Angelville Week 4

Bon Dia
Week 4
September 28, 2009

Raves:
· All of the 4th grade Newspapers
· Meeting all of the parents who came to Open House night.

Reminders:
· Uniform dress on Mass day
· Non-uniform day on Friday, October 2nd

Academics:
· In math we will continue our unit in multiplication. Identifying factors and multiples of a number. Multiplication of two-digit numbers.
· In reading we will continue our Maniac Magee book, Chapters 12-17. I will post the chapter questions on the blog. Quiz over these chapters will be next Monday.
· In religion we continue to look up bible versus on Stewardship. We will begin the 10 Commandments.
· Spelling pre-test Monday, and test on Friday. If a student gets 100% on their pre-test they do not have to take the test on Friday. This week spelling words center around long vowel sounds.
· In LA we will begin a new program called Bridges to Understanding. We will begin a multi-lesson project to create our own digital story. This non-profit organization started in Seattle a few years ago and is designed to bridge schools in other countries to one another. Once the digital stories are completed they will be posted on the Bridges to Understanding web site. All member of the program can then watch digit stories from other students in other countries. I will send more information about this program home.
· Social Studies – geography of Washington. Weather patterns in Washington.
· Hoping to organize a field trip to Seattle’s Public Library downtown. MIT students have created an exhibit on tracking garbage from beginning to end.

Have a great first week of October!

Maniac Magee Chapters 12-17

MANIAC MAGEE – Chapters 12-17 (pgs.41-63)

Chapter 12 (41-44)
1. Describe Amanda’s family with one-sentence descriptions for each character, Mrs. Beale, Mr. Beale, Hester and Lester.
2. How did Maniac get an address?
3. Do you think Maniac is a good name for Jeffrey Magee? Why?
4. If you had a nickname what would it be and why?

Chapter 13 (p.45-49)
1. How did the Beale house change once Maniac joined it?
2. What strange allergy did Maniac have? Why did he have this allergy?

Chapter 14 (50-53)
Word Wizard
Solitude (50) converged (51)

1. Why did Maniac love being with the Beales?
2. What did Maniac observe about the East End colors? (51)

Chapter 15 (54-56)
Word Wizard
Poleax (54) aardvark (56) unbeknownst (56)

1. In chapter 13, Maniac says that, “lying on a mattress gave him a weird feeling of slowly rising on a scoop of mashed potatoes.” (Draw a picture to illustrate this thought) p. 46


Chapter 17 (59-63)
Word Wizard
Croaking (61) ranting (61)

1. Draw a picture of the fire hydrant at Green and Chestnut on the hot day in August that was depicted in Chapter 17.
2. How did Chapter 17 end?

Maniac Magee Study guide Chpt 1-11

For some reason I can not find my first study guide for Maniac Magee. I have a hard copy so I will send a hard copy home stapled to the planner. This is for the parents who requested it be posted on the blog. I will post the next set of chapters as of next Monday.

As of Friday the 25th all work for these first 11 chapters should be complete. I will collect this work on Monday and the students will take a quiz over the first 11 chapters.

Angelville, Week 3

Bon Dia

September 21, 2009

First Day of Fall, International Peace Day

Raves:

I want to thank Mrs. Wisen for her support in our field trip to the locks last week. I also want to thank her for her artistic abilities in our desire to make a salmon mural for the cafeteria. Thanks a bunch!!

Reminders:

* Continue to check your child's planner and sign each night! Thank you!

* Wednesday is Open House for grades K-4th at 7 - 9pm Please join us!

* There will be a Sustainable Festival in Ballard's Commons Park on the 26th and 27th of September, this weekend.

* Thursday is Pictures

* Friday night Bongo.

Academics:

Religion - We will create a Stewardship Bulletin Board in the Elementary wing of the school. We will continue to find Bible passages on Stewardship.

Reading - Maniac Magee, we will read chapters 6-11 this week and complete work in our reading journals on reading comprehension, reading fluency and vocabulary. I will begin the QRI assessments today.

Math - We will begin our chapter on math basics and multiplication this week. We will talk about factors and multiples of a number. We will also determine the difference between prime and composite numbers and long with Rocket Math practice.

LA - Spelling Unit 2- long vowel sounds, subjects and predicates, and verb practice. We will continue to work on our Newspapers for our Class wall outside the classroom.

Social Studies - Over Washington, an amazing video that travels over Washington and shows the wide spread of terrain we have as you travel over the different regions. Map labeling.

Enjoy another great week of weather!!

Walking Tour to the Locks

Here we go, setting out on our first field trip of the year, and to boot it's a GREAT DAY! The Life Cycle of a Salmon is quite amazing!

The Locks

We are fortunate at St. Al's to live so close to the Ballard Locks. The Locks were designed by an engineer named Hiram Chittenden back in 1906 when he arrived in Seattle. He envisioned the largest boat of that day to enter in through the locks. Since he was a conservationist he realized the importance of protecting the natural resources. The locks form a permeable barrier between Lake Washington's freshwater ecosystem and the potentially damaging saltwater of the Puget Sound. They are designed to allow the passage of vessels while minimizing the damage of the saltwater. It's always fun to see the different kinds of vessels going in and out of the locks.

Salmon Ladder at the Locks

What a great day to view the salmon in the final phase of their life. They are making their way up through the fish ladder at the Locks. They will return to their breeding grounds to spawn, where a new generation of salmon will then start their journey out to sea.

St. Al's Green Team

The 4th and 5th graders at St. Alphonsus are Stewards of the Earth. They are decreasing their carbon footprint by recycling and composting at school.

Week 2 Angelville

Bon Dia

Week 2, September 14th, 2009

Announcements:

* I am happy to announce the kick off of our new recycling program here at school. We are now one of over 95 schools who have started a recycling program with the help and support of Cedar Grove Compost Center in Everett, WA. Rob from Cedar Grove was here for two days last week helping the students at lunch time in sorting their recycling, composting and garbage.

* I also want to thank Emily van Leeuwen who is now a 5th grader, in her continual acts of Stewardship she shows for God's Earth. We are selling coffee in the school office until November 1st to help offset the initial costs in being a Sustainable School. We would appreciate your coffee sales. Emily sat out in front of her house this weekend and sold many bags of coffee to our local community. THANK YOU EMILY!!

* Field Trip to the Locks, Tuesday, September 15th. Bring a sack lunch and wear your school uniform.

* Homework packets went home today and will need to be returned Thursday morning since we do not have school on Friday.

Academics:

Religion - we continue to talk about what it means to be a Steward of God. The recycling/composting program is one way in which we are Stewards of the Earth.

Math - multiplication/rocket math

Spelling - Short vowel sounds, one and two syllable words.

Reading - Maniac Magee class read, predicting, comprehension and reading fluency. I hope to begin the QRI assessments toward the end of this week or the beginning of next.

L.A. - Extra! Extra! Read all about me.... Each student is beginning their own newspaper page. The first story they write will be a story about them. We are talking about what it means to be a good descriptive writer using the 5 W's and 1 H. The newspapers will continue throughout the week and into next week.

Science - Life Cycle of a Salmon, Field Trip to the Locks on Tuesday.

Have a Great Week!!!

Happy New School Year 09-10

YES WE CAN

Dear New 4th Grade Families;

As your children’s new teacher I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share with you some of the things that you can look forward to seeing from 4th grade this year. With that said, WELCOME! I am venturing into my 7th year of teaching. This will be my 2nd year at St. Al’s, and one that I am very excited about for a multitude of reasons.

Our motto for this year is going to be, YES WE CAN. Fourth grade will be known as Angelville. Angelville is a community environment where all contribute to the good of the classroom community, sharing in different roles that will be chosen by each student. Community roles will change throughout the year, giving each student the opportunity to try on a new hat, if you will.

I will continue to use the Angelville blogspot that I set up last year. The website was an easy way to share homework assignments and newsletters with the parents. It also saves on paper and waste. I will also highlight student work, post pictures and class trips that we will take throughout the year on this site.

The 4th grade will play a major role in our sustainable schools program this year, becoming role models for the other students as to what we will recycle, compost, and throw away. I am also hoping to start a 4th grade newspaper that will be created by your lovely children. We will post our newspaper on the website as well. If you would like to view some of the things that were posted last year you can go to www.angelville4.blogspot.com.

In Angelville your children will learn about banking, saving, spending, and recording all money coming in and out of their (pretend) accounts. At the end of a 2 week period the students can use the money they have earned to bid on things in our auction, (I can always use things to auction off, and all or any donations would be greatly appreciated). I am working on this program through a Financial Literacy project called Internal Training Services, LLC.

Each Monday a newsletter will be posted on the website. It will be called the Bon Dia. Bon Dia means ‘good-day.’ The Bon Dia will highlight what we have done in school, what you can look forward to in both curricular, as well as weekly reminders, updates, and important events. If you would like a hard copy of the Bon Dia, please let me know during the Open House night.

Homework packets will go home each Monday and returned each Friday morning. Your child will be given a daily planner. Everything your child does in any given day will be recorded in their planner. Occasionally it may take some students longer to get started on a task and he/she may fall behind in their work in the classroom. This work will come home that day to be completed.

If they return the next day without their work completed they will stay in for break to complete their work. At the end of each school day I will check and sign your child’s planner. You need to check and sing your child’s planner each night. Make sure the work is completed, check to see what your child did that day, and sign. The planner helps students develop study skills by staying organized and responsible for their work. This is also a great way for you and me to communicate. I will also use the planner to communicate with you.

I ask that your child bring the first week of school the book, Lewis and Clark, by George Sullivan. It is a scholastic book about 122 pages long and under $5. I would check your local library first. We will be reading this book as a class since in fourth grade we study Washington State history in Social studies. I also ask that you send with your child the first day of school, September 8th, a picture of your child, along with a picture of their hero, someone your child has looked up to over the years. I do not mean a celebrity, more or less a family member, a close friend, or someone who has made a difference in their life. You will not get these pictures back.

Attached is a survey I ask that you fill out and send with your child at the beginning of the year. This gives me insight into your child and how he/she learns best. I am committed to honoring the uniqueness of each of my students. Research shows that students benefit best when their families are mutually committed and supportive to their education.

I look forward to meeting all of you.

Enjoy the last few days of summer,



Miz Stephanie Schmutz