McFarland-Mayberry-Begley Bulletin

for the week of October 26th

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, November 2nd - Reading logs due / Conferences / Swim stuff for P.E.

Tuesday, November 3rd - Study link due / Newspaper and Chorus after school

Wednesday, November 4th - Conferences

Thursday, November 5th -  Spelling due /  ABL / Color Guard 3:00-4:00pm

Friday, November 6th - McFarland’s Class to the Book Fair / Home link due

Please help your child be prepared for each swim class.  Your child’s swim bag should include: swim cap for hair longer than 3 inches, swim suit, goggles, towel, hair brush or comb.  

The Book Fair is here!  We will visit on Friday.  If you’d like your child to purchase something, please send them with cash that day.  Also, Mrs. Somes is looking for more volunteers next week - you can contact her at ssomes@msad51.org.  The Family Night will be 11/9 from 5:30-7:30pm.

Academic Updates:

Reading Workshop

We are growing ideas about characters in our read aloud, Journey.  We’re using the boxes and bullets method of taking notes in our readers’ notebooks, the same structure we are using to plan essays.  The kids have been asking questions about characters’ motivations, and we consider what has happened in the book so far to generate our own idea.  Then, we list parts of the story that support that idea.  Check that out from Maddie’s notebook below!  I’m loving this, especially because one of the reading classes has generated one idea that they will prove to be true and another that isn’t accurate.  It’ll be a great opportunity to show the kids that sometimes, as we read on, we need to revise our ideas -- and that even when we discover we’re wrong about an idea we have, we can still have a thoughtful, meaningful reading experience.

Writing Workshop

This week we have built three solid supporting idea paragraphs for our class essays.  The Mayberrys are working with the thesis statement, “Pets are great for some families,” and the McFarland writers are working on, “Kids should have more recess.”  We developed our supporting ideas and are now drafting on a graphic organizer to stay...well, organized.  We are focusing on mini-stories (instances of personal experience) as our most reliable option for evidence, but we will also be trying out surveys, interviews, quotes, and statistics for some variety of evidence.  Students are excited to be moving on to their own thesis statement ideas next week!

Math

In math this week students worked on finding factors for a given product, listing multiples of a given number and determining if a number is prime or composite. Success with all of these concepts is very dependent on students having a solid grasp of basic multiplication facts and/or using reasonable strategies to figure out the product for an unknown fact.

    Next week I will be sending home a packet of math games that you can play with your child to help reinforce basic concepts and fluency around multiplication. Stay tuned!

Spelling

This week students learned that the /aw/ sound can be spelled ou and ow.  Students also practiced applying suffix rules to add the suffixes -er and -est to base words.  Finally, students did a word building activity in class on Thursday.  This activity gives them a fixed number of letters and the teacher guides them through a sequence of building words so that they can see connections between words and learn strategies for spelling them.  Having movable cards makes it easy to fix incorrect attempts and brings a kinesthetic aspect to spelling.

Theme

This week students prepared for, and took, their first quiz.  All three classes did very well!  In addition to the instruction around study skills, I taught a mini lesson to show kids how to lift the level of their answers to show a deeper understanding of a concept.  

    An “M” or “Meets” is the grade a student’s work earns for showing a grade level understanding of the material (getting 9-10 questions right).  An M- might indicate that the child was close to a grade level understanding, but there is a small area of misconception.  To earn an M+ or E, a student’s work has to demonstrate a deeper understanding of several of the questions (not just adding more facts).  The example we used in class was the question, “What is sediment?”  A “meets” answer would be the definition, “broken down rock, sand, and soil.”  An “exceeds” answer would give the definition,  “broken down rock, sand, and soil,”  but then also explain how sediment is formed: “Sediment is formed through weathering and erosion which break down rocks,” and how it relates to rock formation: “Sediment piles up over time and gets compressed and squeezed together to form sedimentary rock.”  My hope is that this instruction makes the grading process transparent for both parents and students, so they know what the criteria is.

    On Thursday, we started talking about why and how Europeans started coming to North America to form colonies.  We are looking at this unit through the lens of “Survivor.”  What would a colonist need to do to survive in the “New World”?  What factors and decisions led to the successes and failures of the first colonies?   As we know, hands-on experiences make children’s learning richer.  We have an abundance of resources in New England!  Perhaps consider a trip to Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts or Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth, NH, both of which provide a glimpse into life in the 1600s.

McFarland-Mayberry-Begley Bulletin

for the week of October 19th

If you would like to be notified whenever I post to our class blog, please click on the space to the right, “Follow by Email.”

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, October 26th - Reading logs due / first day of swimming*

Tuesday, October 27th - Study link due / Newspaper and Chorus after school

Wednesday, October 28th - Swim stuff for P.E.! / Conferences start

Thursday, October 29th -  Spelling due /  Color Guard 3:00-4:00pm / PumpkinFest

Friday, October 30th - Home link due

*Please help your child be prepared for each swim class.  Your child’s swim bag should include: swim cap for hair longer than 3 inches, swim suit, goggles, towel, hair brush or comb.  

Academic Updates:

Reading Workshop

We are all about feelings in reading workshop right now!  Studying characters’ actions, how they speak, what they’re thinking...to infer how they are feeling.  The kids have taped two charts of emotions words into their reading notebooks to find “just the right word” to describe how characters are feeling.  We talked about the fact that if we can do this kind of thinking with characters in our books, then we can do it in our own lives.  Thus, reading can make us more sensitive to others, more empathetic -- reading can make us better people!

Writing Workshop

Ask your child,  “What are some ways to make sure your thesis statement (a.k.a., “big idea” and “claim”) is a strong one?”  Our writers have practiced revising a number of so-so thesis statements to turn them into strong ones!  Kids worked with their new writing partners, chatting and trying out alternate word choice, choosing ideas on which to focus, and trying to think ahead to imagine writing a whole essay about certain ideas.  Next week, we will write a class essay to practice a number of the major concepts for the opinion writing unit.  And, a confession...I may have told your child that s/he will learn a number of skills that might help them make a case for special holiday gifts.  So...sorry about that in advance.

Math

This week we jumped in with the second unit in Everyday Math 4. Students discovered how to determine square numbers through the use of arrays, they learned how to use a formula to calculate the area of a rectangle and how to find all the factors for a given product. It was a very busy week!

    I am sharing a photo of the chart we are using in class. This chart features different  strategies students can use when trying to figure out the product for unknown multiplication facts. When your child is working on homework and struggles with a fact they don’t know these strategies will be great ones to reinforce. The second photo is a list of the goals for this unit.

Spelling

This week students learned about the various patterns for the /j/ sound (j, ge, dge, gi, and gy).  We also learned the meaning of 4 common prefixes (re, un, mis, and pre) and brainstormed base words we could add those prefixes to.

Theme

This week was all about our play, Geology Rocks.  Thank you to all who came and helped out!  The kids did a phenomenal job.

    Next week students will take a geology quiz.  On Thursday, I taught students some study techniques and how to make a study tool (flashcards) to assist them.  We will play review games Monday and Tuesday before taking the quiz on Wednesday.  A tip I’ve given the kids is to study a little bit each day, instead of trying to cram it all in Tuesday night.  This is a great time to help our kids build a strong foundation of study habits.

Newsletter Update for Week of October 12th

McFarland-Mayberry-Begley Bulletin

If you would like to be notified whenever I post to our class blog, please click on the space to the right, “Follow by Email.”

Reading Workshop

Check out Hadley’s notes from our class conversation about this quote at the beginning of our new read aloud, Journey!  It’s so tempting to glance at a quote like this and flip the next few pages to dive into chapter one.  But one concept we’ll focus on throughout the year is that authors don’t just stick things in their books to take up space; there’s a reason.  And it’s our job as readers -- if we’re really understanding what we’re reading -- to think about possible reasons, to work it out in our minds as we’re reading the book.  After reading this quote together a number of times, marking and defining and interpreting words and phrases, listening to and building upon others’ ideas, we studied the cover of the book, and we have already started making connections from the cover to the quote.  Deep thinking!

Writing Workshop

Good-bye, narrative, hello, essay!  This week, students finished up the final drafts of their narratives, which I’ll be scoring over the next week or (or two).  Thursday, the kids wrote a narrative prompt.  All 4th graders showed off their knowledge of narrative writing this week for this prompt.  Fourth grade writing teachers will score the pile next Friday.  I can’t wait to see the growth from early September!  Next week, we will focus on introducing essays…

Math

This week we wrapped up the first unit. Students took the unit assessment on Thursday. I will share the results with you at our upcoming conference.

    Next up - unit 2 covers multiplication in a big way. You can help at home by having your child work on their basic multiplication fact fluency.  

Spelling

This week students learned about prefixes and suffixes.  Students glued a list of the five suffix rules in their spelling notebooks, along with examples.  We will continue to work with prefixes and suffixes in the upcoming units.

Theme

This week students had two working sessions to prepare for the play.  We ran through the entire play and on Wednesday, then worked in small focus groups with students across the three classes who have the same part.  A big thanks to Shannon Campbell and Jen Segal for their assistance.  We’ll do a run through in the gym next Monday and the big night is, Wednesday, October 21st.  Please plan to arrive 15 minutes before the start of your class’s time.  The Mayberrys will perform at 6:00 (arrive at 5:45), the Begleys at 6:30 (arrive at 6:15), and the McFarlands at 7:00pm (arrive at 6:45).  Students should go to the cafe to warm up, parents can enter the gym once the previous class’s performance is done.

    In class students also worked on a mini research project, creating a living glossary of the terms in the play.  I will have them on display Wednesday.

    Please work on your child’s costume this weekend, if you haven’t already.  Below are the roles and what we’ve decided that character will wear.

Student 1, 2, Rosie, and Jenn:  normal school clothes

Sherlock Holmes: trench coat, detective hat

Watson: vest or suit coat, shirt, and slacks

Volcanoes: red top, black bottoms

Ferns: green top, tan or khaki bottoms

Earth: green and blue (If someone wants to get creative, you could cut out continents from green felt/fabric and glue to a blue shirt)

Seashore: blue outfit (possibly flowy like waves)

Valley: green outfit

Canyon: tan/neutral outfit

Mountains: gray top / black bottom

Sedimentary: top w/ stripes in neutrals, reds, oranges, or yellows

Metamorphic: gray top

Igneous: black top

Professor Rock: button down and pants (I have my lab coat to lend)

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, October 19th - Reading logs due/Sneakers for P.E.

Tuesday, October 20th - Study link due / Newspaper and Chorus after school

Wednesday, October 21th - The McFarland, Mayberry, Begley team presents Geology Rocks! 6pm, 6:30pm, and 7pm (McFarlands)

Thursday, October 22nd -  Spelling due /  Color Guard 3:00-4:00pm

Friday, October 23rd - Home link due

Swimming: We will begin our swimming lessons on Monday, October 26 and

conclude Friday, December 4.  Our classes are coordinated by Suzanne Martelle, GHS Pool Director. Students will be developing their swim strokes and learning the basics of water safety. They will be grouped according to their current skill level. Instructional time is organized so that each child can progress at their own

Swimming takes place of typical physical education classes during this six weeks.

Please help your child be prepared for each swim class.  Your child’s swim bag should include: swim cap for hair longer than 3 inches, swim suit, goggles, towel, hair brush or comb.  Swimming is a unique unit that we are lucky to be able to offer as part of our curriculum. Thank you for your continued support of our programming.

PTO News:

Don't Forget The GRAND EVENT!

Next Wednesday, October 21st, 2015

At MIW,  4-6PM

Your children and their 'Grandfriends' don't want to miss this awesome event!

Please take a moment to RSVP by logging onto:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-grand-event-tickets-1874929654

PARENT POWER APPEAL

Did you know that the PTO is celebrating it's 40th anniversary? In order for the PTO to remain the vibrant organization that our children depend on for memorable field trips and fun family events, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. Enrichment requests are already rolling in from teachers and being approved. Just this week, the 3rd grade students went on a field trip to the Maine Wildlife Park!

There are only 17 days left to donate to the Parent Power Appeal and we are 1/2 way to our $10,000 goal. Please help us reach our goal by donating today at www.greelypto.org! Help us say "YES" to teachers!

-Greely PTO

Conferences

Please see the separate email from ptcfast.com, our conference appointment signer-upper!  We look forward to seeing you soon for our conference!

Team Newsletter Update for the Week of October 5, 2015

McFarland-Mayberry-Begley Bulletin

If you would like to be notified whenever I post to our class blog, please click on the space to the right, “Follow by Email.”

Reading Workshop

This week, we started working toward a significant reading goal of staying accountable to the text by using details from a text to support an idea.  Our ideas revolved around our first read aloud, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.  The Begleys used the idea, “Peter is polite,” and the McFarlands’ idea was, “Peter is helpful.”  Table groups then brainstormed specific parts of the story that show Peter’s character traits of polite or helpful.  We used a graphic organizer in the boxes and bullets structure to write about the ideas and supporting details.  We’ll use this structure to organize our thinking all year long for a number of projects.  I also made copies of a chart for each child to tape into their reading notebooks, explaining what it means to be accountable to the text.  On the chart, I including sentence starters, such as, “I know this because…” “One part [or, another part] of the story that shows…” “The author says…”  This kind of thinking will be practiced through the year and will be applied to many reading responses, projects, and even literary essays much late this year!

Writing Workshop

The students are right in the middle of the final drafts of their narratives!  Next week, we will finish those up, and I’ll assess the stories according to the 4th grade Narrative Rubric.  We used the 4th grade Narrative Checklist, a shorter version of the rubric, to help us to decide what to revise.  I’m excited to read the strongest stories our writers have written to date!  Next up: ESSAYS!

Math

This week, it was all about geometry! Students learned about the following: points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles. They also learned how to label and name these geometric figures. In addition, we covered how to find the perimeter of a rectangle.

    We will soon be moving into the second unit of Everyday Math 4. This unit will cover multiplication in a big way. Please continue to support your child by practicing basic math facts at home. We have used this site (http://goo.gl/GTe6fl ) in class, and I encourage students to use it at home as well. The settings in the upper left hand corner can be set for level and time. In addition, a little further down on the left students can select the operation they need to work on. Please encourage your child to focus on basic subtraction and multiplication facts. Using this site does qualify toward their weekly requirement for fact practice.

Spelling

This week students explored patterns for the /s/ sound.  We learned /s/ can be spelled s, ss, sc, ci, ce, and cy.  Due to the short week (and next week’s short week), I am not starting a new unit on Tuesday.  There will be no spelling homework next week.  The unit review for unit 4 will be given next Friday.

Theme

This week students learned about different types of fossils and how they are formed.

We watched two videos and read an article in National Geographic Explorer.  Students also learned about how ice core samples, like fossils, can help us learn about events that happened in the past.  Students have been exploring the idea that the deeper the layer/fossil, the older it is (unless plate tectonics have raised the crust).

    Please save the date!  We will hold our play, “Geology Rocks!” on Wednesday evening, October 21st, in the GMS gym.  The Mayberrys will perform at 6pm, the Begleys at 6:30pm, and the McFarlands at 7:00pm.  Students need to memorize all lines by October 16th.

    I didn’t hear from any costume volunteers, so I’m counting on parents to help their own child pull together a costume.  Below are the roles and what we’ve decided that character should wear.

Student 1, 2, Rosie, and Jenn:  normal school clothes

Sherlock Holmes: trench coat, detective hat

Watson: vest or suit coat, shirt, and slacks

Volcanoes: red top, black bottoms

Ferns: green top, tan or khaki bottoms

Earth: green and blue (If someone wants to get creative, you could cut out continents from green felt/fabric and glue to a blue shirt.)

Seashore: blue outfit (possibly flowy like waves)

Valley: green outfit

Canyon: tan/neutral outfit

Mountains: gray top / black bottom

Sedimentary: top w/ stripes in neutrals, reds, oranges, or yellows

Metamorphic: gray top

Igneous: black top

Professor Rock: button down and pants (I have my lab coat to lend)

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, October 12th - No School - Columbus Day

Tuesday, October 13th - Reading logs, Home link, and Planner sheet due / Newspaper and Chorus after school

Wednesday, September 14th - Full Day

Thursday, October 15th -  Color Guard 3:00-4:00pm

Friday, October 16th - Home link due

Wednesday evening, October 21st - The McFarland, Mayberry, Begley team presents “Geology Rocks!”

McFarland-Mayberry-Begley Bulletin

for the week of September 28-October 2

If you would like to be notified whenever I post to our class blog, please click on the space to the right, “Follow by Email.”

Reading Workshop

Parents, please help your child set aside time four days per week to get in their minimum goal of 25 minutes of reading.  Almost everyone is there!

    We have been building relationships with our reading partners this week.  Students interviewed their partners, asking questions about their reading lives, and then they introduced each other to the class.  It was fun!

    Next week, I’ll start teaching one of several ways to “stay accountable to the text.”  That means using details from a text to support an idea.  I’ll have them use the boxes and bullets method to structure their thinking in writing.  This structure will come in handy in our next writing unit: essays.

    Students wanted a chart in the classroom for book recommendations, so I’ve implemented a system for  that.  Part of it is to list the level of the book they recommend.  Monday, I will show kids how to use the Book Wizard at Schlastic.com (http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/bookwizard/) to find the Guided Reading Levels of books.  Now, we keep in mind that not all books have a level and not all books that do have levels are listed on Book Wizard.  But, I do want students and parents to know how to use it.  In addition to finding a book’s reading level, you can use Book Wizard to search for books by level, and you can search for books that are similar to one you liked.  If you’d like to check it out at home this weekend with your child, go for it!  Your child can help others with it this week.

Writing Workshop

Some writers brought home their yellow drafts of their stories to finish up over the weekend.  If your writer needs some time to work on it over the weekend, I’ve sent you a separate email.  I’d like to have everyone have their draft complete and ready for some major revision and editing work coming up this week.  You won’t need to help your child at all with the actual work; just help them find 15 or 20 minutes once or twice this weekend to work.

    This week, we focused on the heart of the story and used a mini-timeline to plan out details we’d use in the heart to show our message.  I’ve shown the kids how to use a color-coding system so they can visually see what kind of details they have and what kinds are lacking.

    We also focused on using words and phrases to show transitions in our stories.  I showed them the rubric I’ll use to score their writing, and they got to see what’s expected for transition use in 4th grade.  We compared that to what second-graders and even sixth-graders are learning about transitions -- so we have some bold writers who wanted to challenge themselves to try out more sophisticated transitional words and phrases!

Math

This week students worked on the traditional algorithm for subtracting large numbers. This is the algorithm that most adults learned in grade school. We have focused heavily on subtracting over zeros (6004 - 2773) as this is an area that students often get confused with. One thing I have noticed is that a lot of students are being slowed down by not being fluent (automatic) with their basic subtraction facts. Over the next few weeks I am suggesting that basic subtraction facts be the main focus with at-home-fact-practice. Also, please remind your child to take advantage of the math link on my web page. I have a link to a really good fact practice site; ask your child to show it to you. We visited this site and students got to practice facts with it on Wednesday.  

    Please note that I now have a link for homework tutorials on my web page. These tutorials are meant to provide support for your child when they are having difficulty at home. I hope they are helpful.

Spelling

This week students explored patterns for long e and learned about homophones.  We also learned that blends are two letters that create one sound.  Students found words that had blends are the beginning, middle, and ends of words.

Theme

This week students learned about the different kinds of rocks.  We created “sediment” by crushing vanilla wafers, graham crackers, Rice Krispies, and pretzels.  We layered our sediment and buried a goldfish (for a fossil), creating a model of a sedimentary rock.  We also to a sedimentary “rock” (aka a Snickers bar) and added heat and pressure to change it to a metamorphic rock.  Finally, students used all that they learned about the types of rocks to sort and identify 12 rocks by their name and type.

    Please save the date for our play!  Wednesday, October 21st in the GMS gym.  The Mayberrys will perform at 6pm, the Begleys at 6:30pm, and the McFarlands at 7:00pm.  Please make sure your child is working on learning his/her lines at home - we need them memorized by October 16th.  Students brought home scripts on Monday.  Also, I’m still looking for someone to work on costumes.  Please email me if you’re available to help.

Google Accounts for Students

This week in Computer class, the kids got to try out logging into their sad51 Google accounts!  They will be learning the basics of digital citizenship in Computer class and in the classroom.  While this is very exciting for the kids, I talked with them at length (for the first of many times) about these accounts, specifically that they are the property of the district and that pretty much any school staff member has access to their accounts.  The purpose of these accounts are academic; the intent is not for them to be used for social communication unrelated to school.  I work hard in the classroom to monitor what students are doing when using devices in the classroom for projects, and I am strict about any kind of misuse.

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, October 5th - Sneakers for P.E.! / Reading logs due

Tuesday, October 6th - Home link due / Newspaper and Chorus after school / Picture Day

Wednesday, October 7th - Full Day

Thursday, October 8th - Spelling due / Color Guard 3:00-4:00pm

Friday, October 9th - No school for students- Teacher Inservice

Monday, October 12th - No School - Columbus Day

The McFarland class is looking for a Room Parent representative to the PTO for this year.  If you are interested, please email me directly.  Thanks for considering!