Sparks' Notes
01-04-16
What We Are Learning This Week
Great Expectation Life Principle: Dependability
Math: Geometry
Science: Weather (watch & record weather report nightly on log)
Social Studies: Texas Revolution
Writing: Research Essays - Academic Fair research
Reading: Persuasive Text
Language: Sentence combining
Don't forget your books for library on Tuesday.
Academic Fair
The Chavez Elementary Academic Fair showcases what we’ve learned and will take place on Tuesday, January 26th, at 6:00 p.m.
In class,, students will be researching and writing an essay about a Texas-related topic. They will prepare an a second portion at home that will be orally presented in class January 25th.
The students in our class will have a choice of the following projects:
Dress in character - Student will present a historical figure from Texas history.
Model - Student will create and present a model of their topic (for example, Battle of San Jacinto, Spindletop, a dogtrot cabin, etc.)
The costumes and models based on this research will be completed at home.
Due Dates: These due dates are all part of the final grade
1/07 - A plan or sketch of the project; include a list of materials or supplies (submitted through Edmodo)
1/19 - A summary or photographic evidence of the project in progress (submitted through Edmodo)
1/25 - The completed project is due at school
Morning Tutorials Are Open - 7:10-7:40 am
In our class, students who attend will receive a healthy snack when they bring their attendance ticket to me.
Important!!! Be Sure to Join Us On:
Edmodo - Our Communication System & Protected Learning System
Go to www.edmodo.com.
Have your student sign in. (Username and password are inside front agenda cover.)
Scroll down the left side of the page until you see Parent Code. Write this code down.
Logout (upper right corner, click on “Me” and select Logout).
Go to www.edmodo.com and select “I’m a Parent” (under blue box that reads “I’m a Teacher”).
Enter your student’s code and set up your account.
Make sure to go Account (upper right corner, click on “Me”) and select "Settings". You can select to have email or text alerts for specific items.
On our Edmodo site, you can see:
Daily agenda (planner/calendar)
Homework links (Folder->Classroom Information)
Student progress
Assignments
Subject area links
Classroom pictures
Chromebook Care
- Determine a fixed spot to plug in your Chromebook EVERY night so that it is charged and ready to go the next day. We have found that this step is crucial to keeping your Chromebook working properly. Keep your charger in your laptop bag when not charging.
- Please be sure to keep case free and clean. Stickers and moisture can damage devices.
- Make sure you bring your Chromebook every day in the computer bag/sleeve. This is an essential school supply, not an extra.
- Monitor your child's computer usage in a common area.
- If students are not taking care of their computer responsibly, computers will stay at school. If you would prefer that it stays at school, please just let me know.
1. Read a minimum of 20 minutes nightly and complete reading log.
2. NEW CHANGE - Each night students will complete a worksheet, SHOWING ALL WORK.
3. Practice vocabulary words. Test on Friday.
This Week's Vocabulary Words
Each child will be tested on Friday. Students are expected to be able to use these words in sentences. These are words we use day-to-day, so a functional use is critical to learning and understanding.
- vertex - where two rays meet to form an angle
- point - a precise location
- line - a straight mark with no beginning or end
- line segment - a straight mark with two fixed end points
- complex sentence - a sentence that contains both a independent and a dependent clause
- compound sentence - a new sentence formed by joining two sentences with a FANBOY
- supporting detail - a reason, example, fact, step, or other kind of evidence that back up and explain a main idea
- warm front - leading edge of uniform warm air mass
- cold front - frigid air mass wedged under a warm air mass
- pattern - a set of repeating features
- weather - the conditions and temperature outside
- climate - average state of weather in a time or place
- inform - to supply facts or data; to make known
- entertain - to amuse or host
- persuade - convince, or influence
- Jose Antonio Navarro - one of the original signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence
- Mirabeau Lamar - second president of the Republic of Texas
- Sam Houston - a hero and leader of the Republic of Texas
- republic - government in which citizens have the power
- dependability - trait of being reliable
You can practice these words on Edmodo using the Vocabulary Spelling City app.
(Click on the 2x2 array of on the far right. When the apps window opens, select Vocabulary Spelling City, and go to Vocabulary Week 17 in the yellow section. There are lots of games to help you learn your words!)
Parent Homework
Please do the following with your child:
Check and sign agenda nightly.
Check that reading homework and log are completed nightly.
Check that math homework and log are completed nightly.
Look through Tuesday folder and sign and return the next day (keep the work).
Dates to Remember
Friday, Jan. 8th
Awards Assembly (Fourth Grades at 8:00 in the gym)
Monday, Jan. 18th
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - No School
Monday, Jan. 25th
Academic Fair Project Due (will be presented in class)
Tuesday, Jan. 26th
Academic Fair Project Presentation Night 6:00 pm
WANTED: Used Dryer Sheets
WANTED: Playing Cards
WANTED: Old Scrabble Tiles
Michelle Sparks
Lunch: 11:20-11:50
Recess: 11:50-12:20
Email: msparks@littleelmisd.net
Website: www.edmodo.com/mbsparks
Location: 2600 Hart Rd, Little Elm, TX, United States
Phone: (972) 947-9452 41502
Twitter: @mrssparks502