Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend and got to enjoy the weather on Saturday! I cannot believe this is our last week of school! What an amazing first quarter we have had!

Here is what's going on this week: 

Writing: We will be finishing our personal narratives this week. The students will share their pieces on Thursday. 

Reading: Last week, we worked on finding the theme of their author study texts. This week we will use the theme to retell a story. They will also present their author study projects this week.

Word Study: We will be working on goal setting activities during word study this week. They will receive new words after break.

Science: We will be wrapping up our rocks and minerals chapter. The students will be learning about how Earth's surface can change rapidly. We will be taking a small weathering and erosion quiz on Thursday.

Math: We are also wrapping up chapter 7 in math. They will take a straightforward test over the material Wednesday.

Important Reminders:
12/17 - Holiday Parties
12/18 - No school/Beginning of Winter Break
1/4 - School Resumes

Landform Projects

The students made story boards showing how weathering and erosion can create landforms. 

Studying Authors

Science Scavenger Hunt

Weekly Happenings

Hello! What a great school filled weekend we had! Thank you to all those who came to the winter festival and the 4th grade musical! Their performance was incredible!

Here is what's going on this week: 

Writing: We are working on stretching out a small moment for our narratives. The students are doing this by adding inner thought, action, dialogue, and description. We will also work on creating leads that hook the reader. 

Reading: This week the students will be meeting with their author study groups to compare the different books. They will discuss similarities and differences in the themes and the author's style. 

Word Study: The students will test this Friday.

Science: Instead of taking an end of the unit test, we will be taking a few small quizzes along the way. Tomorrow we will take a rock/rock cycle quiz. We will begin learning about weathering and erosion for the remainder of the week.

Math: The last chapter we will cover this quarter is over patterns and sequences. The students will be able to find and continue patterns. They will also write equations for patterns. They will take a straightforward test over the material next Wednesday.

Important Reminders:
12/9 - Early Release
12/17 - Holiday Parties
12/18 - No school/Beginning of Winter Break
1/4 - School Resumes

Rock Cycle

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! It seemed like the students had great breaks! Please continue to send any items for the Helping Hands Campaign. Thank you for those who have donated.

Here is what's happening this week:

Writing: This week we will begin working on personal narratives. We will be working on generating small moment ideas. They will also choose an idea to take through the writing process.

Reading: The students have begin studying authors. So far, we have compared characters in books by the same author. We will also look at how the setting and plot of two different books can be compared.

Word Study: The students received new words today. Their tests will be Friday, December 11.

Science: We've switched back to science for the remainder of the quarter. The chapter covers rocks and minerals.

Math: We are still working on mastering long division! Their test is scheduled for this Friday. We will continue to review the long division process for the rest of the week. Please practice the multiplication facts with your child. Being fluent with their facts makes long division a lot easier!

Important Reminders:
12/3 - Book Fair
12/3 - Cookie Dough Pickup 
12/4 - Math Test
12/5 - Winter Festival 9:00-12:00
12/6 - Music Concert
12/9 - Early Release

Thankful for Our Buddies

Lewis and Clark

We had an amazing Lewis and Clark expert teach us all about the Lewis and Clark Expedition! 

Weekly Update 11/16

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

This week is the third week of the Helping Hands Campaign begins-Food collection week

 Please send in cleaning supplies. You may also bring in food items. Thank you in advance!

Here's what's happening this week:

Writing: The class will continue to work on their persuasive essays. Their essays will be due next Monday.

Reading: We will be wrapping up our non-fiction unit this week. The students will focus on different techniques non-fiction and why the author uses those technique.

Word Study: The students will be getting new words this week. Their tests are tentatively scheduled for the the Wednesday after Thanksgiving break.

Social Studies: We are so lucky to be having a Lewis and Clark expert come talk to us this week! She will teach the students even more about the Lewis and Clark expedition as well as share many artifacts!

Math: This week we will begin chapter 6, which covers division. The students will learn multiple strategies for how to divide. They will also learn how to estimate division problems.

Important Reminders:
11/16-20 - Helping Hands Campaign (cleaning supplies week)
11/18 - Early Release 
11/23 - Academic All Stars
11/24-27 - Thanksgiving Break

Math Review

Veterans Day

We are so thankful for all of our veterans!

Weekly Happenings 11/9

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

This week is the second week of the Helping Hands Campaign begins-Food collection week

 Please send in paper products items this week. You may also bring in food items. Thank you in advance!

Here's what's happening this week:

Writing: The class will be working on persuasive essays. They will use what they know about personal essays to write a persuasive essay.

Reading: The students' weather presentations were amazing! This week they will get new topics. They will be comparing and contrasting their new topics to their old topics.

Word Study: The students are continuing to work on their word study contracts and patterns. The red and blue group test this Wednesday, November 11. The pink and green group will test this Thursday, November 12.

Social Studies: This week we are focusing on the Lewis and Clark expedition. The chapter 4 test will be this Friday.

Math: We will be wrapping up chapter 5 this week. Their test over two-digit by two-digit multiplication will be this Thursday. The study guide will come home on Tuesday.

Important Reminders:

11/9: Helping Hands Campaign-Paper Products

11/11: Veteran's Day Assembly, 9:00 a.m.
11/18: Early Release 

Writing Celebration

We celebrated by reading our essays by the 'campfire' with popcorn! I am beyond impressed with their essays!!

Research Presentations

Each group researched a different type of extreme weather. They then presented their information to the class. 

Buddy Time

We worked on decorations for the Veterans' Day Assembly with our buddies!

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend! Thank you for two great conference nights! Also, thank you to those who helped make the Halloween party a big success!

This week is the start of the Helping Hands Campaign begins-Food collection week

 Please send in any non-perishable food items this week. Thank you in advance!

Here's what's happening this week:

Writing: The students will be finishing their personal opinion essays this week! They will be working on adding introductions and conclusions that get the reader to care about their topics. We will also revise and edit this week. There essays are due on Friday. They may work on them as part of their nightly writing homework. The essays can be found on Google Drive.

Reading: The students are working on their extreme weather presentations this week. Over the last couple of weeks, they have worked in groups researching different types of extreme weather. They will be presenting their information on Wednesday. Then they will switch to a new extreme weather to research.

Word Study: The students are continuing to work on their word study contracts and patterns. The red and blue group test Wednesday, November 11. The pink and green group will test Thursday, November 12.

Social Studies: The students will be taking the chapter 3 social studies test on Wednesday. We will work on the study guide today and review for the test on Tuesday. I encourage the students to begin studying tonight, as this is test is more challenging.

Math: We are beginning a new chapter this week. The students will learn to multiply a two-digit number by another 2-digit number. Their test is tentatively scheduled for next Wednesday.

Important Reminders:

11/2: Helping Hands Campaign begins-Food collection week

11/2: Party on the Playground 5:00-7:00 p.m.

11/6: Jingles for Jammies

11/6: Adult Trivia Night

11/11: Veteran's Day Assembly, 9:00 a.m.

Halloween Party

Thank you for all the parents who helped make our party a huge hit! 

Pumpkin Run

Pig Out Party

This week is Red Ribbon Week! The students are asked to show their support on Tuesday and Wednesday! 

Tuesday:  Respect your Body

wear as much red as possible... students can wear red hats ...

Wednesday:  Respect Your Soul

wearing soulful socks!

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend! Please continue sending in Box Tops. Thank you!

Here's what's happening this week:

Writing: The students have chosen a thesis statement (their opinion) and have formed three reasons why their thesis is true. The rest of the week the students will be working on generating evidence to support their reasons. They need 3 examples or stories to support their reasons.

Reading: The students are continuing to learn new non-fiction reading strategies. We will work on summarizing non-fiction. They will also be put in research groups. They will learn strategies for how to research effectively. Their group will be researching a type of extreme weather.

Word Study: This week we will be focusing on grammar. They will be learning different comma rules throughout the week.

Social Studies: We will begin chapter 3 this week. This chapter covers the first groups of people to live in Missouri. They will be learning about how people got to Missouri and different Native American tribes that lived in Missouri.

Math: We will continue to work on multiplication. This week the students will learn the traditional algorithm for solving multiplication problems. Throughout this chapter, they have learned different strategies to solve multiplication problems. On tests and homework they can use the strategy that works best for them.

Important Reminders:
10/20: Garfield -Ticket collection
10/23: Last Garfield-Fundraiser Ticket collection and last day for Boxtop competition
10/26: Parent Teacher Conferences
10/28: Parent Teacher Conferences 4-7:00
10/29: Pumpkin Run, Halloween Party
10/30: No School-Conference Compensation Day

Concord Assembly

Painting our Salt Maps

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend! There will be a school wide picture this Friday. Please have your child wear their Concord ignite.inspire.innovate shirts. Thank you!

Here's what's happening this week:

Writing: This week the students are working on generating essay ideas and forming their thesis statement.

Reading: The students are continuing to learn new non-fiction reading strategies. We will focus on tacking challenges in non-fiction reading.

Word Study: Red and pink groups will test Wednesday, October 14. The blue and green groups will test Thursday, October 15.

Social Studies: This week the students will continue working on their Missouri salt maps.

Math: We will begin chapter 4 this week. In this chapter, students will learn how to multiply using the standard algorithm. They will also spend time breaking apart the multiplication process, to better understand how the algorithm works.

Important Reminders:
10/12 - Cookie Dough Fundraiser Kick Off, Box Top Competition begins
10/16 - First Quarter Ends, 1/2 Day

Salt Maps

Regions Brochure

Everyone is working hard on their Missouri Region Brochure! 

Weekly Happenings 10/5-10/9

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Here's what's happening this week:

Writing: This week we are beginning our opinion unit. The first piece they will write is an personal opinion essay. They will chose an opinion about a person or topic that is personal to them.

Reading: We are starting a non-fiction unit. The goal of this unit is to teach the students how to read to learn.

Word Study: Red and pink groups will test Wednesday, October 14. The blue and green groups will test Thursday, October 15.

Social Studies: This week the students will begin a Missouri Region Brochure. We will also be collecting supplies for a Missouri Region Salt Map. A letter will be sent home tonight with a list of supplies needed. Thank you in advance for sending in supplies!

Math: We are wrapping up chapter 3 this week. The test will be this Friday. Please work on the multiplication facts with your child. Knowing the facts will be very helpful for this test and tests to come.

Important Reminders:
10/9 - Math Test

10/16 - First Quarter Ends, 1/2 Day

Forming Fossils

We used a computer exploration to learn about the process of becoming a fossil. 

Star Writers!

We celebrated finishing our realistic fiction stories with donuts and a writers' buffet!

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Here's what's happening this week:

Writing: The students will be publishing their realistic fiction stories this week. Their stories need to be completed on Friday. The celebration will be on Monday.

Reading: We are focusing on building interpretations of the books they are reading. They will focus on the characters, setting, plot, important objects, and the mood of the book to build bigger ideas about the book.

Word Study: The students received their new words and contracts today. As of now, the red and pink groups will test Wednesday, October 14. The blue and green groups will test Thursday, October 15.

Science/Social Studies: This week we are wrapping up their ecosystem projects. We will begin a social studies unit on Wednesday. The first chapter will cover Missouri Regions.

Math: We will begin chapter 3 in math this week. This chapter teaches the relationship between multiplication and division. It is really important the students start practicing their multiplication facts at home, if they aren't already.

Important Reminders:
9/30 - Picture Day
10/6 - PTG Board Meeting
10/9 - Family Trivia Night 6:30-8:30

Working on our Ecosystem Projects

Shaw Park Field Trip!

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone was able to enjoy another weekend with amazing weather!

Here is what's happening this week:

Writing: This week the students will finish revising their stories and begin editing.  They will be using 'lenses' as they revise and edit. They will use a different lens as they read their story focusing on different writing techniques.

Reading: This week we will learn about how to form debatable ideas from our texts. We will also work on finding evidence from the text to support our ideas. When your child is reading at home, ask them what kind of debatable ideas they can gather from the text.

Word Study: The students will continue to practice the patterns and spelling of their words this week. Their tests are still scheduled for Tuesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 24. Red Group (sort 29) Green (sort 1-vowel patterns) and Blue Group (sort 25) will go Tuesday. Pink group (sort 1) will go Thursday.

Science: This week they will also be starting their final project for chapter 3 and 4. Instead of a test, they will be doing a final project. Their final project will be to chose an ecosystem to represent. They will be asked to include plants and animals that would be found in that ecosystem, create a food chain, and explain what adaptations an animal in that ecosystem has. This will be done in class.

Math:  This week we will finish up the chapter on addition and subtraction. Their test will be next Thursday, September 24. They will receive their study guides today.

Important Reminders:
9/23- Field Trip
9/24 - Math Test
9/25 - No School
9/30 - School Picture Day

Capstone e.Book Library

Here is the link to our Capstone eLibrary which has an awesome collection of over 1800 online, free books for our Concord students.  Students can listen to or read for themselves these highly engaging books. We want as many students as possible to take advantage of these materials.  

The username is concordes and the password is school.  

Here is short video explaining how to log in to the website.

Buddies

We worked with our buddies to find proactive ways to handle reactive situations. 

Revision Stations

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone was able to enjoy the amazing weather we had this weekend!

Here is what's happening this week:

Writing: This week the students will continue drafting their realistic fiction stories. They will work on drafting one scene at a time, focusing on showing the reader what is happening in the story. We will learn how to describe the setting, hook the readers in their lead, use dialogue, and write an ending that shows how the character has grown or changed. It's big work, but they are ready for the challenge!

Reading: This week we are focusing on revising and strengthening our ideas about the characters in the book. We are focusing in on the details that are repeated about the character to grow ideas about that character. We are also working on the words we use to describe the characters to be sure they are precise and accurate.

Word Study: The students will continue to practice the patterns and spelling of their words this week. Their tests are still scheduled for Tuesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 24. Red Group (sort 29) Green (sort 1-vowel patterns) and Blue Group (sort 25) will go Tuesday. Pink group (sort 1) will go Thursday.

Science: This week we will learn about what fossils are, how they are formed, and what information we can gather from them. They will also be starting their final project for chapter 3 and 4. Instead of a test, they will be doing a final project. This will be done in class.

Math: The math tests were returned today. They may correct the problems got wrong to earn percentage points back. They will have this opportunity each test. The next chapter covers addition and subtraction. Their test will be next Thursday, September 24.

Important Reminders:
9/16 - Early Release
9/23- Field Trip
9/24 - Math Test
9/25 - No School

Developing Ideas in Reading

We are working on developing strong, grounded (supported) ideas about our characters. 

Addition Properties/Subtraction Rules

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope you are all enjoying your long weekend!

Here is what's happening this week:

Writing: This week the students will continue drafting their realistic fiction stories. They will work on drafting one scene at a time, focusing on showing the reader what is happening in the story.

Reading: We will work on noticing specific character traits and notice the patterns in how a character acts. We will also pay attention to what our characters' desires are and what obstacles get in their way.

Word Study: The students will get their official spelling lists this week. There tests will tentatively be scheduled for Tuesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 24. I will let you know which groups will test on which day as it gets closer.

Science: We are studying different ecosystems and how living things interact within their ecosystem. Specifically, we will learn about food chains and what happens when an organism is removed from an ecosystem.

Math: We will wrap up chapter 1 this week. The math test will be this Friday. The study guide will come home on Tuesday.

Important Reminders:
9/11 - Math Test
9/11 - Book Orders Due 
9/11 - Concord Movie Night
9/16 - Early Release

Camouflage Experiment

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Here's what is happening this week:

Writing: The students have been gathering possible realistic fiction stories. This week they will choose a story idea to begin developing. We will also work on developing realistic and complex characters.

Reading: This week the students will continue building their reading stamina. Our class is at 25 minutes of continuous reading. We will also continue to focus on choosing 'just-right' books and sticking with those books. I will also start meeting with reading groups this week!

Word Study: We will practice the routine of word study using our classmates' names as spelling words. They will not be tested on these words, however. The students will get their real spelling words next Monday. 

Science: Our first lessons will cover animal adaptations and ecosystems. The students will learn about different animal ecosystems, how animals interact in an ecosystem, and how food chains work.

Math: This week we will begin our first math chapter. This chapter reviews place value and rounding. The students will also work on various math stations, while I meet with groups.


Important Reminders:
9/3 - Curriculum Night 
9/7 - No school

Building Reading Stamina!

Class Mission Statement

Weekly Happenings

Hello! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I am excited for our first full week of school! Please begin checking your child's planner each night, if you have not been. They will start having nightly homework this week. They will also be bringing home notes in their expanding file.

 Here is what's happening this week:

 Writing: On Tuesday we will be decorating our Writer's Notebooks. The students can bring in pictures and/or decorations for their notebook. This week we will also begin our first unit of writing. In this unit, the students will be creating a realistic fiction story.

 Reading:This week we will be working on our reading stamina! Our goal is to reach 30 minutes of good independent reading. We will also begin our first reading unit. In this unit, the students will work on interpreting characters in their stories.

 Math:This week we will be practicing what math workshop looks and sounds like. We will also begin chapter one, which covers place value.

 Community Building:I loved seeing all of the items each student brought in today! Our class made so many connections with one another. This week we will be creating a class and personal mission statement. These statements will help to keep our class running smoothly and push the students to reach their highest potential.

 Please let me know if you have any questions!

Buddy Time!

We had a great time getting to know our buddies!

Ignite, Innovate, Inspire

We were ready for our first assembly!

Classroom Scavenger Hunt

First Day!

Wow!! What an amazing first day! We are going to have a great year!

Today the students participated in the "Cup Challenge"! They had to form a pyramid without touching the cups. Their teamwork was amazing!

2015-2016 Class List

I can't wait for an amazing year with each of you! 

Here are your classmates:

Deon A.

Kamal E.

Reece F.

Lance H.

Kendall H.

Austin J.

Echo J.

Charlie K.

Damian M.

Joseph M.

Peter M.

Brooke M.

Aidin M.

Michael P.

Jenalyn R.

Zachary S.

Sierra S.

Breanna S.

Jack S.

Kyle S.

Brylee S.

Hannah W.

End of the Year Party