Dec. 4 - Holiday Fair at SRS. Our class will be visiting the fair from 12:15 - 1:00. Feel free to join your child during that time slot if you wish to shop together or have a chowder lunch together in the cafeteria. Otherwise, your child may need a few dollars to spend on inexpensive gifts for family members, a treat, a holiday face painting, or a game. Our class is hosting the little ones from Cocoons in the morning for a brief story time and to help them shop at the fair as well. This is one of our "Gifts of Giving" during the holiday season.

Dec. 10 - 1/2 day for students

Dec. 11 - Old York field trip - please keep colonial outfits simple and easy - no need to go overboard here. Don't forget regular coats as well!

Dec. 12 - No school for students

Dec. 23 - Last school day before the Holiday vacation! Please let me know if you are planning to take off early for vacation as we have several things due that week in class. Also, we will plan a simple class party for this last day . More details to  come....

THANKS so much for all of your donations of time and items for our raffle box for the fair - see you there on Thursday!

 Our Holiday Fair is fast approaching - the week after Thanksgiving! Please consider donating time on either the Raffle Table or Gift-wrapping Table. Also we need many more donations of items for our Raffle Box. The theme for the box is "Happy Birthday" and items such as party games, favors, paper goods, etc. would be appreciated.

This week I sent home information concerning our field trip to Old York on Dec. 11. I hope you received that from your child. I would like to have the permission slips returned by next Friday, if possible. Thank you.

Have a wonderful week-end... 

• All Native American posters are due by Wednesday, at the latest!

• Today, we enjoyed a simulation "Pilgrims and Indians at Cushnoc" brought to us from Old Fort Western. Students learned to trade and barter to meet each other's needs in Maine in 1634. Please ask your child about their participation in this experience: Gordon was a terrific Indian chief, and Mimi played the pilgrim trading post owner quite well!

• Our conferences begin next Monday and continue during the following days. I am looking forward to sharing insights and observations with you about your child's progress.
  

• Holiday Fair is fast approaching! Please return the sign-up sheet soon - we need MANY volunteers this year to make this happen!
  

Please let me know if you would like to be a guest reader on most any Friday morning or afternoon. The schedule for the year is wide open after October. Thanks!  Also, if there is any interest in volunteering in our classroom to assist with preparing materials, helping individual students, or calling to remind guest readers, please let me know. Have a great day!

Students are beginning a new book in literacy class - most are reading Something Upstairs by Avi. A small group of 5th graders who read this book previously are reading The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, also by Avi. During the next 6 weeks, we will prepare for literature circles by completing role sheets for six different lit. circle roles and sharing them in small discussion groups.

Word Study continues with weekly focus words and lessons. Tests are every Friday. Students should review and practice their focus words on Thursday night. Also, students must study and prepare for Friday Scholastic News quizzes as well. Informational reading is an important skill that we cover in class and students should use the review questions and focus on highlighted key points in their SN to prepare for the quiz.

This month, Writers Workshop will focus on developing informational summary paragraphs for our Native American projects. A minimum of three paragraphs - thorough, thoughtful, and in finished final form will be due each of the next three weeks. We will work on these each day in class, but some students may need additional time at home to meet this requirement.

We are continuing our study of energy in science class. Be sure to ask your child about our boat launching in the science lab!  They should be able to explain how energy was transferred to make their boat work! 

In math class, we have completed two units in Everyday Math. Many of the 4th graders still do not know +/- facts, unfortunately. This has been problematic as they have been working with 4-digit subtraction problems, using "trades-first" (borrowing, as we knew it) or "partial differences" methods taught in class.  Please set aside practice time for memorizing these facts each night as successful subtraction skills is a secure skill at grade 4. Nightly practice must continue in unit 3 with multiplication facts through 10's. There will be many practice opportunities in class but nightly flash cards, or writing difficult facts numerous times, or reciting them orally to you will benefit the memorization process. There will be many X facts quizzes in the coming weeks, with 100% of the math class knowing 50 facts in three minutes the goal by Feb. vacation.  Please help your child master these multiplication facts - they are so proud when they finally have them down cold!

Thank you for supporting your child with the research for the Native American project. I am impressed with how much the kids are learning as they complete the initial research phase.

Enjoy the upcoming long week-end with your family!  Go Sox!

We are up and running and settling into our regular routine. Our first class novel, Night of the Twisters has begun. Students are busy developing vocabulary strategies for many new words, working on increasing depth of comprehension, especially understanding cause and effect. Writing techniques, such as foreshadowing to create suspense, using similes and metaphors to develop a story, and character development are also being analyzed and discussed in class. In addition, students are completing self-selected biographies and have begun word study lessons based on the six syllable types.

In Writers' Workshop, we have been focusing on elements of the Step-Up to writing program, including development of a power plan and adding WOW words and strong phrases to expand basic sentences.

In science, our class continues to learn about types of energy and how energy is transferred to create power. In Social Studies, we are studying explorers and pirates of the 1450-1600 time period. We will be making treasure maps in class this week to practice our geography and map skills. In October, we will move in to an in-depth look at the Native Americans in American History, culminating with a Pow-Wow and sharing of projects on Nov. 7. Mark your calendars to drop in to SRS on that day! More about that next month...

Our librarian is always looking for volunteers, if you would like to get involved with our school community more deeply. Call Terri Bauld at 985-1105 to let her know you are interested.

Open House for parents is Monday, Sept. 15th at 7:30. See you then!