Volcano Projects Went Home Today

WHOOHOOO!! Today, we finally got our volcano notes so we can start our volcano projects at home. Students received the directions for their volcano projects today. We went over them as a group and drew a diagram of them. I think the students understand what is involved and expected. The main thing is to not cover up the neck or top of the Diet Coke bottle. Also, they need to start these tonight or tomorrow so that they can dry as they need to be done in segments and be ready for BLAST OFF on Monday, March 7th. I will have what is needed to erupt them. This is going to be so fun to see a volcano go from dormancy to active!!!

Tomorrow is the first day of testing. We are doing Part 1 of Science. We did some practice today and I think that helped ease the students' minds of what to expect since Science is new for 4th grade. They found that some questions were easy and some more difficult, but we talked about test taking strategies of eliminating those answers that they know are definitely wrong. Please see that your child has a good night's sleep and a nutritional breakfast; peanut butter, eggs, etc. and brings a healthy snack for before testing starts. If you talk to your child about testing and help them get a good breakfast, a good night's sleep, good snack, and send them out the door with a HUG and POSITIVE, KIND words to encourage them to do their BEST write TEST in their planner for money at check in.

Also, due again tomorrow are the reading envelopes. Student Council is keeping track of minutes so please see that your child is reading nightly and get those returned tomorrow for $100 in free money. I will then give them back for the last 2 days of the contest. Thank you.

Persuasive Writing: We started these today in my Reading Class (Read 180 students already did them) so ask your child what & who they are trying to persuade. Write it in their planner for more money at check in. WOW-lots of free money can be made tomorrow. They will need it as we will be having some fun days to buy into when the testing is over!!!

Have a great night.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.