Friday, January 18, 2019

Week of January 22-25

Families of 4C,

There is no school on Monday, January 21 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Grade reports will be sent on a bi-weekly basis for the remainder of the quarter. You can expect to see the next grade report after week 4.

Please note that our class had some low averages on quizzes this week. Do not be alarmed if you are seeing your child bring home quizzes with lower averages than what you might be typically used to. Our first Geology quiz had a class average of 68 percent, and our math quiz for week 2 had a class average of 50%. Most of the questions answered incorrectly on these exams was due to not reading the question fully or carefully. On the math quiz, many students did not complete all portions of every question, particularly the word problem and the prime vs. composite questions. In the third quarter, we are emphasizing the importance of taking time and persevering through difficult or lengthy problems. Students are encouraged to at least attempt every problem, even if it might be challenging or they might get it wrong.

This Week:

Writing: Students will continue their second major writing assignment by finishing the final drafts of their Middle Ages Essay on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the latter part of the week, students will begin their next major writing project. This will be another teacher-led workshop lasting a couple weeks, and the topic will focus on Endangered Species of animals.

History: History tests and quizzes will be open-note for the remainder of the school year. Since all tests and quizzes are open-note, spelling counts! As long as students take effective notes in class, they should have all the information they need for the exam. This week, students will continue their study of the American Revolution by learning about the importance of the Stamp Act, Patrick Henry, and the Boston Massacre.

Literature: In literature, students will continue reading Prince Caspian, reading chapters nine through eleven. Students can expect to have regular journal entries in their literature notebooks, summarizing each chapter as we read. The journal entries are included in the participation grade for literature.

Math: Fourth grade will continue our study of geometry this week. Students will learn about quadrilaterals and triangles and will take a test on these concepts on Wednesday and Friday.

Poetry: Recitations for “Concord Hymn” by Ralph Waldo Emerson will be on Friday, January 25. Every student is expected to perform their recitation on that day, and will not be granted additional time if they are not prepared on that day.

Greek and Latin Roots: Students will learn Greek and Latin roots 58-60. The review check for this Wednesday will be over roots 55-57.

Science: In science, students will continue their study of geology. This week, students will learn about the different types of volcanoes, famous volcanoes, and the impact that erupted volcanoes can have on the atmosphere. Later in the week, students will be constructing their own volcanoes and later on Friday, making them erupt.

Spalding: This week, students will be studying their next 20 words, nickel ----- saucer. We will typically study 30 words every week; however, this is subject to change by a word or two from week to week depending on word groupings. A family member should dictate the words to the student each night for homework. Students will review words on Thursday and take the final test on Friday.


I hope you all enjoy the long weekend! Happy MLK Day!

--Mrs. Conforti