Monday, September 10, 2012

Parent FYI for week of September 10--14


Parents F.Y.I.
Weekly Newsletter for Mr. McRae's 4th Grade & 4th Grade Reading Class
Week of September 10—14

SPELLING WORDS
brush              juice            fruit               tube
lunch              crumb          few              true
truth              done              suit              pump
due                 dull              tune              blew
trunk              sum              glue              threw


VOCABULARY /                   CHALLENGE /                   REVIEW   WORDS /        INUPIAQ
plaques               newscast              chew    -(r) tuNa  
survivors            commute             blue
voyage                continue              rub
shipwreck          attitude               shut
unsinkable        slumber               June
wreckage

   Spelling Homework  (OPTIONAL!!)
            Monday:       Write each Spelling Word 3X
            Tuesday:      Use each Spelling Word in a sentence
            Wednesday:  Write a short definition for each Spelling Word
            Thursday:      Use each Vocabulary Word in a sentence


 Houghton Mifflin Reading, Theme 1, Lesson 3
            Reading Selection: " Finding the Titanic,"
            Theme:  "Journeys"
            Comprehension Strategy:  Monitor / Clarify
            Comprehension Skill:  Text Organization
            Spelling:  /u/,/yoo/, and /oo/
            Structural Analysis:  Syllabification
            Grammar:  Compound sentences
            Writing:  Writing Answers to Questions

HOMEWORK CHANGE! 

            After due consideration, I have decided to streamline our Reading  Homework requirements.  From now on, only the Reading Comprehension is required.  Spelling homework is optional.  We will cover the spelling words in class.  Students can still receive an extra             raffle ticket for doing the weekly spelling homework, but it won't be strictly required.

            Also:

              Homework is not part of student grades.  However, homework is
            checked  daily. Participation in class raffle each day requires homework
            completion.

              Incomplete homework is accepted.

              Substitutions can be made if homework is lost or forgotten:
            Math:   a multiplication "times table"
            Reading:  25 minutes of free reading, with a signed note from parent

  Minimum Day on Wednesday, September 12.  Fourth graders are dismissed at 1:30 p.m.  We still have school lunch on minimum days.  The purpose of the minimum day is for teachers to collaborate to ensure student success.  Please make sure your child knows where to go on Wednesday for the minimum day.
   
   Mr. McRae's Classroom Blog
            www.laughingravenpress.blogspot.com
   1.  I am working on posting some student work on the blog
   2.  I will try to post homework nightl

  EDITOR'S CHOICE sentences from last week 

            When I was surrounded, I was bewildered.
            I was surrounded by dogs.
            I longed to go back to Anchorage.
            I loved those ripe kiwis.
            My baby sister grinds her teeth.
            When I feed Emma, I have to grind what I give her.
            I'm an inch taller than Colin.
            We built this city on rock and roll.
            Sheesh, is it a crime to text when you're sitting next to me?

  Math progress
            We have finished Houghton-Mifflin Chapter 1 on "Place Value."  We will go on straight on to Chapter 2, "Compare, Order, and Round Whole Numbers and Money," (omitting the lesson on counting change).  We are also concurrently studying multiplication and division each morning with a "Fact Family" lesson, as well as "speed test" to promote fluency in basic math facts.  Help your child memorize the multiplication tables by quizzing him or her whenever the opportunity arises.

Writing progress
            Students are hard at work on their "Personal Narratives."  The assignment:  Write a personal narrative about one thing you've done or that has happened to you.  We are writing the rough drafts on the computers using Apple's word processing program Text Edit.  Students are learning much about writing and editing, as well as learning how to manage, format, and send documents on the computer network.  One thing that will help your 4th grader is to have them tell you the story behind their Personal Narratives orally—  as family members, you just
might be main characters in these narratives!

Reading progress
            In reading, we pretty much follow the Houghton-Mifflin curriculum.  See above for this week's HM learning targets in reading.


   Mr. McRae's contact
home:   443 2999       classroom:   443 8968     cell:   434 0455     email:    imcrae@nomeschools.com

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