Friday, December 19

Ho, Ho, Ho!  Merry Christmas! 

What a wonderful day we had!  We began with a Silly Safari Show. It included Owls, snakes, and even reindeer! Then we worked with Dr. Pettet on setting new educational goals.  After that we had our Unwanted Christmas gift exchange - which was a hoot!! Click here to check us out opening our gifts.  Then we even worked in a Read-In in the hall. The sad part of our day was the end.  It will be hard not to hang out with our friends for two whole weeks. 

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and hope the underneath of your tree is filled with books, and maybe a pair of headphones too :)  Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 18

What a Very Merry Day!!

Hopefully you saw our Christmas Readers Theater Presentation.  If not, you can still catch it, and even share it with Friends and Family. Just click the following links:

TEAM 33: http://youtu.be/24MP1Pde1gA
TEAM Shoultz: http://youtu.be/M_NiygZym-s

In the afternoon we had a wonderful Holiday celebration provided once again by our AMAZING parents!  Thank you so much!!


Tomorrow is the last day before break and it will ZOOOOM right by.  There are several special programs planned for the students and don't forget our Unwanted Christmas Gift Exchange!  If you haven't already brought in your wrapped Unwanted Gift, please do so tomorrow.  Tomorrow you may also wear PJ's and bring some cozy supplies like pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals - no slippers please.

Tonight is also the Needham Winter Program.  I am sad that I will miss it - my son has a swim meet - but wish all our performers well!!

Wednesday, December 17

Tomorrow is the big day!  We have practiced and practiced, rehearsed and  rehearsed.  Now we would like for you to join us as we present:

A Live Christmas Readers Theater!

To see your performance, no matter where in the world you are you can just click on our Event Link to join us live. You can even clap for us right from your computer!  If the performance schedule does not work for you, don't worry...you can use the YouTube Link to watch the performance any time.  This is a great way to share the Holiday Spirit with family and friends all the way through break. They can even add their applause to our presentation as they watch.

OUR SCHEDULE:

TEAM33 - Thursday, December 18 8:00-9:00

• Live Event Link: https://plus.google.com/events/c0qb11lobs1va2il1b2bsielt5k
• YouTube Replay Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24MP1Pde1gA

TEAM Shoultz - Thursday, December 18 11:00 - 12:00

• Live Event Link: https://plus.google.com/events/c4762nm9vfa2nl58fq8lhcqbud4
• YouTube Replay Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24MP1Pde1gA

Additional Updates:

• Tomorrow afternoon will also be the TEAM33 Holiday party from 1:30-2:00. All parents are welcome.
• Friday will be a fun day with PJ's, Unwanted Gift Exchange, and Academy wide Read-In, and much more!  Be ready to celebrate the season! Students will be eating picnic style in the gym.  Many will be bringing their own sack lunch, but this is not required.
• The can food drive contest ended today, but we are still collecting cans through Friday.  

Friday, December 12

Today way TEAM33's Day! So proud of for their hard work on the Literacy NWEA! They definitely OWNED IT!!  One student even went up an amazing 33 points. Keep in mind, most students are expected to grow 7-8 points in a YEAR!  The majority of students have already passed their end of the year goal!!!  Way to go TEAM33.  Now I guess it is time to make new goals! :)


A few notes about next week...

• First, I will not be at school on Monday.  I have some personal business that I regrettably need to attend to.  The students are already aware and know what their tasks are for Monday.  Please take a moment to give them a pep talk Sunday night or Monday morning.  We do not have the best track record with guest teachers, but I am hoping we can change that. 
• I must admit to another mistake, and a big thanks goes to the parent who helped me realize it.  Our classroom party IS on THURSDAY the 18th.  (I put it as Thursday the 19th earlier.)
• Remember, we are now collecting for the Good Cheer Basket. Any can or boxed food donations are greatly appreciated. By donating you help local families in need for the holidays and you help our class win a Pizza Party!!
• Needham Winter Program is Thursday night at 6:30. The Needham 3rd graders and Mrs. Ludwig's Be' Boppin Bulldog Choir will preform along with a special presentation of several student writings. 

Tuesday, December 9

Time is flying by!  Only 8 more short days until break and still so much learning to fill in!  Today TEAM33 worked very hard during centers.  We were interpreting idioms, creating sentences, and summarizing text.  The time flew, but we all felt good about what we had accomplished.  Team Shoultz worked extra hard today on the Literacy NWEA assessment and their hard work definitely showed! All students went up and many have already accomplished their end of the year goal! Time to set new goals :) TEAM33 will have the chance to show of their hard work this Friday when they take the Literacy NWEA assessment.  We are so ready for this!


Remember, we are now collecting for the Good Cheer Basket.  Any can or boxed food donations are greatly appreciated. By donating you help local families in need for the holidays and you help our class win a Pizza Party!!


Team 33 shopped at Santa Shop today.  If your child was unable to shop today they can bring money in tomorrow and can visit the shop then.


Needham Winter Program is NEXT Thursday night at 6:30. (Sorry for any confusion I may have caused.)  The Needham 3rd graders and Mrs. Ludwig's Be' Boppin Bulldog Choir will preform along with a special presentation of several student writings.


Team 33 Winter Party will be on Thursday, December 19.   A huge Thank you goes to Linda Murillo for organizing the party, and all the parents who are volunteering their time and talents to this festive occasion. WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF REFRESHMENTS, GAMES AND TREAT BAGS>  If you are able to assist, please contact Linda at babygirl_monroe@yahoo.com The party will begin at 1:30. All parents and family members are welcome.

Friday, December 5

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. So we are making a list and checking it twice!

Our handmade Christmas tree is beautiful!

There are so many exciting things happening  this season and we don't want to miss any of them.  Here are a couple of items that you won’t want to miss out on!

NWEA: 

Team33 will test Friday the 12th for Literacy and Tuesday the 16th for Math.  

Team Shoultz will test the Tuesday the 9th for Literacy   and Monday the 15th for Math.  

Good Cheer Basket: We are now collecting food for our Good Cheer basket.  Any can donations are appreciated. Donations will be accepted through December 17.  The class with the most donations will get a Pizza Party. I do love pizza - just saying. 

Santa Shop: Team 33 will visit the Santa Shop on Tuesday after noon.  Envelopes for money and shopping list have already been sent home.  If you have misplaced yours, you can always just use a black envelope.  Please seal the money in a envelope before sending it to school to alleviate lost money.

Needham Winter Program: The Needham 3rd graders and Mrs. Ludwig's Be' Boppin Bulldog Choir will preform Thursday night at 6:30.  What a great way to experience some holiday cheer. 

Team 33 Winter Party:  Team 33 will be celebrating the season on Thursday, December 19.  A huge Thank you goes to Linda Murillo for organizing the party, and all the parents who are volunteering their time and talents to this festive occasion.  The party will begin at 1:30. All parents and family members are welcome.

Unwanted Christmas Gift Exchange:  This exchange is cherished TEAM33 tradition. You may have heard stories from past classes.  For any of you that are new to the program, here is how it goes….  Students find something at home that they DO NOT WANT anymore (one student’s trash is another student’s treasure). They ask their parents for permission to give it away. Then they wrap it and bring it to school.  We then play dirty Santa with the gifts.  The students love it!  The funnier the gifts the better, and I am always surprised how each year at least one child tells me how they got exactly what they wanted from the Unwanted Christmas Gift Exchange. We will have our exchange Friday during class time. 

Teacher/Classroom Gifts:  If you are planning on purchasing a gift for the teacher/classroom this year please...keep it small.  A great suggestion would be to give games.  Our indoor recess selection is slim, and we have many more indoor recess days ahead of us.  Board games, card games, etc.  New or used.  They would all be greatly appreciated by the students and teacher alike.

Christmas Break:  Christmas Break begins at the end of the day on Friday, December 19.  Please plan for a safe and happy holiday!  We will resume school on  Monday, January 5th.

Thursday, December 4

What a wonderful day we had!  To start our morning off in the right spirit we listened to some holiday music as we ate our breakfast. Then it was right to work!  We reviewed the 4 sentence types - which students seemed to do well with.  We collaborated on interpreting idioms - which is just a lot of fun. We even worked on preparing for the Unit 3 assessment. Students came ready to work hard and get an education.  I am sure our hard work will show tomorrow on the assessment!  The only learning object that we may not have spent enough time on was studying the spelling and meaning of the Word Parts Lesson 8-9.  Please review these at home tonight!

Wednesday, December 3

Today we focused on the four types of sentences.  Students took notes in their Literacy Notebooks and then tried making a few of their own.  Tonight's homework will give them a little more practice.  Students should also still be reading every night.  Only 12 more school days to meet our reading goal of 5 books in increasing lexile level.  Remember, at least 3 must be chapter books.

I know it has been said before, but I think it is worth saying again - TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT THEIR READING.

What book are they reading?  What Lexile level is it? When is their goal date for finishing and quizzing on the book? What is the book about? What is the setting of the book?  Who is in the book? Have they made any connections to the book? What do they think will happen next in the book?   Are they having trouble visualizing any parts of the book?

That's right...ask a lot of questions.  Then ask them all again tomorrow.  Let them know READING IS WORTH ASKING ABOUT!

Monday, December 1

WELCOME TO DECEMBER!!
It is so hard to believe how quickly the year is passing!  Just 3 more weeks until Christmas Break!  Wow!

With that said, we jumped right into our education today like there was no time to waste!  I was very proud of the number of students who came in ready to pass a lexile book today!  We also were passing Compass Learning activities right and left!  There is no better way to prepare for the NWEA coming up!  These are lessons focused on your student's individual needs.  Remember this program is available at home too.

With the little bit of time that was left we also got started on our Flash Card Foldable for Lesson 8-9 words.  This week is the spelling test.  Students should finish the foldable for homework as well as review last weeks Math test in their Feedback and Data Binder and fill out a reflection sheet.

Although today was filled with education, we did take some recess time to mourn the loss of our dear fish Nemo.  The students arranged a touching ceremony with several students taking a moment to say some loving kind words about our dear friend.  We will miss you Nemo.

Thursday, November 27

I am thankful. I am thankful for 4th grade students because they are our bright future! I am thankful for Team 33 and the smiles they bring me. I am thankful for Bulldog Academy and all my cohorts that help me keep my head above water. I am thankful for Needham for giving me a home away from home. I am thankful for my friends that feel more like family.  I am thankful for my family and the way they support me in everything I do.  I am thankful to God for all the blessings He has given me. I am thankful for all these things! Now what are you thankful for?

Please share with us what you are thankful for by visiting our I AM THANKFUL Kidblog Posts!

TEAM33 Thankful Post: http://kidblog.org/TEAM33-201415/dfb8af1c-bef4-47d1-9688-a7326ecac0f5/i-am-thankful/

TEAM Shoultz Thankful Post: http://kidblog.org/TEAMShoultz-201415/f24f8db5-584d-48bf-b998-9ee20171633c/i-am-thankful/

Most of all, have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Mrs. McCain
4th Grade Teacher
Needham Elementary

Friday, November 21

Dear Parents,

First of all I would like to apologize for the lack of communication this week.  I have had obligations after school everyday and was not able to get the daily update out.  I am truly sorry for any miscommunication this may have caused and will try to do better.  Hopefully you were able to get the essentials from our TEAM33 Website where homework and the weekly overview are always posted. 

During the week you should have received a white envelope with a short note informing you about our Thankful party coming up on Tuesday, November 25.  Thank you to all those who have already sent in a Thankful Letter for your child or snacks. Just in case you did not receive the note, I am reprinting it below.

Dear Parents,

It’s that thankful time of year again! We are going to be having a Thankful Party on Tuesday, November 25 at 1:30.

We would like to include a special note from YOU! Please take a moment to jot down WHY you are thankful for your child. This is FOR your child, and can be as brief or as detailed as you want it to be. We would like it to be a surprise, so you can either email it to your child’s teacher, or seal it in an envelope and send it back to school. Your student will receive this “surprise” from you on Tuesday, November 25, so please get it to us in a timely manner.

We are looking for snack donations as well...

• waffle ice cream cones                         • cheerios

• pretzels                                                 • m&ms

• fruit tray                                                • veggie tray

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

In addition to the Thankful Party we will be doing a few other special activities next week.  On Monday we will be having a READ-IN during Literacy Block. All students are welcome to bring pillows, stuffed animals, blankets, and even pajamas...what ever it takes to be a comfortable reader.

On Tuesday we will have an NWEA day during literacy Block.  All students will be working on Compass Learning to complete activities based on their individual needs.  With NWEA just a few weeks away, we feel like this will be a valuable and fun use of our educational time.

With all this extra stuff...there will not be a Literacy Assessment next week. Our Lesson 8-9 Word Packet will carry over to the following week.  

Over break there are several great educational activities your child could do to keep their education fresh.  Each day they should be reading from their Lexile book.  Studying the spelling of the Lesson 8-9 Word Packet will give them a boost when they return; and, Compass Learning is always a great tool for meeting your child's individual educational needs.

Monday, November 11

I LOVE SNOW!!  What an exciting November day!!

Today we were not able to go outside to play in the snow, so we brought the snow into us.  Ask your student to show you how.  Also ask them to show you this week's Literacy Link and Feedback and Data Binder!

Friday, November 11

Photo by Michael R

Big thank you goes to all the students for their hard work and respect toward the guest teacher.  Mrs. K was thoroughly impressed today! I was also thoroughly impressed with the Week 14 assessment scores so far.  I can't wait to grade the written portion and add it in to see what the final scores are, but from the computerized portion the scores look amazing!!

Another big thanks to Michael R for his wonderful photography skills.  Check out the Week 14 Photo Gallery on our web page!

Thursday, November 13

A big thank you to all the parents who participated in Parent Teacher Conferences during the last few days.  I appreciate what you do in support of your child's education and I enjoyed talking with each of you.  If you have asked to have your conference rescheduled I will be contacting you soon.

Tomorrow is the Week 14 assessment.  It will focus on the following Learning Objectives:

• Make inferences using the clues in text.
• Visualize what you have read.
• Categorize long and short i patterns in words
• Increase spelling and vocab through the study of word parts. (Lesson 6-7)

I will be at school tomorrow, but will be in a professional development in the morning.  Please encourage your child to be respectful and help to the guest teacher in the room, and let them know I look for ward to seeing them in the afternoon. 

Tuesday, November 11

Looking forward to seeing everyone at Parent Teacher Conferences tonight and tomorrow. Be sure to check the homework site, study those word parts, and READ!! Math tonight is Study Link pg 101.

Friday, November 7

Please pass out the hugs at home tonight!!  TEAM 33 and TEAM Shoultz had an amazing day!  Together the teams averaged a 90% on the Weekly assessment with only a few students falling below the 80%, and many Top Dogs achieving 100%!

Students are also reading like crazy!  So many students passed their Goal Books this week it felt like we were celebrating every few seconds!!

Way to go TEAM!!  And thank you so much parents for all your support.

Have a great weekend and READ!!!

(Monday as NEEDHAM SPIRIT DAY to celebrate our A school ranking!!  Wear your purple with pride!!)

Thursday, November 6

Homework has changed a bit for tonight.  Students should complete the Question/Answer Flow Worksheet.  We did the first 5 together in class, they should be able to complete the last five on their own.  They should sound like they are singing  as they do they work.  Ask them to show you how they complete one.  When they are finished, ask them grammar based questions such as:

What is the subject noun in the sentence?

What is the complete predicate?

How many prepositional phrases are there?

How many adjectives are in the predicate?

If they can answer these questions and are familiar with the meanings of the Lesson 6-7 Word parts, they will do well on tomorrow's assessment. 

Monday, November 5

What a great day to be a teacher at Needham!  If you have not yet heard the great news, Needham is now officially an A school!  A huge thanks goes to all the students who worked so hard and all the parents that supported them!  Hard work pays off!!

Speaking of hard work, I am so proud of the progress I have seen in independent reading.  Students are pushing their Lexile levels up, and successfully completing books.  Once again, thank you for all your support at home! Please keep asking those questions:

What book are they reading?  What Lexile level is it? When is their goal date for finishing and quizzing on the book? What is the book about? What is the setting of the book?  Who is in the book? Have they made any connections to the book?What do they think will happen next in the book?   Are they having trouble visualizing any parts of the book?

Tonight for homework students have are supposed to finish and study their Lesson 6-7 packet.  This information will be a big part of their Week 13 Assessment.  They just need to know the meaning for this week's test.

Please note:  A Parent/Teacher conference time has been scheduled for each student.  I honored all request that were sent in.  Every student in bringing home a confirmation slip this evening.  Please review and sign the slip.  You may keep the top part as a reminder.  Please return the bottom portion to school tomorrow.

*** It has just been brought to my attention that the slips say AM .  There are no morning conferences.  All conferences should say PM! I am sorry for the confusion and look forward to seeing you in the AFTERNOON/EVENING of your scheduled conference day.***

Friday, October 31

Happy Halloween!! 
It was a Spooktacular Day.  It was scary how hard we worked on our Week 4 assessment! The work was hard but the scores were great!!  We still have a few students left to finish up testing, but the ones that are done really did amazing.  I can't wait for you to see the results.  (Please note, in order to let everyone finish the test scores may not come home until Tuesday.)

In the afternoon we had a great time at our parent sponsored Fall Party.  A big thank you goes to Andre's Mom for organizing our party and all the helper mom's that made it such a wonderful time!

I hope everyone has a wonderfully warm weekend!  Stay SAFE!

Click here for the Needham November Newsletter.

Thursday, October 30

   I know there is a lot going on tonight.  I hope to see you at some point either at McDonald's or Heritage Hall on the Fair Grounds.  Tomorrow is a pretty exciting day too!  We have our Week 12 assessment.  Students have been given lots of time in class to study their Lesson 4-5 Word parts.  Tonight they should look them over one last time and work on finishing the Unit 1 Review test they are bringing home.  The test is hard, but if they have done these two things, they will do well. Tomorrow we will also have our Fall Party from 1:30 - 2:00!  Remember, parents are welcome!  Hope to see you there.

Wednesday, October 29

Today we became enlightened on the subject of Woodie Gutherie.  He led an incredible life in a time of incredible despair.  Through his fight for justice and fairness we gained songs like, This Land is Your Land. Ask your child to share what they leaned while reading the biography of Woodrow Wilson Gutherie.

Tonight students should be studying the Lesson 4-5 Word Part - Meaning and Spellings.  The reading test this week is hard.  The more familiar they are with the word parts, the better they will be able to concentrate on reading.  We have had many discussions about the difficulty of this week's test.  I have encouraged the kids by reinforcing, "It is hard, but you can do hard work." Please continue to support and study with your student at home.

Tomorrow is our McDonald's fundraiser.  I will be there from about 5-5:30.  After that I am headed to Heritage Hall at the fairgrounds for the Halloween Bash. Click the link for more information. All are welcome to this free event.  I hope to see you at one or both events.

Tuesday, October 28

Another great day in TEAM33!  We worked hard during centers and had a deep discussion on the importance of reading every day and every night.  Please talk with your child about their Lexile book.

What book are they reading?  What Lexile level is it? When is their goal date for finishing and quizzing on the book? What is the book about? What is the setting of the book?  Who is in the book? Have they made any connections to the book?What do they think will happen next in the book?   Are they having trouble visualizing any parts of the book?

 That's right...ask a lot of questions.  Then ask them all again tomorrow.  Let them know READING IS WORTH ASKING ABOUT!

Remember, every child has the goal of reading and passing 5 books at an increasing Lexile.  At least 3 of them need to be chapter books.  This is a very doable goal if they work on it now.  It will not be so doable if they wait until a week before report cards. Please help them achieve this goal.

Monday, October 27

Today was an exciting day to start an even more exciting week.  Many students were decked out in work out clothes to show that Staying Drug Free is No Sweat!  The rest of the week we also have exciting themes! Check them all out on this Week's Literacy Link Newsletter as well as some additional reminder dates like the Needham McDonald's Night from 5-8 on Thursday.  Costumes are encouraged, but not required and everyone will get a treat! I plan to attend the McDonald's Night from 5-6 and then head on over to Heritage Hall on the Fair grounds for 4-H Jr. Leader Halloween Bash.  Kids/Families are invited to attend the free, non-scary Halloween Bash. Costumes encouraged! I hope to see lots friendly faces at both places.

One more important update.  It was brought to my attention that I never really invited parents to the Fall Party.  I apologize for this oversight.  Please know, parents NEVER need an invitation to the classroom.  You are ALWAYS welcome, especially for celebrations such as this one.  I hope to see you ALL at the party!

Wednesday, October 22

Image taken by Peyton Purcell

What a great day!  We began the day by reviewing the LONG AND SHORT A SOUNDS.  Then students collaborated in their new groups for centers to work on SEQUENCE OF EVENTS and the LESSON 4/5 WORD PARTS. During Think Tank I was very impressed with their knowledge of PERSONAL NARRATIVES and how they were able to MAKE CONNECTIONS with the text.  Tonight for homework they are working on COMPARING AND CONTRASTING through Text-Text connections.  With all this work on our LEARNING OBJECTIVES we are going to OWN IT when we test on Friday.

Tuesday, October 21

Been in a meeting all afternoon so this is just a short reminder to check the homework page.

Monday, October 20

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fall Break.  It was great to be back with the students!  I heard about many cool adventures.  I didn't know so much could be packed into such a short week.  For me, I hung out at home doing some long overdue chores and loved it!

Students are bringing home Feedback and Data Binders today.  They have data from week 10 to share from Literacy and Math.  Be sure to look it over carefully before filling out the Reflection Page with your student.  There is also Math homework tonight so don't forget to check Miss Shoultz Homework page.

Along with Feedback and Data Binders, students should be bringing home their Week 11 Literacy Link. Please take a moment to review what is expected this week.  We move a little slower the first 9 weeks to give students an opportunity to acclimate to fourth grade, but from here on out it will be full speed ahead. For example you might notice that this weeks Word packet includes Lesson 4 and 5.  Many of the word parts are review, but the students may need to study some every night.  They will begin the packet in class tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, we will begin our day with a browsing session at the Book Fair.  Students should bring home an order form tomorrow and purchases may be made Thursday or Friday during recess or lunch.

One more reminder before I end this unusually long update - Our class Fall party will be Friday, October 31.  A big thank you goes to Linda Murillo for arranging the party, but she can't do it alone.  If you would like to contribute to the party and have not yet contacted her, please do so at babygirl_monroe@yahoo.com.

That's All :)

Friday, October 10

Happy Fall Break!  I am always excited for breaks because I love spending extra time with my family, but at the same time, I sure do miss all the classroom kids - and worry.  I'm a worrier!  So please have a safe break too!

Report Cards come home today.  I went over them with each child, folded and stapled it, with directions to put it straight in their backpack. Hopefully you receive it, but if not you can always check grades online.  Because grades are now so readily available, there is no need to sign or return the report.

All students have an assigned chapter book at their Lexile level to complete over break.  They can read in the car or during commercials, and especially while relaxing for bed, but they need to READ.  They also have a Fall Break Pack to review for Math. If you were absent and did not get a copy, please use the link to print one.  A week is a long break and  we want to keep the skills fresh.  We are already 1/4 of the way through the year, so we want to hit the ground running when we get back from break.

Wednesday, October 8

I apologize for the late email.  I have spent the whole day playing catch up, but I think I finally made it.  I was so happy to be back with the students today.  It really is where I prefer to be.

Tomorrow we will test on the Lesson 3 List.  Students will need to know the meaning and how to spell each word or word part.  This will be the 1st grade in the new grade book so study hard.  They should also be studying for their first Math test of the new grading period.

Speaking of grades...please do a grade check.  To my knowledge all grades are up to date.  There should be no surprises - the grades are the exact same grades you see in the Feedback and Data Binders each week.  If something doesn't look right, please let me know as soon as possible, and I will check into it.

Tomorrow is also our field trip to the Bicentennial Train.  We are so excited!  There was a misunderstanding.  At first I believed we would not be able to take chaperons.  But, as stated on the permission slip we do have some tickets available.  I have 2 spaces left for chaperons so if you happen to be available tomorrow and have a background check completed in the office, please let me know.  The first two parents that respond will get to be the chaperons.

Monday, October 6

I am writing this post from home in bed.  I have caught the nasty virus that is going around.  I am still running a fever and will not be at school tomorrow either.  Please encourage students to do their best for the substitute.

I have gotten several emails about students who will not be present on Friday and they are concerned about the test. For this reason, will have the weekly assessment on Thursday.  Any student who does not do well on Thursday and is present, will be allowed to try again on Friday. The test will mostly cover the Lesson 3 Word List.  This week students should know the meaning AND SPELLING of each word or word part.

We are also taking a field trip to the bicentennial train in Bargersville on Thursday. Students are bringing home a permission slip tonight.  Please sign it and send it back as soon as possible.

Thank you and please tell the kids I miss them.  I really hope to be back with them on Wednesday.

Friday, October 3

What a great way to end the perfect week!  We had a practice parade to get ready for the Franklin Fall Festival parade. There was so much Needham pride going around I thought I'd POP!  Big thank you goes to Andre for the months he has spent planning and organizing this parade!  What a great community service!

I hope to see everyone at the real parade tomorrow.  Wear purple to the max and meet us at the FCMS parking lot at 12:30.  Fourth graders are also allowed to decorate their non-motorized scooters to ride in the parade.  It will be a blast!!

Thursday, October 2

STUDY!  Test tomorrow over Lesson 3 Words.

Tuesday, September 30

COME JOIN THE FUN THIS SATURDAY

We worked hard today! We also had a lot of fun doing it!  Students really seem to be doing well with their Jingles on Prepositions and Prepostional Phrases! Today we focused on er and est words.  We learned that er is a suffix that can be used to compare two things and est is use to compare 3 or more things.
We also learned two rules for adding these suffixes:
1. change the y to an i
2. drop the e

If you would like to have a conversation with your child about their school day.  Ask them to explain these rules to you.  The review will also help with their homework.

ATTENTION: PLEASE COME JOIN THE FUN!!!
This Saturday is the Franklin Fall Festival Parade and Needham wants to be a BIG part of it.  Please plan on wearing as much purple as possible and joining us this Saturday at 12:30 in the Middle School parking lot.  For more information please see the PARADE FLYER.  We can't wait to see you there!!

Monday, September 29

There are lots of updates today.  I know this post is a little longer than usual, but please take time to read it carefully so you do not miss any important information.

UPDATES: 

This week is College-Go-Week. Tuesday we will dress for success. (It's picture day, so dress up.) Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we will wear college t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, jersys, etc.  I graduated from Indiana State Universiy with a bachelors degree and Indiana University with a masters degree. Please take time to talk to your child this week about your college choices and why you made them.  

Tomorrow is Picture Day!  In celebration of College-Go-Week we are asking that sutdents and Dress for Success!  Please send in picture order forms with you child. 

Johnson County Library Card Challege: We are in 1st PLACE!!!!
All students need to return the handout. If they do not have a library card, they need to apply. If they have one, they need to mark that and return the form. If your child needs a new form, just let me know we have extras! Check out how we are doing in the competition: http://www.pageafterpage.org/library-card-challenge/ 

Saturday, Oct. 4, is the Franklin Fall Festival Parade. We need students to walk with us to hold our school banners and show their purple bulldog pride. Parents and family members are welcome too!  We will meet at the Franklin Middle School parking lot starting at noon. Wear lots of purple! The parade will start promptly at 1:00. The parade route is approximately 1.1 miles in length and will end at Home Ave. and South Street, by the skate park. Parents should pick students up there. Fourth graders are allowed to decorate and ride their non-motorized scooters in the parade. Candy donations are appreciated but not required and can be sent in to school or brought to the parade.

Thursday, Oct. 9, is our mini-field trip to Bargersville to visit the Bicentennial Train. I appologize but no parent chaperaones are allowed to this ticketed event.

The Johnson County Coat Drive is in progress. A donation box for new or gently used coats is just outside the office door. Help keep  Johnson County warm this winter. Predictions are for another long cold winter.

Report Cards come home on Friday, Oct. 10.  Remember you can check student grades ANY time with a link at our TEAM 33 website.


Saturday, Oct. 11, begins our Fall Break. Back to school on Monday, Oct. 20.


Homework is posted on our TEAM33 website for the week. Thanks for eveything you did to get us off to a great week!

Friday, September 26

Students ROCKED the assessment today!!  Our study habits are really shining through!  Please talk with your child about their assessment score and reward their hard work with a huge hug!!

Students should have their Lexile book at home to read EVERY NIGHT - yes that includes weekends.  Reading is not homework, it is a way to a better life.

Enjoy your weekend and READ!

Thursday, September 25

Tomorrow is assement day.  I am very excited for students to have to opportunity to show what they have learned.  The assessment will cover all of the following Learning Objectives:

• Identify Adverbs, Adjectives, and Article Adjectives in complete sentences.
• Correctly use a or an as noun markers.
• Identify, read and understand the purpose of a biography .
• Use word parts to become better spellers and readers.
• Use reading strategies.

To prepare studnets should:

• Study the spelling and meaning of Lesson 2 word parts and words.
• Practice this weeks 3 new jingles: Article Adjective, Adjective, and Adverb.
• Identify nouns that use the article adjective a or an.
• Review the features of a biography.

Wednesday, September 24

Today we focused on biographies.  We reviewed the features of biographies and we found these features in the biography of Ceaser Chavez and Marian Wright Edelman.  Tonight students are supposed to compare and contrast the two biographies.  They also need to make corrections on their 50 Facts test in Math.

If you want to start a conversation with your child about what they learned in school today, ask them to tell you the features of biogrophies.  They should be able to include the following.

Features of Biographies:

• A "hook" to catch the reader's interest.
• Information about the subject's birth.
• Information about the subject's family and childhood.
• Information about the impact the subject made.
• Quotes from or about the subject.

Students should also be able to explain the difference between a biography and an autobiography. Ask them.

Tuesday, September 23

Today flew like a jet down a runway!  It was a great time - it just went way too fast.  We did accomplish a lot though!  We worked on identifying parts of sentences in our Workstation center.  We worked on meeting our goals in Teacher's Choice center.  We worked on out Lexile book in Reader's Workshop. And, we worked on the features of biographies in Think Tank center.  We even read a biography about Ceaser Chavez.

Tonight for homework students should list 10 nouns.  Five of them should have the article adjective A in front of them, and five should have the article adjective An in front of them.  Be sure to follow the vowel rule.
(Many students might have this done, but all should be able to show you their list and talk about the vowel rule.)

Monday, September 22

Today was a crazy busy day, but we made it!  We reviewed the new learning objectives; learned and applied 3 new jingles: Article Adjective, Adjective, and Adverb; began our study on biographies, and even got a good start on our Flashcard Foldable for Lesson 2 spelling test.

One thing we didn't do was pass out the Week 8 Literacy Link.  You can view it online now, but I will also send home a copy tomorrow.

Tonight there are a lot of little things that need to be done.  We listed them off before going home, but I wanted to go through the list again:

1. Math Homework

2. Feedback and Databinder review and  Reflection Page - There is new Math Data

3. Sing the Jingles -dont forget to get a signature on the Signature Page.

4. Finish Flashcard Foldable for  Lesson 2 Word Work

If you get a chance be sure to check out some of our incredible Week 7 pictures including Flat Rock!  Check back soon though, because more pictures are still being uploaded.

Wednesday, September 17

Tomorrow is the day!  Are you packed? Homework tonight is to double check that you have everything packed and get plenty of sleep.

Remember, students should be car riders tomorrow morning. They will not be able to take all their bags on the bus.  Students may arrive as early as 7:00, but should not be any later than 7:40. If you are unable to drop your student off in the morning, please drop their bags off at the school tonight.  I will be here until 5:30 for you to bring bags to the room.  If you are later than 5:30, you may leave the bags in the glassed in foyer and the custodian will bring them in periodically through the night.

Students will also need to be picked up on Friday afternoon around 1:45. Students can be picked up outside the Gym doors. Please do not park in the bus circle. Your child will be exhausted - I know it is a hardship for some, but if at all possible, please find someone to pick up your child at this time.  If they are not picked up by 2:20, they will ride home on the busses, without their belongings.  You will need to make arrangements to pick up their belongings the following Monday.

Reminder of Packing Tips:

• Put sleeping bag/blankets and pillows in a trash bag, marked with your name

• Put clothing and personal care items in a duffle bag or backpack, marked with your name

• Don’t forget a towel-maybe 2!

• Bring a set of clothes for Friday, and 2 extra sets just in case!

• Wear tennis shoes/hiking boots, but NO flip flops (except for shower use); bring an extra pair of shoes and several extra socks just in case!

• Bring plastic bags for wet clothes (Wal-Mart bags work just fine!)

• Bring rain gear... all activities are rain or shine

• If you’re bringing a camera, make sure your name is on it!! - and all other belongings.

• Don’t forget a coat or heavy sweatshirt for the night hike, it can get quite chilly

• Leave at home: knives, weapons, flammables, personal electronic items (BYOD is OFF for this trip)


Chaperones:
Please be at Needham by 7:40 am. We will need a few parents to help load the box truck. We will also be having a chaperone “meeting” in the 4th grade hallway at 8:00 am. We will be leaving Needham at at 8:15 am. We will need you to ride the buses. Be ready for two days of Flat Rock fun with our fourth graders! And SMILE - everyone feels better when you do ;)

Tuesday, September 16

Today we continued following Walter, a run-away slave in 1860.  He made it all the way to Ohio! Boy, we sure are proud that slavery is part of our past.  How these people were treated was just frightful!

Tomorrow we are going to reinact our own underground railroad.  Be sure to check in on Facebook and Twitter to see how is successfully freed and who becomes a captured slave.

Tonight's homework is to read Harriet Tubman: Follow the North Star at the back of their book is a writing activity for them to imagine three stops in the underground railroad - and then FREEDOM AT LAST! 

IMPORTANT: Please remember, students cannot bring their Flat Rock supplies on the bus.  You should plan on dropping them off Thursday morning.  You may drop students off anytime after 7:00am.  If you are unable to drop your student off in the morning, you may drop their supplies off at Needham on Wednesday evening and let them ride the bus in the morning.  You can put the supplies in the glass entry.  I will be here until 5:30 and will bring them in before I leave.  The custodians will watch for any late arrivals and bring those in also.  

Monday, September 15

Today was a great day!  We used the Scholastic Underground Railroad site to introduce our study of the underground railroad.  Today we met two slaves, Walter and Fannie.  They were from two different plantations, but they both shared similar stories.  If you would like to engage your child in a conversation about their school days, ask them some of the following questions:

What was it like to be a slave?
What were some of the rights slaves did not have?
What was one of the biggest fears of the slaves?

All of these questions can be answered on the Scholastic Underground Railroad site.

Feedback and Databinders are coming home today.  Please take time to go through the data with your student and fill out the reflection page together.

Sunday, September 14

Wow! I can't believe it is already FLAT ROCK week!  How exciting!!  The packing list has already been sent home, but I will post a new one in tomorrow's update.

One of the first adventures we will have at Flat Rock is a Living History reinactment of The Underground Railroad. To prepare for this incredible experience we will be studying the underground railroad.  All literacy block activiies this week will be based on the times and trials of the Underground Railroad.  We will be using Scholastic Undergrounds Railroad: Escape to Freedom as a guide for our learning.  Please feel free to preview the content and I encourage you to have nightly discussions about this serious issue in history as your student gains a deeper understanding of our past.
 

Thursday, September 11

Today we really studied and focused on our Learning Objectives to preper for our test tomorrow

Learning Objectives that will be assessed: 

• Identify Main Idea (P1) and Supporting Ideas(P2) 

• Focus on reading strategies: Questioning

• Identify nouns and verbs in complete sentences using question answer flow.

• Use word parts to become better readers.

• Identify and create personal narratives.

If you would like to help your child study at home tonight, focus on the Lesson 2 Word Work packet.  They will be tested over the meaning this week, and make up sentences to use the Question Answer Flow to identify the subject noun and verb.

I am confident that the kids are ready, so be sure to give them a big high five as they leave in the morning!

Wednesday, September 10

Today we shared another AMAZING book called Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young. The P1 Main Idea of the book is that the mice find something and don't know what it is. So they try to decide, "What is it?" The P2 Supporting Ideas of the book tell us that it is as sturdy as a pillar, as supple as a snake, as sharp as a spear, as wide as a cliff, as breezy as a fan, and as stringy as a rope.  The P1 Main Idea is then restated in the closer answering the question.

If you would like to have a conversation with your child about their school day, ask them to tell you the answer to Ed Young's riddle. For Homework they are supposed to make their own riddle. Look for our riddles soon on our KidBlog page.


Dear Parents,

This is a desperate plea for snacks.  More students are using the classroom snacks than are bringing them in.  We are quickly running out of snack, and the studnets work so hard that they get REALLY hungry.  Whatever you can send is is greatly appreciated, but here are some suggestions: Dry Cereal, grahm crackers, pretzels, raisins, animal crackers, fruit snacks.
Thank you for any donations you can make.

Sincerely,
Mrs. McCain and 27 hungry students.

Tuesday, September 9

Tonight's homework is a Math Study Links page and a worksheet for finding subject nouns and verbs in complete sentences using the Question Answer Flow.  Please ask your student to demonstrate the Question Answer Flow for you.  They should have it down, but if they need a little boost, let them watch our demonstration video as a reminder:
http://youtu.be/PFbtbCNkIAE?list=UUQ074hlQFdXXOwDFivO2SRg

Monday, September 8

Lots of important information is coming home today.  Students should be bringing home their Feedback and Data Binder with the Week 5 assessment information.  They should complete a Reflection Page with for tonight's homework.  Please help them think through detailed answers so they know what they need to focus on for the week ahead.

They should also have the Lesson 2 Word Part packet.  Remember, this week we focus on the word meanings.

Friday, September 5

Your students are SUPERSTARS!  They ROCKED today's assessment!  What I think I was most impressed with was how they helped each other be successful.  First they helped each other study as needed. Then I heard them encouraging each other with words like, "You can do this!" "Have confidence!" "I know you know this!"  As a teacher, I could not ask for anything more than the students ensuring each others success!  And boy we sure were successful!  Together we had a class average of 90% in both classess. That is a 5% increase from our average last week of 85% - and this weeks test was much harder!!

So proud! I can't wait for you to see the results in Monday's Feedback and Data Binder!

Have a great weekend!!

Thursday, September 4

Study, Study, Study!!  Test tomorrow on spelling, vocab, nouns, and verbs.

Wednesday, September 3

We learned A LOT today!  We focused on Nouns, Verbs, Complete Sentences, and 5 Reading Strategies.
If you would like to reveiw what we learned in class today, you could visit our Language Arts Jingles page, and our Reading Strategies page for some awesome multimedia examples.  You might even see a few people you know.

Tonight students should be studying their jingles and Lesson 1 Word Parts.  Remember, this week they will need to be able to spell the words and word parts.

Monday, September 2

Photo by Stephen

Wow.  I cannot imagine anyone having a better job than I do.  I love working with these students! It was great to hear all the exciting adventures that happened over the long weekend.

Today we learned how to make a Flashcard Foldable to help us study our Word Work.  The students did a great job getting started.  They will need to finish and study the foldable for homework along with reviewing their Feedback and Data Binder and completing a reflection page with you.

Today we also reviewed the Week 5 Literacy Link.  Please look it over and let me know if you have any questions about our week. You can also now view the Needham September Newsletter online.

Thursday, August 28

Students should be seriously studying tonight.  We have our Week 4 assessment tomorrow.  It will be mainly over the following learning objectives:

• Identify features of nonfiction
• Use word parts to become better readers.

Tonight's homework will be a great way to study of the assessment.  It might also have a few review questions in it so one of our teammates created this incredible video and gave me permission to share it with you.  You won't want to miss it!

http://youtu.be/gcSZaUsNeUU?list=UUQ074hlQFdXXOwDFivO2SRg

Wednesday, August 27

Our 4th grade expectation and Flat Rock Field Trip information meeting is tonight at 6:00.  We originally were going to meet in the media center, but decided there would be more room in the cafeteria.  We hope to see as many parents as possible, but realize that some people won't be able to make it.  To help, we have sent home packets that review some of the important imformation that we will address tonight.  Please look the packets over.  If you are unable to attend the meeting and have any questions about the information, please call or email me.

While you are at the meeting tonight, students should be working hard on their homework.  Tonight for Literacy homework they have their first Word Work Packet.  There is a detailed discription on the Homework page that covers the two week learning process for the packet.  This is the first week for the packet so we will focus on the vocabulary or meaning of the word parts and words.  Students will need to match the definition with the word part.  They will not need to know how to spell them until next week.

Tuesday, August 26

Need some homework help? My Nonfiction Text Features mini-book: http://youtu.be/s5u_lmH_lhw?list=UUQ074hlQFdXXOwDFivO2SRg http://

Monday, August 25

Is today really over?  I can not believe how fast our days go!  Today we began with feedback and data.  The feedback was reviewing the Week 3 assessment.  Student's seemed to do really well with the Reading and Social Studies portions of the assessment.  The Language Arts portion was based on our posts in Kidblog. Most students did a great job, but a handful were not satisfied when they graphed their data, so they are working to improve their posts and scores.  Tonight, please review your student's data with them from their Feedback and Data Binder.  The Week 3 assessment should be in the front pocket, the NWEA Data is also now included, their Literacy Progress chart is updated, and you can also check out their feedback on the blog post by having them log into their Kidblog account.  The link is on our TEAM33 Webstite.