Another Great Week!

The students are working hard and settling into the daily routines. We have an exciting week coming up with our Monday Brunch, Wednesday Open House and Curriculum Presentation, and our Friday field trip to the 8 Square Schoolhouse.
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 Our Haudenosaunee Unit is underway and the students are working very hard. We are working on the following learning targets:

• I can notice new ideas and wonder about the lives of people long ago.

• I can answer questions using specific details from a text.

• I can demonstrate what I know by contributing to discussions.

 

• I can use details and examples from the Iroquois Constitution when explaining what specific passages say or mean.

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In math we are working on place value. The work that you see coming home is probably new and perhaps a little confusing. I have embedded a video that shows the place value chart and dots (or disks) that we are learning to use in class. If you are reading this from the paper newsletter, the video can be accessed on www.msmartindale.blogspot.com. If you do not have internet access and would like to the view the video, please contact me so I can make arrangements for you!

 

Our math learning targets are:

 

Place Value of Multi-Digit Whole Numbers Lesson 1: Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison. Lesson 2: Recognize a digit represents 10 times the value of what it represents in the place to its right. Lesson 3: Name numbers within 1 million by building understanding of the place value chart and placement of commas for naming base thousand units. Lesson 4: Read and write multi-digit numbers using base ten numerals, number names, and expanded form.

A Great Start!

We are off to a great start in room 201! As we finish up our first full week of school we are reflecting on our beginning and gearing up for next week.

Please take a moment to look over the classroom blog. Under classroom links you can find the District Academic Calendar and the RC Buckley Calendar. Important dates are listed along with our Encore schedule.

The Book Fair is an opportunity for students to purchase books. Our class is scheduled to go during the school day but you may also purchase books at the Open House on September 25th.

Open House will begin in the Cafeteria this year at 6:30 pm where the Fourth Grade Team will present the Fourth Grade Curriculum. We will meet in the classroom at 7:00 pm so your child may show you around their new room. At 7:30 pm the Encore Team will be available in their respective areas and the book fair will be open for any last minute shopping.

Our field trip to the 8 Square Schoolhouse is on Friday September 27th. Please look for the informational handout on the trip. Traditionally all students dress for the 1800s time period. Occasionally students decide not to dress-up. In our experience the students regret not fully participating. If you have any extra clothing that would be appropriate for the trip we would love donations or loans. If you have any difficulty acquiring an outfit for your child please feel free to contact us.

Math: Our curriculum has been changing as we have aligned to the new Common Core State Standards. Some of the lessons are new and challenging. Please join us in applauding persistence through difficult material. Periodically we will send home the completed practice problems from class. If your child needs to complete the problems at home we will write it on the practice problems. This will be in addition to the Homework Pack. If your child has completed the work you can expect a grade at the top.

ELA/Social Studies: We have been labeling New York State Maps this week and working on developing good independent reading strategies. Next week our reading and Social Studies will be integrated into a Unit on the Haudenosaunee, the native inhabitants of New York State. Occasionally additional homework sheets will come home on an as needed basis.