Brrrrrrrr!  I am sitting in front of a fire as I type this!  Fall is definitely making its presence felt today!  Don’t worry, however, because we will be learning so much this week we will work up a sweat!  This week we begin our month of Respect.  Over the weekend, you had a chance to review our school’s bullying information and sign our anti-bullying contract with your child.  We take this very seriously at RM Bacon!  Ms. Spanbauer will be in this week to speak with the class about respect and get us started on an activity that we will complete as a whole 4th grade class.   There is NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY due to a teacher inservice day.  Enjoy your day off!

Reading:

This week we will be working with determining main idea and supporting details.  We will also be starting our first novel for the year, The Chocolate Touch.

Vocab words for the week:  glacier, impressive, naturalist, preserve, slopes, species, wilderness

The Chocolate Touch Chapters 1-3 will be covered this week.

Math:

This week we will be working with Multiplying by Multiples of 10 and 100 as well as breaking apart 2 digit numbers to find the product.  The prezi below may be helpful to reinforce what we are doing in class.

Writing:

We are working on our first book this week.  By the end of next week all of my students will be published authors!  We used the model text The Diary of a Fly as a guide and we all came up with our own versions of “The Diary of a Spider.”  Be sure to stop by the third floor hallway and read our creations next week!

Science:

We are finishing our study of ecosystems by creating poster representations of the 5 major ecosystems in the USA.

Wow!  Where did September go?  This week begins October and as the image above states, we are going to make it AWESOME!!!!!!!  Last week, I spent some time in the evenings learning about the website www.sophia.org and taking some tutorials online to become Flip Classroom Certified.

What is a flipped classroom?  Does that mean I am now teaching gymnastics?  No gymnastics lessons (although back in the day I had a killer back handspring- just saying), but rather a way to have students learn the lesson for homework so that when they are in class with me they can apply the skills rather than sit through a lecture.  Starting Monday, I will be assigning a flipped assignment each night.  Students will need access to a computer, tablet, ipod touch, smart phone, or any other device that has internet connectivity.  If you do not have internet access at home, don’t fret!  Students can also look at the lesson in class if necessary.  They will watch a short video or view a website or presentation about a concept.  Once they are done, they will take a short quiz online.  I will look at the quiz results first thing in the morning or as soon as they finish for those who don’t have internet at home (they are graded on completion not how they scored as they can retake the quiz as many times as necessary to pass it- so it’s either a 100 or a 0).

For students who got the concept quickly and are ready to move on, I will assign them the practice sheet to complete independently and then they will work on an enrichment lesson.  For those, who got it but still have a few questions, we will meet in a small group to clarify what needs working on and then they will move on to the independent practice sheet.  For those students who are really struggling, we will meet and I will reteach the lesson and we will complete a guided practice sheet together before they move on to working independently.  I am really excited to see how this works!  All students have their Sophia log-in information and we have practiced in class a number of times last week.  If you have any questions or encounter problems, please do not hesitate to email me at carrie.sinone@millvillenj.gov

This weeks learning goals and tools:

Reading:

This week will be reviewing author’s purpose.  This is a concept we covered a few weeks ago, so at the end of this week we will be having a short quiz to check for mastery.  We are also working on combining simple sentences into compound sentences.  For example:

The dog was very tired.  It had been running all  morning.  = The dog was very tired because it had been running all morning.

Vocabulary  Words for the Week: bargain, favor, lassoed, offended, prairie, riverbed, shrieked

Math:

This week we are wrapping up our review of addition and subtraction.

Examples of regrouping when adding three digit numbers:

Regrouping twice when subtracting three digit numbers:

Science:

Last week we learned about the elements of an ecosystem.  This week we are going to focus on the ecosystems in the United States.  Students will learn about them via a Sophia tutorial and then use the information they’ve gained through taking notes to create a Ecosystems of the USA poster.  Check back next week to see our work!

Happy Birthday to our home-away-from-home, RM Bacon Elementary School!  On Friday, we celebrate our building’s 85th birthday.  Imagine the history this building has seen and what it could teach us if only the walls could talk!  In addition to another jam packed week of learning, I am challenging my students to join me in completing 85 laps around the playground by Friday.  I did the math for us- we need to walk/jog 17 laps a day to reach that goal.  If we can do this we will also have walked over 10 miles!  Bring your sneakers if you’re up for the challenge!  I know I am!  What a way to help me reach another one of my goals- getting my fitness in daily!  This week’s objectives and resources are below!

Language Arts:

This week we will be wrapping up our study of sentence types and moving onto dissecting a sentence to identify the subject (who or what the sentence is about) and predicate (what they subject is feeling or doing).  I have created log-ins for www.sophia.org for each student to use to view a lesson and take a quick check to see how we are understanding this concept.  They will get their log-in information on Monday.  I am super excited to use this tool as it will help me to better assess and work with students on concepts.  (Thanks Andy Bingham, my daughter’s 5th grade teacher for introducing this to me!)

The reading strategy we are working with this week is identifying literary elements such as characters, setting, and plot.  The prezi below will help to support the lesson we will be doing in class.

Our vocabulary words for the week are:

badger, bank, bristled, jointed, patched, ruffled, rushes

We will be using the mentor text The Diary of a Fly,  to help us work on creating a narrative writing piece that has both a sequence that is easy to follow and all of the narrative elements that we are learning about this week.

Math:

This week we will be wrapping up our review of place value and taking a unit 3 assessment on Tuesday.  Topic 4 will start on Wednesday with a review of addition and subtraction using mental math and estimation.  The Educreations lesson below will help to review the concept at home.  Students may also work on www.mobymax.com at home to brush up on both math and language arts skills.  All students were given a log-in sheet last week.  This is a great way to keep learning and reviewing at home.

Social Studies:

This week we will be taking a trip WAYYYYYYYYYY back in time to discover what NJ was like during the age of reptiles.  Take a peek below to see what some of our very, very, very old neighbors looked like!

Science:

This week we will continue working with our study of weather, but delve deeper to understand how weather effects the ecosystem.

Wow!  What a great turn out for our annual Back to School Night!  I was very happy to meet all of the parents who were able to make it up to our classroom.  For those parents who were unable to attend, please see the Prezi below to be up to date on our classroom procedures.  I also sent home a classroom “cheat sheet” with the important websites, email addresses, and policies on them in your child’s work folder.  Please be sure to sign up for the Remind 101 text updates to stay aware of the upcoming important dates!  Text @mrssino to 856-517-0666 (not my real phone number!)

I am looking forward to meeting all of you at Back to School Night!  We will be hosting our parents beginning at 7:00 on Tuesday, September 16th.   All families are asked to report to the gym for Dr. Cook’s opening remarks and then you will be dismissed to the classrooms to visit ME!  For those of you who can not make it, I will post our Back to School Night Prezi on Wednesday so that you can have the same information.

Your kids ROCK!!!!!!!  We completed a full week last week and let me tell you, I held nothing back!  We completed almost an entire chapter in Math and our first story in Language Arts.  Students learned how to log in to our Math and Reading website which we will use daily in class, www.pearsonsuccessnet.com. Below are our objectives for the week as well as some tools to help support what we are learning in class.

Reading:  This week we will be focusing on determining the Author’s Purpose.  We will also continue working with Sentence Types focusing this week on Exclamatory and Imperative Sentences.

Vocab Words: Docks, migrating, scan, scent, warf, yearned

Math: This week we will be taking our first math test on Tuesday, covering multiplication facts and how they relate to division.  After that we are moving into exploring Place Value and how it helps when comparing and ordering numbers.  

Social Studies:  We are continuing our study of New Jersey this week focusing on the 4 regions of NJ as well as some of the Tourist Stops that have historical importance.

Science:  We will be starting an investigation about what goes into forming our weather.  The link below will lead you to an informative webiste that we will be using during our science lessons and centers this week.

http://www.eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloud3.html

Whew!  I’m exhausted just reading over this!  4th Graders, I hope you’re ready!!!!!!

This week starts our first full week of the school year!  I hope you are as ready as I am to jump in and learn!  Every Sunday I will post our learning objectives for each subject for the week as well as helpful and informative videos, Power Point presentations, Prezis, or other helpful links to ensure that you have as many resources as possible to help your child be successful.  Before I jump into our objectives for this week, I want to let you know that Thursday, September 11th, we will be wearing red, white, and blue in honor of Patriot Day.  Any student who wears all 3 colors will earn 5 extra credit points on the social studies quiz this week!

Language Arts:

This week we will be reading and excerpt from Because of Winn Dixie.  Our vocabulary words for the week are as follows:

Grand, memorial, peculiar, positive, prideful, recall, selecting

Our reading strategy of the week is identifying the sequence, or order of events, in a story.

We will also be using sequencing in our writing lessons this week as we begin writing our first personal narrative.  In grammar we will be working to identify the different types of sentences.

Social Studies:

This week we will be working to learn about the counties of NJ as well as where we are located in our region of the country.  We will also be working on understanding the difference between weather and climate.

Science:

We will be reviewing Science Safety this week and creating posters to hang around the room to remind us how to be safe while we conduct experiments!

As you can see, it’s going to be a busy week!  Expect homework assignments for Monday- Thursday nights in the form of a short math worksheet (10 problems covering many areas of math) and a short reading passage with 4-5 comprehension questions.  Also, any classwork that is not completed in class is the student’s responsibility to complete for homework.

Well, they say all good things must come to an end- even summer vacation!  I am super excited to get to know all of my new students this week!  But first, let me introduce myself!  My name is Carrie Sinone and this is the beginning of my 13th year of teaching all of which have happened here in the Millville Public School district.  This year is going to be a pretty busy one for me as I am working on completing the classes I need to obtain my principal certification.  Trust me kids, I understand your frustration with homework because I am doing it every night too!  In addition to teaching and taking classes, I am also a wife and mother to 5 pretty awesome kids!  Our oldest, Hayle,  is graduating high school this year, Jade is starting her Sophomore year, Tyler is going into 6th grade, Madison will be in 5th grade, and the baby of the bunch is starting 2nd grade this week.  We are definitely busy in our house all the time!  With that said, I know that completing homework each night can be a struggle with all of the activities that kids are involved in, however, it is important to continue to practice at home!  Each night, Monday-Thursday, your child will have a short math assignment and a short reading assignment (one worksheet each or sometimes just one double sided worksheet).  It is important that they try to complete it each night.

Each year, I choose a theme song for our class.  This year, I chose Phillip Phillips song “Home.”  Throughout the school year we will spend 6 hours a day together.  That is the largest chunk of time in most of our days.  I strive to make our class feel like a home away from home.  I work hard each summer after our amazing custodians are finished cleaning our room to decorate and prepare if for the students’ arrival.  I truly love getting to know all the kids and end up crying to see them leave the last day.  Take a peek at my welcome back video below to see how the room is transformed and get to know me and my family a bit better!

Class List

Nathanial Adams

Derek Bielawski

Jiana Brooks

Dominic Cerda

Rocco Colella

Raenell Cottman

Cecely Domniguez

Dimia Donaldson

Alyssia Gomez

Madison Maines

Dominick Martinez

Manuel Maymi

Matthew Perry

Aleah Rothmaller

Kevin Smith

Thomas Smith

Kendall Sooy

Supply List- Please try to have by Monday, September 8th if possible!

Pencils

Flash drive

Earbuds or headphones (that can be left at school for centers)

5 2-pocket folders

I am looking forward to meeting you all on Thursday!  Get ready for a SUPER year!

Welcome to 4^th grade!  I’m hoping you have a super-rare-not-bummer-summer!  To help us prepare for next year, I’ve created a Not Bummer Summer Challenge.  In the book, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer,  Judy and her friends planned an awesome, adventure, and fun-filled summer.  Unfortunately, her friends left her for trips to camp and family vacations.  Judy felt  very left out and predicted that her summer was ruined until, with some help from her aunt and brother, she realized she could have a Not Bummer Summer at home too.  I’m giving you the opportunity to earn some Cool Points this summer that you can use next year as extra credit on tests, towards ipad or computer time, or for other reward opportunities in class.  Here’s how you can earn your cool points:

1.  At least once a week draw a picture and write at least 1 paragraph about something awesome you did each week. ~10 cool points
2. Read the book Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer and create a collage in your notebook of all pictures that would make your summer Super Rare! ~10 cool points.
3. If you have internet access, Visit my Blog www.cultivatingmindswithoutlosingmyown.com and click on the link for Moby Max and brush up on your skills!  Your user name is your first name and your password is also your first name (no caps) ~10 cool points for every badge you earn!
4. Practice your multiplication time tables by having an adult or older sister or brother write problems in your notebook for you to solve. ~10 cool points.
5. Visit a relative or neighbor and offer to help them with a chore.  Write about it or have the person you helped write what you did in your notebook ~10 cool points for each person you help.

Just like in the book and movie, keep your eyes peeled for me around town.  Find me and have me take our first 4^th grade selfie and you earn 50 cool points!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can’t wait to get to work with each of you next year!  I hope you have an awesome summer and can’t wait to hear about all your super-rare fun times!

All Not Bummer Summer Journals are due back the first day of school!

Holy moly, it’s June!  Where has the time gone?  We are spending this week getting ready for our musical, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  Many of the students from our class are participating as special soloists and actors.  I am really looking forward to seeing all of their hard work pay off on the stage!  We also have a number of students who will be performing with the band.  I had a chance to listen to some of their rehearsal yesterday and was quite impressed!

In addition to  prepping for the play, we are also wrapping up some of our end of the year assessments.  While that sounds like we are done learning for the year, the truth couldn’t be further from that!  We will spend the rest of this year prepping for 5th grade!  I am so impressed with the progress this class has made this year!

It’s that time of year again- NJASK time.  We will be testing from Monday, May 12th to Friday, May 16th.  The first two days will be focused on Language Arts, the second two days on Math, and the final day on Science.  While this one week out of the entire year really shouldn’t get the fanfare that it does as it is only one of MANY ways students are assessed each year, it still manages to cause unnecessary stress and anxiety for many (teachers too!).  There are many things you can do at home to help prepare your child for the test each day.  Below are a few easy tips to help make next week less stressful!

Tip #1- Get a Good Night’s Sleep!

As if testing and sitting still for the morning isn’t hard enough, imagine doing that while tired!  Try to get between 7-8 hours of sleep the night before the test.  Wake up on time so that you don’t feel rushed or panicked as you start your day.

Tip #2- Eat a Healthy Breakfast!

Try to avoid sugary cereals or treats in the morning.  The sugar may give you energy initially, but it will cause you to tire out quickly!  Also, try not to eat too large of a breakfast if you are not used to that.  We don’t want to have to worry about a sore stomach while we are giving our brain a workout!

Tip #3- Wear Comfortable Clothes!

Make sure you keep an eye on the weather report and dress appropriately.  You don’t want to be too hot or too cold.  You can bring a lightweight hoodie to wear if you think you will be chilly, but you will not be permitted to wear heavy coats.  Also, remember you will be sitting for the majority of the morning.  Wear clothes that will be comfortable around the waist.  I suggest sweats or elastic waist bottoms and loose, comfortable fitting tops.

Tip #4- Don’t Spend Too Much Time on Any One Problem

Pace yourself!  If you begin to get frustrated with a question, skip it and come back to it if time allows.

Tip #5- Use ALL of the Time Given!

Remember if you finish early to go back and check your work.  Did you use the Writer’s Checklist?  Did you answer every question?  Did you record your answers in the correct spot?  Can you add anything to your written responses or open ended questions?

Tip #6- TRY YOUR BEST!

Remember this is just one test!  You’ve learned everything you need to complete this throughout the year.  Your teachers are rooting for you!  WE KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS!

As parents we often feel helpless during test week.  Please keep a positive attitude and encourage your child to try their best as that’s all they can do!  Also, when your child comes home,  if the weather  and your schedule allow, please give them some down time to decompress!  Let them play!  I will not be assigning homework at all next week as we are working super hard all day.  We will be working a fun science activity in the afternoons- dissecting owl pellets!  If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child’s teacher!