Ms. Kreul’s Class Blog

Annie and Sam took photos of signs of spring seen on the front playground of Richards on May 12, 2009. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Fourth graders are reminded to bring healthy, easy-to-eat morning snacks that can be eaten in 10 minutes or so. Examples of acceptable snacks listed in the Richards Student Handbook include crackers, pretzels, fresh vegetables, popcorn, raisins, and fresh fruit. Students often read and/or do schoolwork during this time so finger foods that are easy to eat and not messy are recommended.

Progress Reports for the third trimester of the school year are included in today’s Friday folder. Please review and complete the Progress Reports, which are printed on prink paper. Return the Reports to school on Monday, May 4. Thank you.

Homework reading logs should include a variety of grade level appropriate written responses. Students’ responses should demonstrate their comprehension of “just right” books. I am sending home a sample of the rubric that is used to assess these types of written responses in today’s Friday folder.

Please continue to check assignment notebooks daily to support homework assignments. In addition, check Friday folders each weekend to review the week’s corrected and graded schoolwork.

If an assignment is marked with Correct and Return, Incomplete, or a similar comment, students are expected to complete the work and bring the assignment back to school on the following Monday.

Please remember to call the Clinic as early as possible to report your child’s absence. Homework needs to be requested before 9:30. If homework is requested, please pick it up in the Office between 3:05 and 4:00.

Classroom and specials teachers are currently working on Trimester 2 Report Cards. Report Cards will be sent home in Friday folders on Friday, March 27. Keep the printed report card pages at home but return the large white envelope on Monday, March 30 along with Friday folders. Thank you!

Fourth grade homework includes reading for at least 20 minutes daily and completing a thoughtful reading log entry four days a week. Reading logs should include a variety of quality responses that demonstrate the reading strategies fourth graders are learning and practicing in class.

Students should also be studying spelling words for 5-10 minutes in order to learn the spelling pattern or rule, as well as the week’s word list.

Math homework reviews the day’s lesson and should take from 5-15 minutes depending on the assignment.

Students are alerted at least one week ahead for science or social studies tests, and should review for a short time each day leading up to the test date.

Fourth graders are responsible for completing all homework written in assignment notebooks throughout the day. Homework assignments notebooks are reviewed at 8:10 and 3:00 with the teacher and with partners.

Please ask to see the assignment notebook as you talk to your fourth grader about what he or she did in school that day and what short term or long term homework has been assigned.

As we pass the midpoint of the school year, please check with your 4th grader to see if he or she needs to replenish any school supplies. You can find the school supply list on the class blog page by clicking the top tab named Supplies.

When students are absent for any reason, I fill out an Assignment Notebook sheet with all the schoolwork for the day.  That work should be completed within 2-3 days, either at home or in school during study hall.

Tests and certain assignments must be made up in school.

Some collaborative work, such as social studies and science, cannot be replicated so the note may say that students need to talk to their classmates to catch up.

Science Reports assigned on Jan. 6 are due on Monday, Feb. 9. To review directions, go to our class blog, and click on the link to Mrs. Ade’s blog in the column on the right.

Please check over all student work that has been corrected and sent home in Take Home folders on Fridays. This way you can provide support for and give positive comments on the assignments for the week.

If I have written “Correct and return” on an assignment, please have your 4th grader correct the work and bring it back to school on Monday. Thank you.

Remember to go over Assignment Notebooks each day with your 4th grader.  Some students may need help planning their time to do homework after school or dinner, others may need a reminder of the homework assigned for that day, and others may need guidance planning work in order to finish by the due date.
Students may also find it helpful to write down important school dates and due dates on a personal or family calendar that can be viewed daily.

Midterm Progress Reports for Trimester 2 are being sent home in today’s Friday folder. Please discuss then sign the notification and goals sheet with your 4th grader and send back to school on Monday. All work assessed and graded for this report has been sent home in Friday folders.

Poll closed - thanks for voting!

2.1.09 @ 2:00PM

The Fun Lunch that was cancelled on Jan. 15 has been rescheduled for Jan. 29.

Richards Way on the Playground Reminder

1. Cooperate with all supervisors.
2. Play with your grade level peers.
3. Deal with disagreements with appropriate problem-solving skills.
4. Play safely and share equipment. (Equipment should be school-issued.)
5. Use playground equipment as intended.
6. Play fairly and follow the agreed upon rules of the game.
7. Use appropriate  and polite language.
8. Dress appropriately for the weather.
9. Stay in the designated playground areas.
10. Do not bring food or candy onto the playground during recess times.
11. Obtain permission from a supervisor before going inside during the recess times.

Feeling creative? Interested in space travel? Like the movie WALL-E? Enter the contest to name the new NASA Mars Rover.

Fourth graders worked hard this week on their WKCE tests. They had a lot of tests to take this year – Reading, Writing, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science – but each student did his or her best to “show what you know.”  Good job, 4K!

Room 201 is usually quite comfortable in terms of temperature.  However, I have suggested to students that they bring an extra sweatshirt or sweater to hang in lockers in case the classroom temperature cools down.  As the snow falls, extra mittens/gloves and socks are also helpful.

Please ask your fourth grader to show you his or her Assignment Notebook each evening. It is a good way to start the “What did you do in school today?” conversation, as well as provide an opportunity for families to provide any assistance that fourth graders may need.