Please make sure to sign and return the bottom portion of your child's grade card if you haven't already. Some students had lower grades for math because they did not pass their multiplication tables through the 9's. We will continue to take two multiplication timed tests a week for the remainder of the year. Fourth grade begins the year with multiplication, memorizing the facts now will be very beneficial in the future.

MAP preparation has started. It is very important for your child to be at school each day to help make sure they receive all of the information and practice. Camp MAP on Tuesday and Thursday evening will continue through April 18th.

Don't forget there is no school next Friday, March 29 and Monday.

In order to practice letter writing for the MAP test, we wrote a friendly letter to a musher (a person guiding the dog sled) during the Iditarod. We would like to send these letters next week. Please send a stamp or 50 cents to school by Tuesday of next week tohelp pay for the cost to send the letters. I appreciate your help!

We will be learning continue learning about numbers and shapes in a pattern next week during math and reviewing all concepts throughout the year for MAP testing during Camp MAP.

Reading minutes increase to 90 minutes per week for fourth quarter. Please make it a priority for your child to read 12-15 minutes each night in order to read the required number of minutes. It is very important to discuss with your child about the book they read- characters, setting (where and when the  story takes place), the problem and solution, etc.
 
McTeacher Night is next Tuesday, October 2nd at the Chestnut McDonald's. Please come out to support WOHE from the hours of 4-8pm.

Volunteer training is Monday, October 1st at 10:00 a.m. in the Commons at WOHE.  Our second session will be Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the WOHE media center.  These trainings are mandatory for people wanting to volunteer in the classrooms.

We are finishing our space unit. We will have a space test next Friday. A study guide will be coming home on Thursday or Friday.

Please make sure your child finds 5-10 minutes to practice reading each night. It is required for 60 reading minutes each week. We will be increasing these minutes throughout the year. Please write the minutes read each night in your child's agenda.

Information is coming home today about the WOHE 5k. It is scheduled for November 10th. Information also went home this week about a running club after school to practice for the 5k.
 
Next week we will begin a science unit about Space.

We are still working to build stamina for "Read to Self" and "Work on Writing". These are times during Daily 5 and our Communication block of time to become better readers and writers. It's also a great way for your student to practice at  home. Set aside a place to read or write that is quiet and free from distractions.

Please try to find at least 10 minutes each night for your child to read. Each week your child is required to read 60 minutes. While I do not take a grade on these minutes, it is to make your child a better reader. Without practicing at home, it's hard to reinforce the practice we do at school.

If you plan to order from the book order, please turn in your form and a check (no cash) by next Friday. If you plan to order online, visit www.scholastic.com/parentorders and our classroom code is GNFLV

We will be having our first classroom auction next Friday with our Schlager Bucks. If you have any small trinkets, toys or books you would like to donate for the auction, we would greatly appreciate it. If you are going by Walmart or the Dollar Store and would like to send in bubbles, sidewalk chalk, candy or little things like that we would also love those. Thank you in advance!


 
Order forms for school pictures were sent home last week. School pictures will be Wednesday, September 5th. If you would like to order your child's pictures, please send the order form and money back by Wednesday.

A September book order is coming home today. If you would like to order please send the order form and a check (no cash) by Friday, September 14th. You are also able to order online, www.scholastic.com/parentordering and our classroom code is GNFLV. The book order is a great way to build a home library.

Please make sure your child is reading 60 minutes a week. I will check each Friday morning for the amount of reading minutes from the previous Friday evening. If your child reads as little as 10 minutes a night, you will be able to accomplish 60 minutes by the following Friday morning.

Next Friday we will have our first social studies test over the Communities unit. A study guide will be coming home on Wednesday to study. If your child studies with a parent and brings back their study guide on the day of the test signed, he/she will receive 5 extra bonus points towards the test.


 
We have made it through the first full week!

Next week we will continue learning about:

Math- Greater numbers, adding and subtracting numbers

Social Studies- Communities; urban, suburban, rural and places to live, work and play

Reading- Continue practicing the routines for Daily 5 "Read to Self" and finish DRA reading assessments

Writing- ideas to help start a good story


Today we took our first spelling test, please make sure to practice these words at home. We also have dictation sentences during each test. It's a great idea to practice reading a sentence to your child so he/she can try writing the sentence correctly. Dictation sentences are graded on capitalization where appropriate, punctuation and correctly spelled spelling words.

Reading minutes will begin tonight. By next Friday morning, your child should read 60 minutes. The time read can be documented in their daily agenda folder. PLEASE take at least 10 minutes each night to read with your child or find a quiet place for them to read. This will be very beneficial for your child. Reading minutes will increase throughout the school year.

Your child is welcome to bring a healthy snack each day, but it is limited to only healthy snack choices and not a drink other then water. A water bottle is acceptable to bring each day as well. Healthy snack options are pretzels, crackers, fruits or veggies, string cheese, raisins, granola bars, popcorn (already popped) etc.