Class Updates for 3/25/19

Can you believe we are heading into spring break?  Wow!  This year is going by fast.

I am in need of a favor...
I was recently awarded a grant to provide rising third graders with summer bags to help them stay engaged and learning over the break.  There are quite a few materials that will go into the bags including two books, dominoes, a deck of cards, and folders that contain various activities for all of the items.  If you are available during our block planning this Friday from 12:45-2:00pm to help stuff the bags or on April 8th and 9th from 8:00-9:00am, I would greatly appreciate it.  If you can come, please just send me a text via Class Dojo (our email spam filter is still suspect).

Math- We are finishing up our geometry unit this week and will move on to measurement.  I have a fun in-class project that the students will work on in the upcoming weeks that may involve painting.  I will confirm that after spring break as we may need old t-shirts.

Reading- We are continuing to discuss historical non-fiction and how to identify main idea, go back into the text to find information, and our other 4th grade learning targets.

ELA- Oh, we are having fun in writing!  We are developing a class fictional story that will come together in a Mad Lib type of way.  The students will develop their own fictional stories in April.

Social Studies- Reading and social studies will be combined.  We will use are reading standards to discuss the Westward Expansion and our next unit on the Civil War.

There will not be a spelling test this week. 

Spring fever has officially arrived in our classroom, however, the Bruner Bunch MUST finish strong.  Please have some dinner and discuss appropriate school and classroom behaviors even if your child looks at you like "what are you talking about".  We still have so much to learn and of a course the Milestones quickly approaching, so I will use every minute of every day to make sure the students learn and are focused. 

Thank you so much for your support!
Mrs. Bruner

Enjoy your spring break and be safe!  I need all of my kiddos back on April 8th. :0)

Class Updates for 3/18/19

Hi parents!

Here are a few announcements for this week:

4th Grade Awards Ceremony

Tuesday, May 21 is the fourth grade awards ceremony and ice cream social. If your student is receiving an award, parent invitations will go home. The awards begin at 8:15 in the cafeteria; the ice cream social begins at 9:15 on the blacktop (weather permitting) or in the fourth grade hallway. All parents are welcome to the ice cream social. Students are welcome to bring their yearbooks for signing at that time.

Jr. Beta Club

Dear KSE students and parents,

Jr. Beta Club is supporting Springfield Elementary, a school horribly impacted by the effects of Hurricane Michael last year. They are still recovering and are looking for items to help replenish all that was lost. We have picked three items from their Amazon Wish List to collect this week. If you could please send in: EXPO MARKERS, GLUE STICKS, and/or PEEL AND STICK ENVELOPES (standard size). Please see the attached flyer for more info! 

Supplies for Our Classroom

I am hoping the flu and runny nose season is behind us.  Wait, I forgot about allergies.  YIKES!

If you can, please send in tissues either with your child or for the classroom.  Paper towels will work as well.  Glue sticks are in demand too because we are constantly gluing things into our notebooks.  

I SO appreciate your support!  

Curriculum Updates

Report cards will go home this Friday. Please keep a look out for them. 

Reading

We are starting our unit on inequalities, specifically as it relates to the 19th Amendment.

Social Studies

The Westward Expansion is our topic of study for the next few weeks.  

Writing

In writing, we will review opinion writing and how to develop fictional stories.

Math

We have started our geometry and measurement unit.  After this, we will have a few weeks of review according to our curriculum map (although we have already started this in class).

Milestones Review

I will be sending home review work as we complete it in class.  I will also send home a few optional review sheets your child may work on for practice.  The review that we do in class or home are topics we have covered in class.  The students may also use their notebooks to review if they forget a topic or two.

As far as typing practice in preparation for the Milestones, we have been typing all year and I am confident that the students will have no problem manipulating the keyboard or mouse.  The students have used the computers consistently to complete their Moby Max and Read Works assignments.  We have also completed research twice this year.  I feel good about their typing skills.

A Look Ahead...
March 29- Math Quiz: Lines, Angles, Symmetry
April 12- Math Test: Geometry and Measurement
April 15- Social Studies Test: Westward Expansion
April 16- Social Studies Test: Westward Expansion (Mr. Mathews)

Spelling: March 22 

I think that is it...for now.  

Have a great week!

Mrs. Bruner

Classroom Updates and Announcements for 3/4/19

Hello!

We are moving right along in our subjects.  It is hard to believe that it is already March.  With that said, we will begin preparing for the Milestones.  Please understand that this is not teaching to the test, but providing and reviewing 4th grade standards which is what the Milestones is focused on.  Items like constructed responses, reading comprehension, finding main ideas, inferencing, place value, fractions, etc. are examples of our standards.  Again, this is not teaching to the test.  I would rather have the students prepared than surprised.  Remember, cramming is not our friend. 

Reminders
Early Release is next Wednesday, 13
Picture day is March 18.

Reading- We will finish our unit on reading and understanding historical text, specifically the American Revolution (although we have gone ahead a little bit because the concepts are the same).

Social Studies- Don't forget the social studies test for my homeroom is Wednesday and for Mr. Mathews class it is Thursday.  We will begin talking about different presidents and the election this week.

Math- We are finishing up our unit on fractions and decimals.  We will finish decimals by Wednesday and will begin reviewing on Wednesday as well.  Students should be bringing home their math journals (this has been true since the beginning of the year).

Writing- The students will finish their final drafts about the American Revolution.