The Jungle Book
Mrs. Knueven's Classroom Newsletter
Upcoming Events
8/19 NWEA - Math @ 12:00
8/19 4th grade convocation
8/20 NWEA - Language @ 11:45
8/21 NWEA - Reading @ 11:45
8/21 Oceans, Continents, and Indiana Geography Test
8/21 Eagle Fest @ ZCHS
8/27 Back to School Night
8/28 Eagle Pride Spirit Day
8/28 Wordly Wise Unit 1 Test
9/3 Fall Pictures
9/11 Scholastic Book Orders due
9/17 Camp Tecumseh
9/18 Camp Tecumseh
9/30 Jog-A-Thon
Curriculum Corner
We will begin using our Writer's Notebooks this week. I will spend some time reading excerpts from Ralph Fletcher's A Writer's Notebook to help our writers learn where to find inspiration and ideas for writing. We will be focusing on narrative writing this quarter and each student will publish a piece featuring a "small moment" from his or her life.
Indiana History:
In our first unit in Indiana History, we will be reviewing oceans & continents, and learning about the geography of Indiana. We will spend Monday - Wednesday learning. Students will bring their study guides home Wednesday night. We will review in class on Thursday, then take a test on Friday. Given a word bank, students will need to be able to label the following on a map:
- All 4 oceans
- All 7 continents
- Locate Indiana on a U.S. map
- Indiana & its neighbors (Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, and Lake Michigan)
- Major cities (Indianapolis, Zionsville, Gary, Evansville)
- Major rivers (Ohio River & Wabash River)
Part of our study of vocabulary in fourth grade will utilize the Wordly Wise textbook. We spend 2 weeks studying the words and will take a test every other Friday. We will begin studying Unit 1 this week and will take a test next Friday, 8/28.
Science
We will begin Chapter 1 in Science on Monday and Tuesday, but will take a break for the rest of the week due to NWEA testing. Chapter 1 focuses on the scientific method and the skills scientists. Our study of the scientific method will be leading up to the fourth grade science fair at the end of the quarter. No worries, science fair will be an IN CLASS project!
Math
Our first unit in math will be covering geometry (points, line segments, lines, rays, parallelograms, & polygons). We spent part of last week practicing multiplication facts , which will be extremely important this year as we will be using multiplication and division throughout the year. I will be changing how I teach math just a little bit this year. 1) We will be using pens in math. I know, it may sound crazy to let fourth graders do math in pen. You are probably thinking, "What happens when they make a mistake?" The answer: We get to learn by seeing how they think! Research shows that when students use pen in math, both students and teachers can learn by seeing their mathematical thinking. 2) We will be keeping math notebooks so students can keep track of their strategies, tools, and mathematical thinking. I am asking each family to send in one, 1-inch, 3-ring binder, with a clear cover that paper can be inserted into. The binders can be any color! I bought some Avery ones at Meijer last week that were about $2.
How Will I Know What is Happening in Class?
While we will be working on independence this year in preparation for the big move to middle school, I know you are still a very important part of your child's education. I communicate with parents in a variety of ways.
2) Canvas: Canvas is our digital learning platform in ZCS. I went to some training this summer and have adjusted my page so that it should be pretty user friendly for both students and parents. Students can log on using their username (firstname-lastname) and password (lunch code). Parents can create their own account by clicking on the link on the sign-in page. https://zcs.instructure.com/login/ldap I will be posting the following on Canvas:
- The daily planner using the calendar feature.
- Friday mail using the calendar feature.
- Upcoming tests/due dates using the calendar feature.
- Curriculum-related information and activities.
- Classroom schedules and other information
3) Facebook: I have a private Facebook page that I use to post pictures of the class and send out quick reminders. Because it is private, only the parents and family members who are members of the group can see the posts. Click this link if you would like to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sgeknueven/. Please let me know if you DO NOT want your child's photo posted on this page.
4) E-mail: My e-mail address is my full name, mailto:amyknueven@zcs.k12.in.us. My husband teaches 5th grade at ZWMS, so any mail sent to aknueven@zcs.k12.in.us will go to him. Please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail if you have any questions or concerns about anything in the classroom.
5) Planners: We fill out planners daily. I check planners daily and do my best to make sure all 24 of my students get the necessary materials home. If your child is consistently forgetting his/her planner or materials, please let me know so I can give some extra support in that area.
Friday Mail
Camp Tecumseh
- Permission slips went home on Friday. The cost for each person attending is $54. This price covers the cost of the activities at camp, plus three meals.
- Parents are welcome to attend! Because parents will potentially be with students without the supervision of a teacher, all parents attending camp must have a full background check on file with ZCS. These take 7-10 days to process, so I would highly recommend getting that done ASAP. http://www.zcs.k12.in.us/?q=node/508
- If you are planning to chaperone, we will need your help with activities during the day. Please fill out the purple chaperone form and return it to me with your preferences.