Hello Parents, This has been a busy week! We have learned how our Language Arts program works. First of all it runs in a five-day cycle, but not necessarily Monday through Friday because of four-day weeks and other disruptions. On the first day students will bring home a “Family Times” sheet outlining the subjects for the week. There is a spelling pretest on Day 1 where we determine how many of the words they will study through the next four days. The words are difficult, and we have all been working on the first ten words so far. There are grammar lessons that are covered. We read a variety of books and passages during the unit focused on a specific subject. This reading will be done in small groups of students. It has been difficult for me to get everything in during the afternoon when we do Language Arts, but as everyone gets more used to the routine, it should go smoother. We have also started getting used to the Accelerated Math program and finding it an enjoyable way to practice math. Students do the practice that the computer prints out, circling the answers on the sheet (this is usually done as homework unless they have found time at school). They then transfer the answers to the scan sheet and scan them at school each morning. The computer grades them, and prints out the results and a new practice. Depending on how well a student does, it prints out more of the same type of problems or allows students to move on to the next thing. I decide what area each student should be working on and when they will be allowed to move to the next subject area. After the students successfully complete about 5 objectives, I then print a test for them to complete on those items. Tests are done at school. Right now, most of the items are review from last year. I will try to make Accelerated Math match whatever we are learning in the Investigations Math. The Wyoming relief maps that the class is making are coming along well. The groups have started putting the clay mountains on the maps. They will be on display here in the classroom for the open house next week even if they are not finished. The groups are working well together to make sure they have all that was required. Everyone will be proud to show them off! Monday we will start our first science unit on rocks and minerals. We will start by looking at “Mock Rocks”. Everyone will examined their rock carefully and take its measurements. Then we will take the rocks apart in an effort to find out what they are made of. We will then run several tests on them next week in an attempt to prove what is in them. We will learn that Mock Rocks are made of ingredients just like real rocks are made of minerals. We will then proceed with learning about minerals. I would like to remind you that I post all the newsletters on the schoolnotes web site (www.schoolnotes.com). You can sign up to receive an email whenever I post any new news there. That way you do not miss class newsletters that should have gotten home. The Fall Open House is scheduled for Thursday, September 11 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. I hope you can all make it to see how we have started the new year!
August 29. 2008
Hello Parents, We have begun our journey through fourth grade! This first week we have been busy getting to know each other. I feel that we have established a fairly strong bond within the class. This week the class decided what type of rules we needed in the classroom. It was determined that a long list of “No’s” and “Don’ts” was not needed. We discussed being Respectful, Responsible, and Safe. We have been discussing and defining a set of agreements that the class will use to guide what we do. They are: Listening, Mutual Respect, Participation, Appreciations, and No Putdowns. Ask your student what these agreements are and what they should look like, sound like and feel like. We have established our schedule to begin the year. All of our specials occur in the morning. We have Music and P.E. on Monday and Friday mornings. Counseling and Library are on Tuesday mornings every week. Art is on Thursday mornings. Fourth Grade has recess from 10:30 to 10:45 and during the lunch period, the Third and Fourth graders eat lunch at 12:00 and then go out to recess at about 12:20. Lunch recess lasts until 12:45. It is nice having lunch first this year. To begin Wyoming History, we have been studying the important landforms in our state. We have spent time reading and learning about the map of the state. We will begin making relief maps of Wyoming next week. We will use salt dough on a cardboard base where we will draw the mountain ranges, rivers, and major cities. In Math we are beginning the new Investigations program. There does not seem to be much homework, and much of what there is involves sharing with family what we have done in class. The homework will be the Accelerated Math that is printed out from the computer. The students will get a practice sheet that is printed by the computer, complete the sheet and transfer the answers onto a computer scan card, then feed the scan card through the reader on the computer. The computer prints out the results of their work and a new practice sheet based on those results. We will be scanning our math everyday. The students and I still getting the routine of the Reading Street program down. These five days are kind of a time for learning how the five-day program will work. There are many parts of language arts all tied together in the one program. We have started spelling and have seen that the words are difficult! We started out this week with 10, 20, or 25 spelling words and are doing a practice sheet every day. The grammar is about declarative and interrogative sentences. Our reading has centered around the story Winn Dixie. With the exception of the Accelerated Math lessons, I do not assign formal homework on a regular basis. We do plenty of work during the day and I allow a reasonable amount of classroom time to complete it. If a student uses the class time wisely, most work can be done at school and not taken home. If the student decides not to use classroom time wisely, then the work needs to be completed at home. I keep track of who has turned in assignments and make reminders to those who have not completed things. I will allow a one-day grace period after an assignment’s due date. At the end of each day we review what was assigned that day, which provides an opportunity for the students to write things in their planner. The school gave a planner to each student and we are using them every day. I expect each student to bring these to school each morning and then home every afternoon. It is a great way for you to see what we are doing each day. Thanks to those of you who have reviewed the student handbooks and returned the tear out forms in them for completing the emergency forms, and all the other forms that were sent home on the first day. I am working on scheduling and confirming times for volunteers. On the evening of Thursday, September 11th, Indian Paintbrush will be hosting an Open House from 6:00 to 7:00. Please put it on your calendar. I invite all to come and visit the classroom and school as we begin the year. Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!
August 25, 2008
Dear parents, The school year is off to a great start! I want to welcome you and your child to the fourth grade, and provide some information about the upcoming year. First, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Jay Whitman and this is my thirteenth year teaching fourth grade here at Indian Paintbrush. Again this year we have two classes of fourth graders. Mrs. Johnson and I will be working together on many topics throughout the year. We will be spending the first several days in the class getting to know each other and learning how to work together. I want everyone to feel comfortable learning, taking chances, and making mistakes. I will ensure that everyone has respect for each other’s thoughts, ideas, and differences. We will cooperate in the classroom to make learning fun, exciting, and something everyone wants to do. I encourage parent support and assistance in the classroom. There are many ways that this can be done. As always, your support, assistance, and encouragement of your child's school work at home is the most important. Here at school, I always welcome you in the classroom. Come to observe and participate. I would love to have parents participate on a regular basis and help provide more one-on-one instruction to the children. I can probably find other jobs if they are preferred. Children are always proud to have their parents be a part of their education. I have attached a form to this letter for you to indicate your interests in volunteering. Thank You! I invite you to stop by and talk with me anytime before or after school. Do not hesitate to call and leave a message with the school secretary and I will return your call as soon as I am available. You can also call me at home in the evenings (742-3918). I will attempt to send a newsletter home with your child every Friday. It will be a summary of what we covered during the week as well as special events and things to look forward to the next week. This will be a way for me to communicate with you and hopefully it will facilitate your communication with your student. Please look for this newsletter on Fridays. I will also be using the Internet site schoolnotes.com. Just go to www.schoolnotes.com, type in our ZIP code (82072) and select my name or class. I will post the weekly newsletters and any other important information. I can post more if the site is being used a lot. You can also receive an email from schoolnotes when I post something new on the site. All you have to do is sign up and provide your email address on the site. You can also contact me anytime via email at jwhitman@acsd1.org. You can also email me through schoolnotes. Each student has a mailbox where I place items to go home. These items include the Friday newsletter and other notes from school as well as completed and graded work. It will be the child's responsibility to get things home from the mailbox. If a time period goes by and you are not receiving notes or papers at home, please contact me and we can find out where they are going. This is an important channel of communication between school and home. Our class Language Arts block in the afternoon will consist of instruction in reading, grammar, spelling, and writing based on the Reading Street program. This is the second year of this program in the school district. Scott Foresman Reading Street is designed to help teachers build readers through motivating and engaging literature, scientifically research-based instruction, and a wealth of reliable teaching tools. The program takes the guesswork out of differentiating instruction with a strong emphasis on ongoing progress monitoring and an explicit plan to help with managing small groups of students. In addition, Reading Street prioritizes skill instruction at each grade level, so teachers can be assured they will focus on the right skill, at the right time, and for every student. This new program has been an adjustment for all of us, but I am looking forward to continuing it this year. We also have an updated Math program this year. It is the latest version of the Investigations program that the district has used in the past. Investigations is designed to engage students in making sense of mathematical ideas. It helps students make sense of mathematics and learn that they can be mathematical thinkers. I will also incorporate Accelerated Math into this program, which is a computer based math program that individualizes math practice. Students will have Accelerated math practice on almost a daily basis. We will have a snack break each morning. Each child may bring a healthy, nutritious snack on a daily basis or may bring in something to keep in their locker which will last them several days. The purpose of the snack is to provide energy and brain power midway through the morning, and I don’t feel pop, candy, or similar items do this. Please encourage a snack that will provide a mid-morning refueling. Remember that Indian Paintbrush is a nut free school, so make sure that any food items do not contain nuts and are not made in a facility that also processes nut products. I am very excited to be working with you, your children, and the staff here at Indian Paintbrush. We are going to have a wonderful year!
Sincerely, Jay Whitman
CLASSROOM VOLUNTEERS
I would like to volunteer in the classroom. The areas or activities that I would like to help with are:
The best times and days for me are:
Name: ____________________________________
Phone: ___________________
The ABC's of a GREAT Year! A--All ideas count. B--Be polite to others. C--Cooperate with your peers. D--Do your best. E--Enjoy learning. F--Finish your work. G--Give a helping hand. H--Have fun. I--Invite others to play with you. J--Just do your best. K--Keep trying. L--Listen carefully. M--Make the most of your time. N--Name and date all papers. O--Obey school & classroom rules. P--Practice makes perfect. Q--Quiet in the halls. R--Respect yourself and others. S--Smile T--Think before you act. U--Use your time wisely. V--Volunteer to help others. W--Wait your turn. X--eXpect success. Y--You can achieve your dreams. Z--Zero in on your goals.
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