Have a safe and Happy Halloween!!

OVERDUE: Science matter essay. If you don't have this done (you know who you are), get it done!!
Parents: Don't forget to reserve your spot for Parent Teacher Conferences: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA8AE28A1F49-parent

Math: Get parent signature and do remediations on division test.
Language: Spelling and Vocabulary test tomorrow.

Parents: This year, I am SCHEDULING all Parent/Teacher Conferences online at the following address: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA8AE28A1F49-parent
Schedule your time now! Thank you!!

Parent/Teacher Conferences are next week: Wednesday, November 6, from 4:30 to 8:00, and Thursday, November 7, 4:00 to 7:30. This year, I will be scheduling appointments for 15 minute time slots. To sign up for your slot, please click the following link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA8AE28A1F49-parent

I look forward to meeting with each and every one of you!

Math: Division test (topic 4) test tomorrow! The best way to study is by using the Practice Test at the end of the chapter.
Language: New spelling and vocabulary words today.

Math: P.107 9-12
Social Studies: Explorer reports are coming along! The kids were working hard today. There was a "hum" in the room of students focused and working. It was really a beautiful thing!

Math: P. 107 13-16. We are doing "prime factorization". This is really cool stuff and SO important for working with fractions!
Social Studies: Explorer reports are coming along nicely. The final draft is due this Friday. We will do oral presentations will be happening next week.
Language: new spelling and vocabulary lists this week. Test Friday.

Hello parents! I really screwed up today. I forgot to assign math homework. We've been working on division, and I have been teaching a method called the "Lucky 7" method. You probably have never seen anything like it, so there is a video posted below explaining how it works. I encourage you to ask your child to explain it to you. This type of division is really amazing. It allows your child to tackle difficult division with a low risk of failure. This is the way we should have all learned how to divide!!

Mrs. Leydsman will be here tomorrow and on Monday. Next week, expect to be back on schedule with spelling and vocabulary.

Thank you and have a great UEA weekend!!

Parents: This is a short week with no school on Thursday and Friday. There will be no spelling or vocabulary. We are using this as an opportunity to catch up in areas that need catching up and reinforce skills that are emphasized in language arts and math.
Social Studies: We should be completing our research on our explorers and beginning the writing phase. Check in with your child to see if they are caught up.

Math: Test remediations due tomorrow!!
Social Studies: Research your explorers!!
Language: Spelling and vocab test tomorrow!!

Math: Test remediations are DUE on Friday!! Don't wait until the last minute! Today in class, we did practice stations and I met with students in small groups. Expect more of the same tomorrow. Since starting division, we have really slowed down and need to take our time and get this right before moving on.
Social Studies: Explorer reports have begun! Please check out the explorer report template provided to your child. Every kid is expected to research and become an expert on one explorer. Which one did your child choose? Kids want to totally ignore books and go straight to the internet. I encourage them to use the internet as a LAST RESORT. Our school library has a lot of great books on explorers, unfortunately, they are all on reserve here at school. Perhaps a trip to the public library? The tentative due date is next week, Friday.
Language: Reading groups are beginning very soon. We have been training on how we do our practice stations. Practice stations are what your child is doing when I'm not working with them in the small group setting.

Math: Multiplication test was returned. Test remediations are due on Friday. Tonight's homework is on estimating division problems, P.86 11-14.
Language: New spelling and vocabulary lists today. Test is on Friday.

Math: Remediations due tomorrow!
Language: Spelling and Vocab test tomorrow.

Math: Math test tomorrow. Do the practice test (P.78-79) to study.

Language: New spelling and vocabulary lists were given today. Test Friday.
Math: Test Remediations, with parent signature!!



This is a repost from September 3rd:
Parents: This is how I do math tests. After completing a unit in math, I give a test. This test is meticulously gone over by me, making comments when I can, in the hope that the student reads what I have written and learns from their mistakes. This is very time-consuming. Taken seriously, this is a powerful learning tool. No grade is given. Test remediation is then assigned, where the student must:

• Explain their thinking (why did you put the answer you gave).
• Do the problem correctly
• Explain why this is the correct answer

They must do this for EVERY problem that they got wrong. Then they must get a parent signature and turn it in to me. I usually allow 2 to 3 days to collect these, then a retest is assigned. The retest is usually given on the computer and parents can see this grade when their child logs into the math book website.

Questions? Email me or click below to add a comment (all comments go through my email before being posted. If you expect a personal reply, include your email address).