Muggy May Monday

Hey Parents:

A few notes to remember as we approach the final months of school....

1)  School is not over!  This is the time of year where we have to reflect on what we have accomplished and are we actually ready to move from 4th to 5th grade.  Attitude, Attendance, Aptitude are all still very important.   If you are not at school, you can't learn.  If you have a bad attitude, you can't learn.  If you don't come ready to learn, you will not only hurt yourself, but others who are trying.

2)  Talk to your students about coming to school each and every day ready to learn.  NOT TO SOCIALIZE!  Students are trying to talk rather than work and it is resulting in loss of privileges in the classroom.  Also, I just want you to know that if I call you, text you, send you a note... it isn't because I have nothing better to do.  It is because it has reached a point that your students has worked through the normal steps of discipline in the classroom.

3) Students need to have an independent reading book to read at all times.  They are expected to read at least ONE chapter book ON or ABOVE their level each week.  If they don't read, they don't improve.  Please make sure that your child is reading 30-45 minutes a day!

4) The specials teachers (Mr. Hoffman/Gym, Mr. Nunez/Dance, and Ms. Galan/Science) are complaining that our students are not listening, are talking over instruction, and making it difficult for students wishing to participate to do so.  I have been encouraging them to call you and let you know.

• 1st Period - We passed out our new class novel, this time it is through ReadyGen!  We are reading the novel "LUNCH MONEY" written by Andrew Clements who also wrote the book we just finished "Frindle".   Lunch Money is an AR book.   It has a 5.2 book level and is worth 6 points.  

Twelve-year-old Greg, who has always been good at moneymaking projects, is surprised to find himself teaming up with his lifelong rival, Maura, to create a series of comic books to sell at school.

• After passing out the books, we read chapter 1 focusing on the parts of a fiction novel (character, setting, and plot!).  At the end of the first chapter, they students wrote a short summary in their journals.  I will be picking them up for a writing grade later in the week to grade as we go through the novel.
• 2nd Period - Dance - We had four students our today, so we had a total of 24 students who went to dance today.  Out of those 24, ELEVEN (11) were marked down for misbehavior during dance.  11!   Again, they talked over him while he was trying to talk, ignored him completely, talked back, and refused to follow directions.  11 out of 24.  NO BUENO!  Four of our young ladies, and seven of our young men.  So very disappointing!
• 3rd  Period - ReadyGen 4A.1 continued.  We ready chapters 2 and 3 with the same focus and then wrote summaries upon finishing.   We focused on the main character of Greg and how the author gives us examples of his character by what he does.  We talked about three character traits today:  Hard Working,  Smart, and Loves Money!  Their homework tonight is to use the book (chapters 1 - 3) and find examples in the book that Andrew Clements uses to show Greg's character.  They are to copy the text (WORD FOR WORD) on side 1 of the T chart, and on side 2 explain the character trait it shows.  We discussed how the book so far has done a great job at showing the main character, some of the setting, and of course the "PROBLEM or SITUATION" that makes up the plot.  For writing homework, they have to start thinking about a story they want to tell.  Who are the characters, what is the setting, and finally what is the problem/situation they have to solve. They should "START" their story by making an outline and introduce the characters, setting, and problem.
• 4th -  Chapter 11 Test in GoMath.  Students took the GOMath test for Chapter 11.  I was QUITE disappointed with the results of the test.  Talk to your children about studying for tests, about taking them serious, and how if they don't pass the 4th learning period, there is a good chance they will be going to summer school!   
• 5th - Finish Chapter 11 test - put the test into the computer using ThinkCentral (so they could see right away what they got right and wrong).  And then do the SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW (or pretest) for Chapter 12.   
• 6th - Lunch/Recess    - The first 10 minutes of recess I only had a handful of students enjoying the beautiful May afternoon.  By the last 5 minutes of recess I only had two students who lost all of recess today.  Talking back will result in no recess.  
• 7th Period - We returned to the room and watched an episode of Liberty Kids that showed the build up and the Boston Tea Party using a cartoon as the medium.   After the episode was complete, we ready the first section of Chapter 5 in our Social Studies Book together.   We ran out of time, but tomorrow they will watch another episode of Liberty Kids and work on the comprehension questions for the first section of Chapter 5.  

Homework:

Reading: Use the book (chapters 1 - 3) and find examples in the book that Andrew Clements uses to show Greg's character.  They are to copy the text (WORD FOR WORD) on side 1 of the T chart, and on side 2 explain the character trait it shows.

Writing:  Think about a story they want to tell.  Who are the characters, what is the setting, and finally what is the problem/situation they have to solve. Start your story by making an outline and introduce the characters, setting, and problem.

Independent Reading:  Read for 30-45 minutes out of their independent reading book.  The only way to improve reading is to READ.