Weekly Update 1/20

I hope y’all had an enjoyable long weekend and remember to take a day on Monday instead of a day off.  Just a few reminders, book orders are due this Friday!  Please be sure to turn them in or fill them out online.  Also, Olympia Junior Program permission slips need to be return ASAP!   Pennies for Pasta is still going on, please remember to bring in those boxes filled with loose change!

Math
I am extremely pleased with how well everyone did on the Post Test for Unit 4, especially considering we had winter break right in the middle of it!

This week we move onto Geometry & Measurement.  Your child will identify, draw, compare, analyze and classify angles.  They will study angles in isolation as well as those in two-dimensional figures.  They will use two very basic benchmarks – the 90° right angle and the 180° straight angle – to determine the measure of the interior angles in each of the pattern blocks.  

Social Studies
We are skipping chapter 7 on government, but will return to it later.  We will be finishing up Social Studies by discussing working in Washington.  This week we will focus on the elements of the economy.

ReadingPlease see the "Reading" tab for more info.

Other Notes
Again, just a reminder that book orders are due Friday, January 23 and to return the OJP permission forms as soon as your are able.  Even if you can’t pay, please turn in the signed envelope so your child can still attend.  If you need another one, please let me know and I’ll be happy to send one home.

Excelsior!
~Ms. B

Weekly Update 1/12

The new year is under way!  Here’s what we’re learning about this week…

Math
This week we will have the opportunity to explore benchmarks and relative sizes for length, time, liquid volume, mass and weight.  Your child will use ratio tables to convert units within the same measuring system (grams to kilograms, for example), and apply some of the place value and multi-digit computation skills they’ve been practicing to solve story problems related to measurement.

We are going to end the week with a two day project that gives your child an opportunity to apply some of their measuring skills in a new context – data analysis.  On Friday there will be the post test for Unit 4.

Social Studies

We are continuing our discussion about the events that led up to Washington gaining statehood.  Our focus is the differing points of view the U.S. government and Native Americans had about the land, the creation of the reservations and some of the wars that were a result.  We’ll also look at the new industries brought into the territory and how that led to the growth and develop of new towns and cities and eventually to statehood.

ReadingPlease visiting the "Reading" page for details.

Other Notes
We will have our spelling test this week!  Don’t forget to check out www.spellingcity.com/tbraford for fun games to help study!

We are starting up our Winter Benchmark testing this month.  We will be taking our Winter MAP tests next week on the 12^th and 15^th.  Please make sure your child comes to school on time and well rested so they can perform at their best.

Olympia Junior Programs (OJP) is back!  Students will soon be attending live, professional performances at the Washington Center for Performing Arts.  A packet with more information and the permission slip will be sent home on Tuesday.  Please return these ASAP!  Our class will attending “Laura Ingalls Wilder” on March 3^rd and “Schoolhouse Rock. Live!” on March 16^th.  Envelopes need to be returned, even if you can’t pay.

Also, don’t forget book orders are due Friday, January 23^rd!!!

Excelsior!
~Ms. B

Welcome Back!

Happy New Year and welcome back!  I hope y’all had a relaxing and enjoyable break.  I know I did!  However, I am super excited to get back to work!

Math
We are picking up where we left off with multi-digit subtraction.  We will review the other strategies we discussed before break and compare them to the standard algorithm.  I will collect a work sample which will provide information about your child’s proficiency with methods for solving multi-digit subtraction combinations.  They will also have a chance to show what they have learned in a brief checkpoint on Wednesday

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Then we will have the opportunity to explore benchmarks and relative sizes for length, time, liquid volume, mass and weight.

Social Studies
This week we start looking at the events that led up to Washington becoming a state in 1889.  We will be studying the treaties and scrimmages that dotted our history as we work out compromises with the Native Americans and Great Britain.

ReadingSee the Reading tab for more information

Other Notes
There will not be a spelling test this week, but a new list of words will be going home on Wednesday.  Also, if you visit www.spellingcity.com/tbraford you will find the current list of words as well as a variety of games you can play to practice, even take practice tests!

We are starting up our Winter Benchmark testing this month.  On Friday, we will be having our DIEBELS benchmark.  We will be taking our Winter MAP tests next week on the 12^th and 15^th.  Please make sure your child comes to school on time and well rested so they can perform at their best.

Excelsior!
~Ms. B

Weekly Update 12/15

Last week of school in 2014!  Whoo-hoo!  We made it!  There is a lot of fun things planned this week, for starters it is Spirit Week here at Hansen:

Monday ~ Crazy Hair Day
Tuesday ~ Dress As Your Favorite Character
Wednesday ~ Wacky Sweater Day
Thursday ~ Favorite Sports Team Day
Friday ~ Hansen Spirit Day, wear your green and gold!

Math

Last week we finished up with learning the standard algorithm for multi-digit addition.  Now we are comparing it to other strategies we have learned.  I will collect a work sample this week that tells me what strategies they prefer when it comes to addition.  On Tuesday there will be a checkpoint that will go over place value and multi-digit addition.

On Wednesday we will shift our focus to subtraction.  Problem strings and story problems will help students deeper their understanding of and flexibility with subtraction strategies, including difference versus removal and constant difference.  We’ll end the week by going over the standard algorithm for subtraction so that after break we can compare it to the other strategies we have discussed.

Social Studies
We start chapter 5 this week in Washington History.  We will discuss the coming of Protestant and Catholic missionaries to the area and what effect they had on the Native Americans.  The bulk of the week will be spent discussing the Oregon Trail and its importance to Washington.  There will be a quiz on Friday.

Reading
Your child is reading “How to Babysit an Orangutan” by Kathy and Tara Darling.  look at the Reading tab for vocabulary and activities to do with your child.

On Friday there will be a short comprehension and vocabulary quiz.

Homework
Due to break, homework will be slightly different this week.  Math will be sent home as a packet on Monday and is not due until Friday.  Your child may turn it in a page at a time or all at once, as long as their name is on it.  Some students have earned ‘no homework’ passes.  They may only use it for one page of the packet.

On Friday, a ‘Winter Break’ Journal will be sent home for your child to complete over the break.  Instructions will go home with the journal.

There is a spelling test on Wednesday, and we will be doing it on the computer again.  This gives the students more practice on their typing skills as well as being able to finish at their own pace.  A new list of spelling words will not be released until the Wednesday after we return from break.

Other Notes
On Wednesday, we will be having our Winter Assembly.  The Fourth Grade will be performing!  

Have a great week and a fantastic break!

Excelsior!
~Ms. B

Weekly Update 12/8

My goodness, I can’t believe it’s December already!  Let me give you an overview of this week as we start our countdown to break.

Math
We’ve finished fractions and decimals and had a lot of fun!  Make sure to help your child recognize these concepts, just because we’re no longer studying them in school doesn’t mean they disappear until 5^th grade.

We are now changing our focus to addition, subtraction and measurement concepts.  This week we are looking at place value to 1,000,000 and multi-digit addition strategies.  We are bringing back our Great Wall of Base Ten to develop understanding of place value to 10,000 and then build a model showing 1,000,000 units.  These activities help students see patterns and relationships in the base ten counting system.  They will use what they learn about place value to investigate and review addition strategies for larger numbers.  We round out the week by learning the standard algorithm for addition and compare it to other strategies they have learned. 

Social Studies
Now that we’ve studied a little about the Native peoples that first lived here, we’re now moving onto American and European explorers who came to the area.  We will look at explorers who came by sea and by land, most notably Lewis and Clark.  We will also discuss about the fur trade.  The Chapter 4 quiz will be on Friday.

Reading
This week you child is reading “The Garden of Happiness” by Erika Tamar.  In this story, a girl learns about different cultures, community pride, and helping others when she takes part in a neighborhood garden.

The vocabulary words for this week are:

inhaled

mural

skidded

lavender

haze

Please check the website for a fun activity to help your child with this week’s vocabulary.

On Friday, there will be a short quiz on vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Other Notes
Here are some events going on this week:

Coin Drive for Doctors Without Borders!  Mr. Samson’s class is doing a fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders.  Please bring any spare change this week to help this amazing cause!  The last day to bring change in is Friday, December 12th!

Thursday, December 11: Orchestra Concert!  7:30 pm at Marshall Middle School.  Tuning begins at 7 pm.

Friday, December 12: Family Movie Night!!  6:30 pm in the Cafeteria.  See The Hansen Herald for more information.

Just a head’s up, Spirit week is coming!  December 15 – 19, please see The Hansen Herald for details.

Have a great week!

Excelsior!

~Ms. B

Weekly Update 12/1

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed the break!  Here’s what we’re working on this week.  As a reminder, the daily activities will be listed in your child’s planner.

Math
We are finishing up on our unit on fractions and decimals this week.  We will be looking more at the relationship between fractions and decimals and play some games to help develop a sense of those relationships.  We will also look at their relationship on a number line.  

Social Studies
This week we are learning about the Native people that first lived in Washington.  This chapter ties in with what they learned during Of Cedar & Salmon. 

Reading
Your child is reading “Nights of the Pufflings,” a nonfiction article that is written and photographed by Bruce McMillian.  The selection describes how puffins, which are small sea birds, come to shore on an island near Iceland to raise their chicks.  It also tells how, on the nights when the young birds leave their nests and attempt to fly out to sea, the children of the island help by rescuing baby birds that crash-land on the island.  These children later release the rescued birds into the sea. 

Other Notes

Just a reminder, there is Late Start on Wednesday and Friday is a Half Day.  

Many of you may have noticed there were no spelling words in the planner on Wednesday.  In all hullabaloo that was the day before Thanksgiving, it simply was glossed over.  There will not be a spelling test this week, but a new list will go out on Wednesday.

We start going to the computer lab on a weekly basis this week.  We will be working on our keyboarding skills every Wednesday.  Speed is not our focus, but more the ability to type a story in one sitting.

Have a great week!

Excelsior!
~Ms. B

Weekly Update 11/24

Happy Thanksgiving!  This week hopefully will be short and sweet.  Here’s what we’re looking forward to, listed below are the weekly targets.  Look for the daily activities in your child’s planner.

Math

This week we start transitioning from fractions to decimals and look that the relationships between them.  On Wednesday we will have a quiz on both fractions and decimals.  This checkpoint will help direct math groups for the rest of the unit.  There is a homework assignment with the Tuesday lesson; this will be due the Monday after break.

Social Studies

There are no new lessons this week.  However, the final draft of the friendly letter about a place in Washington State is due Tuesday, November 25.

Reading

This week during Daily 5 we are focusing on fluency.  Students will be taking minute timings during the week and gauge progress.  We are not doing our “story of week” due to the short week, so there is no new vocabulary.  There is still a spelling test on Wednesday. 

Market Fair

Market Fair will be Wednesday afternoon.  This is a fun activity for Fourth and Fifth graders.  We are still determining where we are having it since our original location fell through, the most likely candidate will be Madrona pod.  Each student will receive $200 (fake money) to spend at the fair.  Students selling items are able to buy from other booths, they just need to either close up shop or have a partner stay run the business.  Booth sizes are limited to an individual desk.  Students are limited to one flyer per group and will be posting them the day of the fair.

Other Notes

After meeting with the district science specialists and with the other fourth grade teachers, I have decided to start science at the new semester.  We will continue and finish social studies through the end of January and at the start of February we will begin our science units.

On Wednesday, November 26, we will have our Veteran’s Day assembly in the morning.  Also, those that have fundraiser orders, those need to be picked up at 3pm.

It’s Apple Cup week!  In honor of the state rivalry game between the Cougars of Washington State and the University of Washington Huskies, students may wear shirts representing the school of their choice on Wednesday.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Excelsior!
~Ms. B