Homework today:
     1.  The Klondike Gold Rush
     2.  Math:  Miss W  RW8
                     Mr. Spaulding Times Table Test
     3.  Read half an hour.
     4.  Get parent initial.

Testing This Week

This week we have tests in language arts, math, and writing.  Whew!

Today's homework:
     1.  Prepositions and adverbs worksheet, both sides.
     2.  Math:  Miss W:  RW7
                      Mr. Spaulding:  no math
     3.  Read half hour.
     4.  Parent signature.

Conjunction Junction

Students continue working on the different parts of speech.  This week we are focusing on the coordinating conjunctions and, but and or.  In science, we are learning about photosynthesis and food chains.  Students also have a multi-paragraph essay to write this week on their favorite season of the year.

Homework for today:
     1.  Conjunctions worksheet.
     2.  Math:   Miss W:  no homework
                      Mr. Spaulding:  PW5
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Get parent initial.

Science Lab Monday

Both Mr. Spaulding's and Miss W's math groups this week are finishing up the chapter on place value concepts.  Students are learning how the position of a digit determines its value.  Students should be able to read, write and identify the place value of numbers through millions.  Students must be able to compare whole numbers and put a set of whole numbers into order from least to greatest or greatest to least.  Many fourth graders still stuggle with reading large numbers correctly.  This is a good thing to practice at home.

In language arts we are learning this week about another part of speech: the conjunction.  The most common coordinating conjunctions are the words and, or and but.  They are used to join words or parts of a sentence.  This week in writing students are continuing work on the multi-paragraph expository writing format.

Every Monday Room 14 students get to go to the Science Lab.  Today they used microscopes.

Today's homework:
     1.  Spelling workbook p. 20.
     2.  Math   Miss W's group:  SR1
                     Mr. Spaulding's group:  RW5
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Get a parent initial.

Social Studies Test Tomorrow

Be sure to study carefully for tomorrow's Social Studies test.

Today's homework:
     1.   Spelling practice test.  Copy correctly misspelled words three times each.
     2.  Math:  Miss W:  RW5
                     Spaulding:  PW4
     3.  Review Social Studies Study Sheet
     4.  Read for half an hour.
     5.  Get parent initials.

Computer Problems at School

Our school district has been dealing with a serious computer virus problem in our network.  It may be difficult to keep this blog updated until our tech people can sort out the problem.  I apologize for any inconvenience.  In the meantime, students should continue writing their daily assignments down in their homework logs.  Don't forget to read at least half an hour every day, in addition to any other homework.  It is also a good idea to practice and review multiplication facts.

New Band Schedule

Band is every Wednesday.  Students are responsible for going to band at the right time.

Homework today:
     1.  Read "Wild Ride Down the Colorado" and answer questions.
     2.  Math
                 Miss W's Group:  RW4
                 Mr. Spaulding's group:  RW4
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Get parent initials.

Library Today

Today we went to the library to get books for the Accelerated Reader program.  Your child should read at home for at least half an hour daily.  Students can take tests on the computer when the get to school the next day.  Fourth graders should get at least five AR points a month.  They should take AR tests every day or two for short books.  Even for most longer books, students should be able to test about once a week.  Only the really long Harry Potter type books might take over a week between tests.  Even then, the most diligent fourth grade readers can finish a Harry Potter book in one week.

We are continuing our work with place value concepts.  Fourth graders should be able to read and write numbers  correctly into the hundred millions.  In Social Studies we are studying the differences between urban, suburban, and rural communities in California.

Today's Homework:
     1.  Write spelling words in cursive.  See page 12 of spelling workbook for the words.
     2.  Math:  Miss W's group:  RW3
                     Mr. Spaulding's group:  PW3
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Get a parent signature.

Read Every Day!

Every Monday we introduce the new spelling list for the week.  This week's list concentrates on the long 'e' sound, and the spelling patterns e, e_e, ee, ea. _ie, and _y.  Here are this week's words:
1.  steel
2.  fleet
3.  seaweed
4.  wreath
5.  measles
6.  scream
7.  least
8.  yield
9.  shield
10.  shriek
11.  thief
12.  donkey
13.  hockey
14.  trolley
15.  niece
16.  prairie
17.  eager
18.  seals
19.  married
20.  sneak

For Greek and Latin roots this week we are concentrating on words containing the root 'graph':  autobiography, autograph, bibliography, biography, cartography, homograph, paragraph, phonograph, photography, and seismograph.  In writing we are working on multi-paragraph form.

Our story this week is from Greek mythology, the story of Daedalus and Icarus.  In math we are concentrating on place value concepts.  Students should know place values up to the millions.  Ther should also know the difference between standard form, word form and expanded form for a given number.  For example, for the number 213 we would have:

     a.  Standard form:  213
     b.  Word form:  two hundred thirteen
     c.   Expanded form:  200 + 10 + 3

Homework for tonight:
     1.  Spelling workbook p. 12
     2.  Math:   Miss W's group:  RW2
                      Mr. Spaulding's group:  RW3
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Get a parent initial.

Here is a picture of Daedalus falling out of the sky:

Picture Day Tomorrow!

This evening is our Back-to-School Night Potluck Dinner from 6:00 to 7:00.  Since we had a math quiz today there is no math homework

Today's homework:
     1.  No math.
     2.  Spelling Practice Test.  Copy misspelled words correctly three times each.
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Come to Back-to-School Night with food to share.
     5.  Get parent initials.

Don't Forget! Potluck Tomorrow!

Today's math lesson concentrated on the idea of finding a rule to fit a pattern.  Students learned about input/output tables.  Fourth graders are expected to be able to find a rule for a number relationship and write an equation for the rule.

We also did more writing and more work with the regions of California.

Today's homework:
     1.  "Journey That Proved the Earth Was Round."  Read and answer questions.
     2.  Math RW23
     3.  Read half hour.
     4.  Get parent intitials. 

Fund Raiser Drive Starts Today

Today is the start of our Kids Are First fundraiser.  Your child should be bringing home a packet of materials.

In school today, we started our leveled English Language Development groups.  At Sespe we are fortunate to have a talented and experienced group of fourth and fifth grade teachers.  For forty-five minutes a day, students are divided up among these teachers for leveled language instruction.

Today we learned more about adverbs, studied the academic vocabulary words 'rare', 'frequent', and 'frequently', and worked on the math strategy of working backward.  We read the story "Escape".  We also worked on posters showing the different geographic regions of California: the coast, valley, desert and mountains.

Todays homework:
     1.  Spelling:  copy each spelling word in cursive.
     2.  Math RW22.
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Get a parent signature.

Don't forget:  Back-to-School Night Potluck Dinner this Thursday, Sepember 13, from 6:00 to 7:00 in Room 14.

Back-to-School Night This Week!

In Language Arts today, students were introduced to the idea of adverbs; learned about the Latin root 'scrib' or 'script' meaning to write, in words such as describe or prescription; and studied different spelling patterns for the long 'o' sound.  Our story this week is an exerpt from the classic children's book Charlotte's Web.

Today's math topic dealt with the concept of equations.  The idea is that equals added to equals are equal.  That sounds complicated but here is an example:

Since 2 + 2 = 4, then ( 2 + 2) + 3 = 4 + 3.

In 2 + 2 = 4, both sides of the equation are equal.  If we add 3 to both sides they stay equal, and we get
(2 + 2) + 3 = 2 + 4.  Simple!

In writing, we are working on multi-paragraph form.  Students are learning to extend one paragraph essays into a longer three paragraph form.  In social studies this week we are continuing work on the four major regions of California.  Students also went to the Science Lab today and did experiments showing capillary action in celery.

Homework:
     1.  Spelling workbook p. 16.
     2.  Math RW21.
     3.  Read for half an hour.
     4.  Think about what you want to bring for the potluck on Thursday.

Our Sespe Back-to-School Night is scheduled for this Thursday, September 13th.  We will have a Room 14 potluck dinner from 6:00 to 7:00.   Please bring something to share - rice, chicken, bread, fruit, chips, dessert, whatever!  I will supply drinks, plates, cups, napkins, and eating utensils.

Band Today

Today we reviewed how to write and evaluate mathematical expressions, and we learned how to use variables.  We also worked some more on the idea of helping verbs, and did more work with the Latin root 'spec' meaning "to look or see,' as in the words spectator or spectacles.

Homework today:
     1.  Study continents and oceans for geography test tomorrow (see Eileene's map above.)
     2.  Take a practice spelling test.  Correct the test.  Copy over missed words correctly 3 times     each.
     3.  Math RW19
     4.  Read for half hour.
     5.  Get parent initials.

Another Busy Day

Today we read the story "Toto" in our readers; we learned about writing and evaluating mathematical expressions; and we also worked on recognizing helping verbs in a sentence.  Students continued working on their world map projects as well, and wrote drafts of favorite food essays.  We also learned about the different regions of California:  the desert, valley, mountain and coast regions.  A busy day!

Parents:  you are very welcome to leave comments or questions on this blog.  Please make sure that your child is reading for at least half an hour every day.

Reminder:  Back-to-School Night is scheduled for next Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00.  We are planning on having a potluck dinner in Room 14.  Come see you child's classroom and show your support for Sespe School.

Homework:
     1.   Study continents map for test Friday.
     2.  Math RW18
     3.  Copy spelling words in cursive
     4.  Read for half hour
     5.  Get parent initials

Back From a Long Weekend

Students came back from Labor Day Weekend rested and ready to learn.  Today we explored the Latin root 'spec' meaning to look or see, and the academic vocabulary "organize" and "organization."

In math we learned the Properties of Addition:  the Commutative Property, the Identity Property, and the Associative Property.

Today's homework:
     1.   Study for continents test on Friday.
     2.   Spelling p. 8
     3.   Math RW17
     4.  Read for half hour.
     5.   Get parent initials.