News and Greetings from Room 24! - November 20, 2009

Here is a brief summary of what's going on !

In reading workshop we continue to meet in our guided reading groups with a concentration on focus areas of instruction specific to the students in each group. In Turn and Talk we have finished "How Many Days to America, a Thanksgiving Story" and "The Wall" both timely stories. Ask your child to share their thoughts about these books with you. The children are comfortable with the term "listen to your inner voice" as it relates to their deep thinking about their books. Your child should be ready to respond if you ask what their inner voice is saying while they read. We have focused this week on "monitoring our comprehension" and reasons that "meaning breaks down" as well as strategies readers use, "fix-up strategies" to get our comprehension back on track. Hopefully you have seen the reading at home reading/thinking sheets (green) that your child is now using daily to record their deep thinking about their books. 

In writing, most children are nearing the completion of first drafts of their poems called "Sick". This has been an ambitious undertaking, with funny, creative and impressive results. Hopefully you will have a chance to read these poems when you come in for your upcoming conference. As revising and editing continue to be an ongoing challenge and focus for most fourth graders, the children are working hard to develop routine and consistent revising and editing habits.

In math we are well into multiplication and division. Instant fact recall is still developing for most students and home practice with flash cards or fact triangles is encouraged. We are working on multiplication and division number stories, and determining what to do with remainders i.e. round up answers, express as fractions, ignore. Within the math workshop there is differentiation of instruction dependent on skill level.

We are finishing up our studies of "Connecticut" and beginning Geography. We are learning about the "5 Themes of Geography" .

Reminder: Cornerstone Clothing Drive - send in clean cold weather clothing, accessories, sleeping bags and blankets in good condition, of course. If you can help deliver donated items to the Cornerstone in Rockville, call Mrs. Susan Katz for more info.

Early dismissal on Wed. Nov. 25.

Tues. Dec. 15 - Holiday Concert - at TEMS

IMPORTANT - Well it's all important, but.....

* If it becomes necessary to delay the opening of school, kindergarten sessions and morning pre-school sessions will be automatically canceled.

* If it becomes necessary to dismiss school early, afternoon kindergarten will automatically be canceled. Early dismissal will follow the abbreviated day systemwide schedule, which is delineated on the back of the school calendar.

* If it becomes necessary to delay the opening of school on an elementary conference day, the regular day dismissal times will be followed and conferences will be rescheduled.

* If it becomes necessary to dismiss schools early on an elementary conference day, conferences will be rescheduled. 

In anticipation of our annual clothing drive, you may want to start setting aside any cold weather clothing and accessories, blankets and sleeping bags. More info. soon.

Mrs. Maxa