In school, 4th graders typically face new challenges and expectations. For example, 4th graders are expected to have made the shift from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." ~Mike Anderson (Educational Leadership: Vol. 68, issue 7)

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Letters to the President

During the month of January, both Dual Language groups learned about President Obama's desire to have students attend school longer hours. Students wrote expository letters to the president explain how they felt about more time in school, some agreed and some disagreed with the president's idea, and explained why they felt the way they did.

A member of the School District Cabinet found out about the project and the next thing you know, the district news reported asked for an interview. She came to our class and heard some of the students discussing the topic. She interviewed some students and wanted copies of their letters.

Now, the news article is on the home page of the WSD, but I have included a link in the right-hand column so you can read the article and take a look at some of the letters.

We will be sharing letters to the President at our Dual Language Night on Tuesday, March 16th. I hope you can be there to hear your children reading their letters.

Homework 3/8-3/12

Daybook
Monday: pp. 132-135
Tuesday: pp. 136-137
Wednesday: pp. 138-142
Thursday: 144-147

Jaguar Math-Number Corner Book
Monday: No homework
Tuesday: pp. 72-73
Wednesday:pp.74-75
Thursday: pp.76-77


Both books are due Friday.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Homework 3/1 - 3/5

There was no homework on Monday and Tuesday.

Wed. 3/3/10: Daybook pp. 124-127. Students are looking at the decisions characters to make as a way of understanding the characters more. The lesson for this section is looking at a characters "Point of View" or perspective. Students need to underline sentences that show Mamie's point of view and sentences that show Mama's point of view. In the response section, students are to make inferences about Mamie and Mama based on their perspectives.

Inference-a prediction, a conclusion, or an interpretation.

Thur. 3/4/10: Daybook pp. 128-131


I have told the students that we are now in the middle of the school year and I am expecting to see things in their work that we have been learning all year. At the beginning of the year I gave each student a Non-negotiable sheet for their homework folder. Students should be writing complete sentences, capitals at the beginning of every sentence, punctuation at the end of each sentence, and spelling the words listed correctly. They should not be using pronouns such as he, she, or they in their answers.

Students are required to write at least 3 response notes per page.

If there are pages not done in the homework I will assign it an incomplete, I will no longer give scores for work that is only part done.