Mr. Wolf (Eva’s dad) for coming into the classroom today and sharing information about Rosh Hashanah.

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: Our class has finished reading “Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days.” The class answered a question: “Have you ever wanted to be perfect like somebody you know? Why?” You can view your child’s answer by viewing our classroom blog at: http://msmithclassop97.blogspot.com/, or clicking the web address. Ask your child what his or her pen name is, and how to view their comments.

Next week we will begin our first unit in Open Court. The unit is titled Risks and Consequences. The primary aim of this unit is to deepen students’ understanding of the many kinds of risks people take and their associated consequences. The inquiry goals in this unit are to deepen the knowledge of risk taking, to learn the consequences of taking or not taking risks, to understand choices involved in taking a risk, to learn why some people are risk-takers while others are not, and to understand what makes people take risks when the consequences can be dire.

Students will be receiving both spelling and vocabulary words weekly to go along with each story. Homework will also be assigned that is aligned to the texts we are reading. Both reading and spelling tests will be given on Fridays. Your child should be reading at least 30 minutes a day. Next week in class I will model how to complete reading logs. Your child will begin doing it on his/her own the following week. The first reading log is due Friday, September 24.

Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors have gotten to know each other through the creation of biopoems. Through poetry students have shared their hopes, joys, fears, and personalities. Upon publishing these pieces, the students have learned about the author’s chair where they share their work with one another. We have discussed presentation strategies in which readers project their voice, speak with expression, and make eye contact with the audience. As audience members students have learned to make suggestions to an author, compliment his/her work, and ask questions about the piece presented. Our next upcoming project will be a shared writing activity. As a group students will write a creative and entertaining story as we study the first of the six writing traits, ideas.

Parents and family members are encouraged to participate in writer’s workshop at any time. Please contact Ms. Carter if you would like to join us!

Math: Next week we will be finishing our first Unit of Naming and Constructing Geometric Figures. Beginning the year with geometry makes the point that mathematics is more than numbers and is strongly linked to language and art. Also check that your child is bringing home their Student Reference Book (SRB) every night. This book is a math text that provides definitions, examples, and details about all types of math terms and topics.

Unit 2 Using Numbers and Organizing Data – Students will examine different uses of numbers and review the system we use to record numbers. Students will also review procedures for addition and subtraction of multidigit whole numbers. The unit concludes with lessons involving data collection, organization, display, and analysis.

Science: We are currently working in the FOSS Magnetism and Electricity Module. In this module, students investigate permanent magnets, build circuits, and explore electromagnetism. You can increase your child’s understanding and interest in magnetism and electricity by asking him or her to talk about the investigations we are doing at school.

Homework: Homework is either work that is not finished in school or practice of material that was taught in class. If your child has a busy evening, and homework cannot be completed, remember that the Sunrise Study Hall is open every morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in the media center. Passes are available at the front office. Students may also go to the media center at lunchtime to complete homework.

P.E.: Your child is required to wear gym shoes in PE class, so they should either keep a pair of gym shoes in their locker, or wear them on the day they have class. Our class has PE on Thursday morning.

Contact Info: As communication is very important, please contact me with a note or an email if you have any questions, concerns, or information to share.

Regards,
Mel Smith

4th Grade Curriculum Night

2010-09-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

The 4th grade curriculum night is tonight (September 1). I look forward to seeing many of you tonight.

Welcome to the 2010 - 2011 School Year

2010-08-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

My name is Mr. Mel Smith, and I am your child's 4th grade teacher for the 2010-2011 academic year. I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with your child. I am looking forward to an academically challenging and rewarding year.

I know through natural curiosity, and discovery children can learn. I believe it is important to establish an educational environment that fosters respect, responsibilities, and resourcefulness.

I feel it is imperative that we work together to help ensure your child's success. I hope you can attend the upcoming Curriculum Night being held on Wednesday, September 1 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

I am excited about all the possibilities for learning and discovery for us all. I am looking forward to working with you this year and welcome you to contact me anytime.

If you have any questions, please contact me. The quickest form is a note in your child's take home folder or assignment notebook. You may also either email me (msmith@op97.org) or leave me a voice message at the school.

Respectfully,

Mr. Mel Smith

Summer

2010-07-13T19:21:00.001-07:00

I hope that you are enjoying your Summer!

April News 2

2010-04-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

** Please send in empty 2 liter soda bottles to be used in Science Class **

Upcoming Dates:

4/14: Chorus Performance – 7:00 p.m. @ OPRF High School Auditorium

4/22: Family Reading Night (Please check the electronic backpack for more details)

4/23: NO School – Institute Day4/26: Ethnic Festival Assembly at School

School and 4th Grade News:

-The PTO has a new website- www.longfellow-pto.org

-The former paper newsletter of Dolezal’s Desktop as a paper newsletter, can now be accessed at http://d97dolezaldesktop.blogspot.com

-Thursday Packets have been replaced with: Digital Backpack. With one click you can find links to District, Community, School and PTO flyers and events. Check it out by clicking on the Digital Backpack link located on the Longfellow Website.

The PTO is bringing back Ice cream Friday’s. Ice cream will be available after school. We are asking that parents send a check or cash in an envelope marked PTO Ice Cream with their student’s name to start an account. There will be no cash transactions. Students will not be allowed to purchase ice cream for another student. These rules are in place from past experience to ensure no student is begged, pleaded, or bullied into buying another student ice cream. Sales to begin Friday April 16th & run through Friday, May 28. Cost per item will be $1-$2. As always volunteers are needed to make the sales run quickly and efficiently. If you can help out or have questions please contact Marci Battersby: marcibattersby+pto@gmail.com or through the PTO website: www.longfellow-pto.org

Student Council: Fantastic Fridays (some upcoming dates)

Weird Hair Day (April 30)

PJ Day (May 7)

Twin Day (May 14)

Sports Day (May 21)

Curriculum Notes:

Writing: In writing students have been publishing their fictional narratives. Following this project we have spent time focusing on dialogue and how to use it appropriately in stories. Students have learned how to use quotation marks and interesting word choice when creating conversations between characters. We have been studying dialogue in authentic literature, and creating discussions on paper using the appropriate format. Our next genre of writing will be in expository form.

Reading: We are continuing to read stories from the Survival Unit. Please see the attached newsletter pertaining to your child’s story for the following week. The collection of stories in this unit cover a wide variety of genres. Ask your child if he/she just completed a true survival story or a fictional one. To further facilitate an at home discussion, talk about current survival stories in the news or perhaps about something you recently read.

Next week we will focus on using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. We will be reminding the students that they should be reading a book with 3-4 hard words on a page to further improve their vocabulary. Following some mini-lessons next week, we will be sending home a reading project where students will independently practice using context clues. The due date will be recorded on the paper.

Please take time to look at the Family Reading Night flier found in the school’s digital backpack. We hope many of our students will donate gently used books, and come to the event to receive “new” books.

Math: Next week students will continue working on Unit 9, Percents. The unit focuses on the links among fraction, decimal, and percent names for numbers, with a special emphasis on percents. Students will practice conversions among fractions, decimals, and percents. They will use grid pictures, the multiplication rule for renaming fractions, memorization of simple conversions, and a calculator for more complex conversions.

Science: Mrs. Ambrosino and Mrs. Sullivan’s students have been observing their model ecosystems composed of plants, crickets, isopods, fish and snails. They have also constructed model ecosystems without animals, and have begun to pollute them with vinegar to imitate acid rain, plant fertilizer to imitate agricultural runoff, and salt to imitate road salt. Along with this students are learning to use pH paper to test the acidity of different liquids.

Social Studies: Mr. Smith and Miss Carter’s classes have their final State Reports due Thursday, April 15. Report requirements and the project timeline were sent home for review, and can also be viewed on Mr. Smith’s blog: http://msmithop97.blogspot.com/

April News

2010-04-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

** Please send in empty 2 liter soda bottles to be used in Science Class **

Upcoming Dates:

· 4/26: Ethnic Festival Assembly at School

School and 4th Grade News:

· The PTO has a new website- www.longfellow-pto.org

· The former paper newsletter of Dolezal’s Desktop as a paper newsletter, can now be accessed at http://d97dolezaldesktop.blogspot.com

· Thursday Packets have been replaced with: Digital Backpack. With one click you can find links to District, Community, School and PTO flyers and events. Check it out by clicking on the Digital Backpack link located on the Longfellow Website.

Student Council: Fantastic Fridays (some upcoming dates)

Blast From the Past Day (April 16)

Weird Hair Day (April 30)

PJ Day (May 7)

Twin Day (May 14)

Sports Day (May 21)

Curriculum Notes:

More March News

2010-03-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

** Please send in empty 2 liter soda bottles to be used in Science Class **

Upcoming Dates:

· 3/22 – 3/26 Nourish to Flourish Theme Week
· 3/19: Student Council Fantastic Fridays kicks off
· 3/27 – 4/4: Spring Break - No School

Nourish to Flourish Theme: Nutrition and portion size

Next week, we will have:

1. Eat and wear the color of the day.

Mon: blue/purple (ex. eat grapes and wear purple high heels)

Tues: White (eat a banana and wear white leg warmers and tube socks)

Wed: Red (eat a red apple and wear red MC Hammer pants)

Thurs: yellow/orange (eat carrots and wear orange capri pants)

Fri: green (eat celery and wear green Keds/Tretorns)

2. Student activity: record number of fruits and veggies eaten at lunch.

Student Council: Fantastic Fridays (some upcoming dates)

Stuffed Animal Day (March 19)

Mismatch Day (March 26)

Nerd Day (April 9)

Blast From the Past Day (April 16)

Curriculum Notes:

Writing: In writing class students are currently studying fictional narratives. We have recently been reading a variety of stories in class together in order to prepare for this genre. After reading each story, we have dissected the plot into a variety of components including the grabber, problem/challenge, action of the story, solution, and takeaway ending. This week students have been taking their own story topics and mapping out their ideas in a graphic organizer.

Next week we will begin drafting our stories. Writers will continue to use their skills in organization, elaboration, and sentence fluency when drafting. Students will also strive to become more independent when revising and editing their work. We look forward to having these fictional narratives published when we return from spring break.

Reading: Next week we will continue our study of Unit 4, reading the story, McBroom and the Big Wind. In this Survival Unit, the students will read various fictional and true stories about extreme situations. Our discussions with the different stories will center around how the characters stand up to the situations, and how we might respond if we were in their place. Please see the attached reading newsletters for your child’s homeroom, highlighting the upcoming vocabulary.

Math: Students will be finishing Unit 8 (Perimeter and Area) next week. The main objectives of this unit are to review perimeter and area concepts introduced earlier in Everyday Mathematics; to develop formulas as mathematics models for the areas of rectangles, parallelograms, and triangles; and to explore applications of area with the help of scale drawings.

Social Studies: Mr. Smith and Miss Carter’s classes have started their State Reports. Students will research their chosen state and complete a final report to be turned in on April 15. The first Due Date for the report is: completed research forms, due Thursday March 25. Report requirements and the project timeline were sent home for review, and can also be viewed on Mr. Smith’s blog: http://msmithop97.blogspot.com. There are also state research website links available on the blog.

~ State Reports have begun ~

2010-03-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

Mr. Smith's and Miss Carter's classes have started working on State Reports in Social Studies. The first check point (due date) is Thursday, March 25. Report research forms should be completed by then. The final project is due on Thursday, April 15. Check the requirements document and timeline for more details. (see links to these documents in the left margin of this blog)

~ March ~

2010-03-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

ISAT week starts this week, Tuesday, March 2.

Please help your child be successful by following the ISAT tips listed below.

The 4th grade testing will continue into next week, Monday and Tuesday, with our final test Tuesday afternoon.

A special Thank You to all of the parents who generously sent in snacks and juice during testing week.

~ February News ~

2010-02-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Dates:

2/23: Frank Lloyd Home and Studio Tour – chaperones will be needed
2/26: PAAC 3rd Annual Night at the Museum – 6:30p.m.
2/26: End of 2^nd Trimester
3/1: Casimir Pulaski Day – No School
3/2: ISAT (Illinois Standards Achievement Test) begin on Tuesday, March 2.
3/12: Report Cards Sent Home
3/17: Arts Fiesta – 6:30 p.m.
3/27 – 4/4: Spring Break - No School

ISAT:

Students in grade 4 will be tested in ISAT Science, Math, and Reading. You can help your child do his/her best on the test by:

Making sure, if possible, that your child attends school on the days of testing
Making sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before testing
Providing breakfast on the mornings of testing
Providing a healthy snack for your child to bring to school
Reminding your child to ask the teacher questions if he/she does not understand the test directions
Letting your child know that you have confidence in his/her ability to do his/her best
Advising your child not to worry about the test – just do the best he/she can

If your child is absent and misses a session, make-up testing will be administered during the week of March 8th.

Curriculum Notes:

Writing: In writing students continue to work on their biographies. Students have learned to research and take notes in their own words. They are now working on organizing their ideas into a four paragraph essay. While drafting these biographies, writers are trying to vary their sentence structure and word choice in order to improve sentence fluency. Students have also practiced citing their sources with proper documentation. A very special thank you to all the parents who came in to assist with this research project. The students enjoyed the extra support, and we appreciated having parents involved in our classroom activities.

Alongside of biographies fourth graders have been studying idioms in class. We encourage you to share various expressions at home, which can then be added to our classroom collections.

Reading: We will continue working on our “From Mystery to Medicine” unit. If your child is reading an Open Court selection next week, please see the attached newsletter. We will be doing some lessons on making inferences early next week. For your child’s next reading project, he/she will be practicing these inferencing skills. To make inferences, good readers must use information from the story in the form of facts, reasons and descriptions. Readers also use personal experiences or knowledge to bring to the stories. The Making Inferences Reading Project will be due on Friday, February 26th. The direction page will come home next Wednesday following our lessons. Your child will need to read a fiction book to complete the project, although he/she does not need to finish the book by the 26th.

Math: Students will be completing Unit 7 (Fractions and Their Uses; Chance and Probability) next week. The three main objectives of the Unit are: 1) to provide reminders, review, and practice of fraction ideas introduced earlier, 2) to develop a good understanding of equivalent fractions, 3) to provide informal activities related to chance and probability. Students continue to practice ISAT test strategy skills in preparation for the coming Math ISAT tests.

Science: The students (Carter’s/Smith’s classes) have been doing investigations in the Earth Materials Unit. They have been working with stream tables to model the water cycle, the effect of rain on land, and how rivers, streams and lakes are formed. They are also studying the four soil components in their stream tables to gain an understanding of ground water and runoff. Through a reading selection, they are learning where drinking water comes from. To increase your child’s understanding and interest in earth science ask him or her to talk about the investigations we are doing at school. If any parents or guardians have an expertise or interest in earth science and would like to share their knowledge with the students, please contact Mrs. Ambrosino.

Social Studies: Mrs. Ambrosino’s and Mrs. Sullivan’s classes are finishing their study of Unit 3 - Chapter 6 Social Studies lessons next week. Unit 3 – the main topic of study has been the Growth and Expansion of the United States, with focus on the Illinois Territory, Illinois becoming a State, and Illinois involvement in the Civil War.

~ January 8th News ~

2010-01-20T07:51:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Dates:

1/25: Teacher's Institute Day - No School
2/1 - 2/5: Conference Week
2/1 - 2/5: Book Fair
2/4 - 2/5: Half Days - Dismissal at 11:00 a.m.
2/15: Presidents' Day - No School

December News

2009-12-09T07:53:00.001-08:00

Upcoming Dates:

12/11: Report Cards Home
12/21-1/1/2010: NO School – Winter Break; School resumes Monday, 1/4/2010

Committee forming to plan for next year's Outdoor Ed trip

Our students will be fifth graders sooner than we know it and heading for Camp Algonquin next fall. Anyone interested in joining a committee to explore ways to raise funds to reduce the cost of this trip please contact Marci Battersby: 386-8098 or marcibattersby@gmail.com

Curriculum Notes:

Custom Typing: Students should be practicing keyboarding skills three to five times per week. If a computer is not available at home, please consider using the computers at the public library or in Longfellow’s media center during Sunrise Study Hall.

Reading: We are continuing to read stories within our “Dollars and Sense” unit. In the story, “Ellias Sifuentes, Restaurateur,” students learned the importance of identifying the main idea and supporting details. This is an important skill when reading non-fiction. Soon, the students will also work on the skill of sequencing. Students will be reminded that writers put events into a logical sequence, or order, so that readers can understand in what order the events occurred. We will do another KWL chart later this year. Although many of the students did well, others did not record at least 5 questions to search for when reading.

Our next reading project is currently being kicked off in class. We are modeling how to record plot events. In particular, students are being introduced to the elements of: conflict, rising action, climax (turning point in the plot,) falling action, and resolution. The students will fill out a story plot sheet after reading their chosen, fiction book. This project is due Thursday, December 17th. Over break, we will ask your child to read as much as possible, but no reading projects or logs will be done.

Writing: In writing students have begun drafting their mysteries. While studying this genre, we have learned a variety of terms including sleuth, alibi, breakthrough, motive, suspect, deduction, red herring, evidence, and witness. Writers have spent time reading a variety of mysteries prior to clearly organizing their own plots.

Alongside our current project, we have begun a sentence study in class. Each day students are reading and creating new sentences, in order to use phrasing and appropriate detail when writing complete thoughts. We are also practicing our editing skills carefully when using sentences.

Soon a note will be coming home regarding the winter writing contest. Each fourth grader will be required to submit a piece. Students will have plenty of time over winter break, as well as the following week of school, to work on this selection. The due date for submissions will be Friday, January 8th. We look forward to participating in this annual tradition.

Math: Students started working on Unit 5 (Big Numbers, Estimation, and Computation) this week. The unit begins with two lessons that focus on extending multiplication skills, in preparation for the introduction of the partial-products algorithm for multiplication. The lattice algorithm is also introduced as an alternative to the parital-products algorithm.

Unit 5 also emphasizes reading, writing, and using large numbers, including the use of powers of 10 to represent large numbers. Estimation is highlighted, both as an important step in adding and multiplying numbers and as a tool to facilitate the communication of large numbers.

Science: In science the students (Ambrosino’s/Sullivan’s classes) are reading and doing activities from the Here’s Looking at You drug education curriculum. The philosophy of Here’s Looking at You believes the best way for children to reduce their risk of having problems with drugs is for them not to use drugs at all, and that message is delivered clearly throughout the curriculum. It also gives students the information and tools to make choices that are safe and healthy. You will find attached to the newsletter information that you may find useful in continuing your child’s drug education at home.

Social Studies: Students (Carter’s/Smith’s classes) have begun their study of Unit 3 (Growth and Expansion) this week. Unit 3 focuses on the changes in Illinois and the nation as the United States population grew and expanded westward. A study guide will be sent home prior to the Unit 3 test, which will be taken the week of January 5th.

Social Studies Test Next Tuesday

2009-09-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

Next Tuesday, October 6th, we will be having a Social Studies test. The studyguide will be sent home on Thursday, October 1.

This guide is also available at the following link: Unit 2 Studyguide

Welcome to the 2009 - 2010 School Year!!

2009-08-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

My name is Mr. Mel Smith and I am your child’s 4th grade teacher for the 2009-2010 academic year. I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with your child. I am looking forward to an academically challenging and rewarding year.

I know through natural curiosity, and discovery children can learn. I believe it is important to establish an educational environment that fosters respect, responsibilities and resourcefulness.

I feel it is imperative that we work together to help ensure your child’s success. I hope you can attend the upcoming Curriculum Night being held at school on Wednesday, September 2 from 6:00-7:00 pm.

I am excited about all the possibilities for learning and discovery for us all. I am looking forward to working with you this year and welcome you to contact me anytime.

If you have any questions, please contact me. The quickest form is a note to me in your child’s take home folder. You may also either email me (msmith@op97.org) or leave me a voice message at the school.

Respectfully,

Mr. Mel Smith

Mr. Smith's 4th Grade

~~ April News ~~

~ March News ~

~ Bottles Needed ~

~~ January News ~~

~ December News ~

~ November News 2 ~

~ October News ~

~ September News ~

~ Early September News ~

4th Grade Curriculum Night

Welcome to the 2010 - 2011 School Year

~~ Summer ~~

~~ April News 2 ~~

~~ April News ~~

~~ More March News ~~

~ State Reports have begun ~

~ March ~

~ February News ~

~ January 8th News ~

~~ December News ~~

Social Studies Test Next Tuesday

Welcome to the 2009 - 2010 School Year!!

April News

January News

Summer

April News 2

April News

More March News

December News