Weekly Update for week of March 20th

Welcome back!  Here is what is happening this week:

*Don't forget that we have field trips scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday!

Johnson: Reading - We are working on text structure this week and will be starting our next novel, James and the Giant Peach, on Wednesday!

Derry: Reading- We are beginning to read James and the Giant Peach. Mrs. Derry's class has a booklet that they will be working in the next 9 weeks. This packet will be in their red folder or binder. All assignments will be put in this book. Our class will pick a Roald Dahl book to read on their own time. We are also doing an in-class activity. The book selection has to be made by  this Friday and approved by Mrs. Derry. Mrs. Derry's class will be going to the Library on Monday to check out the book. Mrs. Fortson's class will be going on Wednesday. Of course they are always able to go to the local library in their own time.  This is part of their reading grade and is not an option. They have 9 weeks to read the book. This will help promote reading at home and will also count as a reading homework grade. 

Johnson: ELA - We will work on prepositions this week. Week 16 Root test is this Friday.

Writing: Derry-The students will be grading and correcting a writing piece they have already completed.

Social Studies: Derry-We are discussing the War of 1812, Trail of Tears. The students will be also dissecting the National Anthem and why its important to our country.

Math:  All math teachers will continue with Module 6 lessons 4-6 this week. Our focus is decimals to the hundredths place.  We will use tape diagrams and area models to model decimal equivalence.  The blog link for module 6 is not currently working.  We would suggest simply searching for "Engage NY module 6 resources" and we know that there are many great ones out there! Please check your child's agenda nightly for assigned homework.  

Chaperone Update for MUSE trip

Parents-  a letter went home last week explaining that we are limited on the number of chaperones we are able to accommodate on this field trip. Due to this, we have asked any parent who wanted to be considered to let the homeroom teacher know by today.  We will only be able to pick two parents to help this time. We will do this by a drawing if necessary.  Please remember that we have one more field trip to the Smokies Baseball game in May and this trip allows us to take more parents.  We appreciate your willingness to be flexible and understanding.  Your child's teacher will let you know if you are chosen to be a chaperone for the upcoming MUSE trip.  Thanks!

Weekly Updates for March 6th

Good Evening Parents!  We have several important updates this week.  Please remember the following:

* This is our last week of 3rd quarter.  All missing and corrected work needs to be turned in no later than Thursday to receive credit for this quarter.  Please check with Aspen for grades and your child's teacher with specific questions.
* This is 4 DAY WEEK!! That means, we are out of school on Friday!  Spring Break is always a great way to rest up for the the last quarter of the school year.  The end will be here before we know it.

Math:  In all math classes we are starting Module 6 lesson 1-3 this week. This is our new decimal unit.  We have heard from several parents that the resource page and videos are very helpful.  Please check this out if you feel your child is struggling or you just need a refresher!  There is morning work this week as well as homework on several nights.

Reading:  Derry- We will finish the Mythology unit this week.  There have been several assignments related to this unit.  The JT foldable was due last week. We had a great number of students who did not turn this in!  Please check with your child  as this counts as a major grade.  The JT project is due this week.  This has been an in-class project and students have had three weeks to work on it.  We will begin a new novel study when we return from Spring Break.

ELA/Writing- This week's focus is adverbs.  In writing we are analyzing student samples to help improve understanding of the grading process as well as to improve personal writing.  Students will be able to write/improve a piece of their own writing in the weeks to come.  There will be a state writing assessment this year.  Dates will be posted when available.

Social Studies:  Derry- we will continue with TN history and the Jackson Purchase.  We are still working through our week 23 in Social Studies weekly.

Science- McCoy and Fortson will begin the motion unit this week. This is our last major mini unit before we begin review.  Fortson will have the magnet and electricity test on Tuesday. A study guide was provided.

Weekly updates for 2/21

Math:  Fortson, Maestri and McCoy:
We will continue with our Module 5 lessons 22-25.  As always, this is the plan, but this can change during the week depending on how well students are doing with the content! Just a reminder that Fortson/Derry kids received last week's major test back today.  There are students who are doing a mandatory test correction time with Mrs. Fortson for two days.  After that time, students are allowed to take home any other corrections and also get test signed so that redo credit can be given.  This is a reflective redo.

Fourth Grade math resource link-  I have included this resource link which is found on our blog under  the math page.  This is an excellent resource that also includes videos for you and your child to watch at home.

Science:  Fortson/McCoy:
This week we will continue/begin magnets and electricity.  Students are receiving notes and resource material in their interactive notebooks.  Please refer to this when completing science related assignments. Please check your child's agenda for assignments.  We are planning to test over magnets/electricity on March 3rd.

Reading: All 3 classes- Derry, Stansberry and Johnson:
We will be doing Greek Mythology for the next two weeks.   The following stories will be covered: The Golden Touch, The Tangled Webs, The Story of Medusa an Athena, Pandora's box, The twelve Labors of Heracles, The Trojan Horse, Achilles, Persephone and Demeter, and Music of the Underworld. We are also working on an in-class Johnny Tremain project.  A copy of the directions is in their red folder. I will also post in the Reading section on the blog the directions. 

Language Skill: Derry, Stansberry and Johnson:
Adjectives and Articles

Writing: Derry/Stansberry:
We will be dissecting writing that has been scored and discuss how we can fix them to be a certain score.

Social Studies: Derry
This week we are working on United States Government Social Studies Weekly 22. We will be discussing the dividing of power and work on in class activities.

Upcoming:
Field trip forms went home today. We need these and the money returned to us by the date indicated on the form.

Weekly Updates for February 13th

We hope everyone has recovered and rested after almost a week off! Please note the following:

Social Studies: Creating a New Government: Describing the principles embedded in the Constitution including: purpose of Preamble, separation of powers, branches of government, and checks and balances.
Derry: The preamble quiz is Friday which is orally and written.  We have been working on citing text evidence in Social Studies and in Reading. We are starting Social Studies Weekly 21. Reminder all Social Studies Weekly's can be completed for extra credit points.

Reading: Derry:  We are finished Johnny Tremain today and will be watching the movie this week. They will have a project on Johnny Tremain that will be done in class. This is an overall test grade/project grade. There will be more details coming this week.
Johnson:  We are finishing Johnny Tremain this week.  The kids have really enjoyed reading this book and have had some great insights and discussions!

Derry:  We will be having "Test Thursday's". This is a comprehension test on a reading articles randomly selected.
 
ELA: Identify and use contractions and negatives correctly in a sentence. Johnson: Johnson's classes will have a Greek & Latin roots test Friday over Week 13 roots.

Derry: We are discussing Black History Month and this week will be focusing on the Struggle of Equality in small groups. We are also reading: "Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt" by Deborah Hopkinson. This book we will focus on what Clara's main goal is and what traits make people successful at achieving their goals.

Writing: We are working on "quick writes" and analyzing writing written by other students.

Science:  Energy mini unit.  Please check with your child's teacher for specific assignments.  Mrs. Fortson's class will be doing energy centers this week. They are due on Thursday. There will be a unit test on Thursday for Mrs. Fortson's classes.  Please check with your child's teacher for specific assignments and due dates.

Math:  This week, we will continue with Module 5- Fractions.  Students will be working through lessons 17-19. We will have some Valentine's Day activities on Tuesday and an assessment over this last topic on Friday in all math classes.  Don't forget that last week's morning work packet (classwork) is due this Friday.

Weekly Updates for January 30th

It's hard to believe that we have finished the first month of the year!  We will be finished with fourth grade before we blink.  Please remember that third quarter is some of our toughest core content.  Our blog is full of resources to help you in each subject area. Here is what is happening this week:

Social Studies:
We are starting a New Module on Creating a New Government. This week we are discussing the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Preamble. There will be a test  (for Mrs. Derry's class-other classes please check with your child's teacher) on the Preamble on Friday, Febuary 17th. The students will have to recite the Preamble. Please look for the directions coming home on this Friday. Here are some helpful links:
Derry Preamble directions
Copy of the Preamble-printable

Reading: We are almost at the end of Johnny Tremain. The students are having to dig a little deeper in thought and are showing what they are learning through their writing.

Language: Possessive Nouns/Text structure

Writing: We are working on breaking apart writing prompts. We have been discussing Black History Month and some of the African Americans who have made a difference throughout history.

Math:  This week in math, we will continue with Module 5 lessons 12-15.  Students took a Topic B checkpoint quiz on Friday in all math classes. Test corrections are available for these type of checkpoints.  We should finish Topic C by Friday. There will be a checkpoint on Friday or the first of next week. Please check your child's agenda for specific assessment dates.
Maestri and Fortson have assigned Quarter 3 Week 4 morning work that is due on Friday. Please remember that these classwork packets are due each week and that they are graded.

Science:  We are in our Physical Science unit.  This week, we will continue with energy and energy sources.  Please check with your child's teacher for specific science related assignments.

Please don't forget to return your permission slip and $1 for the UT band performance on Wednesday, February 8th.  Students who don't return this will have a study hall period during this time.

Weekly Updates for January 23rd

Please check out what is happening this week:

Math- This week we will be working from Lesson 7 through 11.  There will be a checkpoint quiz this week over Topic B.  Several graded assignments have been returned to your student directly or in the blue weekly folder.  It is important that students review this work with you and make corrections on assignments that score below 85 (our recommendation).  Test/assignment corrections are done on a separate piece of paper and attached to the original work. Please remember to initial or sign the redo work so that we know you have seen it.  These corrections can often mean the difference in a letter grade! 

Science- We are working on our matter unit this week in all classes. Mrs. Fortson's class will have a test over this unit on Wednesday.  Please check your child's agenda nightly for weekly assignments and due dates. 

Social Studies- We are still working on the American Revolution. This is a large unit with a great amount of content.  Mrs. Derry's class will have a test on Tuesday over the Important People and the battles of the Revolution.  They have been given vocabulary, important people and battle study guide. They will be able to use their interactive notebook on this test.  

ELA/Writing-The focus this week is pronouns.  Students will be drafting their informational piece.  

Please check in with your child to make sure that all work has been turned in!