Camp Carlisle

We had so much fun at Camp Carlisle!! I'm sure you've heard all about it already! I will be sending home some pictures that I took during our field trip. Homework has been sent home for next Friday (spelling and math packets). There was also some information sent home today about Market Day & Picture day. Don't forget to make sure your child is practicing math facts and reading daily!! A lot of students have a lot of points to get to reach their AR goals by October 15th. Keep encouraging them to read and read often!!

Midterms and Camp Carlisle

Midterms will be going home on Monday or Tuesday. I wanted to let you know that we've spent the first month of school really focusing on school-wide and classroom procedures along with doing some formative assessments, to make sure we are differentiating instruction based on students needs. There have not been very many grades yet, however if there is a BIG concern, I will or would have contacted you about my concerns. Remember, students are always learning, even outside of school. Please make sure that they are completing homework on time and completing any unfinished work at home (it is usually sent home with them to complete). Thanks! Also, Camp Carlisle is upon us! Below you can see the list of items to bring and not to bring. Please talk with your child about following C.A.T.S. pride at Camp Carlisle and how this is not an overnight like a birthday party where they can stay up all night. They are required to follow all directions given to them by adults (including teachers, chaperones, camp leaders). I am sure they will, as they've shown me what respectful students they are! Please Bring: ___Sleeping bag or bed linens ___Blanket ___Rain gear ___Pillow ___Long pants ___Towels/Washcloth ___Two Changes of Clothes/Pajamas ___Tennis shoes/Hiking Boots ___Jacket ___Toiletry Items (shampoo, soap, toothbrush….) ___Extra garbage bags ___A sack lunch and drink from home for Wednesday’s lunch where anything remaining can be thrown away. This is only if you indicated that you would be sending in your child’s lunch. Banned Items: -No snacks or drinks can be brought with them on this trip. -No electronics (cell phones, Kindles, Ipods, etc.). The exception is a camera, but students are responsible for their own cameras. -A flashlight (it is unnecessary and just gets in the way or lost – there’s enough lighting throughout the camp). -All other items that are banned by Boone County Schools and Thornwilde Elementary (please refer to Student Handbook). Students should be driven to school on Wednesday with all their belongings. If this is an issue, please contact me ASAP, so we can make other arrangements. Students will need to be picked up from school on Thursday (since they will have all their belongings). Again, if this is a problem, let me know! I will try to correspond with parents via e-mail when we are at camp and through the blog, so make sure you are checking!

Math Facts

Students should be studying math facts at home for 5-10 minutes every night. This will help TREMENDOUSLY with math this year. I signed up the whole class for a free online math facts site called xtramath.org. Each student has a PIN number and directions how to set up. I can see that some have been hard at work - way to go!!!! If this isn't an option, I have regular flashcards. They can practice these WHENEVER and WHEREVER. They need to know why knowing their facts are important for every day life, so if you are adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing AND you happen to remember, share with them what you are doing and how using those skills helps you! They HAVE to know these facts QUICKLY! I can't stress it enough. Also, if you don't have flash cards, just google "printable addition flash cards" and a bunch of sites will come up - same thing with subtraction, multiplication, division. THANKS!!!!!!

Math Apps

Just wanted to let you know that our math program, Everyday Mathematics, has several games for purchase to use on your iPad, iPod, iPhone, etc. Some of the games that would be great for 4th graders are: Everyday Mathematics Divisibility Dash, Everyday Mathematics Subtraction Top-It, Everyday Mathematics Baseball Multiplication, Everyday Mathematics Name that Number, Everyday Mathematics Monster Squeeze, Everyday Mathematics Beat the Computer Multiplication, Everyday Mathematics Addition Top-It. Students MUST KNOW their basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts this year! We will begin to teach fractions and decimals later this year, which will be incredibly difficult if your child does not know their basic facts. We will begin to do 3-minute math fact quizzes to make sure your child knows their basic facts.

Week 3 & 4

Wow! Time has flown by and I've forgotten to update. Thank you to the parents that came to Curriculum night! I hope you found it interesting! I've attached our upcoming newsletter.

As you'll see, we are learning about Atoms and Molecules. Students had a great time learning the song called "The Atoms Family" song to the tune of "The Adam's Family." I've attached the lyrics. I'm sure they'll enjoy singing it to you, and it's bound to get stuck in your head!

I have a few more updates coming this week. Stay tuned!