Room 11

2010-06-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

Gold Dust or Bust: "Thank you!" to all the parents who were able to come to the play yesterday. The students loved having an audience! I was proud of their performance--their hard work and enthusiasm really showed! And, "Thanks!" to Abby for bringing all those mustaches. The students were very happy to feast on all the delicious food families so generously contributed--a great way to celebrate a wonderful performance. I also want to thank the parents who were able to stay and help serve the food, as well as my last minute technical assistant (music), Mrs. Obukhov. It was a wonderful day.

Classroom Books: I would love it if everyone would look at home for any books your child may have brought home that belong in my classroom library. I would really appreciate having them all back by Tuesday of next week Thanks.

Parent Science Survey: As I have mentioned previously, NUSD has been working with BaySci on a very generous grant related to science education in elementary schools. As part of the grant, parents are being asked to complete a short parent survey. The survey is in this week's Friday folder. We would really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to fill the survey out and return it to school by Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Science Test: Yes, it is true. Students have been studying magnetism and electricity, and they will take the test on Wed., June 9. The test will cover magnetic poles and magnetic fields and how they interact with each other, circuits (open, closed; series and parallel), and electromagnets. Here's the good news: no tests on the last day of school!

Last day celebration: All the 4th grade classes will be having a joint end-of-the-year ice cream sundae celebration on the last day of school. Everyone is welcome. Please contact Amy Sullivan or Kristin Van Weele if you'd like to contribute something.

Summer: I suspect we are all looking forward to summer, but I encourage everyone to continue the good habits practiced during the school year. Please help your child continue reading on a regular basis. Summer is a great time for book clubs for kids (having someone to talk to about what you are both reading enhances comprehension and is usually fun, especially when accompanied by food). In addition, it is great to find ways to help them use what they have learned--estimating, measurement, fractions, money, etc. And don't forget, you have a fabulous tool available all summer long, Study Island (http://www.studyisland.com). Your child knows their username and password. This is available to all Rancho students for their use at home, paid for by the Rancho PTA. Not only is Study Island a great learning and review tool, it is fun! My parting thought on this subject: it really is true that practice is important!

Have a great weekend!

2010-05-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

In my last newsletter, I announced that students would be doing MAP testing beginning on May 19. Since our time on May 19 conflicted with Career Day, we started MAP testing this week. Students took the Language Usage MAP test on Wednesday. The Reading MAP test and the Math MAP test will still be taken on May 21 and May 27, respectively.

We will begin our science unit on electricity next week. Should be fun. We will finish chapter 28 in the math book (solid figures, surface area, and volume) next week and take the test--the last math chapter test (but not the last math test)! We will continue to work on writing and grammar, and students will continue reading By the Great Horn Spoon. We spent time discussing Mexico's war for independence from Spain, Mexican-governed California (the time period of our read aloud book, Anita of Rancho del Mar, and are now focused on the Gold Rush. We had a wonderful presentation from an Oakland Museum docent today, and all the students got to see and hold a horn spoon, a pan like those used for finding gold in streams (link to geology: weathering, erosion, sediments, alluvial deposits...), a housewife (be sure to have your child tell you what that term would mean to a 49er), a poke, and so much more. If they didn't tell you all about it, be sure to ask!

We also had a wonderful presentation on Thursday by Mr. Wilcer. He brought rocks and minerals to share. Ask your child which rock floated in water and see if he/she can tell you why it did! We ended the day eating a replica of the earth--graham crackers on top representing the crust, with pudding below (the mantle and core). Yum!

We are continuing to work on the play--focusing now on learning all the songs. We'll start working on lines next week. As I mentioned last week, I would welcome some help. I am sending home a separate flier so please return the bottom portion if you are able to help. We now have a date: Thurs., June 3, in the morning, before the first recess. I will give you a firm time when I know. Please encourage your child to memorize the words to all the songs, as well as any lines he/she has.

It is wonderful weather and school is nearing an end, but it is not over yet! Students will continue to have lots of work each day and homework, so don't let them succumb to Spring Fever!

Have a great weekend!

2010-05-07T14:20:00.001-07:00

Thank you for all the wonderful Teacher Appreciation Day flowers, notes, and poems. The room still has that wonderful fragrance of fresh flowers!

STAR testing has been completed for another year. Students appeared to be working diligently and carefully, so what more can we ask? Our class will be doing MAP testing (reading, language, and math) on Wed., May 19; Friday, May 21; and Thursday, May 27. These are the tests they take using the computers in the computer lab.

We are just about done with our Solid Earth unit and students will be taking the science test for this unit on Friday, May 14. We'll finish up with our last investigation on Monday and do some review before we start the unit on electricity.

The Play! By now I hope you have heard about the play--Gold Dust or Bust. Most students have already memorized the first song. The play is part of our study of the California Gold Rush. The play, when performed, will take about 30-45 minutes. I still don't have a firm date for the performance, but it will most likely be a Monday or Thursday in June. We will perform for our kindergarten buddy class and for parents (and anyone else who is interested). I will let you know as soon as I can. I will also send home specific information about costumes--basically everyone needs to look like a pioneer. No one should have to buy anything. We should be just fine with what folks already have in their closets or perhaps can borrow. Sometimes all you need to feel the part is the right hat! Ways you can help:

Create a program--I can copy it here at school.
Sew some bonnets--I will provide the pattern.
Collect some pioneer-type hats--felt hats, "beaver" hats, cowboy hats, bowlers, ...
Help students create the scenery (paint on butcher paper) during school hours
Help students practice (songs or lines) during school hours
Help students create dances for some of the songs, during school hours
Agree to be our "behind-the-scenes" music person (push the button at the right time)
Help your child practice their dance, lines, and or songs at home
Bake some treats for the after-party!

As the students have been introduced to the play this week, there has been a lot of impromptu dancing and enthusiastic singing. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all comes together! Please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to help.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone! Have a wonderful weekend.

2010-04-30T12:29:00.001-07:00

Students have completed the English-Language Arts section of the STAR tests. They will take the math portion next Thursday and Friday (May 6-7). It will be nice to have STAR testing done!

Eight families still need to return their science permission slips. I would really appreciate it of you all could return those as soon as possible. If you can't remember, please ask your child (they have been reminded). Mrs. Kawata (and everyone in the district, including me) appreciates families taking the time to complete the parent survey and return it. Although I don't know exactly how many have come back, clearly 29 have not, so if you could complete it and return it as soon as possible that would be great!

We have been working on perimeter, area, congruent figures, and line and rotational symmetry in math. Some of these concepts are challenging, and extra practice will really help. Remember, your child can use Study Island at home to work on these concepts. We will be learning about volume and how to calculate the volume of rectangular prisms next week and many students will need extra practice. Sometimes when students realize how these concepts are used in everyday life, it makes the concepts less intimidating.

THANK YOU!! Several families brought in tissues, and, barring some major respiratory epidemic, I think we should have enough to last through the rest of the school year. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Enjoy your weekend!

2010-04-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

Students have now turned in their 4th grade California History essays, for the essay contest, and their pioneer projects...time to move forward in California history!

We have been working in math on data analysis. Students should know about mode, median, outliers, and mean and how to find or calculate each. Additionally, they have been looking at ways to display data (and why to choose a particular way to display the data): line plots, bar graphs, double bar graphs, line graphs, and circle graphs (pie charts). Each time we discuss graphs, we also discuss everything needed to make a graph: title, labels, scale, interval, and keys (where needed). If you happen to find any kind of graph in the newspaper, or elsewhere, take a few minutes to share it with your child--what kind of graph is it, how effective is it in helping us understand the information, and what can we learn by carefully reading the graph?

Students have been doing a lot of writing, across the curriculum. In addition, we have been reviewing complete and simple subjects, complete and simple predicates, nouns, verbs (don't forget those "to be" verbs!), prepositions and prepositional phrases, adjectives, articles, and conjunctions. We are not ignoring adverbs...we will look at how they are used as well. Students have also been learning about compound sentences and how to punctuate them. We regularly review punctuating dialogue, as well as the 4 basic types of sentences: declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory.

Be sure to check out Study Island! Our very generous PTA has paid for a wonderful standards-based, web-based software program that allows students to review grade level standards through lessons, tests, and games. You and your child can access this at home, at no cost. Each student knows their own username and password (username is the same as their AR username with @nusd added at the end, and the password is the same as their AR password). Students got to try the site yesterday in the computer lab. They seemed to enjoy it. It is a great supplement to the curriculum!

Just a reminder: 4th grade will be testing (State STAR testing) beginning Thursday, April 29 (4/29, 4/30, 5/6, and 5/7). Please help your child do his/her best by not stressing about the tests, by encouraging him/her to always do their best, and by making sure that your student is well-rested.

Special Surprise! Every student has been given a free ticket to the Aquarium of the Bay, by The Bay Institute and the STRAW Project. The tickets expire Dec. 30, 2010. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful vacation! Hopefully everyone will come back healthy and rested, although I would still love to have donations of tissues just in case!

2010-04-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

It was great to see so many families at Open House, despite the rain. Your children work very hard. Thank you for taking the time to honor their efforts.

Now that we have finished The Pioneers Go West, ...If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon, and Patty Reed's Doll, students will finish the unit with the Pioneer Project. We spent a lot of time talking about it and going over the requirements yesterday in class. The project is due no later than Friday, April 9. This is a project that students should be working on every day. Please do not let your child wait until Thursday night to try to put everything together. They have already done the brainstorming part, making key decisions about what to include in their writing. Students are allowed to type the project (emphasis on student--let them do it), but they do not have to. The requirement is that the final copy must be neat and legible. Students are encouraged to include pictures, but the pictures must be created by them (no photographs or downloaded images). If you have any questions, please contact me.

A big "Thank you!" to all the families who donated books to our classroom. The classroom books get a lot of use, so it is wonderful to add to the collection and to replace some of the most worn-out copies of favorites. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. (Note: Not to appear greedy but for those families who don't have younger children, if you ever want to donate your child's already read books to the classroom, I am happy to take them!)

Between allergies, colds, and the flu, the class has completely wiped out our supply of tissues. If you are interested in donating tissues to the classroom, I would be grateful to have them. I still have plenty of hand sanitizer and paper towels. Thanks.

Have a wonderful weekend.

2010-03-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

A big "Thank you!" to the parents who helped on the Sacramento field trip: Cal Dalrymple, Cris Daugbjerg, Lisa Gala, Sue Leonard, Amy Sullivan, and Kristin Van Weele. We could not have managed without you! Once in Sacramento students started out at the California State Capitol, where they got to tour the building and then listen to lobbyist (and former Novato resident) Chris Tjernell talk about his job. Then it was on to the California Museum of History, Women, and the Arts where students got to see many different things related to people in California, including Native American baskets and one of General Chuck Yeager's flight suits. We got back on the buses and headed to Sutter's Fort to eat lunch and then look around the fort. All in all a fun and productive day.

Open House: Wed., March 31, 6-7 P.M. I hope to see everyone! Don't forget to visit the Book Fair during Open House. The Book Fair opens on Monday, Mar. 29. Our class visit is Monday, Mar. 29, from 2:30-2:45 P.M.

Room 11's Music Performance (with Ms. DeBenedict): May 25, 11:20-12:20, in the multi-use room.

Have a great weekend.

2010-03-12T06:48:00.000-08:00

Field Trip Update

Students will be walking to Scottsdale Pond on Monday (8:45-10:35) to release the trout. Feel free to join us!
Permission slips for our March 23 trip to Sacramento are in the Friday folders this week. Please return the signed permission slips by Wed., March 17. Remember, students need to get to Rancho early (6:50 would be good, but absolutely no later than 7A.M.), and will be back around 4:00 P.M. (possibly as early as 3:30 P.M.)

Other Dates of Interest

Today is the last day of the second trimester, and report cards will go home Fri., Mar.19.
Open House is Wed., March 31--I hope everyone will come and see what we have done so far this year.
Spring break, April 12-16
Spring Fling, April 24
State STAR testing dates for 4th grade are: Thursday, April 29; Friday, April 30; Thursday, May 6; and Friday, May 7.

Interesting Web Sites (used this week as part of our study of rocks)

http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning (Students looked at the "Rock Cycle" section, but there are several other interesting sections!)

Don't forget to change your clocks this weekend!

2010-03-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars--students will be releasing the trout on Monday, March 15. We will walk to Scottsdale Pond first thing in the morning, release the trout, and walk back. I would love to have at least 2 parents to join us on the walk. If you can join us, please let me know. Everyone is welcome to come! We'll leave Rancho at 8:45 A.M. and be back by 10:35 A.M.

The end of the second trimester is March 12. Report cards will go home on March 19. It is hard to believe that nearly two-thirds of the year has gone by, but we still have lots to do! With all the activities that springtime brings, I hope that you will continue to encourage your child to keep working hard and doing the best job he/she can.

Sacramento Trip: As mentioned before, all three 4th grade classes will be going to Sacramento on Tuesday, March 23. We will tour the Capitol, visit a history museum, and visit Sutter's Fort. Everyone will need to be at school by 6:50 A.M.--the buses are scheduled to leave at 7:00 A.M. (NO KIDDING!) We will return to Rancho no later than 4:00 P.M. We need chaperons, but parents who come along will have to drive (although I would happily give up my seat on the bus...). A few parents have already agreed to help out--THANK YOU! If you are interested and willing, please contact our trip organizer, Pam Allan, or me.

4th Grade Bike Rally: Friday, March 12: I don't have any specific information about this activity, but students will get information from Mr. Gardner today at PE. In the past, 4th grade students have been encouraged to bring their bikes to school on the Bike Rally Day, and get to ride a special course set up by the Safe Routes to School organization (all on campus). If your child brings a bike on March 12, please make sure they also bring their bike helmet!

Your child's monthly AR record, for February, is in this week's Friday folder. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. To date, students in Room 11 have taken 786 AR quizzes, reading 18,819,241 words! Five students have already read more than 1,000,000 words, as measured by AR quizzes taken. I am very proud of all the readers in Room 11!

Have a great weekend!

2010-02-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

A huge "THANK YOU!" to everyone who helped make our Valentine's Day Party/Prairie Picnic a success. The food was wonderful and plentiful, and the students enjoyed the activities. The day could not have happened as it did without parent support, and I am very grateful. We ended the day with a fun art lesson with Mrs. Buscaglia--it was a great way to transition to vacation! Thank you.

Students had the opportunity to participate in Rancho's annual Multicultural Day yesterday. As usual, the volunteers did a wonderful job of presenting information about many different countries and cultures throughout the world. Our class got to hear U.S. Olympic marathon runner Magdalena Boulet speak, and it was great. Many thanks to everyone who made this engaging and informative day happen!

Our trout are growing and changing. We will be releasing them before the end of March. Once we have a specific date, I will let you know. We'll walk to Scottsdale Pond to release the fish, and it would be very helpful to have a few parents join us.

We are moving forward in math, to decimals and some geometry. State testing will take place for 4th graders during the last week in April and the first week in May (Thursdays and Fridays). There is a lot to do before then!

We are still exploring earth science. Your child should be able to explain the difference between a rock and a mineral, and tell you about the usefulness of the "scratch test." We will be working on other ways to identify rocks, and then move into exploring weathering, erosion, and various kinds of land movement. Great stuff!

Students will begin reading about the Donner Party next week. They will have the opportunity to see Patty Reed's actual doll when we visit Sacramento on March 23, so we want to learn all about Patty Reed before we go. We'll also be learning a bit about California government before visiting the capital. Anyone interested in joining us on March 23 should let Pam Allan (our trip coordinator) or me know. Thanks.

We have been exploring setting this week. It would be good practice if, when talking to your child about what they are reading, you could ask them about the various settings in their book(s).

For anyone interested, the new Scholastic book orders are in this week's Friday folder. For those who like to do things online, go to www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our username is spry4 and the password is room11. If you choose to purchase books, the orders are due by Saturday, March 6.

Have a great weekend!

2010-02-05T07:31:00.000-08:00

This week I'm just going to ask everyone to make sure they read the handout about our "Prairie Picnic" and Valentine's Day party in this week's Friday folder. Our Valentine's Day party will be a "Prairie Picnic." Students will have activity centers before lunch (starting at 10:50), making pioneer-related items and distributing Valentine's Day cards to their classmates, and then at lunch we will join the other 4th grade classes in the multi-use room for our picnic. We will need parent volunteers and food contributions, so I hope everyone will consider helping in some way. I think it will be a wonderful day! Please contact me if you have any questions. Our room parents will be contacting folks about the day--or feel free to contact them about how your family would like to help. Thanks!

Have a great weekend!

2010-01-22T06:20:00.000-08:00

Just a few thoughts...I am sending home a Scholastic book order form. As last time, you may order online instead of having your child return the form to school--choose the method that works best for you! If you'd like to order online, go to www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our class username is spry 4 and the class password is room 11. One additional benefit for our classroom of ordering online is that it earns us extra books :)

Although students have taken the chapter 15 math test, please continue helping them hone their measurement skills (estimating distances, quantities, etc.). They will see these kinds of problems again, and knowing measurement units and being able to appropriately compare them are very useful life skills. We are now studying negative and positive integers. Students love the relative novelty of negative numbers!

If you have any ideas about a Spring Fling project for our class, please let our room moms, Mrs. Sullivan and Mrs. Van Weele, know. We don't want to wait until the last minute!

We will be joining the other 4th grade classes for a "Pioneer Picnic" for our Valentine's Day party, on Thursday, Feb. 11. Students will still exchange cards, and we will do some pioneer-related activities at different stations in the morning--probably starting after morning recess, 10:50 A.M.--and then have pioneer-appropriate food for lunch. More information will be sent home next week. I'm hoping to get several parent volunteers to help with the activities and the lunch, so check your schedule and if you can help, please contact Kristin, Amy, or me. Thanks!

Enjoy another 3-day weekend!

2010-01-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! The class has had a wonderful start to the new year, working diligently, as before. Thank you for helping them set their new goal or goals for the second trimester. By reflecting on strengths and weaknesses, as well as interest, and then setting goals accordingly, students can help themselves stay focused and better judge for themselves how much progress they are making.

IMPORTANT DATE! All fourth grade students will be going to on a field trip to Sacramento on March 23. Students will be traveling by bus. We will need parent chaperons, who, unfortunately will have to drive (We wish there was enough room on the buses!). Students must be at Rancho on March 23 by 7 A.M. We will return from Sacramento about 4 P.M. Students will be visiting the State Capitol, a history museum, and Sutter's Fort. It will be a wonderful trip! Contact me or our field trip coordinator, Pam Allan, if you can help chaperons the trip. If you have any questions, please ask!

In math, students have been working this week on measurement, both customary (inches, feet, yards, miles, cups, pints, quarts, gallons, etc.) and metric (millimeters, centimeters, decimeters, kilometers, milligrams, grams, liters, etc.). We have also spent a lot of time practicing how to most accurately read a ruler (Have you correctly lined up the ruler? Can you figure out how to determine what the measurement is? Can you determine what the measurement is, rounded to the nearest 1/2 inch or to the nearest centimeter?). In addition, we have practiced measuring common items and estimating distance and capacity. For example, students have spent time measuring or trying to estimate the length/distance, capacity, or weight of things that they encounter regularly in their daily lives. Being able to readily visualize how much liquid we have if we have 1 cup or 1 pint or 1 gallon or 1 liter is an important skill. Being able to realistically estimate length and distance (What are the dimensions of our classroom? How tall is the bookcase? How far is my house from Rancho School?) is an important skill. I hope you will find time to help your child continue to practice throughout the school year. Of course they have also spent time practicing converting measurements from smaller units to larger units (divide) and from larger units to smaller units (multiply).

We have started reading The Pioneers Go West, to start us thinking about the westward movement. We will be reading this book over time, just as we did Island of the Blue Dolphins. Pioneers is a wonderful book, and we are very fortunate to have a full class set since this book is now out of print. Have your child tell you about how the Stevens party crossed the Big Muddy (and have them tell you what river the Big Muddy actually is!).

Students will begin sharing their final assignment for Island of the Blue Dolphins today. They wrote some very interesting chapters!

We are continuing to work on punctuating dialogue. If your child needs more practice or review, have them use Writers Express (each child has one in their desk). We are also beginning to focus on writing summaries. You can help by talking to your child about their reading and asking them to identify the main idea and the important details that help us understand that main idea.

We have been investigating mock rocks to start our Solid Earth unit. We will complete the first series of investigations next week. Students were quite enthusiastic about making observations and taking apart their "rocks."

Thanks to the State, the District, and the PTA, we now have a document camera in the classroom. Every classroom at Rancho will have one by the end of the school year. The first classrooms to receive them are the 4th and 5th grade classrooms. I just received mine yesterday after school (Many thanks to Alex Obukhov for helping me!). I have a lot to learn, but I already love it! There are still things that need to be connected (like the DVD/VCR player), but the beauty of the document camera is that you can easily project the image of any material so that the entire class can view it at the same time (a bit like an overhead projector, but without having to make copies or pictures). For instance, I will be able to project the image of a page in a book by just placing the book under the document camera. I will be able to show websites, student work, etc. It will be interesting to see how it works out.

And lastly, thank you again for the generous class gift. Your thoughtfulness was greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend!

2009-12-18T07:57:00.000-08:00

In my list of "thank yous" last week I forgot some very important people and I apologize--our hot chocolate makers! We really enjoyed having that nice warm cup of hot chocolate before heading out into the cold. Thanks go to Mrs. Dial, Mrs. Sullivan, and Mrs. Dalton for bringing or sending in thermoses ready to go. I feel so fortunate to have such supportive parents for our classroom.

The December break is here! I hope everyone has an opportunity to relax, spend time with family and friends, have some fun, and do some reading! The students are certainly in the mood and are looking forward to this afternoon's party. We appreciate all the parents who have worked to make the party a success. Thank you!

Although students have finished reading Island of the Blue Dolphins, they still have one final project to complete before we are done. They received the assignment sheet in class today. They may work on it over the break, but they do not have to. The assignment is not due until Monday, January 11 (one week after we get back).

We will be starting our Solid Earth unit in January: rocks, minerals, erosion, weathering, volcanoes, earthquakes. As with our Environments unit, there will be lots of connections with this unit and our restoration project.

And so...thank you for a wonderful first (nearly) half of a year. Enjoy the break, and don't forget to encourage your child to do some reading!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-11T05:51:00.000-08:00

To Pam Allan (our awesome field trip driver coordinator), Wendy Buscaglia, Cal Dalrymple, Cathy Dial, Leesa Gendel, and Marina Obukhov: Thank you! Not only did you make sure we got out to the Barboni Ranch and back to Rancho, you did a wonderful job of helping and supervising students as they planted trees. We could not have done it without you. Despite a cold start (What water there was in the creek was covered by a layer of ice when we arrived!), the students, with Mrs. Dees' class, planted 65 native trees! The Bay Institute's S.T.R.A.W. staff, as always, were so organized and helpful that students were trained and hard at work right away. It was wonderful to see how seriously the students took the work. Students were enthusiastic and wonderfully diligent and energetic. They cooperated well in their teams, and carefully followed directions for planting each plant. They also got to experience water in a new way--I hope you got to hear about it! Not only will their work help prevent soil erosion and improve water quality in and around the creek, it will also help provide habitat for the wildlife in this ecosystem. I am very proud of the work that they did. This was the perfect culminating activity for our science unit on the environment.

Our wonderful room parents, Amy Sullivan and Kristin Van Weele, have sent out an email about our December holiday party (Friday, Dec. 18 1:45-2:50 P.M.). I'm hoping that everyone will be able to tap into the spirit of the season and contribute something that we can donate to Homeward Bound. The list of appropriate/requested items is in their email. It would be great if each student brought in a new pair of socks (or package of new socks), or any other item from the list that fits for your family. This is an entirely optional activity.

There have been reports that some of the students of room 11 have been using inappropriate language. I have not personally witnessed it, but I consider this a serious issue and would love for each family to have a chat about what is appropriate language and what is not. Swearing, of course, is always inappropriate. Saying hurtful things or teasing others is also inappropriate. The consequences for inappropriate language can be severe and can include suspension. At this point, I do not think it is a big problem, but the fact that it may be happening at all is disturbing. I know I can count on all the families of room 11 to help students understand what is acceptable and the consequences for unacceptable behavior. If you have any specific concerns, please contact me.

I know December can be a busy month (With children, is there ever a month that doesn't seem busy?), but it is still very important for students to get a good night's sleep every night. When students can hardly keep their eyes open and yawn throughout the day, it is hard for them to do their best work or learn effectively. Please help your child make the most of each school day by giving them the gift of enough sleep.

Enjoy the weekend!

2009-12-04T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you heard about the ferry field trip yesterday. The students did a wonderful job of decorating the ferry, and then seemed to enjoy the trip to San Francisco and back. A map activity gave them the opportunity to locate such things as Angel Island. Students also got to write 2 descriptions of things they saw. All in all, a productive and fun day. We could not have done it without our drivers. Thanks to Mrs. Van Weele, Mrs. Sullivan, Mrs. Gendel, Mrs. Heard-Zeryny, Mr. Dalrymple, Mr. Flores, and Mrs. Obokhov. Thanks also to Mrs. Leonard and Mrs. Gala for coming along to help. The ferry the students decorated is the weekend ferry. It will begin running on weekends, beginning the weekend of Dec. 12-13, if you want to take the family for a ferry ride!

Our next field trip is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8. There is rain predicted for most of next week, so it is possible that the field trip will be postponed. If there are only occasional sprinkles, we will more than likely still go. I will let you know as soon as I know. We will plan on going, and hope for the best. We need the rain, but I'd love to have a rain-free day on Dec. 8th!

Students took the chapter 11 math test yesterday, and now it is on to division in greater depth. I appreciate all the hard work that many students have put into learning math facts, but do not let up if your child has not yet mastered them all!

Students are working on writing dialogue, especially on how to correctly punctuate dialogue. One of the many benefits of reading is that students get opportunities to see how different authors use dialogue to move the story in interesting ways. We will be working on how students can include dialogue in their own stories.

The holidays are close, but school goes on as usual. Thank you for continuing to make sure that your child gets enough sleep and is ready to learn every day when they come to school.

Have a great weekend!

2009-11-21T10:40:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed the opportunity to speak with everyone during parent/teacher conferences. Thank you. As we continue on through the year, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about your student and their progress in fourth grade.

Just a reminder: We will be decorating one of the Larkspur ferries on Thursday, Dec. 3. Students started creating decorations on Friday, a colorful paper chain with their wishes for the community, the country, and the world. As we approach the holiday season, I'm pleased that we have this opportunity to engage in a community service project that students are excited about and that will bring a smile and perhaps a little joy to many beyond our school.

Second reminder: Our restoration field trip is scheduled for Tues., Dec. 8. I will send out the permission slip for this field trip on Monday, Nov. 30.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving break!

2009-11-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that parent/teacher conferences are only about a week away. If you haven't yet sent in your confirmation I have sent home a reminder in this week's Friday folder. Please return the bottom portion of the form as soon as possible. Thank you.

I am sending home the next Scholastic order forms, but, as promised, I have set it up so families that would like to may order online. In addition to the books available through the flyers, those ordering online also have access to additional titles. I have printed out an introductory letter, with instructions, that is going home today in the Friday folder. To order online go to www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our class username is spry4 and our class password is room11. If you have any questions or problems, please contact me. Thanks.

I have been asked a couple of times this week for the information on how to access the online version of our math book. This makes me think that it might be helpful to provide that information again: www.eduplace.com/kids/hmcam. Our class username is rancho411 and our class password is ranchomath.

We are continuing to work on algebra concepts in math, and students seem to be getting more comfortable with variables and solving equations. Students will take the chapter 9 math test on Monday. Chapter 10 is much more concrete: multiplication. Students are expected to have mastery of all multiplication and division math facts to 10 by the end of third grade, and mastery to 12 by the end (hopefully well before the end) of fourth grade. If your child has not yet met the third grade standard, please spend time mastering the basic math facts. I will be testing them weekly on math facts, starting with multiplication.

We are getting close to finishing our first science unit, Environments. Students have been working on "I-Checks," which serve as the study guide for the upcoming science test. I'm planning to give the science test on Friday, Nov. 13.

We have been working on prepositions and prepositional phrases. Students need to have memorized the list of 40 prepositions by Friday, Nov. 13. They will be asked to recite them on Friday, and will have a language test focused on prepositional phrases.

Please help your child get at least 2 hours of reading completed each week outside of school hours. While most students met or nearly met October's AR goal, there are still students who are simply not reading. Research shows that reading comprehension is crucial to student academic success. The best way to become a better reader is to read. See me if you need book suggestions.

Reminder: there is no school next week on Wed., Nov. 11 because of Veteran's Day. It will be lovely to have a day off in the middle of the week, but it will also be a time of reflection for many of us, thinking about all the people who have made sacrifices and put themselves in harm's way for the rest of us.

Thank you for all the paper towels. We are set!

Enjoy the weekend!

2009-10-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, Halloween...high energy day! Thanks to everyone who helped make our day festive, from the decorations to the yummy treats and fun activities! Children love Halloween!

Thanks to everyone who's let me know about their parent/teacher conference time. If you have not yet replied, or if you need to change your time, please let me know as soon as possible.

As you may have noticed, we have been focusing on algebra in math the last couple of weeks (and will continue to do so for a while). This can be very challenging for students who are still very concrete thinkers. We will continue to practice and discuss strategies so that eventually everyone will be more comfortable. Algebra can be so much fun; I think it is really important not to let children get discouraged. The most important concepts in these units are: 1) what a variable is and how a variable can be used, and 2) how you can use what you know about inverse operations (addition/subtraction, multiplication/division) to help you solve equations. We will continue to work on these concepts throughout the year.

Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help with our upcoming field trips. If you are willing to help and still have not contacted our field trip coordinator, Pam Allan, or me, please do so as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT CORRECTION FROM LAST WEEK'S NEWSLETTER:
In the paragraph about reading and AR goals, I mentioned a monthly goal of 15 points. THAT IS INCORRECT, and I apologize for not catching it (Thanks, Mrs. Dalrymple, for calling it to my attention). The AR goal for each month, beginning with the month of October, is 10 points.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you read something that doesn't make sense or if you have any questions. Thanks!

Enjoy your Halloween weekend! Don't forget to turn back your clocks this weekend. Enjoy that extra hour!

2009-10-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the parents who came to help out for our afternoon of Native American activities--it is wonderful to have extra hands! Hopefully your child came home and told you about the games and activities he or she participated in. We spent time at the end of the day last Friday using our rhythm sticks. Your children are wonderful percussionists!

Don't forget to get your paperwork in if you are planning to be a driver for one of our upcoming field trips: Dec. 3 to the Larkspur Ferry (community service--decorating the ferry) and Dec. 8 to the Barboni Ranch (watershed restoration project). I have a few parents signed up to drive to the ferry, but only one confirmed for the restoration project on Dec. 8. Please let me know, or contact our field trip coordinator, Pam Allan.

I'm sending home parent-teacher conference notices today. Please return the bottom portion by Wed., Oct. 28. Please let me know if your conference time doesn't work for you and we'll work together to find a better time.

As part of our environments unit in science, we've been learning about pollination and seed dispersal. Ask your child to sing the songs about pollination and seeds! (They will probably need the song sheet.) Our goldfish and pond snails are still keeping us company. We'll be trying to work with brine shrimp next.

Math facts--addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Need I say more?

Students are required to read at least 120 minutes each week, outside of school hours. In addition, each month, starting this month, each student is expected to reach the goal of earning 15 AR points by reading AR books and taking the AR quiz for each AR book read (almost every book they read has an AR quiz). So far this month 25% of the class has already met or surpassed that goal. Students who are making good use of silent reading time in the classroom AND who are reading at least 120 minutes each week outside of class should be able to reach the monthly goal. The number of points each student has earned for the month is posted weekly in the classroom (by District number, to offer some anonymity), so students can keep track of how close or how far away they are from the goal. Please encourage your child to be reading!

Thanks for all you do to keep your child on track and moving forward! Have a great weekend.

2009-10-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the lack of a posting last week (and having to send a paper copy of the newsletter to everyone) but I was experiencing computer problems. I think the issue is now solved.

I have several dates to share with you--along with requests for your help:

1. Thursday, Oct. 15: Native American Afternoon. We'll be studying Indians of California, starting Monday. On Thursday we'll have some hands-on activities related to our studies. We'll be creating with colored sand, playing Native American games (including lacrosse), making "birdies" (a Native American hacky-sack made from cornhusks), creating our own petroglyphs, eating some foods California Indians might have eaten, and more! I need parents to help supervise the activities. We will be doing the activities from after lunch (1:05) until 2:30 P.M. Please let me know if you can help!

2. Thursday, Dec. 3: We have the opportunity to decorate one of the Larkspur ferries for winter holidays. We need parent drivers to get us to the Larkspur ferry by about 10:00. We'll decorate the ferry (with the other 4th grade classes) and then board the 11:10 A.M. ferry for San Francisco. We'll go to SF and come back (we don't have the opportunity to get off in SF), and then head back to Rancho. We can only do this if we have parent drivers, so please let me know as soon as possible if you are available and interested!

3. MOST IMPORTANT DATE! Tuesday, Dec. 8: This is the date for our watershed restoration project. We will be working on a creek on the Barboni Ranch (it is located out by the Cheese Factory, on the road out to Marshall). We'll be working with Mrs. Dees' fifth grade class. It will be an all-day trip. I need at least 7 parents who are willing to drive and stay for the entire day, to help supervise a work group for the day. It is great fun (although it can be tiring)! Anyone interested is welcome to come, but we must have at least 7 parent drivers. Please let me know if this is something you are willing to help with. See me if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend!

2009-09-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

The students and I appreciate the parents who came to help with the California map activity on Thursday. It was great to have extra hands and encouraging words. The maps look great! We still have to label them, which we will do next week. I feel confident that the students are very clear about the four major regions of California!

Don't forget: Rancho's Family Dinner is Oct. 2. See you there!

Reminder: each student is required to read at least 120 minutes a week, outside of the school day. Starting in October, the Accelerated Reader (AR) goal for each student is to earn at least 10 points. Good reading comprehension skills are crucial to a student's success in school. Please help your child by making sure that they are reading and understanding what they are reading. If you would like another copy of the handout from Back to School Night with specific suggestions about discussing books with your child, please let me know.

Great news--we now have access online to the student math book! This means that if you have access to the internet, you no longer need the DVD in order to have access to the entire student textbook through your computer. You must use our class username and password, however, to access the book online. Our username is rancho411, and the password is ranchomath. If you have the DVD, feel free to keep it until the end of the year or return it earlier, whatever works best for your family.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, contact me. Hope to see folks out at Stafford on Saturday, supporting the District! Have a great weekend!

2009-09-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone helping with our Coastal Cleanup effort today. As we learn about the environment in our science unit, it helps to have those hands-on experiences in the real world to make the learning meaningful.

Reminder: Picture Day is Tuesday, Sept. 22. If you plan to buy pictures, please send the selection/payment envelope to school on Tuesday.

Second reminder: Wednesday, Sept. 23 is a minimum day. Dismissal is at 12:30 P.M. This is a special staff development day for teachers (looking at the new math adoption).

Classroom help needed: thanks to Carson's dad (who graciously agreed to cut the wood for us), students will be making their California maps in class on Thursday, Sept. 24, right after lunch (1:05-2:30). I would love to have 3-4 parents come help. Students will be gluing different kinds/colors of beans onto their maps to illustrate the 4 different regions of California. They will also label the major rivers, mountains, and cities. No geography expertise is needed, just the willingness to help keep things flowing. Please let me know if you can help.
*Anyone willing to help paint the 28 pieces of wood blue, before Thursday, please let me know.

Now that students have taken the AR leveling test, we have talked some in class about my expectations for them with regard to taking AR quizzes. Each student must take at least one AR quiz in September (most students have already taken several), just so they understand the process. Starting in October, the goal for each student is to earn 10 AR points each month. (They cannot earn 100 points in October and be finished with AR quizzes for the year.) This is possible for all students if they are doing all the reading outside of class that they are required to do (at least 120 minutes per week) and if they are making good use of silent reading time in the classroom. Student performance with AR quizzes is part of their reading comprehension grade. I will post their weekly point totals (by their District student number, so unless they share their that number with others, their point total will be for their information only), and send home a report after the end of each month.

In addition, it is my expectation that in order to have passed an AR quiz, they must score 80% or higher. Any points earned and awarded by AR (which awards a portion of the total possible points for some scores lower than 80%) will be honored. If you have any questions, please contact me. Although the school library is not yet open (We hope it will be soon though!), I have an extensive classroom library. In addition, the Novato Public Library is a great place to visit on a regular basis! If you aren't sure whether a book your child wants to read has an AR quiz or not, simply check at AR Book Finder. If you google it, it will pop up or, go to http://www.arbookfind.com.

Have a great weekend!

2009-09-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Correction to yesterday's newsletter: I was unable to print the individual results for the AR leveling test. As soon as I can, I will send those results home.

2009-09-11T06:18:00.000-07:00

Our afternoon (1:30-2:30) of cleaning the Rancho campus and Arroyo Avichi Creek is only a week away (Friday, Sept. 18). I am still hoping to find 5-7 parents to help supervise groups. Please let me know if you can join us. Thanks!

Although we couldn't watch President Obama give his speech to students on Tuesday (something to do with the TV not being digital and how that affects what cable can deliver to my classroom), students did hear it. I had printed out the speech beforehand and read it to the students--not nearly as good as hearing the President himself deliver the speech! I think the students were able to understand and appreciate his message, and we used the speech as a springboard for writing goals for this trimester. We will continue to set goals throughout the school year.

We celebrated Admissions Day on Sept. 9, with "golden" orange slices served on blue napkins (California's colors are blue and gold--Go Cal!). Happy Birthday California! Your child can tell you the year California became the 31st state to join the Union. We also recognized Constitution Day on Thursday, marking the 222nd anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. We are very fortunate to live in this wonderful (although currently budget-challenged) state, and this amazing country!

Please send in your pink directory forms as soon as possible. Lots have come back already, so thank you! And, speaking of recent flyers, I hope everyone is planning to come to the Family Dinner on Oct. 2. It is a very fun evening! We have received a few contributions for our classroom basket, but need more. Any donations will be happily accepted.

We are marching along academically. Chapter 3 in the math book covers estimating--a very useful skill. The key concept for estimating is that it involves 2 steps: first, round the numbers and second, do the calculation. The answer to the calculation is the estimate. The goal is to understand the process, and to use the correct terminology in a mathematics context, understanding that rounding is not the same as estimating but a step in the process. It would be great to talk to your child about ways in which you use estimating in your daily life.

I will begin giving math facts timed tests next week, covering addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts (I'll add in division later). Each timed test will cover only one operation. The 3rd grade standard is that all students have mastered addition and subtraction facts, as well as multiplication facts to the 10s. In 4th grade, they are expected to master multiplication and division facts to the 12s.

Students took the Accelerated Reader leveling test this week, and the results for your child are in this week's Friday folder. Now that everyone has their baseline reading level, we'll talk in class about what the AR goals will be for each student for each month. This will be part of their reading comprehension grade. I'll give you more information after we have discussed it in class.

Mr. Ceresa has graciously volunteered to help with preparing the wood for our California maps. Thank you! Once the wood is ready, I'll schedule our "California Map Day." I'll need volunteers to help, as students glue on different colored beans to create a map showing the regions, major rivers, and largest cities of California.

Have a great weekend!

2009-09-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

We are beginning to settle into our routines in class. I have, however, already changed one classroom policy. We will no longer be using bathroom passes. Instead of giving me a bathroom pass when a student needs to use the restroom, he/she will simply sign out on the list by the door. I think it was just too fun for some students to use them (2-4 times a day--clearly not working as they were only given 12 for the entire trimester). On a related note, some students seem to be having a very hard time remembering to get drinks and to use the restroom during recesses. My expectation is that no one should need to use the restroom within the first 20-30 minutes after a recess (several students have been going within 5-10 minutes). Please help your child understand that the best time to use the restroom is during recess. Students who leave during the first 20-30 minutes back after recess are typically missing key instructional time.

As I mentioned last week, the class will be participating in the Coastal Cleanup effort on Friday, Sept. 18, after lunch (1:30-2:30). If you can help by joining us that day (I'd love to have 5-7 parents), please let me know, either by sending me an email (sspry@nusd.org) or sending in a note. Thanks!

I have sent home the DVD-ROM of the math book to everyone who requested one. If you change your mind some time later in the year and decide that you would like one, just let me know. And, if you received one and find that you aren't using it, feel free to return it to me at any time.

Students took their first Accelerated Reader tests this week. The District is still in the process of setting a few things up, however, so students cannot yet take the leveling test. As soon as we can take it we will, and I will send home the results. At this point I am not asking students to focus their efforts on any particular kind of book or any specific reading level, but each student should be taking AR tests regularly on the books they are reading independently. (Remember, at least 120 minutes each week at home!)

Students will take the chapter 2 math test next week. They took their first "official" math quiz (the first one that counts for a grade) today, as well as the first language quiz. We finished Stone Fox, and they did a wonderful job of writing their own next chapter. We read the first story in the reading textbook and worked on writing a summary. We have also been using quick writes in their writing journals to focus on descriptive writing. We are continuing to work on latitude (the lines run east to west but measure distance north or south of the equator) and longitude (the lines run north to south but measure distance east or west of the prime meridian). We'll continue to work on general geography concepts and then turn our focus to California. As part of our science unit, students will begin setting up classroom terrariums next week.

Parents with table saws: I'm hoping to find a parent willing to cut up thin plywood into smaller pieces that students can use to create maps of California. I will pay for the plywood with my classroom funds, and give you the dimensions I need. If you are willing to help, please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

2009-08-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

It was great to see so many parents at Back to School Night. Thank you for coming. Parents are a big part of what makes Rancho a successful school, and I welcome your interest, involvement, and suggestions. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year.

You will find a form in this week's Friday folder concerning the newsletter (online or paper copy). Please return the completed form by Thursday, Sept. 3. You will also find a form for the Houghton Mifflin eMathBook. If you would like to have the math book on DVD-ROM, please return the signed form and I will send the DVD home with your child.

As noted in the Back to School packet, the class will take walking field trips periodically to the creek behind Rancho--to help clean up the creek and to make observations or participate in activities related to the fourth grade science standards. You will find a field trip permission form in this week's Friday folder covering these periodic walking trips. The one field trip permission form will cover the entire year. I will let parents know when we plan to visit the creek throughout the year. You are always welcome to join us on these short treks.

As I mentioned last night, students will be participating in the California Coastal Cleanup effort on Friday, September 18. Students spend about an hour at the end of the day (1:30-2:30 P.M.) cleaning the creek behind Rancho (Arroyo Avichi Creek) and the school campus. Students will document what they find, estimate the weight of the collected trash, and brainstorm ways to keep the environment clean. Students will work with partners (makes documentation easier). I would love to have at least 5 parents join us so that I can break the class into small groups. Please let me know if you can help out. Check out http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/coastweeks/coastweeks.html for a list of special activities throughout the state related to exploring California's coastal resources.

Thank you for returning the parent survey form. Feel free to send it back in the Friday folder on Monday or whenever you complete it. Thanks also for completing and returning the classroom volunteer form. If you are interested in driving for any of the class field trips, please plan to complete and return the District driver authorization forms as soon as possible. It can take up to 2 weeks for the forms to be processed. (You can find the forms online by going to http://do.nusd.org, click on "About NUSD" and then click on "District forms" to find the driver authorization form.)

We have been focused on place value, to the hundred millions place, in math. Students will have their first math test, on the first chapter, next week. They will take a practice test the day before, which they will then be able to take home to help them study for the test. We will begin daily language practice next week (grammar, useage, conventions). Students will take a related test about every 2 weeks based on the daily practice work. In addition, we have begun our study of geography. Ask your child to explain how latitude and longitude are essential to finding the absolute (exact) location of anywhere on Earth. We will finish reading Stone Fox next week, and begin using our reading textbook. Also, we will begin our study of the environment (the first of 3 FOSS science units for 4th grade) next week.

Again, I thank you for all you do for your child and for our school. I look forward to a productive year for all students. Have a great weekend!

Welcome!

2009-08-07T11:59:00.001-07:00

Dear Room 11 Families,
Welcome to 4th grade! I hope everyone had a great summer break and is feeling rejuvenated. While it is hard to believe (even for me!), it is once again time to reestablish school routines. It will be a great year--focusing on writing and learning about the great state of California, in addition to the usual math, reading, science, music (learning to play the recorder), and P.E. (2-45 minute P.E. periods each week). We will also participate in a watershed restoration project and, hopefully, raise some trout in the classroom. I look forward to meeting everyone on August 20th!

Useful items you may want to purchase for the school year:

pencils--you'll need 2 #2 sharpened pencils for your own use each day. Consider getting a mechanical pencil. I recommend a .9mm lead pencil if you press down hard when you write or a .7mm lead pencil if you don't.
individual pencil sharpener--please do not get a battery-operated sharpener.
erasers
glue stick
markers (there will be markers to share available in class)
small pencil box
binder with dividers--a great way to stay organized!

Items I recommend you have available for your use at home:

wide-ruled binder paper
pencils, erasers, colored pencils/crayons/markers
12" ruler, with both metric and standard measurement scales
protractor and compass
dictionary, atlas, and thesaurus
library card--visit the Novato Public Library regularly!

In an effort to reduce the use of paper, I provide my newsletters online here, at http://rancho4-11.blogspot.com. Once the school year begins, it will also be available by going to the Rancho website, going to the staff directory, and clicking on my name.

Here's to a wonderful year of discovery and learning!