Mayberry-McFarland Weekly News

for the week of September 26, 2016

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, October 3- reading logs due (4 different days [habit], 25 minutes or more in each sitting [stamina])

Tuesday, October 4 - Home Link due, PICTURE DAY

Wednesday, October 5 - full day, McFarlands have PE (sneakers)

Thursday, October 6 -  math box pages catch-up due

Friday, October 7 - Teacher Inservice Day - no school for students

Monday, October 10 - Columbus Day - no school

Tuesday, October 11 - Reading logs due

Volunteer Opportunities

If you are interested in volunteering in Art class (Friday 11:15) or Library class (Thursday 11:15), please contact the following teacher:

Lynda Olson (Art) lmccann-olson@msad51.org

Dorothy Hall-Riddle (Library) dhall-riddle@msad51.org

Special Guest

Thank you to Tracy Silverman, who joined our class this morning for a story and a special snack while teaching us about Rosh Hashanah!  

Adventure Based Learning (ABL)

On Thursday, all 4th graders got to participate in their first of twelve ABL sessions. These sessions are led by Donna Murray from Sweetser School and incorporate a plethora of life skills all children and adults need to learn and work on in order to become an effective community member. Students have started to discover that working in a group requires them to communicate effectively, listen to others, and compromise in order to be successful: big ideas and skills to develop for a lifetime! Below are few pictures taken during our first session.

Reading Workshop

This week, I showed several short videos to give students some background information on photography and film cameras.  A character in our new mentor text, Journey, is very much into photography, and some parts of the story will make more sense with some background knowledge.  The book has a Guided Reading Level of S, so something to consider when kids are choosing books at those higher levels is that the author expects a certain level of background knowledge on a whole variety of topics.  Often, that’s the difference between a basic understanding of the plot and a reading experience in which a child truly understands the multiple layers of meaning in a story.  The author in this case has selected two quotes for us as readers to ponder before reading the book:

It is our inward journey that leads us through time -- forward or back, seldom in a straight line, most often spiraling.

~ Eudora Welty, One Writer’s Beginnings

Photography is a tool for dealing with things everybody knows about but isn’t attending to.

~ Emmet Gowin, in On Photography, by Susan Sontag

We spent some time annotating the quotes, defining words we weren’t sure of and then piecing together phrases and whole sentences, eventually leading us to an interpretation of the meaning of each quote.  One student’s annotations are pictured below:

Writing Workshop

This week, we studied the kinds of details writers use; specifically setting, small actions, and TFR (thoughts, feelings, and reactions).  We identified those kinds of details in a wonderful small moment story, Salt Hands.  We color-coded a typed copy of Salt Hands, and then we color-coded our own stories.  This visual allows writers to see what kinds of details they have a lot of and which kinds of details they should add in order to work toward some sort of a balance of details.  Then, we used a number system and Post-its to make revisions.

    We also did a lesson about changing paragraphs and punctuating dialogue.  We studied the work of Judy Blume (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing) and Louis Sachar (Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me?) to notice the shape, literally, of the text, and to notice the different ways writers handle dialogue in their stories.  Then, we practiced with partners by rewriting a short Calvin and Hobbes conversation, using paragraphs, dialogue tags (i.e., he said, Hobbes suggested…), and punctuation.  The next step, of course, was to identify places in our stories where the dialogue needs revision.

    We also used the Narrative Writing Checklist to identify concepts that we’ve worked on and ones we’ll focus on in the coming weeks.  Here, I’m modeling how to use the checklist to help me make decisions about writing.  I’ll do lots of explicit instruction around this, the ultimate goal being to instill more of a sense of ownership and an “I can do it!” feeling around writing in general.

Math

This week students were reintroduced to the concept of perimeter. This concept was covered in third grade, but in fourth grade the students are working with more complex shapes and larger numbers. We did a scoot activity where students rotated from problem to problem calculating the perimeter of a given polygon. This provided them with lots of practice and got them out of their seats for most of the lesson.

We also worked this week on identifying three types of angles and the properties that define each type. Students worked to identify acute, obtuse and right angles. You can support this learning at home by having your child point out angles in your home and explain what type of angle they are showing you.
In checking planner sheets on Monday I noticed an increase in the number of students meeting the fact practice weekly requirement. Yay!

There are a number of ways for students to practice fact fluency and mixing it up can make the task more enjoyable. I have several links on my web page under the math tab that are good resources for fact practice. Good old flash cards can be a great interactive practice method and letting your child also quiz you will make it fun as well. The photo below shows a collection of apps that can be found helpful in practicing facts on a mobile device. Please note that IXL does not have an effective fact practice component. IXL is really a resource for practicing math concepts like perimeter, fractions, measurement, etc…, but not math fact fluency.  

Theme/Content

This week students worked on their maps and most have nearly finished. They look awesome! They have enjoyed painting their maps and their patience and careful work have paid off. Many staff members have commented on the quality of their work as they have seen the maps drying in the hall.  

Mayberry-McFarland Weekly News

for the week of September 19, 2016

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, September 26 - reading logs due (4 different days [habit], 25 minutes or more in each sitting [stamina])

Tuesday, September 27 - Home Link due

Wednesday, September 28 - early release (12:30), McFarlands have PE (sneakers)

Thursday, September 29 -  math box pages catch-up due

Friday, September 30 - Home Link due

Monday, October 3 - Reading logs due

Parents, please take note of the bottom of the reading log where I ask you to help with the addition of minutes and to sign the log.  Your signature tells me:

• that you agree that your child has met the expectations (four different days of at-home reading for 25 minutes or more, each of those four days)
• that you agree that your child has completed the log to 4th grade standards (neat, complete, in pencil, and with correct capital letters on titles)

    If you don’t agree, please have your child erase and make changes to the log before handing it in on Monday morning.  The log can also help you to see to what extent your child is meeting grade level expectations for at-home reading.  Your help at home makes a huge difference in the quality of the work and in influencing your child’s work ethic.  It shows your child what you value, and that’s so important.  Thank you for helping your child get into the reading routine!

Volunteer Opportunities

If you are interested in volunteering in Art class (Friday 11:15) or Library class (Thursday 11:15), please contact the following teacher:

Lynda Olson (Art) lmccann-olson@msad51.org

Dorothy Hall-Riddle (Library) dhall-riddle@msad51.org

Reading Workshop

This week, we have finished reading Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me?  We discussed a story mountain structure, something kids are generally familiar with, and most times we read, we tried to identify where on the story mountain we are at that time.  The kids were able to quickly identify rising action and the turning point scene.  

    I’m also introducing ideas about the author’s expectations of us as readers.  For example, the author might skip over a scene in the story but expect that, given certain details, we can infer what went on in that scene.  (If you ask your child what happened in the principal’s office when Marvin was sent there for fighting, you’ll see what I mean.)  

    I am also introducing the idea that characters, like people in real life, don’t usually get exactly what they want at the end of a book, but they often get what they need.  The problem often doesn’t go away, but we see the character handling it, and readers are left with the notion that the character will be OK.  That’ll be a huge concept as we embark on our next book together, our mentor text for our big unit on characters, a much deeper, higher-level story.  We’ll be diving into some pretty significant concepts (about reading, about what authors expect, and about life).  More on that next week…

Writing Workshop

I am slowly making my way through each writer’s on-demand narrative prompt, scoring them with the 4th Grade Narrative Rubric from the Units of Study writing program.  This is one way that helps me get to know each writer, what concepts and strategies s/he uses independently from previous years, and, most importantly, how I can tailor writing instruction this year.  I am pleased to report for the third year in a row that every child was able to choose an idea and write independently; it doesn’t always happen that way!  I’ll show these prompts to the kids as well, and they can set goals as to what their own writing focus should be in the coming weeks.

    In class, students have been working on using the message of their stories (what they’re really trying to show) and planning the heart of the story on a special mini-timeline.  Thursday and Friday, we’ve been writing like crazy to draft the stories in drafting packets.  They are writing with their timeline plans at their elbows, sometimes even checking off the events on their plans as they draft them.  I’m trying to teach them explicitly how a “plan” can help to keep their stories focused and on track, showing readers what each writer really wants to show.  Depending on where we end up at the end of Friday’s workshop, next week’s plans include: writing sophisticated leads, revising for a variety of details, and punctuating dialogue.  Maybe some advanced work with figurative language, too!

    Speaking of punctuation, you should see your child’s MUG Shot Sentence Organizer in her/his mail Friday.  This is one way I’ll be delivering direct instruction on mechanics, usage, and grammar (hence, the term MUG shot).  We focus on only one sentence, with lots of opportunity for new learning!  This week’s focuses: commas in a series, punctuating dialogue, making capital letters that are tall, and expecting all words to be spelled correctly when we’re copying.  As far as commas go, we’re trying to only use them if we can explain why they’re there -- to avoid the 4th grade syndrome known as Comma Crazy (whose treatment plan includes heavy doses of targeted instruction, practice, and eraser use).  And don’t even get me started on Apostrophe Fever...

Math

In math class this week students reviewed and strengthened their skills with traditional subtraction. They learned to use the traditional algorithm you most likely learned when you were in school (smile). Two big hurdles here; knowing their subtraction facts and/or having a strategy to quickly figure them out, and subtracting over zeros. They can still get confused when trading or borrowing over a zero. This is something you can reinforce at home by simply giving them one problem every night next week. Problems like: 608 - 458, 7903 - 3957, 8005 - 6779, etc..

We also worked on linear measurement conversions using U.S. Customary units- yards, feet and inches. This is a very new skill and one that we will work on further as many students continue to need support with this.
Our first dose of geometry also played into this week’s math lessons with an introduction to points, lines, line segments, and rays. Students practiced drawing them and they learned how to label and name them as well. Here is a link for one of the geometry videos we watched in class this week. https://goo.gl/qgBnx6

Theme/Content

This week students started their North America maps. This is the first of two map making projects in our geography unit. This first project is a springboard to another project later in the unit where they will put their creativity and map making skills to work.

Mayberry-McFarland Weekly News

for the week of September 12, 2016

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, September 19 - reading logs due (4 different days [habit], 25 minutes or more in each sitting [stamina]) / writing notebook cover collages due

Tuesday, September 20 - Home Link due

Wednesday, September 21 - early release (12:30), McFarlands have PE (sneakers)

Thursday, September 22 -  math box pages catch-up due

Friday, September 23 - Home Link due

Monday, September 24 - Reading logs due

Please forgive my errors regarding dates on the writing notebook covers assignment!  Kids should have changed them to the due date of Monday, September 19th.  I’ll be contacting people to help with those later next week.  Thank you to those of you who indicated an interest to volunteer to help with those!

Thanks, also, for donations for materials to make the book bags for our classes!  I was able to find quite a variety of fabric.  And, thank you to those who have offered to help sew the bags!  I will send home fabric, a sample, Velcro, and (my non-seamstress) directions on Friday.

Reading Workshop

This week we reviewed some tips for retelling:

• Retell in order: first this happened, then that, then that.  [This is not the only way to retell well, but it’s one simple way.]
• Use characters’ names.
• Tell why the characters did what they did (interpret their motivations).
• Identify the characters’ feelings, even if the author doesn’t tell you what the characters feel.

If you want to help your child with reading at home, this can be a place to start, whether it’s retelling a whole story or the part s/he read tonight.

    We also started a new read aloud, Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me? for a short character study and some basic teaching about how authors include details on purpose.  We will connect this with our writing as well, and we’ll revisit this idea over and over throughout the school year.  It’s a biggie.

Writing Workshop

Each writer identified a small moment to write about, and articulated the message of the story -- not a lesson they want their readers to learn, but what their storytelling language will show about their experience.  Then we discussed the important reasons writers plan their work:

The kids helped me write a timeline plan about the time when my childhood friend, Melanie, and I used baby powder on the hallway floor to help our feet move more smoothly when we practiced the moonwalk (yes, we both had our respective moonwalk PR’s!)...and then they did the same for their own stories, including some advanced steps for those who were ready.

Math

This week students continued to work on reading and writing large numbers, and rounding numbers through the hundred thousands place. In addition, they reviewed adding large numbers using the traditional method with carry over and were introduced to three estimation strategies. Below is a picture of the chart explaining the three strategies we have discussed in class.

One way you can help your child at home is to share with them examples of when you use estimation in everyday life. Also, asking them to read large numbers (through the millions place) is another great way to support your child’s math learning.

Theme/Content

This week students continued their work with continents and oceans of the world. They all took an online quiz, and I am happy to report they did very well!

Handbook Excerpt

You can find our Team Handbook on our class blog.  We have not yet updated it to reflect changes pertinent to the current school year, but there is some helpful information there.  Below is an excerpt about homework:

Homework:  Please read the Homework Expectations document in the front of your child’s Homework Planner.  If your child leaves her/his homework at school, there are a couple of options.  One option is to drive your child back to GMS to retrieve it, if possible.  The building is open late.  We realize this is an inconvenience, and we hope that you will communicate that to your child.  This will show your child that all of us expect the homework to be complete and on time.  Another option is to have your child come to school without it.  Your child will bring home a Missing Homework Slip and will most likely complete the work while eating at snack time.  This experience teaches your child to accept simple, natural consequences, and to understand and trust that we follow through with expectations.  Please don’t expect that your child will be able to come the classroom unattended before school to complete homework; your child’s teacher may not be available for supervision.  

✳If your child is unable to complete homework due to serious illness or a family crisis, please let us know.  

✳If your child doesn’t understand something on the homework and you have tried but cannot help, please let us know that as well, by writing a note on the Homework Planner Sheet, on the homework, or in a separate note.  We will help at school.  

✳If your child leaves her/his planner, homework, and/or book baggie at home, it might be tempting to deliver it to school, especially if you feel it’s “your fault.”  But, we are trying to guide your child toward increased independence and responsibility.  We are telling the children that they are in charge of making sure their bags are packed each morning before leaving for school.

Parental help with homework: All children work at their own pace.  Please use your judgement as to how much to help.  In general, we would like for you to check the quality of the work.  Please expect your child to hand in work that shows s/he tried and cares about the work.  If your child reaches the point of frustration (or hopefully before then!), stop, and go back to it later if possible.  And send in a note to let us know what the frustrations were, so we can follow up at school.  See resources in the Homework Planner for ways to help.  In addition, check Mrs. Mayberry’s web pages for help!  There are also pdf’s of Homework Planner sheets and Reading Logs if your child loses one of those.  

Homework Planner:  Your child has a Homework Planner that s/he brings home every day and returns to school every day.  Students write down assignments in the planner on a daily basis, and they keep their homework in it as well.  Your child should become independent in handling the planner early in the year.  There are resources for parents and students in the planner, as well as IXL log-in information.

Homework with technology:  Sometimes we may assign homework that involves technology.  Please know that we understand that technology doesn’t always work the way we hope it will!  Your child should do the parts of the assignment s/he can, and simply send in a note the following day explaining any issues.  That can help us troubleshoot and hopefully avoid similar issues in the future.

Missing Homework Slips:  When your child doesn’t bring in homework on the day it is due, s/he will bring home a Missing Homework Slip.  Please sign it, and have your child return this slip the following school day.  This is one form of communication between you and us to make sure you know that your child didn’t bring in homework on the day it is due.  It also helps us to track homework completion and responsibility.  The Missing Homework Slip, though not a punishment, is one form of accountability for your child.

Mayberry-McFarland Weekly News

for the week of September 5, 2016

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, September 12 - reading logs due (4 different days [habit], 25 minutes or more in each sitting [stamina])

Tuesday, September 13 - Home Link due

Wednesday, September 14 - early release (12:30), McFarlands have PE (sneakers)

Thursday, September 15 -  math box pages catch-up due

Friday, September 16 - Home Link due

Monday, September 19 - Reading logs due

Thank you for those of you who came to Parent Information Night on Thursday!  We enjoyed our time with you and hope you found it useful.  For those who could not attend, we have sent some paperwork for you to fill out, along with a hard copy of the slides from our presentation.  We look forward to scheduling conferences with you next month!

Reading Workshop

Students learned how to fill out their reading logs and got some book shopping time, and I gave guidelines about what kinds of book choices will contribute to reading progress.  I also talked about different options for at-home reading.  In my perfect “reading teacher world” a child would generally follow this sort of reading path:

• Read books in her/his guided reading level range (at her/his reading level, one level above, one level below) almost all the time
• Read a variety of chapter books and short texts (picture books)
• Read a variety of genres: realistic fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, poetry, magazines…

Since it’s not a perfect world...since some of us like to read things that are NOT (*gasp!*) in our reading level range...since there is SO MUCH high quality literature out there for children that we want children to experience and love, the following formula seems to work well for the majority of 4th grade readers (see photo):

Writing Workshop

This week, we worked on making lists of our writing territories, topics that we know well and feel comfortable writing about (ask your child about the time I hit my friend, Melanie, with a rock -- it was an accident!).  Friday, the kids spent the entire workshop period writing a personal narrative (a small moment story).  I’ll study these pieces to help me see what the children can do independently, what skills from their work at MIW they have internalized and brought with them, and where my work with them will focus for our first unit together.

Math

This week students started working in the first unit of Everyday Math. This unit primarily focuses on numeracy, addition/subtraction and a little geometry thrown in for good measure. During the week we worked on reading and writing large numbers through the hundred-thousands place. Our work also included determining the value of any given digit within a large number. In addition, students worked on rounding large numbers to a given place value. For example, they were asked to round numbers, such as 657,993 to the nearest thousand or the nearest hundred. This was challenging for most of the students, and we will continue to work on this essential skill in the coming weeks.

As mentioned at our Parent Information Night students are being asked to practice basic fact recall at least three times per week for ten minutes each time (total: 30 minutes per week).  Automatic recall means students can come up with the answer quickly without a lot of wait time or having to use their fingers. I am asking each parent to initial planners each time your child practices. Please circle the operation and write down the minutes. At this point in time I am asking that students focus on subtraction facts since these seem to be quite rusty after the long summer break. Putting the practice time in now will serve your child well when it comes to doing more complex problem-solving later in the year.

Theme/Content

This week we have begun our geography unit in social studies. Students are first reviewing and/or learning the continents and oceans of the world. We will be moving into several cartography projects that incorporate learning about various map making skills, landforms, and bodies of water.

Handbook Excerpt

You can find our Team Handbook on our class blog.  We have not yet updated it to reflect changes pertinent to the current school year, but there is some helpful information there.  Below is an excerpt about homework:

Homework:  Please read the Homework Expectations document in the front of your child’s Homework Planner.  If your child leaves her/his homework at school, there are a couple of options.  One option is to drive your child back to GMS to retrieve it, if possible.  The building is open late.  We realize this is an inconvenience, and we hope that you will communicate that to your child.  This will show your child that all of us expect the homework to be complete and on time.  Another option is to have your child come to school without it.  Your child will bring home a Missing Homework Slip and will most likely complete the work while eating at snack time.  This experience teaches your child to accept simple, natural consequences, and to understand and trust that we follow through with expectations.  Please don’t expect that your child will be able to come the classroom unattended before school to complete homework; your child’s teacher may not be available for supervision.  

✳If your child is unable to complete homework due to serious illness or a family crisis, please let us know.  

✳If your child doesn’t understand something on the homework and you have tried but cannot help, please let us know that as well, by writing a note on the Homework Planner Sheet, on the homework, or in a separate note.  We will help at school.  

✳If your child leaves her/his planner, homework, and/or book baggie at home, it might be tempting to deliver it to school, especially if you feel it’s “your fault.”  But, we are trying to guide your child toward increased independence and responsibility.  We are telling the children that they are in charge of making sure their bags are packed each morning before leaving for school.

Parental help with homework: All children work at their own pace.  Please use your judgement as to how much to help.  In general, we would like for you to check the quality of the work.  Please expect your child to hand in work that shows s/he tried and cares about the work.  If your child reaches the point of frustration (or hopefully before then!), stop, and go back to it later if possible.  And send in a note to let us know what the frustrations were, so we can follow up at school.  See resources in the Homework Planner for ways to help.  In addition, check teachers’ web pages for help!  There are also pdf’s of Homework Planner sheets and Reading Logs if your child loses one of those.  

Homework Planner:  Your child has a Homework Planner that s/he brings home every day and returns to school every day.  Students write down assignments in the planner on a daily basis, and they keep their homework in it as well.  Your child should become independent in handling the planner early in the year.  There are resources for parents and students in the planner, as well as IXL log-in information.

Homework with technology:  Sometimes we may assign homework that involves technology.  Please know that we understand that technology doesn’t always work the way we hope it will!  Your child should do the parts of the assignment s/he can, and simply send in a note the following day explaining any issues.  That can help us troubleshoot and hopefully avoid similar issues in the future.

Missing Homework Slips:  When your child doesn’t bring in homework on the day it is due, s/he will bring home a Missing Homework Slip.  Please sign it, and have your child return this slip the following school day.  This is one form of communication between you and us to make sure you know that your child didn’t bring in homework on the day it is due.  It also helps us to track homework completion and responsibility.  The Missing Homework Slip, though not a punishment, is one form of accountability for your child.