Sunday, February 27, 2011

Testing Begins This Week

First of all, it was awesome seeing so many of you at the carnival on Friday. Looked like everyone had a great time. Also, thank you so much for all the donated cakes. Without you, the cake walk wouldn't have been the HUGE success that it was. Remember free money for those of you that attended and those of you that brought cakes that night, I will pay you on Monday.
We start testing this week. We have the Science test this week on Wednesday & Thursday, then Reading next week, and Math the week after that. Please make sure your child gets a good night sleep the nights before and come to school with breakfast in their bellies. I am excited to see all they have learned and it is their time to shine.
Reading envelopes are to be brought to school tomorrow as they want a total of minutes read for last week. There is one more week left. Make sure you are getting your tickets for the Magic Show and to see Mr. Senitte sawed in half.
Class pictures and those purchasing individual pictures are tomorrow. Bring your shining smiles!
I hope you had a great weekend and we will see you tomorrow.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Carnival Tomorrow

Just a reminder that the carnival is tomorrow and the time is 6-8. Our baskets are finished and they look great and they have lots of fun family game time in them!
I hope to see lots of cakes & baked goods arriving at school tomorrow. Remember $100 free money for each one brought in.
If your child has a CD with fun, hip hop, kid music on that we can use for the cake walk that would be great. Have them bring it to school tomorrow.
Congratulations to Raegan, Hope, Marquise, and Trish on a JOB WELL DONE at the Choir Concert. We are very proud of you.
We continued with volcanoes in Science today. If your child can tell you the name of the big ring where lots of volcanoes are, write it in their planner for free money.
Remember movie day tomorrow and 70's day tomorrow. Bring a beverage of choice for the movie.
Have a great night.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Mid-terms Went Home Today

Hopefully by the time you read this, you have had a chance to see your child's mid-terms. Overall, they are very good, but there is always room for improvement. You may notice that your child has missing assignments or a low grade in Reading homework. The Reading grade would be due to the fact that your child is not doing their nightly reading and returning their calendars at the end of each month. If you have seen your child's mid-terms, write mid-term in their planner for free money at check in.
Volcanoes-we started today by making a model of the layers of the earth. We will continue tomorrow by looking at what causes volcanoes to happen.
Celebration movie-to celebrate our earning 25 points, we are watching the movie Alaska on Friday. Your child may bring a beverage to have with the popcorn that I am providing.
Remember the Winter Carnival on Friday. We are doing the cake walk so hopefully you are planning to help us out with that. Remember free money for baked goods brought in. Also we are doing a 50/50 raffle, along with our basket, and a special guest will be here with the 4th grade that night. He will be giving autographs for 1 ticket. Ask your child who it is for more free money.
Have a great night and stay warm.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Read-A-Thon Packets Came Home Today

The PTA Read-A-Thon fundraiser packets came home today. Students are to keep track of their nightly reading on them along with our monthly class reading calendar. As you can see on the packet, you are to write and initial the amount your child read each night. Students can also get sponsors to sponsor them such as 25 cents for each hour or the sponsors can give a flat donation. Mr. Senitte s challenging the school to read 45,000 minutes. If we achieve that, he will be sawed in half on the Family Fun Spaghetti night in March. Sign up as soon as you can as the space in the gym is limited for this fun function. All the information about this is on the packets.

We are winding down the Science unit on dormancy and we are going to end with volcanoes. We have talked about how volcanoes also go dormant. All the information and requirements for making a volcano will be sent home tomorrow. These will be done at home and returned next Monday when we will explode them. Fun-fun :)
Ask your child who our HR was about today and have them give you a fact they learned. If they can tell you whom it is, then write the name in the planner for money at check in.
Winter Carnival is on Friday. Again the 4th grades do the famous cake walk. Please send any baked goods to school on Friday for this. Each cake or plate of baked goods is worth $100 fake money. Thank you so much for all your help and support in this. Also, both classes earned $70 to put toward our Family Game Night basket. It is going to be an AWESOME basket.
Great job to the kids as they had an awesome week last week and earned their celebration so we will do that on Friday by watching the movie Alaska. I have popcorn for them and they can bring a drink to enjoy.
Thank you and have a great night.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Sub Week



Just a reminder that I will be out this week so I am expecting good things from each and every student for the sub. This will be a great opportunity for them to show all they have learned about positive character and how they have grown & matured. Can't wait to get a GREAT sub note.

Remember to send your food, games, or decorations for the Valentine's Day Party Monday. There are 2 parents going in to help the sub with the party so thank you to them.
Congratulations to Zach, our student of the week. We loved hearing about you and your family and thank you for sharing all your fun stuff.
We had fun Friday in Math making 3-10 sided Polygons with Chinese Jump Ropes. Who would have thought you could use them in Math.
No Spelling word this week due to the short week.
Remember that Wednesday is an Early Out with a 12:00 dismissal.
Have a great week and see you when I get back. Thank you for all your help and support.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Buy-In Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big Buy-In Day for 4th graders. Students will pay $1.00 for each of the items they wish to bring. They can bring IPods or MP3 players, a stuffed animal, chew gum, and bring a beverage of choice for the afternoon. They may do all 4 or just 2 or whatever they choose. The money will be used to buy some awesome games for our Family Game Night Basket for Winter Carnival.
Today, we started Geometry and the kids did great. We found the faces, edges, and vertices of solid figures. We each had a favorite. Ask your child to tell you their favorite and write it in the planner for free money at check. They should also be able to tell you the number of faces, edges, and vertices. For an extra bonus money, ask them the formula for figuring out the number of edges. It works everytime!!
Have a great night.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Fun Day Friday

You should have gotten your Valentine's Day reminders home with your child today for what they need to bring for the party on Monday. The only committee that didn't bring home a note is the clean-up committee. Looks like we have some great food, decorations, and fun games on tap.
As you read on the note, I am not going to be here next week Mon.-Wed. I am taking a few extra days to go and see my elderly, but healthy 86 & 88 year old parents. These extra 2 1/2 days on top of the days we have off make it worthwhile to get a flight to Arizona to see them. We have a 12:00 dismissal on Wednesday and No School next Thursday, Friday and the following Monday. Thank you for understanding and I know you will talk to your child about using good character. As I always tell them, true character shines when I'm not watching. I am truly bummed about missing the Valentine's Day Party. I hope I can bring back some Arizona sunshine and warmth.
Winter Carnival is right around the corner. As I mentioned yesterday 4th grade does the ever so popular Cake Walk. We will need lots & lots of cakes, plates of cupcakes, cookies, etc. any baked items. Students will be given $100 of fake money for each thing they bring in. Also, we are having a basket raffle. Ms. Erickson & I are going to be getting the game items for our Family Game Night basket. In order to purchase items for the basket we are going to raise the money by doing a buy in. It is going to take place this Friday. Students can bring IPods, a soda, stuffed animal, and chew gum. Each of these will cost them $1.00 so if they choose 1 -it is a $1.00, 2 would be $2.00 and so on.
Keep practicing those multiplication & division facts at home. We are moving on to Geometry and will only spending a little time each day do mult. & div. They need to know their facts to be doing the dividing with remainders like we are doing.
We talked about migration in Science today. If your child can tell you and animal that migrates, write it in their planner for free money.
Have a great night.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Finally Finished!!

Yes, we are finally finished with those state reports. Students did a great job and I know they learned a lot. They were graded on their own report and also they got an overall grade on the packets they completed as they were listening to the others share.
Reports went home today and I want your child to share it with you and if your write the word REPORT in their planner, they will earn free money tomorrow at check in.
We are working a few difficult concepts in Math in division. We are finding averages, using divisibility rules, and dividing with remainders. Please have your child do a few of these simple problems on a daily basis.
Committees for the Valentine's Day Party met this morning and planned out what they are each going to bring. I promise these notes will be coming home tomorrow.
Also, a note from the PTA went home today about the Winter Carnival which is on Friday, February 25th. Fourth Grade is doing 3 things to raise money for field trips and other end of the year fun activities. 1-Cake Walk so we will need donated cakes/cupcakes, or baked goods.
2-We are doing a 50/50 raffle and 3-we are making a basket titled: "Family Game Night". We have some money from PTA for the basket items, but Ms. Erickson and myself will be having a fun buy in day where students can bring IPods, chew gum, etc. for a $1.00 each and this money will be used to buy games for the basket. We will be sending more information home later about all this. Just be thinking CAKES-CAKES-CAKES!!!!
Thank you and have a great night.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Science Scavenger Hunt



Today as a review of our weather unit, we paired up with a student in Ms. Erickson's Class and did a Weather Scavenger Hunt. We learned lots of new facts and fun doing it while we were busy moving around from classroom to classroom looking for the fact cards. For free money at check in tomorrow have your child tell you one of the cool facts and write it in the planner.
Please dress warm for the cold weather that is upon us. I am sure that we will be indoors for recess tomorrow but come prepared.
Valentine Committees-we didn't have a chance to meet today to discuss what each person is going to bring but hopefully tomorrow and I will send a note home with you so you can prepare.
Thank you and have a great night.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

GO PACK GO!!






I hope you all are enjoying your weekend. Students signed up for Valentine's Day Party Committees on Friday and I will be sending a note home tomorrow letting you know what you and your child need to help prepare for the party on Monday, February 14th.
We are almost finished with state reports. We have 2 more to finish on Monday. Then we will get together with Ms. Erickson's class to share.
I your child is wondering what happened to the video we made on Friday of the "messages from me to me" is-well it had a lot of background noise so we will create it this week and I will post it when it is done.
If your child can tell you why the opening song of the Superbowl half time show is familiar write it in their planner for free money at check in. Also, for more money write down the score of the Superbowl.
Have a great rest of the night.


Thursday, February 3, 2011

Rachel's Challenge Buy-In Tomorrow






Just a reminder that the Rachel's Challenge Buy-In is tomorrow. Wear your favorite sports jersey, sweatshirt, hat, or t-shirt and pay $1.00.

Also, talk about Valentine's Day Committees as we are signing up tomorrow. Remember they are food, decorations (made and purchased by the committee), activities, and clean up.

Tomorrow is Library Day-bring back those books as not returning them affects your grade.
We did a few more state reports today. They are great and on display in the hallway for all to see. Have a great night.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

More Sharing of State Reports






Students continued sharing their state reports today. They sure learned a lot and did a great job. After we are done sharing with our class, they will get together with Ms. Erickson's Class as a student in her class did a report on the same state. Will be fun to see what different facts they gathered. If your child's pic is not on here tonight it will be as the week goes. Too many to get them all on.
Rachel's Challenge: We are having a buy in day to raise money for Bitterroot Families. What a great thing. Students will pay $1.00 and are allowed to wear their favorite sports team jerseys, t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. to kick off the Superbowl this Sunday. (GO PACK)!! I get to wear my Packer gear again now that Brett Favre is done. After all, he did play with the Packers for 16 seasons and helped make them what they are today!! :)
Tomorrow is PE so bring those tennis shoes.
Hopefully we can get outside tomorrow if this crazy wind stops.
Have a great night.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Is Warmer Weather Upon Us

We are hoping for nicer weather tomorrow as everyone is getting cabin fever. We are ready for fresh air. I think tomorrow will be warmer so make sure your child is dressed for the weather-hats, gloves, boots, etc. as we will probably being going out for recess.
We started sharing our state reports today. We got 2 done and will do some more as the week progresses. Great job to Raegan and Brittany who shared.
We discussed the Valentine's Day Party today which will be on Monday, February 14th. We will have 4 committees; food, decorations, entertainment (games), and clean up. Students are to discuss with you which committee would be a good choice for them to be on. There are 3 students who don't have enough money ($800) as of now to buy in. The buy-in cut -off date is next Thursday, Februrary 10th. If these 3 don't have enough to buy in, they will have an alternate setting for the party. We will start signing up for committees on Thursday, February 3rd.
A list of student's names are on the side of the blog so they can have a list for Valentines. They must bring a valentine for each classmate. Also, they have to decorate their own box or bag at home as we will not take school time to do this.
New reading calendars for February went home today. Get January ones brought back by Wednesday.
Thank you and have a great night.