WINTER BREAK INFORMATION

Assalamu alikum,

There are only a couple assignments for me for winter break. They are;

1) Winter Reading Challenge - Students completing the challenge in winter and spring break will get a special invitation to a pizza and ice cream party at the end of the year.
Here is the link to the reading log;
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B98EV6dlN-CGVktwbl9iSlVoSHlMcmNjUThkNmtGVURnM3Ew

2) Immigration Interview - Students should have chosen an immigrant to create their museum exhibit about. Over break students should complete the interview using the questions.

Here is the link to the document. Interview questions are on page 6. https://www.dropbox.com/s/74e8czoee5d4o4g/Immigration%20Museum%20Project.pdf?dl=0

3) Science Fair Materials - Students should bring their materials to start their experimentation on January 9th.

Jazak Allah Khayr,
Sister Patti Picard

Week of 12-16-19

Assalamu alikum,

We have almost made it to a well-deserved, well-earned break. I know I'm ready and so are the students.

This week we will be wrapping up some major projects before the break. The final draft of the Fictional Narrative Masterpiece will be due this Friday. Also this Friday during the last period, parents are invited to attend our 2nd Annual TCS Autoshow! Students will setup the gym from 2-2:30, with presentations beginning at 2:30pm. Parents, staff, and students will walk around the displays with 4th grade students presenting to small groups gathered at their display.

To prepare for this major presentation, our students will practice their presentations to the students at assembly. It is important that all students are on time 8:00 am for our assembly presentations.

***Hat Drive UPDATE!!! We have a large box in the west entrance for donations. We are well over 100 items at this point! We are collecting through this Friday. If you are planning on sending in items for the drive, now is the time. ***

English-Language Arts

Students are now reading the second section of their historical fiction adventure novel. In writing, they are finishing their fictional narratives with peer editing and teacher editing. They are due Friday.

Math

Lions had a test on Monday on 4x1 multiplication. They then explore multiplying multiples of ten and 2-digit numbers by multiples of ten. Tigers are working on developing their understanding of 2x2 multiplication through area models, distributive property, and partial products method. Pistons are working on multiplying single-digits by multiples of ten and will then use the distributive property to multiply 2 and 3-digit numbers by 1 digit.

Science

Students will wrap up their Car Design Project boards, models, and presentations. Along with this, students will begin researching the background information for their science fair projects. Students have all chosen projects. Their only science homework over break will be to gather all their required materials to bring to school the first day back from break.

Social Studies

Students are beginning our mini-unit on immigration. They will be asking relatives who are immigrants about their immigration experiences. After break, students will begin their Immigration Museum project where they will become museum curators and design a museum exhibit telling the story of an immigrant in their family.

Week of 12/9/19

Assalamu alikum, 

Here is a peek at the week ahead. 

English-Language Arts 

The Character Analysis projects were due today. We have been working on them over two weeks and were homework to finish over the weekend. I still have several students that have not turned them in. They are now considered late and will begin to lose points each day they are late. 

We began our new novels today. Spartans and Wolverines are reading Sign of the Beaver. Eagles are reading The Cabin Faced West. Black Bears are reading The Courage of Sarah Noble and the Bears of Hemlock Mountain. 

The students took their Reading NWEA last week. They will take their math NWEA later this week. 

Math

Tigers will begin multiple digit multiplication. Lions will wrap up 4x1 multiplication and application in word problems. They will have a test on Thursday. Pistons have begun their multiplication unit as well. 

Note: Multiplication facts! Knowing their basic multiplication facts is important for students as they move into multi-digit multiplication. Knowing their facts means they can solve problems quickly and accurately. While we are reviewing our facts and reviewing strategies for the harder facts, 6s, 7s, and 8s, please review basic facts with the students. 

Science

In science, we are going to introduce the science fair. Students will select a project from one of several categories. 

• Consumer Comparison: These projects fall into the "Which one is best?" Type of question. ex/ Which dish soap cuts grease the best?

• Engineering Modifications: These projects are where a student designs some type of vehicle, machine, boat, etc. They then isolate a variable to adjust and then test the outcomes. ex/ boats with different sail shapes, cars with variable wheel sizes, etc. 
• Demonstrations Turned Inquiry: These projects are where students take that "cool" experiment and find variable to change. ex/ make crystal shapes, student change the type of salt, making glue from different recipes and comparing, etc. 

Social Studies

We will learn about the auto industry and several Michigan landmarks. 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. 

Jazak Allah Khayr, 

Sister Patti Picard

Week of 12-3-2019

Assalamu alikum,

In just a few weeks students, parents (and teachers) will get a well-deserved break. Until then, we are GO-GO-GO!

We are now two weeks into the next term. NWEA testing has begun this week for students. There is no special preparation required for the winter NWEA. The winter testing focuses on math and reading and gives us an idea for how students are grasping the concepts and helps teachers adjust to students' strengths and areas for improvements.

Here's what we are doing this week.

English-Language Arts:

Students have completed their novels and are completing an end of book project. With each novel, the projects will be more involved but this first project is a character analysis. Students have chosen their favorite character and ID'ed 10 traits. They then have to find 10 quotes from the text that support their chosen traits. The next round of novels will start Monday. We are beginning our historical fiction, survival/adventure unit. Novels in this unit are The Bears of Hemlock Mountain, The Courage of Sarah Noble, The Cabin Faced West, and the Sign of the Beaver. All the novels feature a child protagonist.

Math:

Lion and Tigers this week will focus in using partial product understanding to build understanding of the traditional algorithm. After gaining comfort with using the algorithm the focus will shift to understanding and interpreting word problems using tape diagrams and close reading. Tigers will have a test on Friday. Lions can expect a test at the beginning of next week. (Depends on NWEA testing schedule.)

Social Studies:

We beginning our unit on United States regions by first reviewing the characteristics of Michigan and the Midwest region. Before diving into the geography of the regions we will first learn about the people. This means we will be learning about immigration. Students will begin the research part of their immigration project next week.

Science:

Students are working wrapping up their car design projects. This week we will also be launching science fair. This is the first year that students will be working independently. It is very important that all students meet the project deadlines through the science fair process. There will be a separate post just about science fair.

I really appreciate when parents communicate with me regarding their questions and concerns. I do my best to respond within 24 hours. Please note that my "quiet hours" are from 9pm - 7am. If you send an e-mail or Classdojo message or Orbund e-mail during these hours, I will receive them at 7am.

Jazak Allah Khayr,
Sister Patti Picard