We are incredibly excited to have our students in class this Monday! We hope everyone has a restful weekend and comes ready to learn!
The first week of school we will be establishing and practicing our daily routines and procedures, and familiarizing ourselves with our classroom and our school! Students will be taking a tour of the entire Archway Arete campus with Mrs. LaVell and myself on Monday morning, and we will spend the rest of the day enriching our minds and hearts in learning.
In these weekly blog posts, I will outline the week subject-by-subject, and will also include any pertinent announcements or reminders each week. While I try to include as much detail for the week as possible in my posts, Mr. Naaktgeboren’s class blog is often more in-depth, as it is the product of over 5 years in the making. If you’d like more detail or information, feel free to subscribe to his classroom blog as well: http://naakarete.blogspot.com/
Lessons This Week:
Spalding: On day one, students will take a 50-word spelling test that will help me see what your child's spelling grade level is. This is an important piece of data for me, but it does not factor in your child's grade. Students will then start learning the rules of the English language. They will be taught 10 words this week and there is a Spalding Test on Friday.
Writing/Grammar: This week, students will review the parts of a sentence, review the main parts of speech, and learn about nouns (singular vs. plural; common vs. proper).
Math: The study of mathematics starts with a review and study of place value. This year, students must memorize all whole numbers from the ones place to the hundred millions place. They will have a test on Monday of week 2.
History: The year beings with a study of geography in history. Students will learn how to measure the distance between two places on a map, the role of latitude and longitude lines, how to find a place on a map using coordinates, and time zones. There is a quiz on Friday. All history tests and quizzes will be open-note throughout the year.
- The symbol on a map with four arrows pointing in different directions is called a ________________.
- A map key, or _______________, is a table or chart with symbols that represent places or routes on a map.The earth is divided into four half spheres, called ________________.
- The ____________ is a line of _______________ dividing the earth into the northern and southern hemispheres.
- A map _________ can help you find the distance between two places on a map and looks like a ruler.
- The ______________ is a line of _____________ dividing the earth into the eastern and western hemispheres.
Science: The study of science begins with a study of chemistry. This week, students will learn about atoms. This will include what an atom is, how atomic theory was developed, and the parts of atoms. Once they understand that everything is formed by atoms, they will discover the terms matter, mass, density, volume, and vacuum.
Literature: Literature: The first book of the year is The Princess and the Goblin. Please have your child bring his/her copy of the book on Tuesday. This week, students will read chapters 1-4.
Greek and Latin Roots: On Wednesday, students will learn the first four Greek and Latin roots. They will have a review check-up on these next Wednesday.
Poetry: Students will memorize the poem "Humanity" by Elma Stuckey. They will have two weeks to memorize this poem and will be expected to recite it in class during week 3. Students should practice this poem nightly until memorized and then every other night to maintain the memorization.
Important Dates:
- Friday: History Quiz
- Friday: Spalding Test
- Monday (Week 2): Place Value Test
Class Information:
Nut-Free: 4C has a student who is allergic to nuts, and therefore we are a nut-free classroom. Students must consume any food with nuts in them in the cafeteria (MPR). Students will not be permitted to eat a snack with nuts in the hallway during snack time, although I do not anticipate this being an issue as our class has snack outside.
Snack Regulations: The goal of snack time is to provide the students with an opportunity to eat a healthy snack that will help hold them over until lunchtime and help them stay focused in the late morning. Therefore, I limit snack options. Students may not eat chips, candy, or cookies during snack time, and must save any foods such as those for their lunch. One exception to the cookie rule is "healthy cookies" such as a protein cookie. Students may only drink water in the classroom. Good snack options include, but are not limited to, fresh fruit and vegetables, popcorn, crackers, Gold Fish, sliced meats, hard-boiled eggs, beef jerky, and cheeses. If you have any questions or comments regarding snack, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.
Back-to-School Traffic: Be advised that as our Arete families are still settling into their routines, traffic pickup will be a very busy time and might take a little longer than it will later in the year. Please plan ahead for these conditions when picking up your child from school in the first couple weeks.
I look forward to beginning our fourth grade journey in the pursuit of all that is True, Beautiful, and Good!
--Mrs. Conforti
