Math and More!

Helpful Math Websites

During conferences math was a common topic for discussion.  I am including several websites that you may find helpful when working with your child at home.  Many of them include videos that align with what we are doing in the classroom.  If your child is struggling with a concept on the homework and you are unsure of how to help them, videos are a great resource.  You can have them watch the video and the pressure is off of you! 

Helpful hint - look at the bottom of the homework sheet and you will see the concept that students are working on.  This will help you search for the concept on websites.

www.khanacademy.org

 

http://www.oakdale.k12.ca.us/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1391596408603

 

http://greatminds.net/support/parents

 

http://www.ojusd.org/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1391596408603

 

Homework Helper

 

Last week a homework helper was sent home that shows the math that students are learning in class and the strategies they are using.  This is a new district-wide support that will be sent out at the start of each new module.  Please look for this resource in your child's homework folder.  A new one is being sent home on Thursday.

 

Thank You!

 

It was wonderful meeting with all of you last week during conferences.  I always feel as though I have a more complete picture with your child after meeting.  If you ever have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.  I also wanted to thank you for your willingness to donate supplies to our classroom!  They are beginning to come in and will certainly make science more exciting.

 

Glow in the Dark Party

 

Last week our paw print reward for being respectful, responsible and ready was a glow in the dark party!  The class had a blast outfitting themselves in glow in the dark necklaces, bracelets and crowns and boogied in the dark.  Here is a picture from our silliness!

 

 

 

 

How Effective is Our Effort?

Effective Effort

We have been learning about effective effort and how putting forth the right kind of effort will result in more confidence and success in school.  Below is a picture of some definition posters we have in our classroom.

After discussing these definitions and referring to them throughout our day, this past Friday students reflected on aspects of their effort.  Here are a couple of reflections.  (More are posted in the fourth grade hallway on our Celebrations board...feel free to take a look during conferences!)

 

You Can Help!

 

When you're at home with your child, look for opportunities to praise your child's effort.  Breaking effort down into the six different elements helps children to see what effort looks like and it gives parents ways to be specific with their praise.  Don't just say, "Great job!  You worked hard."  Try saying something like, "I noticed that you put a lot of time into your homework and you didn't give up."  or "Great job using the help sheet Mrs. Leger sent home to help you finish your homework."  This will give students a clearer understanding of what effort really is.

 

 

I look forward to seeing you all at conferences tomorrow.  Let me know if you need help signing up.  There is still time!

Struggles & Battles

Conferences

Conferences are next Wednesday and Thursday October 21 & 22 with evening conferences on the 22nd.  I am really looking forward to speaking with all of you about your child's progress and goals. If you haven't already, please go online to sign up for a conference.  If you don't have internet access or are experiencing difficulties, please feel free to send me a note with some times that work for you and I can sign you up myself.

Battle of the Books

Our class has been participating in a book competition where everyone reads the same 16 picture books and then votes, bracket style, for their favorite books.  The books are narrowed down until only two remain and then after a final vote, a champion is crowned!  It is the March Madness of the reading world!  While reading these books students have been learning how good readers jot down their thinking in ways that make sense for them in their reader's notebook.  They are learning how to grow ideas about their reading and how to write about their thinking.  They have learned to push their thinking deeper and how to determine a character's traits by looking at what a character says, thinks, or does.  To say the least, the learning experiences coming out of these 16 books are amazing!  When talking with your child over the next few days, ask them which book they like the best so far and why.  Stay tuned for the winning book!

Struggles

Recently, we began talking about how struggle is part of being successful.  No athlete, successful business person, or adult has made it to where they are today without struggle.  Oftentimes, we do not see the struggle of a successful person, and children often think that people easily glide into these positions of success.  For example, many children think Tom Brady was born good at football and that becoming the quarterback of the Patriots came easily to him.  

It is important for us to teach children that sometimes it is okay to struggle and that we should persevere through these struggles.  I have shared stories of my own struggles as a learner and have also invited other administrators from the district into our morning meetings to share their struggles. I am now inviting families to join us for a ten minute morning meeting to share their own struggles as well.  Feel free to contact me a set up a time to join us for a morning meeting.

Upcoming Events

10/16 - Family Fitness Night
10/21 - Half Day - conferences
10/21 - Ice Cream Social 6 - 8PM
10/22 - Half Day - conference & evening conferences

Google Docs

Today in school we went to the computer lab together and learned how to use Google Docs.  Google Docs is how we will do some of our homework this year.  It allows students to work on a document at school and then pull up the same document at home and continue working on it.  Students will also be able to share these documents with me electronically and I will be able to give feedback immediately.  A letter is going home tomorrow explaining what this is.  Each student has a unique username and password.  This username/password information is also included in the letter coming home tomorrow.  Please put these in a place where they won't be lost.  We are also attaching a copy in our homework planners.  

Tomorrow night, students will be asked to try to sign in to Google Docs and continue typing up a final draft of a narrative they worked on in school.  I will be eager to see how this goes, as it will be our first try.  As with any technology, there can be issues to work out so please let me know if there are any issues.