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Sunday, September 29, 2019

Week 9

Hello families!

We've made it to the last week of the quarter! It has been a privilege to teach each of your children over the past 9 weeks and watch them grow. I cannot believe we are one quarter of the way through the school year!

This weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Great Hearts Gala! Our own class mom, Priyanka Miller, and her husband Darin, were the 2019 Gala Chairs and they put on a wonderful event! Arete was well represented, and lots of money was raised for the Teacher Excellence Fund.

What's going on in 4A:

  • It was wonderful to have so many grandparents in our class for Grandparents Day last Friday! The kids were so excited to show off their class to their grandparents, and to show their grandparents off to the class! Thank you to those of you who volunteered to help make this event a success! 
  • As we reach the end of the quarter, we will be celebrating with a party Friday afternoon. You can sign up to volunteer at the party or send in supplies here.  
Lessons:

Spalding: We will learn 10 new words on Monday, set up page 6 in our notebook on Tuesday and Wednesday, review our 10 words Thursday, and end with a test on Friday. 

Roots: This week students will have a comprehensive quiz over all 25 roots learned so far this year.  

Writing: We will start the week by taking notes on persuasive writing. Students will practice writing with some creative writing prompts. 

Math: This week students will learn about multiplying by 10s and 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication. We will test over this information on Friday. 

History: Students will have an end of unit test over the medieval ages on Tuesday. 

Science: Students will learn about plant life by learning the major parts of a plant, how plants make their own food, and we will discover whether or not celery is vascular. There will be a quiz on Thursday. 

Literature: We will finish reading The Princess and the Goblin this week! 

Important Dates: 
Tuesday: History Test
Wednesday: Roots Quiz
Thursday: Science Quiz
Friday: Spalding Test, Math Test

Europe Research Project

Hello Families!

By now you've had a week or so to begin working on the Europe research project! This is one of the most fun and most difficult tasks your child will be expected to complete this year. It is so much fun because students get to learn about other countries and cultures- some that even have personal relevance. It is so difficult because the work is spread over many weeks and takes a great deal of personal responsibility. Even so, most students do very well, and it is very exciting to see them present in class.

Here are some examples of past Europe project tri-fold poster boards from last year. Your child's poster doesn't need to look just like these, but I wanted to give you an example of what some good ones have looked like.


Personally, I prefer the Czech Republic board because it doesn't look quite as cluttered. Larger images are better so students will be able to see from their seats during the presentation.  However, both of these received top grades. 

Below are some explanations about what the project should include. 

Three-Paragraph Essay: The three paragraph essay is due on Tuesday of week five (November 12). The essay should be three paragraphs long and should be on the topics your child researched. It isn't meant to be exhaustive. It should just be about what your child found important or interesting. This should not be glued to the poster or read aloud by your child during the presentation. This essay should be typed. 

Reflection Essay: This one-paragraph essay should be about your child's experience with the project. It is due on Tuesday, November 12. He or she should write about what they liked, didn't like, would do again, wouldn't do again, expected, or didn't expect. The real purpose of this short essay is to help them think about the process of the project itself so they are better prepared for future projects. This essay should be typed. 

Project Research Packet: The project research packet is due on Tuesday, November 12. This is the packet your child should have mostly filled out with the information they have found in books or on the web. Not every blank needs to be completed, but it should be mostly completed. It should also be legible. 

Tri-fold Poster- Students should bring their poster to school on the day of their presentation. The schedule will be emailed out the week before. 

Visual (Architecture, Dress, or Food): Students should bring their visual aid on the day their presentation is due. If it is food, please provide a complete list of every ingredient and the appropriate dishware. 

Presentation: In the past, most students have done well on the essays and poster boards. Where may students fail to perform well is on the presentation. Students should not read their essay or be turned around looking at the board the whole time. The students are expected to give a speech, mostly from memory, for 3-5 minutes. This should be something they practiced a few times before they come to class. I recommend index cards to give them hints or for specific information that would be hard to memorize (the population, names of different people groups or major religions, etc)

Disclaimer: One important thing I want to discuss is the role the parent must play in this project. Parents will need to help students locate resources, provides students with the appropriate materials, and provide additional help if the child is cooking something for the class. However, beyond that, your involvement is at your discretion. Every year, there are students who come in with masterpiece architectural models of castles or lighthouses that parents have helped create. Some of the projects, food, architecture, or boards are really impressive. At the same time, many students come in with work almost completely done by the student themselves. Usually, the work is done by the student alone is not as impressive as the work completed with the support of an adult. However, they both receive the same grade. As your child begins work on this project, I want to empower you to do as much or as little as you find best. You may see this as an opportunity for quality time to work with your child, or as an opportunity for your child to develop responsibility and for your child to be proud of the work they've done on their own. Ultimately, your child should be able to do this independently. Thus, the effort you put into this project is up to you. 

Lastly, I'd like to go over the suggested timeline. These are not due dates, rather a guide to help students plan and pace themselves with the work to be done. Please note that this project is not due until the week of November 12. Each student will be assigned a specific day to present, which will be emailed to families the week before. Parents are welcome in our class during presentations. If  you would like to request a specific day, email me and I will do my best to accommodate you.  

Select European Country
Q1W6
European Project Packet Handed Out
Q1W6
Gather Resources 
     (books and internet
Q1W6-7
Have All Project Presentation Supplies 
     (tri fold poster board and other items of desired
Q1W8
Research Guide Completed
Q2W1
Architecture Project Started 
     (if building something)
Q2W2
Start Assembling Clothing Items
     (if wearing something)
Q2W2
Recipe for What Will Be Served
     (if serving a food item)

Tri Fold Completed
Q2W3
3 Paragraph Essay Written
Q2W3
Speech Written and Practiced
Q2W4
Reflective Paragraph Written
Q2W4
Architecture Project Completed 
     (if building something)
Q2W4
Finish Assembling Clothing Items
     (if wearing something)
Q2W4
Food Items Purchased 
     (if cooking something)
Q2W4
Project Presentation Week November 12-15
Q2W5
Europe Project Research Guide Due
3 Paragraph Essay Due
Reflective Paragraph Due
Q2W5 
(November 12)
Tri Fold Due
Food, Clothing, or Architecture 
Q2W5
(Day of Presentation)
Cook or Bake (if cooking or baking)
Q2W5

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Week 8

Hello Families!

Oh my goodness- I can't believe we are down to our last 2 weeks of the quarter! This year is already flying by!

This past week has been a busy in my house. Last Sunday we put in an offer on a new home, and on Monday our offer was accepted! This week has been full of cleaning and de-cluttering as we prepared for an open house this Sunday. It is very exciting and exhausting- all at the same time.

This weekend has been full of cleaning, packing, and organizing, but we've managed to squeeze some fun in too. Saturday I got to watch the new Downton Abbey and go to high tea at the Phoenician with some friends. We had a wonderful time and felt very British. :) Saturday night my husband and daughter attended the Daddy Daughter Dance! They had such a fun time, and I got to enjoy some rare one-on-one time with my son!

I had to be out of the classroom Thursday morning for about 2 hours. I was very proud to get a good report from Mrs. Baugh of the students behavior. It can be hard to make good choices when the lead teacher is out of the room, and I am proud of the class for showing good citizenship, respect, and integrity.

What's happening in 4A:


  • Archway Classical Academy Arete is proud to announce our fourth annual Grandparents Day event. (Click here for more information.) Please  RSVP here by September 13th. If you would like to submit a photo for our Grandparents Day slideshow, email a picture of you and your grandchild/ren to Jessica Vaughan, Academy Giving Manager. We look forward to having you join us for this year's celebration!
  • We are fully stocked up with tissues (for the time being!), but we are nearly out of hand sanitizer. If you are able to send some in for our class we would greatly appreciate it! 
  • I hope the Europe Project has started well for each family and you are having fun with it! In the next week I will post a detailed description of what is expected. As always, don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Lessons:

Spalding: On Monday we will learn 10 words: arrange, ankle, appears, bracelet, brace, breathe, breath, calm, circus, consented. Tuesday & Wednesday we will set up rule page 5 in our Spalding notebooks. Thursday we will review the 10 words, and test on Friday.

Roots: Students will learn their 24th & 25th roots this week! We will have a cumulative review check over the first 23 roots this week in preparation for the cumulative quiz over the first 25 roots we will have next week, in the last week of the quarter! 

Grammar: We have been learning about pronouns and prepositions. We will start this week by learning about singular vs plural possessive nouns and work on an in class review. We will have a test on Pronouns and Prepositions with classification and diagramming on Tuesday. 

Math: This week we will focus on multiplication and division, as well as problem solving. We should have a test over the material on Friday. 

Science: Last week we began a new unit on Life Science. On Monday we will begin learning about the system for classifying organisms, binomial nomenclature, and why scientist classify. Students will create a classification fold-able for their notebooks that details taxonomy. 

History: This week students get to learn about knights, castles, and serfs! On Friday students will have the chance to make their own shields. Each student will get to represent what is important to them and their family on their shield.

Literature: 
We will continue reading The Princess and the Goblin.


Thursday, September 19, 2019

FAQ

Hello Families!

As promised on Curriculum Night, I have compiled the most frequently asked questions. I will list them below with answers. As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.


Do they have to type their papers in writing?
Students will be typing most of their essays, as time allows.

Do you want them to show their work in math? 
Yes, students should show their work as much as possible. This helps me to check comprehension and help see where students are going wrong.

Can you offer a Grammar cheat sheet for parents?
I do have a grammar reference sheet. If you would like a copy sent home for your use, Let me know and I will send a copy home.

Is there a difference in terms of a quiz vs a test in terms of studying and grading, or are they weighted the same?
Tests are 30% of the grade, quizzes are 10%. Quizzes are typically shorter, and are roughly worth anywhere from 5-20 points.

How are the countries selected for the research project? 
I had students rank their top 3 choices and tell me why they wanted those countries. With 30 students, there are several repetitive requests, so naturally not every student will get one of their top 3 choices. However, I did try to grant as many as possible.

Are book donations sent in with students?
Yes! Students can bring in any donations- books, tissues, hand sanitizer, etc- at any time

Is morning work given before school counted as a grade?
It varies. Some mornings students will get a participation grade for completing morning work, some days it is something graded for accuracy, and some days students answer a journal prompt in a journal.

How are you using Khan? Are you still giving direct instruction? Is Khan everyday?
We use Khan Academy as a class one day a week, either on Wednesday or Thursday. Khan Academy takes the place of math groups in 4th grade. Students who receive math intervention during French will also be using Khan Academy during that time. The rest of the time math is direct instruction from me.

Are agenda’s supposed to be signed? Are they checked?
I do not sign and check the planners 0f the entire class. I lead the class in filling out their planners and try to make sure they have the materials on their desk they need to take home before the students pack up. If your student is consistently missing information in their planner, let me know and I am happy to check their planner before they pack up.

Do you have resources to help parents with bar models?
If you visit Mr. Naaktgeboren's blog, under his "resources" tab, you will find resources to help guide you through bar models. If you are still confused or struggling, and would like to discuss with me, e-mail me to let me know.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Week 7

Hello Families!

Thank you to each family that sent in tissues with their children! I am so grateful for your support-I couldn't do it without you.

What's happening in 4A:


  • Reminder: There is NO SCHOOL Monday, September 16. 
  • We are focusing on citizenship as our virtue of the month. We discussed in class ways to be good citizens at home and school. I encourage you to continue this conversation with your child at home.
  • Archway Arete invites you to the first 4th Grade Coffee Shop Conversation of the year on Tuesday, October 1st from 8:00 am- 9:00 am. Come meet other 4th grade parents over coffee and snacks. You will hear from our headmaster, Neil Gillingham, and the 4th grade lead teacher, Mr. Naaktgeboren. You can sign up here
  • The Daddy Daughter Dance is Saturday, September 21st, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm in the gymnasium.  This year's theme is Father/Daughter Fiesta!  Please plan on joining the PSO for DJ entertainment and dancing, a taco bar from Rancho de Tia Rosa, kiddie train rides, a balloon artist, a craft, photo booths, and more.  Keep an eye out for a flyer coming home this week with ticket purchase information.
  • Students should bring home information about the Europe Project. Each student was assigned a country to research. These projects are due in Week 5 of Quarter 2. The packet given to your student has all the information needed to complete the project. Feel free to email me should you have any questions. 
Lessons

Spalding: We will learn 10 words on Tuesday, with a test over those words Friday. We will also set up page 4 of our notebook this week.

Roots: Students will have a roots check over the 3 words learned last week: pro, prae, & ad on Tuesday. We will learn 2 more words this week. There will be a cumulative roots check next week on the 22 roots we have learned so far this year.

Math: Students will have a cumulative test on Tuesday, review everything we have learned so far in math this year. We will start a new unit focusing more on word problems and mental math.

Poetry: Students did a wonderful job reciting "Afternoon on a Hill" last week! We will begin memorizing "Dreams" by Langston Hughes this week.

History: We be learning about the feudal society and what life was like in a castle.

Science: We will begin a new unit on Life Science this by discussing the six characteristics of living things and talking about the things all living things need.

Literature: We will continue to read The Princess and the Goblin. Students will continue writing a 3-5 sentence summary after each chapter.

Important Dates
Monday: NO SCHOOL
Tuesday:  Math Test
Friday: Spalding Test   

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Week 6

What's Happening in 4A
  • On Wednesday, September 11th from 6:00-7:00 pm, K-5 parents are invited to a Curriculum Q&A Workshop in their children's classrooms. This will be an informal opportunity for teachers to answer your real-time questions regarding homework, curriculum, classroom routines, and more. Come and go as you are able, there is no formal agenda for this event. (Please note, teachers will be speaking to classroom specifics. To view our school-wide policies, please visit our Family Handbook.) To allow for efficient flow of conversation, we kindly recognize this as a parent-only event.
  • Archway Classical Academy Arete is proud to announce our fourth annual Grandparents Day event. (Click here for more information.) Please  RSVP here by September 13th. If you would like to submit a photo for our Grandparents Day slideshow, email a picture of you and your grandchild/ren to Jessica Vaughan, Academy Giving Manager at jvaughan@archwayarete.org. We look forward to having you join us for this year's celebration! 
  • Our classroom is out of tissues! During this very germ-y time of year, students are going through a lot of tissues throughout the day. If you are able to donate any tissues to our classroom, we would be very grateful! You can send them in with your child on Monday! 
  • Our August Virtue Award goes to June Heacock for demonstrating the virtue of responsibility! "June has been a wonder example of responsibility in our classroom this year. She is the Ambassador for our classroom and has, without fail, greeted each adult that has entered our classroom with a handshake, welcomed them into our room, and let them know what we are doing. She has not had to be reminded to carry out her job. She is a wonderful example to our peers!"

Lessons

Spalding: Students will lean 10 new words on Monday. On Tuesday and Wednesday we will set up page 3 of our Spalding Notebooks. On Thursday we will review the 10 words from Monday, and on Friday we will test.

Roots: .We will have a roots check on Monday over the 4 words we learned last week: video/visum, logos, verbum, and nomen/nominis. I have added these to the blog for your reference. We will learn 3 new words this week.

Math: Students will have a test Monday over the Order of Operations. Then we will move into learning about negative numbers! Please make sure your child is practicing math flashcards (multiplication and division) nightly if they struggle with their math facts. Math fluency is crucial to understanding the new concepts we are learning this year.

Poetry: Students will be doing their oral recitations of "Afternoon on a Hill" by Edna St. Vincent Millay this week.. We will read and discuss "The Drum" by Nikki Giovanni.

History: On Tuesday we will play a game to review the map of Europe as a class and fill out the study guide. Wednesday we will test over The Byzantine Empire. On Friday we will learn about Charlemagne and begin talking about a Feudal Society.

Science: We will be learning about electromagnetism next week! We will finish filling in our study guide together, and there will be a test over our electricity unit on Thursday.

Literature: We will continue reading through Princess and the Goblin. We will also be learning about direct and indirect characterization.

Important Dates
Monday: Math Test
Tuesday: Science quiz 
Wednesday: History Test
Thursday: Science Test  

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Week 5

Hello Families!

Wow! I cannot believe we are starting week five and halfway through the first quarter! This school year is already flying by! I hope you are all enjoying the long R&R weekend.

We celebrated my son's 8th birthday party on Saturday morning at Uptown Jungle. He had so much fun, and has spent the rest of the weekend deep in Lego builds.



What's happening in 4A:

  • No school on Monday! I look forward to seeing all your kiddos on Tuesday! 
  • This week your students will be receiving a missing work report. This is work that should have been completed and turned in and was not, either because of an absence or because they simply forgot. Do not feel frightened or overwhelmed if the list is long! The first quarter of Fourth Grade is a lesson in responsibility as students gain more independence. I have told and will continue to tell students it is their responsibility to turn in their work, and we will not chase it down. It is a skill they are learning. For their missing work, students should check their folders, backpack, and homes to see if the work can be located. If it cannot, students may request a second copy from myself or Mrs. Baugh. We will do this again just before the end of the first quarter to make sure students have every opportunity to get their work turned in. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 
  • Thank you to all who attended curriculum night last week! I had a wonderful time seeing each of you and sharing about our curriculum. If you could not attend, your student should have brought home the packet of information to you. If you would like another copy, or if you never received one, let me know and I can send another home to you. 

Lessons

Spalding: Students will learn 20 new words this week to be tested on Friday.

Roots: Roots check over the last three roots Tuesday. Students will learn 3 new roots: video/visum, logos, & verbum.

Writing: We will continue discussing the 6 traits of writing.

Math: We will begin learning about the Order of Operations and Word Problems. I am hoping to test over this information on Friday. Students should be practicing their math facts using flashcards for at least 5 minutes each night as part of their homework. Math fluency is crucial, and as we continue on in math, students who are not comfortable with their math facts will begin to struggle. Please make this a priority if your child needs the practice.

Poetry: Students should continue to practice "Afternoon on a Hill".

History: We will begin a new unit on the Byzantine Empire.This week we will learn about Justinian, The Empress Theodora, and the Hagia Sophia.

Science: This week we will continue in our unit on electricity, learning about electrical currents, and series & parallel circuits. There will be a science quiz on Thursday.

Literature: We will continue to read the Princess and the Goblin. Students should continue to write a 3-5 sentence summary at the completion of each chapter.

Important Dates
Monday: NO SCHOOL
Thursday: Science quiz
Friday: Spalding Test. Math Test

Quarter 4, At-Home Learning Week 6

Hello Families!  I hope this week of online learning has gone well for you and your child! I feel like in our house, we are finally sta...