Sparks' Notes
05-02-16
Wanted: Auction Items for Our Auction on May 6th (Anything a fourth grader would like is great!)
What We Are Learning This Week
Great Expectation Life Principle: Empathy
Math: Math Review Stations (Check out our latest 3-Act Task)
Science: Adaptations Project
Social Studies: Early 1900s
Writing: Short Stories
Reading: Mixed Genres
Language: Sentence combining, revision, and editing
Don't forget your books for library on Tuesday.
Please be sure to check the Parent Portal for grades regularly.
To set up an account, you simply need your student's ID, which is his or her lunch number. Just ask him or her to share this if you haven't already set up an account. As a parent, it is a hugely valuable tool!
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.
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).
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.
- parallelogram - a four-sided figure with exactly two pairs of parallel lines
- protractor - instrument for measuring and drawing angles
- angle symbol - a shape, similar to an triangle lacking the side, that means angle
- expanded notation - way of expressing each place value of a number
- interval - distance or time between
- trapezoid - four-sided figure with only one pair parallel sides
- confection - something prepared, especially a sweet baked good
- automatically - instinctively or involuntarily
- concoction - a mixture of several ingredients
- delectable - delicious and mouthwatering
- consistency - degree of thickness of a substance
- inventive - imaginative or innovative
- preheat - to warm up before using
- revolutions - cycles of movement around a central axis
- tines - prongs or sharp points
- Civil Rights Act - legislation in the United States that outlawed discrimination
- aerospace - the earth's atmosphere or the area beyond it
- time zones - a range of longitudes where a common standard time is used
- segregation - keeping apart one or some from a group
- empathy - identification with the feelings of others
(Click on the 2x2 array of on the far right. When the apps window opens, select Vocabulary Spelling City, and go to Vocabulary Week 33 in the yellow section. There are lots of games to help you learn your words!)
Dates to Remember
Week of May 2nd
Teacher Appreciation Week
Tuesday, May 3rd
Percussion Ensemble Performance - 6:00 pm
Monday, May 9th
Fourth Grade S.T.A.A.R. Math Test - Get a good night's sleep & eat a healthy breakfast.
Tuesday, May 10th
Fourth Grade S.T.A.A.R. Reading Test - Get a good night's sleep & eat a healthy breakfast.
Tuesday, May 17th
Math Reward Day for those that have earned their Golden Gumball.
Chavez musical, "Lion King" - 7:00 pm
Friday, May 20th
Reading Counts Field Trip for those that have met their Reading Counts goal.
Monday, May 23rd
3-5th Grade Field Day
Wednesday, May 25th
Fourth Grade Field Trip to Retractable Technologies Incorporated in Little Elm
Thursday, May 26th
Special Olympics
Friday, May 27th
No School (Didn't have to use Bad Weather Make-Up Day)
Tuesday, May 31st
Rocket Day (Viewing the 5th Grade Launches)
Wednesday, June 1st
Awards Assembly at 8:00 am
Thursday, June 2nd
Last Day of School - Early Release at 11:20
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