FREE DRESS FOR $1.00!!

FREE DRESS IS THIS FRIDAY, THE 16TH, AND NOT THE 23RD!!  

EXHIBITION WEEK IS HERE....

Exhibitions begin Monday, December 12th.   Here is our schedule for the week:


Monday, December 12th                                     Thursday, December 15th
Dylan                                                                K'myiah
Jaiden                                                               Kayla
Emetrionna                                                        Joshua
Cameron                                                            Khalila


Tuesday, December 13th                                     Friday, December 16th
Lauryn                                                               Devin
Morgan                                                              Madison
Brianna                                                             Micah


Wednesday, December 14th
Kiera
Moses
Darnishia

In math we are learning how to multiply larger numbers (example: 156 x 7 and 27 x 45 ). The students will be learning a new method called Partial Products. This involves breaking down the numbers into expanded form and multiplying those parts. Then you add the parts together to get the final answer.

Since this is a method that you probably didn't learn when you were a kid, here are two videos (courtesy of Mr. Curran) that demonstrate the steps of the process.

HERE ARE SOME MORE EXAMPLES OF STATE EXHIBITIONS....

The power point of Michigan was done by Mrs. Martin, and the other 2 power points were exhibitions by former students of Mrs. Martin.  I know these will give you more ideas!  REMEMBER-Early turn in is welcomed and appreciated!!

Michigan example

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Wyoming

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Pennsylvania good 1

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CANNED FOOD DRIVE

In the spirit of giving this holiday season, our school will be collecting non-perishable food items for a school-wide food drive.  During the weeks of November 30^th-December 16^th, each class will be collecting dried and canned food items to be donated to local area food banks and families in need.

At the end of the food drive, the class that has collected the most food items will be awarded the UPA Gives Generosity Award and receive a special treat!  PLUS-the 3^rd floor village is competing to see which class brings in the most cans.  Whoever wins will have our Village trophy in their room!  Of course I know we will be the winner – especially since we are already overflowing with donations! 

WAY TO GO for brining in donations:

Dylan Edgar and family

Cameron Norris and Family

K’myiah Nelson and Family

Brianna and Family

Darnishia and family

Some items you may donate include:

·          Canned fruits and vegetables, canned soups

·          Dried fruit, fruit juice boxes, bottled water

·          Cereals, dry snacks

·          Dry pasta, macaroni and cheese, pasta sauce, rice

·          Peanut butter, jelly

NEW AMPT SCHEDULE!

Please check the schedule at the right to see our new AMPT schedule.  We will have this schedule through January 20th.

OUR SUPER MATH ICE CREAM CHALLENGE!

I GAVE THE STUDENTS A CHALLENGE FOR LEARNING THEIR MATH FACTS.  THEY NEED TO HAVE ALL FACTS LEARNED AND BE ABLE TO TAKE A 2 MINUTE MATH FACT TEST BEFORE THE WINTER BREAK.  WHEN THEY DO THIS, WE WILL HAVE AN ICE CREAM PARTY!  EACH FACT FAMILY THAT THEY PASS, THEY RECEIVE AN ICE SCREAM SCOOP THAT IS PUT ON TOP OF AN ICE CREAM CONE.  BELOW YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURES AND THE GROWING CONES!  WE’RE GOING FOR MORE THAN A TRIPLE SCOPE OF ICE SCREAM!  **PLEASE WORK WITH YOUR CHILD ON THEIR FACTS EVERYDAY SO THAT WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE THIS ACHIEVEMENT!***

OUR CELEBRATION WILL BE ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22^ND.  I WILL BE BRINGING A SPECIAL SURPRISE!

THE STUDENTS AND I HAVE GENERATED A LIST OF ITEMS THAT WOULD BE FABULOUS ON OUR ICE CREAM.  PLEASE CHOOSE AN ITEM TO HAVE YOUR CHILD BRING IN, SIGN THE FORM, AND RETURN BY Friday, DECEMBER 16th.

THANK YOU for all your support this year:)

Multiplication Wrestling Lightsaber Lecture

Multiplication Wrestling Lightsaber Lecture

The kids are learning to use the partial products method to multiply a two-digit by a two-digit number (example: 27 x 45 ). This involves breaking down the numbers into expanded form and multiplying those parts. Then you add the parts together to get the final answer.

Below is a video showing how to "wrestle" multiplication done by another teacher.  The kids saw this video today and should now be able to teach you how to play multiplication wrestling!

EXHIBITION POWER POINT EXAMPLE

Below you will find a power point of a former student's (Mrs. Drain's student) State Exhibition Project. The kids and I went over the reasons that this power point is so well done: very little text, bullet points for the important points, graphics that relate to the bullet points, creativity, and all requirements on the outline. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions/concerns at swagner@uprep.com.

State new york

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Social Studies-Assembly Line Photos

During our last week of social studies, the kids learned how the Ford assembly line worked. Students worked in different groups with different roles for adding different parts to a drawing of a Model-T. Please view pictures below.

SIGN UP FOR YOUR CHILD’S EXHIBITION!

EXHIBITIONS WILL TAKE PLACE DECEMBER 12^TH-16^TH.

There are 2 ways that you may sign up for the exhibition: 

         1.  Sign up on the blog: mrswagner310.blogspot.com

                        Click on the “Permission slips and forms” tab at the top of the blog

            2.  The sign-up sheet which was sent home on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

I will try to honor all first choices, but it is first come/first serve!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

HAVE A FABULOUS, FUN, RELAXING, AND TERRIFIC WEEKENDJ

MILESTONE 3

is due December 8th.  This 3rd milestone requires all visual aids to be turned in.  Pieces of paper are not  acceptable. Please review the requirements below.

State Milestone 3-Reminder

AS ALWAYS A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS WITH SNACKS!  WE HAVE RUN OUT – AGAIN!  WE ARE DIVIDING THE SNACKS INTO STUDENTS’ OWN BAGGIE AND THAT WAY THEY ARE SHARING, AND ABLE TO GO RIGHT TO READING GROUPS WITH A SNACK.

ANIMAL CRACKERS, PRETZELS, GRAHAM CRACKERS, CHEESE CRACKERS, ALL WORK GREAT & ARE APPRECIATED!

WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK:

WRITING: We have been learning about adventure stories this week.  All four 4^th grade classes are working in the village, collaborating in groups of 4 on the features of adventure stories.  We learned how the main character (hero/heroine) has certain qualities, such as bravery, being courageous, intelligent, able to solve a problem, and are risk takers.   Sometimes they may have a flaw, but they always go on some type of journey.  Adventure stories are realistic, which means that the setting and the action need to be something that can really happen.  Ask your student about what their character looks like, what they like, what traits they have, and other features of their story.

MATH:  We formed math groups this week and the students went to other 4^th grade teachers.  We are working on building concepts that were on the first interim math assessments the students took.  Each teacher took a specific concept and taught that to 3 different groups this week.  For example, groups that came to my class worked on how to figure out missing numbers in particular patterns (15, 429, 13, 429,

11, 429, what are the next 3 numbers?).

READING: Benchmark reading tests are finally complete.  We started back in our wonderful guided reading groups.  Ask your student about the book they are reading.  We all talked about how the author describes the main characters in their story, and how characters change throughout the story. Some students did some research on ancient Egypt for the book they are reading, while others are talking about Times Square and the cricket that travels there.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We finished our unit on Early Michigan history.  The students participated in a simulated assembly line, “building” Model A Cars in Henry Ford’s original factory.  They learned how hard the work was, how the workers (mostly immigrants) made only $5 a day, and how there many other workers ready to take their place if they made errors.  Ask them about Henry Ford and “his” tough rules!

SCIENCE: We began our next science unit, which is learning how energy transfers from one source to another.  This is one of my favorite and most fun units!  

WHAT ARE WE LEARNING?

WRITERS WORKSHOP: Students have been learning about how authors write about memorable objects in their lives.  They brought in a memorable object, wrote about why it's important to them, and now are in the process of writing deeper.  This means they are rereading their writing and stopping at a part that "touches" their heart, and then adding more details about that part.  Look for student work to be posted soon!


READING WORKSHOP: My reading class finished with the guidelines for reading workshop, working on how punctuation helps us understand the author's meaning.  The students have also begun to write recommendations for books and are placing them in genre baskets.  These recommendations help students find new books that their classmates have enjoyed.
Some students will be working on Edmodo to post research they are doing on their guided reading books.


MATH: Last week students took their first interim assessment, and this week focused on several objectives.  One objective was to re-teach concepts that students are struggling with, such as place value, pictographs, and story problems.  We also began Unit 4, which is working with decimals, place values in the 10ths, 100ths, and 1,000ths. We have also started 4.4, which is working with adding and subtracting decimals.


SOCIAL STUDIES: We have traveled through time as historians, learning about Michigan's Early People, the lumber and mining industry.  We will continue next week on more of Michigan's early industry.  The focus for this unit was how Michigan's economy was built through industry, which brought in people from Europe, built up towns around rivers, and how life changed throughout the past 100 years.

We are in desperate need of snacks!  The students come back from AMPT "starving", and have about 2 minutes to grab their reading materials and snacks,  and go to their reading classes.  We have found that the quickest way to do this (other than the students bringing individual snacks, which is great!) is to have large quantities of snacks, put them into baggies & have the kids grab & go!  We really appreciate all the donations that you have generously sent in.  We are looking for animal crackers, graham crackers, pretzels of all types, popcorn, etc.  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

1st Quarter Progress Reports

1st Quarter Progress Reports

Progress reports will be sent home on Monday, November 14th. Please sign the note attached indicating that you have received your child's progress report. If you should have any questions and/or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me!

NO SCHOOL THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24 & FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25^TH.