Weekly Update, October 4th, 2015

Happy Sunday!  Thank you in advance for reading the lengthy email ahead :)

Pinebrook sent home interims on Friday, why didn’t my child get an interim?  As you know, LCPS rolled out a new grading system called Phoenix.  The county has been learning this system since August and the fourth grade team received its first training from the county on Friday.(The day interims were due!) I personally did not feel as though I could portray an accurate snapshot of your child’s progress without going back into the system and entering more data.  Students who currently have a 2 or below in any subject area will receive an interim tomorrow, please cut off the bottom portion of the interim, sign it, and have your child return it to me on Tuesday.  If your child does not receive an interim, he or she is meeting expectations and will not receive an interim.

Here's a brief overview of what went on last week and what's coming up.

Last week in...

Science: We wrapped up our resources unit and learned about Virginia’s native species and how trees provide us with so much more than wood!  Ask your child if he or she can name 5 ways trees help us!

Virginia Studies: Students showed me what they know about our regions, waterways, and bordering states last week and began our One to the World project.  Students are expected to create a commercial or poster “SELLING” the benefits of their region.  The challenge given to them was, “Create a poster or commercial to show/persuade kids how to be healthy in your region, be creative!”  We will finish this project this week.

Writing: Students finished/ are finishing up their fictional narrative about the journey how a raindrop makes its way through a watershed. Students also took their first Word Study Test, those will go home on Thursday!

Reading: Students were assigned reading partners this week and learned what it means to hold their reading partner accountable for their thinking!  Ask your child what kind of questions they ask their partner to explain their thinking.  (Why do you think that? What evidence do you have in your book that makes you say that? Can you explain your thinking more?)  Students are learning the importance of EXPLAINING their answers in reading. 

Next week in...

Science: The NATURAL RESOURCES TEST will be on Wednesday, October 7^th!  Please make sure you review all the notes in your child’s green, science notebook and review the study guide that went home last week!

Virginia Studies: We will begin learning about Virginia’s first, true citizens, the Native Americans!  Students will receive the next edition of their Virginia Studies Weekly, as a reminder, they need to complete the crossword, highlight where they found their answer within the newspaper, and complete any other assignment given in the newspaper.  They will have an open-note quiz on this newspaper on Friday, October 9th. Students will also become archaeologists on Thursday, I wonder what they’ll find!

Writing: Students will receive their new Word Study words tomorrow.  They will continue to learn how to write persuasively and include evidence in their writing. 

Reading: We will finish reading The Tiger Rising this week and students will start responding to their reading more intensely.   Also, new reading logs will go home tomorrow as well, please make sure your child is reading at least 20 minutes a night!

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or anything you think I need to know!