Parents! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while! I enjoyed getting to meet with many of you last week in parent teacher conferences. We have several exciting things happening this week that I would like to make you aware of.
First, we have now come to the completion of our first writing unit and will be having an Author Celebration on Tuesday! Another class will be coming in to be an audience for the students' stories. Your children have worked hard and learned a lot! I am proud of their work. Their writing will be showcased on a bulletin board in the hallway for the whole school to see!
Second, today we began our spelling groups. As I mentioned with many of you in the conferences, I chose to devote the first month of school on just getting the students writing, and now we are ready to begin working on more of the mechanics, such as spelling. The students are placed in small leveled groups so that the words are just right for their developmental stage. I will send home a list of the words each week, and I will also create a space for them on the blog where I will update the lists each week. You will need to ask your child which group number they are in. While there is no required homework with the words, I suggest that you at least review the words with your child at home so that they can have more practice with the words than just in class. We will test the words each Friday.
Third, on Wednesday, Fox 13 will be coming and filming live at our school because Quail Run is the "Cool School of the Week!" They will arrive at 6 am, and the students are welcome to come at that time, or any time from then until school starts to participate. Specifically, if your child would like to be on tv, they can join in doing a dance they have learned for the 6:47 spot. Mrs. Bird would like them to the school by 6:15 if they wish to participate.
Finally, thank you again so much for all you do to support your children in their schooling! I continue to love working with them and getting to know more about them. Please let me know if there is anything more I can do for you or your child in order for them to be successful and enjoy school. I love learning, and want them to experience that as well! Thank you!
Oh, and here's the update on dance and health from Mrs. Bird:
Dance - What patterns can our bodies perform? Students will be introduced to the various patterns the body performs naturally. Students will identify with the following body pattern terms: body-half, upper/lower, and cross-lateral.
Health - Are the meals I am eating nutritious? Students will analyze the school lunch menu and determine if the meals they are being fed here at school are nutritious and then sort the foods on the school menu into the proper food groups. Students will create personal daily menus that include all food groups.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
4th Grade Para Educator - Mrs. Connelly
Parents! It just occurred to me that I never mentioned the Para Educator who has been helping us since the second day of school, and I am so sorry! You have probably heard your children talking about her. Mrs. Connelly takes the A class to their classes when all of 4th grade is not together, and then is with us when we are all together. She is amazing, and such a help to our 4th grade. I am grateful to be working with her. Here is a little bit from her so you can get to know who she is:
Hello! My name is Mrs. Connelly, and I am the aide in the 4th grade class. I just wanted you to know a little about me, as I spend all day with your children. I love these kids already. They are all so sweet, so pat yourselves on the back, you are definately doing something right! I have been a crossing guard at Mt. Mahogany for the past 7 years, and was a substitue teacher last year. I have 3 children, Jaden 13, Tanner 8, and Carter 6. I love reading books, camping, doing yard work,and taking my kids to Seven Peaks! I have been married for 14 years. I also work part time at Texas Roadhouse in Lehi. Please let me or Miss Pohlig know if there are any concerns, we are always here to listen and help with anything.
Hello! My name is Mrs. Connelly, and I am the aide in the 4th grade class. I just wanted you to know a little about me, as I spend all day with your children. I love these kids already. They are all so sweet, so pat yourselves on the back, you are definately doing something right! I have been a crossing guard at Mt. Mahogany for the past 7 years, and was a substitue teacher last year. I have 3 children, Jaden 13, Tanner 8, and Carter 6. I love reading books, camping, doing yard work,and taking my kids to Seven Peaks! I have been married for 14 years. I also work part time at Texas Roadhouse in Lehi. Please let me or Miss Pohlig know if there are any concerns, we are always here to listen and help with anything.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
September 10-14
This past week held a lot of fun for 4th grade - as I continue to get to know each of your chidren individually, I love teaching them more and more! We started playing ultimate frisbee at recess (and I play too, because I love it!), and on Friday we made cookies in math to help students see a real-world example of how fractions are used. The students first had to cut the recipe in half and then select the correct measuring cups and notice how the half-cup was half of 1 cup, and that 1/4 cup was half of a 1/2 cup, etc. It was a fun-filled but meaningful experience for them. Many of them requested the recipe, so here it is!
Preacher Cookies (a.k.a No-Bake Cookies, but this is what we call them in my part of Virginia)
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups quick oats
Mix the sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the butter and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until boiling. Boil for 1 min. 20 sec., then remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir until melted. Add quick oats and stir to combine, then quickly spoon onto waxed paper.
This Week in Class
Some of the students began MAP testing this past week in science, and this next week all of them will be tested in math, scienc, reading, and language. These are tests we use at the beginning of the year to determine their current levels and guage their progress throghout the year. Please encourage your child to do his or her best, but help them understand it is not for a grade and not something they need to stress over.
Once again, remember that we will be taking a field trip to the State Fair on Friday. I need to know as soon as possible if your student will need a school lunch that day, and if you are willing to be a chaperone, please let me know!
In writing, many students have finished drafting their first personal narrative and will this week begin drafting a second one. They will then choose one of those stories to revise, edit, and publish. Many of them have expressed interest in publishing both, and I have told them that would be a great thing to do at home, so once we reach that point, you can support them in this by helping them read over their drafts at home. Also, I will introduce writing notepads this week that the students will be able to take home with them if they choose so they can write at home without having to take their school notebooks home (because I need to take them home and read them!).
In math we will continue working on fractions this week, along with the MAP testing. In Science, we are learning about the moon, so if you would like to go out with your child at night and observe the moon and discuss the phase it is in, that would be a nice enhancement. In Socal Studies we will continue learning about Utah's geography. For reading, we are continuing to discuss story elements, and this week the focus will be on character. Please continue to encourage your child to read each night!
From Mrs. Bird:
Dance - Students will further explore the four elements of dance which include Body, Space, Time, and Energy. Students will discover and discuss the following questions: "Who is a dancer? Can everyone dance? Lastly, students will learn the "body dance" and recognize how special and unique their own body is.
Health - Students will further their understanding of how food is grouped into the 5 different food groups by playing a game of Nutritition Go-Fish.
Preacher Cookies (a.k.a No-Bake Cookies, but this is what we call them in my part of Virginia)
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups quick oats
Mix the sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the butter and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until boiling. Boil for 1 min. 20 sec., then remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir until melted. Add quick oats and stir to combine, then quickly spoon onto waxed paper.
This Week in Class
Some of the students began MAP testing this past week in science, and this next week all of them will be tested in math, scienc, reading, and language. These are tests we use at the beginning of the year to determine their current levels and guage their progress throghout the year. Please encourage your child to do his or her best, but help them understand it is not for a grade and not something they need to stress over.
Once again, remember that we will be taking a field trip to the State Fair on Friday. I need to know as soon as possible if your student will need a school lunch that day, and if you are willing to be a chaperone, please let me know!
In writing, many students have finished drafting their first personal narrative and will this week begin drafting a second one. They will then choose one of those stories to revise, edit, and publish. Many of them have expressed interest in publishing both, and I have told them that would be a great thing to do at home, so once we reach that point, you can support them in this by helping them read over their drafts at home. Also, I will introduce writing notepads this week that the students will be able to take home with them if they choose so they can write at home without having to take their school notebooks home (because I need to take them home and read them!).
In math we will continue working on fractions this week, along with the MAP testing. In Science, we are learning about the moon, so if you would like to go out with your child at night and observe the moon and discuss the phase it is in, that would be a nice enhancement. In Socal Studies we will continue learning about Utah's geography. For reading, we are continuing to discuss story elements, and this week the focus will be on character. Please continue to encourage your child to read each night!
From Mrs. Bird:
Dance - Students will further explore the four elements of dance which include Body, Space, Time, and Energy. Students will discover and discuss the following questions: "Who is a dancer? Can everyone dance? Lastly, students will learn the "body dance" and recognize how special and unique their own body is.
Health - Students will further their understanding of how food is grouped into the 5 different food groups by playing a game of Nutritition Go-Fish.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
September 4-7
Another week flew by! Thank you for all the help and support you provide your child at home. In writing, the students have chosen one story idea from their collection of entries to focus on, and now we will work on revising, editing, and publishing those pieces. The students and I are excited to be embarking on these adventures. You can continue to help with this by encouraging your child to read and write at home. The more they do this, the better they will become!
As an update on our other classes, in Math we are working on fractions; in Social Studies we are learning about Utah's geography; and in science we are finishing up learning about Earth and will be talking about the moon this week.
Also, here is the update for Dance and Health this week:
Dance - Students will discover the four elements of dance that will be individually explored throughout the year which include Body, Space, Time, and Energy. Students will explore and discuss the following questions: Who is a dancer? Can everyone dance? Students will then reach a guided conclusion that everyone is a dancer. Lastly, students will learn the "body dance" and recognize how special and unique their own body is.
Health - Students will be introduced to the most recent nutritional chart used, MyPlate. Students will begin to identify the various food groups that should be included in their daily diets. Students will also play a fun exercise-promoting game called the Moving More Game.
As an update on our other classes, in Math we are working on fractions; in Social Studies we are learning about Utah's geography; and in science we are finishing up learning about Earth and will be talking about the moon this week.
Also, here is the update for Dance and Health this week:
Dance - Students will discover the four elements of dance that will be individually explored throughout the year which include Body, Space, Time, and Energy. Students will explore and discuss the following questions: Who is a dancer? Can everyone dance? Students will then reach a guided conclusion that everyone is a dancer. Lastly, students will learn the "body dance" and recognize how special and unique their own body is.
Health - Students will be introduced to the most recent nutritional chart used, MyPlate. Students will begin to identify the various food groups that should be included in their daily diets. Students will also play a fun exercise-promoting game called the Moving More Game.
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