4/26/2015
News from Mrs. Miles’ Room…………
First off, I’d like to thank everyone for a wonderful Teacher Appreciation Week. Four very kind and generous parents volunteered their time to watch the class while I was able to enjoy a delicious catered lunch sponsored by our PTA, so I thank them as well. You have made me feel very welcomed and appreciated J!
We’re in the midst of our end of year review and have been revisiting previously taught skills. Last week we touched on main idea and inferences. This week we spent time on test taking strategies using the acronym RUNNERS. Next week we will focus on poetry. While focusing on poetry we will review MANY skills:
· What is poetry?
· Figurative Language: metaphors, similes, idioms, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and hyperboles
· Poetry terminology: rhythm, rhyme, verses, stanzas, lines
Students will also have time to work on their animal reports. I will help them with revisions and editing.
Mark your calendars (some dates are tentative):
-May 25th-Holiday-no school -June 3rd-Field Day
-June 4th-Field Day (Rain Make Up Day) -June 5th-4th Grade Recorder Concert
-June 8th-Last Day/4th Grade Picnic
Please remember to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions and/or concerns. Have a great week!
4/2/2015
News from Mrs. Miles…….
I hope everyone enjoyed Spring Break, even though it was shortened for many! The fourth quarter has officially started.
We started Daily 5 rotations in the classroom so the children are working in small groups to move through 5 different “stations”. Over a one to two week period the children will work on the computer, read with a buddy using our NC Weekly, work in their assigned book clubs, do a writing assignment, and spend some time reading to themselves from a book of their choice. During their current Daily 5 assignments the children are working on point of view, author’s purpose, character traits, vocabulary/definitions, and persuasive writing. This is just a portion of their ELA time with me.
During our writing block we are finishing our 5 paragraph persuasive essays defending the wolf’s or the pig’s side of the story since we read two versions of The Three Little Pigs. This week we’ve also started some basic daily language skill practice where we work as a group to fix mistakes in sentences and review basic skills. During our activity this week we worked on dialogue, word choice, capitalization, punctuation, abc order, and antonyms.
Finally, we’re getting close to finishing Number The Stars (it seems like it has taken forever, but the kids have really enjoyed it). The children literally beg me each day to read more and more from the book, but sadly time is limited. However, hearing their excitement about a book is music to my ears J!
A couple minor reminders:
-No school tomorrow, April 3rd.
-Our visiting author has been rescheduled due to the earlier snow days. She will be here April 16th and 17th. The students will be able to meet her during one of those days.
-Please remember to check your child’s Friday Folder weekly. I’m sending home many graded papers. Look for them and discuss them with your child.
-EOG testing will take place in mid to late May (definitive dates will be sent out later). Try to avoid scheduling doctor’s appointments, family trips, or early dismissals during that time.
-If your child has missed school due to illness or injury, please remember to send a note the following day with a note if you’d like the absence(s) to be excused.
3/12/15
Another busy week in the books! This week we’ve accomplished the following:
-Completed more chapters in our class novel, Number The Stars
-Book clubs (Historical Fiction books only right now)
-Explaining how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text
-Persuasive Essays (ask your child if he/she is defending the wolf or the pigs)
-SS Weekly-Colonial Conflicts
Please check your child’s Friday Folders for numerous important notices. There’s an important form we need back ASAP and it is in regards to the make-up days over Spring Break. Please return this form on Monday, if possible.
Next week the students will have Spring Pictures on Thursday, March 19th. We will also have Case 21 testing next week. Students will be involved in Math and ELA testing on Wednesday and Thursday so please make sure they get a solid night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast.
My email address is kpmiles at wcpss dot net. Please feel free to contact me with any questions/concerns.
Have a great weekend!
Kathy Miles
February 17, 2015
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It’s time to officially “let the cat out of the bag.” Just in case the kids didn’t tell you, my last day as your child’s 4th grade teacher will be Friday, February 27th. I wanted to retire at the end of the school year last year, but I just wasn’t ready. I’m glad I waited because it allowed me to work with some of the best students I’ve ever had the privilege to teach.
It has been my pleasure to watch the children grow this year as they come in telling me about a book they are reading or one they are ready to take an A/R test on. Our ELA Case 21 scores for 2nd quarter were impressive as it reflected our hard work and dedication to be the best we can be. Writing a five paragraph essay or letter is no longer a chore because we’ve proven that we can do it. We focused on the quality and the quantity did come. This year’s Sound to Sea field trip was one to remember, good videos there and back, no one got sick, and no snow!
We are very fortunate that the transition will be very smooth. Mrs. Miles, who was a second grade teacher here at Apex Elementary for many years, will be my replacement. She already knows many of my students and they know her as well. She has been working in our Reading Intervention program and is a well qualified elementary teacher. I know that I am leaving my students in good hands.
After thirty years of teaching, it will be hard giving it up completely, so I hope you will keep me informed of upcoming games, plays, and other accomplishments. Please contact me at jhlee520 (at) gmail (dot) com. (Email written out in a way to avoid spam; you must key in the "at" sign and the "Dot" where appropriate)
I wish you and your students much success and happiness!!
Sincerely,
Jackie Lee
January 7, 2015
Happy New Year,
First of all I would like to thank you again for thinking of me during the holidays with your gifts. You know me too well….I received food, jewelry, scarves, ornaments, and gift cards, everything I wanted.
FYI:
· Case 21 assessments will be given January 12th and 13th. Reading will be given on Monday and Math on Tuesday.
· It’s that time of year again, the Middle of the Year assessment for MClass. The testing window is January 7th – January 27th. Periodically check in with your child to see if I have tested him/her yet.
· January 19th = MLK day celebration, No School
· January 20th = Workday, No School
· January 16th = the Quarter ends
· January 16th = last day to earn Accelerated Reader points for this quarter. All students are expected to earn 10 points or more each reporting period
· January 27th = Report cards sent home
· January 28th – 30th = Veeder/Lee Sound to Sea field trip
LANGUAGE ARTS
We are getting a lot of mileage out of the Minerals science unit. Mr. Veeder is requiring the students to do an oral presentation and I’m requiring a written report. I am learning/hearing more than I will ever need to know about minerals. :) Most of the work for the written report will be done in class since it is one of our standards for this reporting period.
SOCIAL STUDIES = Government services
September 3, 2014
Yea!!!!! We did it! We survived the first week of school!J Last week we discussed expected work habits and rules for the classroom and organized our trappers with OTIS (organize this important stuff). In the OTIS, parents are ONLY allowed to remove items from the Friday Folder. The materials in the other folders are for class use.
The supplies have been getting a good workout. We labeled our journals and began using them right away. If your student is in need of supplies, please let me know. A couple of spiral notebooks for Social Studies and ELA were left off the supply list so I went to Wal-Mart and bought enough for both classes. The notebooks were .25 each and I got enough for each student to have two. If you would like to reimburse me, it would be greatly appreciated.
We began our social studies curriculum by studying the location of our wonderful state. We are learning about relative and absolute locations and how they are different.
In reading, we are working on comprehension by doing a “check for understanding.” The students read, or I do a read aloud, for a designated amount of time and then write 2 fourth grade sentences summarizing what they just read. In the summary they must include “who” they just read about and “what” just happened in their own words.
Last week we completed our DAZE assessment. The students are given a story to read with missing words. They have a word box that they have to work with and provide the best word for the sentence. This week is the beginning of our DORF assessment. There are 3 separate passages/stories that the students read for 1 minute each which measures their accuracy and fluency. At the end of each passage they must do a retelling to show their comprehension. We talked about how they took these assessments last year and the importance in doing their best.
Accelerated Reader is up and ready!! Any books read over the summer can be tested now if they are part of the A/R program. Students know how to check and see if there is a test available. Fourth graders are expected to earn 10 A/R points each reporting period. We have discussed and learned how to choose “good fit books.” If students follow the guidelines, and select books that are appropriate for them, they will not have any trouble earning the 10 points. The problem comes when students choose books that they are not ready for. Please help monitor your child and make sure they are making good choices. We will make adjustments on the points on an individual basis as needed. We also expect a score of 80% or higher on the A/R tests.
Reminders:
· Early Release this Friday
· Go Play Save fundraiser
· 4th grade Open House, Monday, Sept., 15 @6:00
· 4th grade field trip presented at Open House
As you can see, we had a busy and productive first week of school.
June 14, 2014
Dear Parents and Students,
CONGRATULATIONS on having such a successful year meeting the 4th grade objectives as set forth by Wake County Public Schools and the state of North Carolina! I feel confident that this accomplishment will set the framework for accomplishing the same success next year in 5th grade.
As we bring this school year to an end, I want to thank all of you for the wonderful gifts but mostly, I want to thank you for the support and cooperation you gave.
It has been a joy working with all of you this year. Have a restful summer and remember to read!
Sincerely,
Miss J. Lee
January 5, 2014
Happy New Year!!! I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to those of you who thought of me during the holiday season. Your generosity was greatly appreciated.
We want to thank those of you who contributed to our winter leaning experience, but a big thank you to the parents who came in to help, Arianna’s mom, Jackie’s mom, and Alex’s dad.
Please make sure that your child is dressed in layers not only for the outside temperatures, but the inside as well. Unfortunately, we are not able to control the temp in our classroom and it gets a little chilly. Outside coats get bulky and don’t create the best working environment. Sweat shirts, long pants, and sweaters allow us to comfortably continue with our day.
We had two educational learning experiences in December. David’s dad came in to share Hanukkah and Chris’ mom came in to share how Christmas is celebrated in the Hispanic culture. I shared a Kwanzaa power point as well. Our presenters brought power points, and artifacts to make this a valuable learning experience. These experiences allowed us to learn about and respect those cultures that are different from our own. If you would like to come in and share with us, please contact us so we can discuss and schedule a time for you to come in.
The state symbols project is coming to an end. We have typed quite a few of them and hopefully we will be able to print before the quarter ends. Mr. Veeder and I are working together on the animal’s project/report. The written part of the animal’s report is meeting a Language Arts standard and is moving along well. We are working on the rough draft and hopefully your child has asked you to assist and proofread so you can see what we’ve been doing. We’ve worked very hard to paraphrase and make this informational text kid friendly so please remember that when you proofread.J Make sure you ask to see the checklist that we came up with together. They have a very good idea of what a 3 or 4 project should look and sound like. The final is our next step! Yea!!!!
November 22, 2013
I’m baaack!! Now that report cards are finally behind me, I hope to be able to spend more time updating my pageJ I feel like we’ve been working on report cards for a month! Hopefully all of the glitches will be cleaned up by 2nd quarter.
Your child is now allowed to review any of the Study Island Language Arts lessons we completed in first quarter. If they did not do at least 15 questions per skill, with 80% or higher, they will need your close supervision.
Please monitor your child’s Accelerated Reader progress. This quarter (2nd) all students are expected to earn ten (10) points with 80% or higher. As always, I’m more concerned with the comprehension score, book level, and progress than I am about the points. If your child has reading issues we need to address, please contact me. Remind them to record all books that they have read and the tests that they have taken in their Reading Log journal. There’s a special page just for that information. This is a good way for you to keep up with their progress.
Better Late than Never: Thanks you for the generous donations! Our class library received some great new books from the Book Fair! If you happen to have some gently used A/R books at home that your kids have outgrown, we’d love to have them.
Thanks to all of you for supporting the Box Tops collection. We were one of the top winners for the school. We enjoyed our Tootsie pops and popsicles!
We will be using technology in our classes as much as possible and it would benefit your child to practice keyboarding skills. The Type to Learn program is the one we use here at school, but I’m sure there are some other good ones out there. I showed the kids how to go on line and search “free keyboarding lessons for kids.” We will practice here, but it would be helpful if your child could find about 15 minutes 3 times a week to do some additional practice at home.
If you have any SunnyD labels from the 6.75 oz size or larger, please send them in. A former parent is collecting them for us and we need them before we leave for the Thanksgiving holiday. For every 20 labels, we can get 20 free books for our class library. Drink Up!!
October 4, 2013
You will see some tests come home today that I was saving for conferences but decided to clean up and send them home. We have gone over these in class so your child should be able to share corrections with you. I was very surprised at our capitalization test results. Our mistakes were mostly due to the fact that the kids did not check their work before handing it in. Therefore, I need you to monitor the nightly Check for Understanding and make sure your child is practicing what he/she knows...that means proper nouns should be capitalized. If students expect 3s on skill they must consistently demonstrate mastery of this skill. Thanks for your support.
9/30/13 For the past 2 weeks we worked on Making Inferences in Study Island. You can log in from home and access your child’s scores. Your child is not proficient with this skill if he/she did not score 80% or higher. You may now log in from home and work with your child on this skill only. Please sit with your child and help guide them toward the correct answer. This is one of our major standards so they will continue to see questions requiring an understanding of this concept.
9/19/13 We have spent a lot of time talking about "good fit books" and making good choices when it comes to checking out books. However, some students are not quite on board with the importance of making good choices. If a child is making good choices, he/she should be able to read and test on the book in one to two weeks with 80% accuracy. Our Accelerated Reader is an excellent tool in helping determine if a child understands what is being read. This quarter all students are expected to earn 5 A/R points with 80% accuracy. Quarters 2, 3, and 4 require 10 A/R points, unless otherwise determined by the specialist teacher, you the parent, and myself. I am happy to report that some students have already earned their 5 points!! If you have questions about these expectations, please contact me. :)
The nightly reading log is going well for most. The students are expected to summarize what was read in 2 sentences. They are to answer in complete sentences what they just read about and what just happened. This technique helps them identify the main idea which is a difficult concept for many. The more this is practiced, the better they will get at it. It also helps when it is time to take the A/R tests. Students can approach the tests with a feeling of confidence and eagerness.
The Scholastic Book Club has some wonderful books and prices if you are interested. The order forms were sent home last week with my order #. I just got some great books for our class library and look forward to adding more as a result of your purchases. I earn points for each book you order and then I use those points to replenish books that need to be replaced.
News from Mrs. Miles’ Room…………
First off, I’d like to thank everyone for a wonderful Teacher Appreciation Week. Four very kind and generous parents volunteered their time to watch the class while I was able to enjoy a delicious catered lunch sponsored by our PTA, so I thank them as well. You have made me feel very welcomed and appreciated J!
We’re in the midst of our end of year review and have been revisiting previously taught skills. Last week we touched on main idea and inferences. This week we spent time on test taking strategies using the acronym RUNNERS. Next week we will focus on poetry. While focusing on poetry we will review MANY skills:
· What is poetry?
· Figurative Language: metaphors, similes, idioms, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and hyperboles
· Poetry terminology: rhythm, rhyme, verses, stanzas, lines
Students will also have time to work on their animal reports. I will help them with revisions and editing.
Mark your calendars (some dates are tentative):
-May 25th-Holiday-no school -June 3rd-Field Day
-June 4th-Field Day (Rain Make Up Day) -June 5th-4th Grade Recorder Concert
-June 8th-Last Day/4th Grade Picnic
Please remember to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions and/or concerns. Have a great week!
4/2/2015
News from Mrs. Miles…….
I hope everyone enjoyed Spring Break, even though it was shortened for many! The fourth quarter has officially started.
We started Daily 5 rotations in the classroom so the children are working in small groups to move through 5 different “stations”. Over a one to two week period the children will work on the computer, read with a buddy using our NC Weekly, work in their assigned book clubs, do a writing assignment, and spend some time reading to themselves from a book of their choice. During their current Daily 5 assignments the children are working on point of view, author’s purpose, character traits, vocabulary/definitions, and persuasive writing. This is just a portion of their ELA time with me.
During our writing block we are finishing our 5 paragraph persuasive essays defending the wolf’s or the pig’s side of the story since we read two versions of The Three Little Pigs. This week we’ve also started some basic daily language skill practice where we work as a group to fix mistakes in sentences and review basic skills. During our activity this week we worked on dialogue, word choice, capitalization, punctuation, abc order, and antonyms.
Finally, we’re getting close to finishing Number The Stars (it seems like it has taken forever, but the kids have really enjoyed it). The children literally beg me each day to read more and more from the book, but sadly time is limited. However, hearing their excitement about a book is music to my ears J!
A couple minor reminders:
-No school tomorrow, April 3rd.
-Our visiting author has been rescheduled due to the earlier snow days. She will be here April 16th and 17th. The students will be able to meet her during one of those days.
-Please remember to check your child’s Friday Folder weekly. I’m sending home many graded papers. Look for them and discuss them with your child.
-EOG testing will take place in mid to late May (definitive dates will be sent out later). Try to avoid scheduling doctor’s appointments, family trips, or early dismissals during that time.
-If your child has missed school due to illness or injury, please remember to send a note the following day with a note if you’d like the absence(s) to be excused.
3/12/15
Another busy week in the books! This week we’ve accomplished the following:
-Completed more chapters in our class novel, Number The Stars
-Book clubs (Historical Fiction books only right now)
-Explaining how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text
-Persuasive Essays (ask your child if he/she is defending the wolf or the pigs)
-SS Weekly-Colonial Conflicts
Please check your child’s Friday Folders for numerous important notices. There’s an important form we need back ASAP and it is in regards to the make-up days over Spring Break. Please return this form on Monday, if possible.
Next week the students will have Spring Pictures on Thursday, March 19th. We will also have Case 21 testing next week. Students will be involved in Math and ELA testing on Wednesday and Thursday so please make sure they get a solid night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast.
My email address is kpmiles at wcpss dot net. Please feel free to contact me with any questions/concerns.
Have a great weekend!
Kathy Miles
February 17, 2015
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It’s time to officially “let the cat out of the bag.” Just in case the kids didn’t tell you, my last day as your child’s 4th grade teacher will be Friday, February 27th. I wanted to retire at the end of the school year last year, but I just wasn’t ready. I’m glad I waited because it allowed me to work with some of the best students I’ve ever had the privilege to teach.
It has been my pleasure to watch the children grow this year as they come in telling me about a book they are reading or one they are ready to take an A/R test on. Our ELA Case 21 scores for 2nd quarter were impressive as it reflected our hard work and dedication to be the best we can be. Writing a five paragraph essay or letter is no longer a chore because we’ve proven that we can do it. We focused on the quality and the quantity did come. This year’s Sound to Sea field trip was one to remember, good videos there and back, no one got sick, and no snow!
We are very fortunate that the transition will be very smooth. Mrs. Miles, who was a second grade teacher here at Apex Elementary for many years, will be my replacement. She already knows many of my students and they know her as well. She has been working in our Reading Intervention program and is a well qualified elementary teacher. I know that I am leaving my students in good hands.
After thirty years of teaching, it will be hard giving it up completely, so I hope you will keep me informed of upcoming games, plays, and other accomplishments. Please contact me at jhlee520 (at) gmail (dot) com. (Email written out in a way to avoid spam; you must key in the "at" sign and the "Dot" where appropriate)
I wish you and your students much success and happiness!!
Sincerely,
Jackie Lee
January 7, 2015
Happy New Year,
First of all I would like to thank you again for thinking of me during the holidays with your gifts. You know me too well….I received food, jewelry, scarves, ornaments, and gift cards, everything I wanted.
FYI:
· Case 21 assessments will be given January 12th and 13th. Reading will be given on Monday and Math on Tuesday.
· It’s that time of year again, the Middle of the Year assessment for MClass. The testing window is January 7th – January 27th. Periodically check in with your child to see if I have tested him/her yet.
· January 19th = MLK day celebration, No School
· January 20th = Workday, No School
· January 16th = the Quarter ends
· January 16th = last day to earn Accelerated Reader points for this quarter. All students are expected to earn 10 points or more each reporting period
· January 27th = Report cards sent home
· January 28th – 30th = Veeder/Lee Sound to Sea field trip
LANGUAGE ARTS
We are getting a lot of mileage out of the Minerals science unit. Mr. Veeder is requiring the students to do an oral presentation and I’m requiring a written report. I am learning/hearing more than I will ever need to know about minerals. :) Most of the work for the written report will be done in class since it is one of our standards for this reporting period.
SOCIAL STUDIES = Government services
September 3, 2014
Yea!!!!! We did it! We survived the first week of school!J Last week we discussed expected work habits and rules for the classroom and organized our trappers with OTIS (organize this important stuff). In the OTIS, parents are ONLY allowed to remove items from the Friday Folder. The materials in the other folders are for class use.
The supplies have been getting a good workout. We labeled our journals and began using them right away. If your student is in need of supplies, please let me know. A couple of spiral notebooks for Social Studies and ELA were left off the supply list so I went to Wal-Mart and bought enough for both classes. The notebooks were .25 each and I got enough for each student to have two. If you would like to reimburse me, it would be greatly appreciated.
We began our social studies curriculum by studying the location of our wonderful state. We are learning about relative and absolute locations and how they are different.
In reading, we are working on comprehension by doing a “check for understanding.” The students read, or I do a read aloud, for a designated amount of time and then write 2 fourth grade sentences summarizing what they just read. In the summary they must include “who” they just read about and “what” just happened in their own words.
Last week we completed our DAZE assessment. The students are given a story to read with missing words. They have a word box that they have to work with and provide the best word for the sentence. This week is the beginning of our DORF assessment. There are 3 separate passages/stories that the students read for 1 minute each which measures their accuracy and fluency. At the end of each passage they must do a retelling to show their comprehension. We talked about how they took these assessments last year and the importance in doing their best.
Accelerated Reader is up and ready!! Any books read over the summer can be tested now if they are part of the A/R program. Students know how to check and see if there is a test available. Fourth graders are expected to earn 10 A/R points each reporting period. We have discussed and learned how to choose “good fit books.” If students follow the guidelines, and select books that are appropriate for them, they will not have any trouble earning the 10 points. The problem comes when students choose books that they are not ready for. Please help monitor your child and make sure they are making good choices. We will make adjustments on the points on an individual basis as needed. We also expect a score of 80% or higher on the A/R tests.
Reminders:
· Early Release this Friday
· Go Play Save fundraiser
· 4th grade Open House, Monday, Sept., 15 @6:00
· 4th grade field trip presented at Open House
As you can see, we had a busy and productive first week of school.
June 14, 2014
Dear Parents and Students,
CONGRATULATIONS on having such a successful year meeting the 4th grade objectives as set forth by Wake County Public Schools and the state of North Carolina! I feel confident that this accomplishment will set the framework for accomplishing the same success next year in 5th grade.
As we bring this school year to an end, I want to thank all of you for the wonderful gifts but mostly, I want to thank you for the support and cooperation you gave.
It has been a joy working with all of you this year. Have a restful summer and remember to read!
Sincerely,
Miss J. Lee
January 5, 2014
Happy New Year!!! I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to those of you who thought of me during the holiday season. Your generosity was greatly appreciated.
We want to thank those of you who contributed to our winter leaning experience, but a big thank you to the parents who came in to help, Arianna’s mom, Jackie’s mom, and Alex’s dad.
Please make sure that your child is dressed in layers not only for the outside temperatures, but the inside as well. Unfortunately, we are not able to control the temp in our classroom and it gets a little chilly. Outside coats get bulky and don’t create the best working environment. Sweat shirts, long pants, and sweaters allow us to comfortably continue with our day.
We had two educational learning experiences in December. David’s dad came in to share Hanukkah and Chris’ mom came in to share how Christmas is celebrated in the Hispanic culture. I shared a Kwanzaa power point as well. Our presenters brought power points, and artifacts to make this a valuable learning experience. These experiences allowed us to learn about and respect those cultures that are different from our own. If you would like to come in and share with us, please contact us so we can discuss and schedule a time for you to come in.
The state symbols project is coming to an end. We have typed quite a few of them and hopefully we will be able to print before the quarter ends. Mr. Veeder and I are working together on the animal’s project/report. The written part of the animal’s report is meeting a Language Arts standard and is moving along well. We are working on the rough draft and hopefully your child has asked you to assist and proofread so you can see what we’ve been doing. We’ve worked very hard to paraphrase and make this informational text kid friendly so please remember that when you proofread.J Make sure you ask to see the checklist that we came up with together. They have a very good idea of what a 3 or 4 project should look and sound like. The final is our next step! Yea!!!!
November 22, 2013
I’m baaack!! Now that report cards are finally behind me, I hope to be able to spend more time updating my pageJ I feel like we’ve been working on report cards for a month! Hopefully all of the glitches will be cleaned up by 2nd quarter.
Your child is now allowed to review any of the Study Island Language Arts lessons we completed in first quarter. If they did not do at least 15 questions per skill, with 80% or higher, they will need your close supervision.
Please monitor your child’s Accelerated Reader progress. This quarter (2nd) all students are expected to earn ten (10) points with 80% or higher. As always, I’m more concerned with the comprehension score, book level, and progress than I am about the points. If your child has reading issues we need to address, please contact me. Remind them to record all books that they have read and the tests that they have taken in their Reading Log journal. There’s a special page just for that information. This is a good way for you to keep up with their progress.
Better Late than Never: Thanks you for the generous donations! Our class library received some great new books from the Book Fair! If you happen to have some gently used A/R books at home that your kids have outgrown, we’d love to have them.
Thanks to all of you for supporting the Box Tops collection. We were one of the top winners for the school. We enjoyed our Tootsie pops and popsicles!
We will be using technology in our classes as much as possible and it would benefit your child to practice keyboarding skills. The Type to Learn program is the one we use here at school, but I’m sure there are some other good ones out there. I showed the kids how to go on line and search “free keyboarding lessons for kids.” We will practice here, but it would be helpful if your child could find about 15 minutes 3 times a week to do some additional practice at home.
If you have any SunnyD labels from the 6.75 oz size or larger, please send them in. A former parent is collecting them for us and we need them before we leave for the Thanksgiving holiday. For every 20 labels, we can get 20 free books for our class library. Drink Up!!
October 4, 2013
You will see some tests come home today that I was saving for conferences but decided to clean up and send them home. We have gone over these in class so your child should be able to share corrections with you. I was very surprised at our capitalization test results. Our mistakes were mostly due to the fact that the kids did not check their work before handing it in. Therefore, I need you to monitor the nightly Check for Understanding and make sure your child is practicing what he/she knows...that means proper nouns should be capitalized. If students expect 3s on skill they must consistently demonstrate mastery of this skill. Thanks for your support.
9/30/13 For the past 2 weeks we worked on Making Inferences in Study Island. You can log in from home and access your child’s scores. Your child is not proficient with this skill if he/she did not score 80% or higher. You may now log in from home and work with your child on this skill only. Please sit with your child and help guide them toward the correct answer. This is one of our major standards so they will continue to see questions requiring an understanding of this concept.
9/19/13 We have spent a lot of time talking about "good fit books" and making good choices when it comes to checking out books. However, some students are not quite on board with the importance of making good choices. If a child is making good choices, he/she should be able to read and test on the book in one to two weeks with 80% accuracy. Our Accelerated Reader is an excellent tool in helping determine if a child understands what is being read. This quarter all students are expected to earn 5 A/R points with 80% accuracy. Quarters 2, 3, and 4 require 10 A/R points, unless otherwise determined by the specialist teacher, you the parent, and myself. I am happy to report that some students have already earned their 5 points!! If you have questions about these expectations, please contact me. :)
The nightly reading log is going well for most. The students are expected to summarize what was read in 2 sentences. They are to answer in complete sentences what they just read about and what just happened. This technique helps them identify the main idea which is a difficult concept for many. The more this is practiced, the better they will get at it. It also helps when it is time to take the A/R tests. Students can approach the tests with a feeling of confidence and eagerness.
The Scholastic Book Club has some wonderful books and prices if you are interested. The order forms were sent home last week with my order #. I just got some great books for our class library and look forward to adding more as a result of your purchases. I earn points for each book you order and then I use those points to replenish books that need to be replaced.
9/12/13 Thanks to those of you who came out to our Open House. This is a test run for me and my page. In the future, you will receive more information.