It is almost time for Book Fair!

Annual Book Fair

The Scholastic Book Fair is fast approaching and will be on our doorstep November 14-17! 

This is an all-school event that raises money for the library while simultaneously encouraging children to read. There is also an online component that starts November 1st. To read more about all aspects of the Fair, please click here: https://sites.google.com/a/aaps.k12.mi.us/media-center/parents/book-fair

We cannot hold the event without your help! Please consider volunteering by following the link listed here: 

https://volunteer.scholastic.com/#/experience/signup/oPCxu4hIu. 

We appreciate any time you can give to support this huge endeavor!

The B Hive 10.22

Hello all!  Sorry for the delay in posting.  The stomach bug is currently running it's course through our house.  The weather seems very beautiful from my window vantage point.  I am hopeful you are out and enjoying it for me.  :)

A few things to note:

1.  Homework logs will come home tomorrow.  I wasn't prepared to have a guest teacher look through the goals that the students set.
2.  We are in need of pens for checking things as well as small handheld pencil sharpeners.  If you happen to have either lying around or are willing to purchase these for us, please do!  Thanks in advance for this. 
3.  Scholastic book orders are due Friday, October 27th.  Remember the books that you purchase for your student benefit your family and our classroom.  I use the bonus points to add to our classroom library.  My online code is HB47X.  Thanks in advance for considering to order. 
4.  Conferences take place this Thursday and next Monday.  I would love for your student to join us if possible.  We will talk about the following things:

Conference Goals

How is 4th grade going?  Is there anything you are hearing at home you want to talk about?

Share homework completion percentage

Are there any homework or spelling/word work questions that you have?

Share behavior data

Share reflex percentage

Share work completion concerns (if any)

Share and discuss Personal Learning Plans (PLPs)

Share MSTEP and NWEA results

Are there any questions or concerns that you still have?

5.  Recorders will start in Music this week.  It seems most helpful to have students leave their recorders in their bags if they bring them home to practice.  

6.  Check out the calendar page of our blog for upcoming important dates.  

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact me.  I look forward to seeing everyone at conferences this week and next.  

October Scholastic Order

Class Code - HB47X

Order Due Date - 10/27/17

Subject: Scholastic Book Clubs Class Order Due Date is approaching!

Dear Families,

This is a friendly reminder that your Book Clubs orders are due by 10/27/17. You can place your orders online at scholastic.com/bookclubs using my class activation code: HB47X

Happy Reading,
HEATHER BERTELSON

The B Hive 10.13

Can you believe that we are already in the middle of October?  We are really owning our routines, procedures, and learning and it is helping make the days go really smoothly.  We had the opportunity to have many superintendents around the state of Michigan come and check out what we were up to and the students did amazingly well!  Kudos to them!  We got to show off our driving question and charts which were created in PBL using some reading and writing skills.  

Reading - We spent the week really thinking about inferences.  The students are getting really good at looking for clues in a text and using their prior knowledge to make inferences.  I keep asking the questions, "What do you know that the author does not say?  How do you know that?"  We are still reading and enjoying Joey Pigza.  As one student pointed out, he likes to read about a character who is not always following the rules and ask, "What is he doing?  Why is he doing that?"  We are working on clearly writing our reading thinking as we read and thinking deeply about a text. 

Writing - We spent the week connecting the pieces with our region work and creating beautiful charts that highlight the differences between the regions.  The specific skill we were working on was determining importance.  We spent time thinking about the difference between what is interesting and what is important. 

PBL - It was ALL wrapped up into reading and writing this week where we were using our inferences to determine importance as we created the charts.  This was the week that everything came together into a beautiful moment of cross content learning. 

Homework - Home work was a HUGE success this week.  Almost everyone brought it in AND we had some great goal setting conversations.  The students have new goals and will work towards those goals at home and at school. 

Word Work - Students received new spelling words this Friday and will receive their graded spelling tests on Monday.  We are getting into the grove of spelling.  Your student will get a spelling city account next week as another way to help them study.  Sorry for the delay. 

Dates To Remember - Check out the calendar section of our blog to see what is happening in the upcoming weeks.  

Homework Clarification...

 Math Work:

1.  Students set goals for themselves (most were fluency goals) this week.  They are trying to gain 10 percent or more fluency on reflex.  This is to help them see an end goal.  We talked about how effective goals can be measured.  For example, a student at 47% fluency set a goal for herself of 57%.  This goal can be worked on both at school and at home.  As students become fluent, this goal will change from fluency to something else that they need to work on.  

2.  To work towards a fluency goal, they can reflex, do flashcards, white board work, oral quizzes, or paper practice tests.  I have other ideas if you need them.  Please let me know.  

3.  They should be working towards their goal for a minimum of 10 minutes a night at least 4 nights a week.  

4.  Your student received their Unit 1 pre test and Unit 2 post test with areas for them to work on highlighted.  They can use the study links or IXL to focus on tightening up these skills.  It is NOT a requirement to do this, but many families choose to do the study links and have students do a little more work than the 10 minutes of fluency practice.  

5.  On the homework log, they should be recording what they are doing to meet their goal.  How did they work towards fact fluency specifically?  If they do IXL or study links as well, they can record those there too.  

At the end of the month, they will sit down with me and evaluate if they need a new goal or if their old goal should be tweaked or continued.  

Reading Work

1.  Students set goals for themselves that were measurable and attainable.  Some goals included read 3 books by the end of the month, finish a series I started, or read for 25 minutes a night.  

2.  To work towards their reading goal, they need to be doing that particular goal.  If it is to finish a series, they should work towards that goal.  If it is to read for 25 minutes a night, they should work towards that.  

3.  They should be working towards their goal for a minimum of 20 minutes a night at least 4 nights a week.  

4.  On the homework log, they should be recording their book and specifics for how they are meeting their goal.  If it is a time goal, they should be recording a time.  If it is a book goal, they just need to keep track of what they read.  

At the end of the month, they will sit down with me and decide if a new goal is needed or if they should adjust their old goal.  

Word Work

1.  Students receive a home copy of their spelling words on Fridays and these come home in the Friday folders.  They should be cutting their words and working on some particular sort for at least five minutes four nights a week.  

2.  These sorts can include:  written sort, blind, sort, category sort, see and spell, speed sort, or any other way to help them successfully learn their words.  We will be getting spelling city as a resource soon that can be used at home.  If you need ideas for word sorts, see a previous blog post or just search for Words Their Way sort ideas.  

3.  Students get instruction on their words on Mondays and then take tests on Fridays.  The spelling tests come home Friday or Monday depending on turn around for grading.  

Logistics

Homework logs come home on Fridays and are due on Fridays.  If your student does the study links, he can turn them in whenever they are completed.  

Can you help?

Ms. Lewit is back and teaching us some great playground games.  But we need your help!  Can you purchase any of these supplies for us?  

Check out our school's wish list here.  

The B Hive 10.9

Hello there!  Our beautiful weather is sure hanging on.  I hope you all spent some time this weekend watching some football and apple picking.  :)  We were busy last week.  Check out what we were up to:

Reading - We finished The Tiger Rising and are now reading Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key.  The kids are already hooked!  As we read the book, we are focusing on strategies that readers do before and during reading.  We are recording our thinking as we read and are starting to share those great readerly thoughts.  Please remember to have your student read for at least 20 minutes a night.  You can always ask them what they are trying as a reader.

Writing - We took some time to really dive into what a paragraph is so that we are able to write a really solid one.  We worked on conventions, mechanics, spelling, content, and even WHAT a paragraph looks like.  We made some good progress with this.  You can ask what an indent is.  :) 

Word Work - We are fully emerged into word work now.  Students spent at least ten minutes a day sorting and thinking about their words. It is my hope that they are spending at least five minutes at home with their words as well.  It is not just about spelling the words, but it is also important that they understand what the words mean.  Have your student show you their current words.  Maybe you could do a blind sort with them?

Math - We are moving through unit 2 and are gaining some new multiplication knowledge.  The Unit One Post Test came home on Friday so I hope you had a chance to look at that.  The Unit 2 pre test is coming home on Tuesday.  Please look for the highlights for both of those to help focus your student as he/she works on IXL at home (or the study links). 

Fact fluency is still a big thing here in Room 402 and the students continue to love Reflex.  This week, they set goals for themselves with Reflex to show that great progress.  They also set new reading goals that are measureable.  So check out their homework log. 

Dates to note:

Please see the updated calendar on our blog to see all of the exciting things happening in our room. 

As always, please contact me with questions or concerns. 

:) Best,
Mrs. Bertelson

Need Spelling Help?

Here are a list of videos that can help you and your student with the Words Their Way routines. 

Cut and Sort

Blind Sort

Writing Sort A

STEAM PUNK

People United humaN Kindness

DO YOU…

• Think about equality and kindness for everyone?
• Think about having a safe and welcoming community?
• Want to be part of a group that is committed to kindness and creating a welcoming place?

Then please consider joining Steam PUNK!  

Our GSA club is open to students in grades 3-8.

We will meet twice a month on Thursdays from 3:25-3:50pm

The first meeting will be on Thursday, October 5th

in Ms. Burk/Ms. Adam’s room (in the 2/3 hallway).

• (Students can join the club at anytime.)

Come enjoy some snacks and good company!