Teacher's Note February 27, 2017

I hope each of you had a very enjoyable Rodeo Vacation and feel refreshed to continue learning! 

Please keep in mind that Spring pictures will be on Wednesday, March 1.  You may want to plan your clothing you wish to wear for the pictures. 

On Tuesday morning I will not be available for tutoring.  I have a meeting that I will be attending. 

We started studying decimals last week and the kids seemed to understand tenths.  We should have a far better understanding of tenths, hundredths and equivalent fractions by the end of the week.  The fraction test will be in the Dragon Folder on Monday for you to review. 

Our new science unit is The Changing Earth.  The kids will have three investigations to complete this week.  First is Tombstone Troubles, then Temporary Tombstones and finally Sandblasters.  All three of these investigations model the slow changes that happen to the earth's surface through erosion. 

I think the kids will love our reading selections this week.  One Grain of Rice is a mathematical folktale from India with absolutely gorgeous pictures.  I think the kids will enjoy the math and illustrations.  Plus, we will be working on packet with three types of text on candy.  It will feature nonfiction, fiction and poetry.  I am looking forward to the candy packet because it seems very interesting. 

I hope each of us have a wonderful week full of learning opportunities!  

Warmly,
Mrs. Figueroa 

Homework Week of February 27, 2017

Monday - math 22 & 23, vocabulary 86 & 87 and reading log
Tuesday - math 27 & 28, spelling 73 & 75 and reading log
Wednesday - math 33 & 34, Candy Tour traits and questions, and reading log
Thursday - math 38 & 39, study spelling words and reading log

Spelling List: One Grain of Rice

1.  addition
2.  sadness
3.  lovable
4.  endless
5.  handful
6.  plentiful
7.  breathless
8.  happiness
9.  solution
10.  careful
11.  function
12.  stillness
13.  information
14.  celebration
15.  capable
16.  available
17.  believable
18.  careless
19.  reusable
20.  forgiveness

Bonus words
decreed
famine
implored
trickle
plentifully

Teacher's Note February 20, 2017

You are probably already aware that Rodeo Vacation is this Thursday and Friday.  Due to the short week we will not have vocabulary or spelling words this week. 

Monday our class will take the third quarter math benchmark test on the internet.  It will give us valuable experience testing online and help us know what topics we have mastered or need to review. 

Let me give you a brief description of the curriculum that will be covered this week.  Our language arts time will be invested into reading and writing about United States presidents and writing poetry. We will learn about decimals, fractions and metric measurement during math.  The class is ready to analyze the data that we gathered from our weather station the past two weeks.  We hope to gain a better understanding of the difference between weather and climate. 

This week the track team will be selected.  The majority of our class tried out for the team.  Monday will be track practice, but not on Tuesday.  Tuesday afternoon the coaches will be studying the data and selecting the team.  On Wednesday afternoon the athletes will be given a letter stating whether or not they made the team.  If they made the team, their events will be listed. 

Let's try to make great use of our school days and then enjoy Rodeo Vacation. 

Warmly,
Mrs. Figueroa

Homework Week of February 20, 2017

Monday - math 7 & 8, reading 12 & 13 and reading log
Tuesday - math 12 & 13, analogies 15 & 16 and reading log 
Wednesday - Enjoy your Rodeo Vacation! 

Teacher's Note February 13, 2017

We have a couple of  special events to look forward to this week.  On Tuesday, February 14 the fourth graders will celebrate Arizona's birthday with special activities.  Each teacher will guide the kids through an Arizona lesson and the kids will rotate through all three teachers.  We hope we have an enjoyable time learning about Arizona - the Sweetheart State! 

Tuesday afternoon the class will be given time to exchange valentines with each other.  I will send a list of the students home in the Dragon Folder.  If your son or daughter wants to hand out valentines, please give one to every student in our class.  We do not take the time to make a beautiful box or container.  If your son or daughter wants a special valentine container they can bring it from home.  I will give students a bag to hold their valentines. 

Friday will be one of our favorite days of the year - the Literacy Parade!  Students will dress as one of their favorite characters from a book and parade through the school with that book in their hand!  They kids are always super cute!  I can't wait to see how they dress up this year. 

The Spell a Thon money is due this Wednesday by 5:00 if the student is trying to earn a prize.  I know of a couple of limo riders from our class so far.  Please support our fantastic PTSA.

We have a couple of assessments to take this week.  On Monday afternoon our class will be taking the language arts benchmark  test on the computer.  In the middle of the week is our end of the module fraction test.  Be watching for the study guide to help prepare your son or daughter for the assessment. 

Thank you for your continued support. 

Warmly,
Mrs. Figueroa    

Spelling list: Two Lands One Heart

1.  Pres.
2.  Dr.
3.  Ave.
4.  Hwy.
5.  Rd.
6.  St.
7.  Fri.
8.  Sat.
9.  Sept.
10.  Dec.
11.  tsp.
12.  lb.
13.  Wed,
14.  Gov.
15.  Mt.
16.  Rte.
17.  Jan.
18.  Pkwy. 
19.  Sun.
20.  Mon. 

Bonus words
hysterically
overwhelm
interpreter
appetizing
equivalent
irrigation
occasionally 

Teacher's Note February 6, 2017

We had a spectacular field trip to Saguaro National Park last Wednesday!  The weather was beautiful, we had plenty of parent volunteers and the park docents were excellent.  A special thank you to all the adults that spent your day with us! 

The kids took the Spell a Thon test on Thursday.  The results were handed back to the students Thursday afternoon.  If you have not seen their results, please ask your soon or daughter about the Spell a Thon test.  Now the students can implore people to sponsor them.  Please support our wonderful PTSA in the Spell a Thon. 

Thursday and Friday of this week is Parent Teacher Conferences so the students will be dismissed at 11:40.  Please discuss with your child their lunch and transportation plans.   Conferences will be scheduled as needed - I will not be meeting with every family.  I will contact the families that I  would like to conference.  If you want an appointment, please send me an email to set up a time. 

Due to the early releases on Thursday and Friday, we will not have a spelling test this week.  We will study the words, but not take the test.  I want to use the class time to do text based writing on the Wright brothers.  Tuesday the Wright Brothers packet will be introduced and started.  If the packet is not complete by Thursday, the rest becomes homework.  I honestly hope the kids have very little or no language arts homework on Thursday.

We have one more lesson on adding and subtracting mixed fractions.  Then we will start multiplying fractions.  Tuesday through Friday we will be concentrating on strategies to multiply fractions. 

Our Hug a Gram sells start this week.  They will  be sold February 7th, 8th, and 13th.  Also,  our class will exchange Valentines on Tuesday, February 14th.  A list of my All Stars will be sent home as resource when writing valentines.  If you choose to hand out valentines, please give every student one. 

Thank you for your continued support!

Warmly,
Mrs. Figueroa

Homework Week of February 6, 2017

Monday - math 160 & 161, vocabulary 52 & 53 and reading log
Tuesday - math 164 & 165, spelling 47 & 48 and reading log
Wednesday - math 168 & 169, analogies 13 & 14 and reading log
Thursday - math 172 & 173, finish Wright Brothers packet and reading log