I hope everyone is having a good start to the new year, and that you were able to enjoy a relaxing time with your families over the holidays! I am looking forward to seeing all of our students on Monday, and am eager for a strong start to the new semester.
Math Tutoring:
There will not be any math tutoring this week. Tutoring will resume in week 2, on January 16 on an invitation-only basis. If it is recommended that your child attend math tutoring in the third quarter, you will receive an email later this week.
Winter Review Packet:
All winter extra credit packets are due on Monday, but I will accept them on Tuesday as well for any students who may have forgotten over the break. After Tuesday, winter packets will not be accepted for a grade or for the pizza party opportunity. Any students who completed any portion of the winter packet will receive extra credit in either math and/or ELA. Any students who have completed the ENTIRE packet will receive a pizza party with Mrs. Conforti (date TBD).
Lessons This Week:
Spalding: On Monday, students will be taking their 50-word Spalding test. This test is not taken for a grade, but is completed solely for data purposes. This week, students will study their next 20 words. For nightly Spalding homework, students should have the words dictated to them by someone at home and should write them one time each in syllables. Any words that are misspelled should be written again for additional practice. We will take our 20-word Spalding test on Friday.
Writing/Grammar: Students will continue their study of grammar for the next two weeks before getting back into writing lessons. Before the AzMERIT writing test, we will be spending more time on writing to prepare students. After they take their writing test, we will get back into grammar lessons for the duration of the school year.
Math: This week, students will learn their next math concepts on geometry. While we are in the geometry unit, students will be utilizing Workbook 4B. However, students will be returning to Workbook 4A toward the end of the third quarter and the fourth quarter, as we learn decimals.
History: Students will be starting their study of the American Revolution and the framing of the Constitution.
Science: This week, students will be learning about the impact that humans have on the environment, and will be working in groups to make posters about different environmentalist concepts.
Literature: We will continue reading The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Please send your copy to school with your student. For nightly homework, students will read a book of their choosing for 20 minutes every night, unless otherwise specified. Students will keep their quarterly reading log in their yellow take-home folder. All reading logs are due at the end of the quarter.
Greek and Latin Roots: On Wednesday, students will be learning their next three roots on roots #51-53. There will not be a review quiz this week, but review quizzes will resume regularly in week 2.
Poetry: Students will learn their next poem for recitation this week.
Important Dates: *assessment dates are subject to be pushed back if necessary
- Monday:
- Spalding Test: 50-words (not taken for a grade)
- Friday:
- Spalding Test: 20 words
- History Test: 13 Colonies
Class Information:
Typing:
The skill of typing is an important one for all of our students to be able to learn and perform effectively. While I do not expect any fourth grader to be a typing professional, I would like to get them as comfortable as possible using a keyboard. Not only do we type essays in class, but students will be expected to type their essays for the AzMERIT Writing test in the Spring. For this reason, it is imperative that students feel comfortable enough to perform this skill.
I highly encourage you to allow your student to practice typing on a computer keyboard as often as possible at home. Many students are wizzes when it comes to navigating a tablet, phone, or other touch screen device, but many of them do not have proper exposure to regular computers. It would be beneficial if you and your student found something on a computer that they enjoy, that would also help them practice typing on a regular computer keyboard. I will be periodically updating the blog with any examples I find, and if you have any ideas, feel free to email us and share them! Thanks!
Xtra Math:
Any student who passes multiplication, addition, subtraction, and division on XtraMath will earn a special secret prize from Mr. Gillingham! Please encourage your students to work on this at home whenever you have spare time. Each practice session of XtraMath only takes about 5 minutes to complete.
Headphones:
All students need to bring in a pair of headphones to keep at school. Students are expected to use headphones whenever they do activities on the computer, such as Khan Academy and TypingQuest. They will also need to have them each time they take a standardized test. I have room in the classroom for students to keep headphones at school. Thanks!
--Mrs. Conforti
TMartin@ArchwayArete.org
--Mrs. LaVell
RLavell@ArchwayArete.org
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