Box Tops

The class that collects the most

BOX TOPS
WINS

A Movie and Smoothie PARTY!
Please start to bring in your BOX TOPS NOW!
This contest ends 2/13/09.

Parent Letter - 1/28/2009

Dear Parents.

There are a few things I wanted you to know about that I didn't mention in the last update.

Yesterday, I sent home "Red and Green Hands" certificates with all of the students. We have really been trying to work on decreasing interruptions in class. When a student interrupts or blurts out when either I or another person is talking, they get a red hand and put their name and date on it. If they are attentive listeners and raise their hand to speak, they get a green hand at the end of the week. Some of the students may have brought home several red hands attached to the notice. What we are hoping for, is for the students to decrease these interruptions as a whole and as individuals. I am keeping track of their improvements here at school. We hope to have all green hands going home eventually. I am also hoping to only have
to do this for a few weeks until everyone gets the idea. It helps that they know you will be seeing these and signing the note. So, if your child didn't show you their red/green hand slip, please ask them for it, sign it and return it to school tomorrow. Thanks!

The students brought home two things in their homework folders today. One is the study list of 100 words for the County Spelling Bee. The written test for this will be next Tuesday, Feb. 3rd. I will not send home a regular spelling list next week so everyone can concentrate on the one list. The top 10 students from each of the 4th and 5th grade classes in the written test will compete in the ISM spelling bee in the morning of Feb. 18th. The top two or three students from that competition will be invited to the county spelling bee.

The other note brought home today is for an Coastal Art and Poetry contest our class would like to make entries to. The students have been working on their poems in class and we are planning to have them ready by the due date - January 31 st - this Saturday. Some are also trying to create an art piece for this contest. Some students may not want to send their pieces in and that is o.k. They will still be graded on the poem for writing class.

Thanks to all that have sent in their permission slips for the Feb. 4th field trip to the beach and tidepools. If you haven't sent it in yet, please do so as soon as possible. Thank you to those of you who have volunteered to drive and chaperone. I will be in touch with all of you on the details of our plan as we get a little closer to the date.

Thank you all,
Mary Welsh

Parent Update - 1/25/2009

Dear Grade 4 Families,

I trust you all had a nice weekend and enjoyed some time inside and warm in this damp weather. This week should be fairly normal with full days and a full week. Spelling will be back as usual so look for the words coming home to sort and write and study. We will continue book clubs this week and each group should be finishing up their last seminar and will then begin a book project with their group. The project should be mostly done in class though the students can work on them at home if they choose or if they are behind on their work.

Math will continue with division and begin some work on angles and measurement with protractors.

The book order will go in on Monday afternoon so, if you would like to order, please send in the order with your child or go online to www.scholastic.com to order. Please contact me if you have any problem with this.

We will be gearing up for yet another field trip to the tidepools and beach next Wednesday, Feb. 4th to take advantage of one of the few low tides within the school day. We will be needed drivers (Sorry! I know I must be burning you all out with driving requests!) We will be checking the tidepools in Pacific Grove and doing beach studies in Monterey. It should be a fun exploration for all - weather pending.
Field trip forms will be going home tomorrow. There is no cost for this trip. We had leftover funds for parking from the aquarium trip - due to the generosity and resourcefulness of the chaperones - so we will use these funds for parking in Monterey.

Homework this week:

Math:
Monday: Study Links 6.4 and play "Division Dash" with someone at home.
Tuesday: Study Links 6.5
Wednesday: Study Links 6.6
Thursday: Study Links 6.7

Spelling: Sort and write words, practice words, write into a sentence, practice test

Reading: 20 mins each day (at least).

Thank you to all,
Mary Welsh