The Cloud Connection
November 4, 2013
Math: This week we'll continue to work on finding estimates of multiplication as we head into multiplying larger numbers. We'll connect our understanding of partial products to the Distributive Property of Multiplication. We'll also work on some problem solving strategies. Homework: Mon. pg. 227-228, Tues. Patial Product wkst., Wed. pg. 239-240, Thurs., pg. 245-246.
Reading: Due to our extra activities last week we aren't quite finished with our biographies. My goal is that we'll complete the posters on Monday so we can begin our presentations Tues. Hopefully we'll be able to share these with other classes on Fri. I will give students some time in class to read towards the Read-A-Thon this week so everyone needs a book here through Fri.
Language: This week is a spelling week focusing on words with the ow/ou sounds. Students can go to Spelling City online and do practice tests and activities. They should be practicing at home each night. The words are: owl, ounce, found, pound, drowsy, powder, tower downtown, howl, frown, shower, towel, power, pounce, crowd, account, amount, sound, count, round.
Students wanting to participate in the Dec. spelling bee should be practicing the words from the spelling bee list I sent home a couple of weeks ago for additional practice.
We'll begin our informational writing this week. The first step is to organize the important parts of our information into workable sections.
Social Studies: Students will continue to learn about landforms this week and we'll discuss how the land effects people. We'll start planning imaginary maps later in the week.
Other items: Students are excited about reading as much as they can over the next few weeks for our Read-A-Thon. I'll check reading logs Monday and Friday. This Friday is the last day of the Read-A-Thon. Thanks to all of the great reading our class has the most minutes for the 4th grade. Miss Emma has already filled up one sheet so the bar has been set! Please send the recording sheets to school every day so I can give students credit when we read in class. We appreciate all of your support as you encourage your child to read in their spare time. Pledges are encouraged as well since we are hoping to raise enough money for some much needed technology upgrades. The Read-A-Thon is taking the place of our weekly reading logs until Nov. 10.
I have shared the process with students for making Scrapbooks for their next book report. These are due Dec. 12. I suggest that students read their book with a few sticky notes so they can mark possible scrapbook entry pages as they read. See the details at the bottom of this page.
Many thanks for the yummy treats for Halloween. We had a great balance of sweet/healthy treats so students went home happy. I loved the participation for the parade! Thank you!
Our class had the most box tops of the 4th grade and were awarded prizes from the PTO. (A special thank you to Kaylin's family!) Please continue to collect box tops for us as there is another drive taking place.
Students are having a great time with our Artist in the School, Alison Marshall. She is a gifted teacher in combining movement with curriculum. Mark your calendars for a WHE Movement Showcase Nov. 8 at 1:15 in the gym. The following gives you a bit more information about this residency.
West Homer Elementary is pleased to welcome our Artist-in-Residence in Dance/Creative Movement, Alison Marshall. Alison comes to us from Paradise Valley, AZ, but she travels nationally and internationally with her work. She is a teaching and performing artist, choreographer, university professor, and arts consultant who designs and presents dance and theatre based learning programs for schools, organizations and communities.
Alison places a particular emphasis on connecting core academic standards and curriculum with her movement-based instruction, so lessons have been ranging from geographic landforms to ancient Egypt, to the moons of Mars and to characterization in literature. Alison’s two week residency at WHE (Oct. 28-Nov. 8) will end in a culminating school-wide assembly taking place on Friday, November 8 from 1:15-2:00 in the WHE gymnasium. Parents, family members and friends are invited to attend.
Alison’s residency was generously funded by the fundraising efforts of our own West Homer Elementary PTO, as well as funding through the Bunnell Street Arts Center. The Bunnell Street Arts Center sponsors Artist in the Schools with support from the Alaska State Council on the Arts, Rasmuson Foundation Conoco Philips, Alaska USA Federal Credit Union and Jazzline.
Artist in the School
Alison Marshall is our guest artist in residence who specializes in movement. We're looking forward to hosting her. We'll have a showcase of student work the last day of her residency, Fri., Nov. 8 at 1:15 in the gym.
Monday, Oct 28, 2013, 09:00 AM
West Homer Elementary School, Soundview Avenue, Homer, AK
School Spirit Day
Wear your school colors or Orca Apparel on Fri., Nov. 8th to show your school spirit!
Friday, Nov 8, 2013, 08:15 AM
West Homer Elementary School, Soundview Avenue, Homer, AK
HEA Assembly
Friday, Nov 8, 2013, 02:15 PM
West Homer Elementary School, Soundview Avenue, Homer, AK
Scrapbook Directions for Dec. 12 Book Report
Scrapbook Book Report
- You will need to select a realistic fiction or historical fiction book. The book needs to be in the neighborhood of 100 pages unless you have discussed this with me. Choose a main character from your book.
- As you read the book look for events that are important to the story and to the main character. When you find an event you might want to use put a sticky note in the book with the page number written on it.
- When you have finished reading the book choose five of the events that you thought were important.
- Choose five objects (one to represent each of the events you’ve chosen) to create your scrapbook.
- Put one object on each page. On lined paper write the page number that relates to the object, the approx. date and location that relates to the event and at least three sentences that explain the importance of the object to your character.
- Continue this for all of the objects and put the pages of your character’s scrapbook in the same order that they occurred in the story.
- Make a cover page with your character’s name on it. Then make a title page that includes the name of the book, the author’s name, your name and the date.
- Bind your scrapbook and turn it in, no later than Dec. 12.
Grading scale
Cover pg. 5
Title pg. 10 (Title of book, author, your name, date)
Conventions 50 (10 pts. per page; spelling, capitals, correct punctuation, usage, correct sentence structure.)
Overall neatness 10
Creativity and
Design 25 (5 pts. per page)
Total 100