Healthy Food Challenge

I have challenged our class to try new fruits and vegetables for the next two weeks. Each student received a handout for tracking the items they try as well as ranking them on taste. Our class is training along with Petyon Manning in his "Project 18" health plan to become healthier, happier people. This is NOT a required activity, as it might produce a larger grocery bill for parents, but it WILL BE for extra credit should your child choose to partcipate. The challenge sheet is due by Friday, February 5.

Supplies . . . WE NEED 'EM!

We are completely out of glue sticks and scissors. If you see a great buy, please pick up one of these items if you can. Our class would greatly appreciate the donations!

Assignment Notebooks

We still have 15 minutes right after recess each day to discuss assignments for the following day and for the week. However, I am no longer signing notebooks unless an issue of missing or late work takes place. Signing the notebooks is now done by each student in the class on a rotational basis. Should this need to be reassessed at the end of the third nine weeks, I will do so then.

Contracts

The new reading contract will continue to be due each Monday or the first day of the school week. Each student determines his or her own grade by choosing the number of minutes read each week. An A grade is reading 120 minutes or 2 hours each week. There is NO letter to write as in previous contracts.

Math contracts will continue eventually. I'm still working on a plan to make the math practice time most meaningful for everyone. More information soon . . .

Math Fact Timed Tests

We will have timed tests for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division once a month. We are working toward 100% of our class in the 100% Club for fourth grade math facts! The test dates are as follows:
February 16
March 15
April 15
May 17
Beginning in February, each student will receive a grade/percentage for each timed test. This is new since it's a MUST that we KNOW the facts before entering 5th grade!

New Reading Contracts (And math info)

Each student will read for 120 minutes or 2 hours each week. The reading log is due in full by the Monday morning of each week. The students are no longer writing a letter about their reading, but will take a Reading Counts quiz online here at school once per month for an additional reading grade.

We DO NOT have a math contract this week. That will be coming soon . . .

Brown Bonanza--NEED DONATIONS & VOLUNTEERS

It's almost time for our annual Brown Bonanza Family Fun Night! It will take place February 12, 2010. The goal is to provide an atmosphere of fun for the whole family, and an opportunity for parents to come with their children to meet their friends, teachers, other parents and have a great time together. We will have a carnival-like atmosphere with food, a game room, face painting, bouncy houses, and a silent auction. As in years past, each grade level has a themed basket which is auctioned to the highest bidder.

We need your help with the basket! Fourth grade's themed basket is "Funshine". If you're willing to donate something to the basket, here are some ideas:

4TH GRADE "FUNSHINE" BASKET
The "Funshine" Basket will have everything you need for your spring break or summer getaway!
§ Beach bag
§ Beach towels
§ Sunglasses
§ Sunscreen
§ Frisbees
§ Beach Ball/beach toys
§ Flip-flops
§ Rafts/inflatable blow up toys
§ shovels/sand buckets
§ Tickets to amusement parks/museums

Students can bring in donations by FEBRUARY 1ST.

This Week's Expectations:

We WILL NOT have a math or reading contract this week. Mrs. Hill is working on a new way to complete the practices and will let everyone know when the contracts will begin again!

We WILL NOT have spelling again this week, but we WILL be discussing more grammar terms and memorizing them, too. We will have a quiz over the new terms some time next week.

We began LIT GROUPS today using four different novels chosen by the kids. Each student has an assigned reading that is due on Wednesday of this week (from 2 to 10 chapters, depending on the book). Each student also has a Lit job to complete by Wednesday, as well.