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. 

Classroom Updates for 2/25/19

Welcome back!

Reminders
Posters for the poetry cafe are due tomorrow. I  am seeing some great posters from what has been turned in so far! You are more than welcome to attend our poetry cafe on Wednesday from 9-10am.

This week is Read Across America.  Please see my previous post for the daily celebration activities.

Reading- Our unit on the American Revolution has gone really well.  The students love the American Revolution, which makes me super happy.  We have moved a little further ahead in our discussion about how a person's perspective influences their opinion and why it is important to respect each other's opinions.

Social Studies- We will move on from the slave trade on to Famous Presidents.  The presidents will not be on this test.

Math- We are moving on from adding and subtracting fractions to multiplying them. We will begin decimals by the end of the week.  Please note that many of the papers sent home/notes in the notebook are saying "study guide information".  These assignments contain problems that will be on the tests.  As always, students should study their notes nightly.

Writing- We are working on writing our rough drafts on topics about the American Revolution.  The rough drafts are to be completed in class, so you don't have to worry about them coming home for homework.

Here are the dates for upcoming tests for me:

Social Studies- Test for Homeroom= March 6 (weeks 12-14: Test questions will come from notes. (Chapters 12 and 14 repeat in many of the topics)

Social Studies for Mr. Mathews- March 7 (Retest March 13 & 14)

Math- Cumulative Test = March 11 (Retest= March 14) 

Here are the spelling test words for this week:
1.  Against
2. Scared
3. Throw
4.  Dependent
5.  Decision
6.  Shown
7. Reason
8. Certain
9. Judicial
10. Federal



The third quarter ends on March 15.

Thank you,
Mrs. Bruner

Classroom Updates for 2/11/19

Hello parents!

Just FYI, I will give students the names of students for Valentine's day on Monday.  We had a busy Friday and forgot to give it them.  We do, however, have 26 students. 

Writing- we are continuing to develop our informational essays centered around the American Revolution. We have created our tree map to get our ideas down and a few students have started writing their rough drafts.  This is classwork, so students will not come home with this as an assignment.  We will also discuss subject predicates and compound sentences.

Reading- We are deep into understanding how a person's perspective can shape their opinions and why we need to respect the opinions of others.  We are doing so through the American Revolution.

Social Studies- We will begin discussing slavery this week, but it is just a preview leading up to our second to last unit for the year. 

Math- We will begin adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  The kids did VERY well with adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators. 

Spelling- I gave the spelling words to you in the last post and the students have the words in their agendas.

Don't forget, we will have an author visit on Friday. 

For Valentine's students should bring a box to collect their cards/candy.  They are more than welcome to decorate their boxes.  They should bring them on Thursday and not before them (we are limited on storage).

Supplies:  If any of you would like to donate tissues, I would greatly appreciate it.

Progress reports will go out on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Bruner

Homework and Announcements for 2/4/19 (Updated 2/5/19)

Math- We are continuing to work through fractions.  This week we will finish comparing fractions and begin adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators.  Students will have a quiz on simplifying fractions this Thursday.

Social Studies- The social studies test is on Friday.  Students have what they need to study and an email was sent out with a preparation guide.  We will also begin week's 12 and 13.

Reading- We have been discussing how a person's perspective can influence their opinion.  We have specifically discussed how this is true for the leaders and people during the American Revolution and after.

Writing- Our writing goes along with Social Studies and Reading.  The students will begin brainstorming for their historical writing this week.  I will walk through the writing process as they look at the American Revolution and how to write a compelling essay.

Black History Month Poetry Cafe- The students have received information on the Poetry cafe we will have on February 27 that will highlight African-American poets.  I need to adjust the time of the cafe.  It states that the cafe will be from 8:00-9:00am, however, that is right during our specials.  The cafe instead will be from 9am-10am on Feb. 27.  Posters are due February 26.
Parents if you would like to attend the cafe and/or bring in snacks for us to share afterwards, you are more than welcome to come and enjoy the cafe.

Due to the Social Studies test and the math quiz, there will not be a spelling test this Friday. However, if you would like to get ahead, here are the words for the week of 2/11:
Federalist
Government
Among
Brought
Compare
Develop
Either
Simple
Together
State


Thursday Music Performance
This is just a friendly reminder about the music performance this Thursday at Life Church.  Students are expected to be at the church by 6:15pm with their recorders.  See you there!


Tissues
Thank you all for continuing to support the class and our needs.  Unfortunately, we are out of tissues again.  I have found that my girls like to use the tissues for making tie dye designs.  I have explained to them that this causes us to use resources unnecessarily.  If you would like to send in class tissues, I would appreciate it.  However, if you just want to supply your child with tissues to keep in their book bag, I completely understand.  Either is fine by me. 


Valentine's Day
If your child would like to bring in Valentine's Day cards/candy, they are more than welcome to do so.  The only thing that I ask is that you bring them in for all 26 of our students and not just a select group.  I will send home our class list by Friday. 

Author Visit

Lesa Cline-Ransome is coming to KSE, 2/15/19! 

                                                                                                                                     

          Lesa Cline-Ransome will speak to all students on Friday, February 15th, at both campuses. We are very grateful to our PTA for once again sponsoring our Author’s Visit this year!

If you are interested in more information about Mrs. Ransome or her books, please visit lesaclineransome.com. (Due to a change in county policy, we are unable to handle book orders.)

Feel free to contact Nina Delk with questions-nina.delk@cobbk12.org.

                 http://www.lesaclineransome.com

Read Across America

Let’s Celebrate Read Across America Week!

Each year, schools across the country celebrate Read Across America week during the last week in February, or the first week of March. This date was chosen because beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss was born on March 2.

This year, our school is going to do something extra fun to join this special celebration of reading! Each day will have a theme to correspond to a Dr. Seuss book title. Students may dress according to each day’s theme. Be creative and have fun!

Day	Dr. Seuss Book	What to Wear
Monday, February 25	My Many Colored Days	Wear as many different colors as possible!
Tuesday, February 26	Fox in Socks	Wear crazy socks!
Wednesday, February 27	Cat in the Hat	Wear a crazy hat!
Thursday, February 28	Oh the Places You’ll Go!	Dress as what you want to be when you grow up
Friday, March 1	Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book	Pajama day!

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday and Read Across America week!

Okay, I think that is it for now.
:0)

Mrs. Bruner

Homework and Updates for January 30, 2019

Happy Wednesday!

Just an fyi, I will be at another school doing observations tomorrow.  Many of the students didn't seem happy about this (I guess that's a good thing), but they know my expectations are the same.  

Homework

Tonight's homework wouldn't have made since if I sent it via Remind, which only gives me 120 characters.  

All homework for me is due Friday.  

ELA- study for spelling test for Friday.

Cobb County Writing Contest- this is OPTIONAL, however, for the first time this year, I have agreed to give an extra credit point to students who turn in a completed entry (I do not offer extra credit otherwise).  Entries include a parent portion as well.  The guidelines were sent home today.  This is due Friday, Feb. 1. (An email will come home shortly with the same information)

Math-study multiplication facts.  Having the students do flash cards will help build fluency.  In order to simplify fractions, the students must know their multiplication facts.

Reading- main idea worksheet

Science-study for science test tomorrow.

High Touch, High Tech information was sent home today.  There is also additional information coming via email.  

Black History Month Poetry Cafe

Our annual Black History Month Poetry Cafe will focus on African-American poets.  We will discuss different poets, such as Maya Angelou, during our reading time as poetry is one of our fourth grade standards.  Students will receive more information about the cafe on Friday.