January 26-28 Great Kindness Challenge
January 27 Scholastic Orders Due
January 28 Take Apart Day
January 29-30 No School
February 2 Library Visit
No Homework Due This Week, but...
1. Please turn in $5 for Beauty and the Beast tickets if you haven't already done so.
2. Read for at least 20 minutes every night.
Upcoming Out and Abouts
This Wednesday, we will have a Take Apart Day! Students will work in small groups to safely dismantle and learn about the "guts" of machines and electronics, as part of our investigation into electricity. We will need parents to help with disassembly, as well as donations of tools and unwanted, simple household electronics (it's OK if they aren't working!).
Tools Needed: All sizes of standard and Phillips head screwdrivers, pliers and wire cutters. Please label tools with your student's name so they can be returned.
Suggested Equipment Donations: CD/DVD players, desk phones, speakers, printers, networking equipment (routers), tape recorders, keyboards and handheld/battery powered toys. Donations will not be re-assembled or returned. Please, no TVs, monitors, items with blades or anything with glass.
Volunteer Opportunities - http://vols.pt/drMimF
Please sign up on VolunteerSpot to help with Take Apart Day this Wednesday (January 28th) from 12:30 to 2:30. We also need breakfast donations for the month of February! Cereal or granola bars can be brought in any time! Thanks :)
Math Notes
Third grade mathematicians will continue their study of geometry and measurement this week by solving problems about area (the measure of how much flat space a figure covers). Small groups of students will go to the Backyard Garden with Erin on Monday and Wednesday to practice finding the perimeter and area of garden beds. Look for opportunities to measure area around your house and talk to your student about the size of a surface. For example, ask your Plover or Puffin to help you figure out the area of a tabletop or the floor of a room by using different common objects as the unit of measure. How many sheets of notebook paper would it take to cover the kitchen floor? How many index cards would it take to cover a table? Try to estimate the answer first and then use the sheets of paper or index cards to find the exact amount!
Last week we continued our work with division. I quickly noticed that students were demonstrating a lack of proficiency with their single digit multiplication facts. Therefore, this week we will focus heavily on memorizing our multiplication facts. Your fourth grade mathematician would also benefit from practicing their facts at home on a regular basis. This could be with flashcards, IXL, oral quizzes, School House Rocks songs, multiplication games, etc. As always, if you have questions/comments/concerns, please let me or Becky know ([email protected])
4th Grade NAEP Testing
FGCS 4th grade students have been selected to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP assessment will be given at FGCS on Tuesday, March 3. More information will be coming home soon about this assessment, or you can click here to read a note from our principal, Vanessa Gray. If you have questions, please contact school test coordinator Karen Torry at [email protected] or 503-359-4600.
Returning Student Form Due March 3rd
Click here to submit a Returning Student Form. Please fill out a separate form for each currently enrolled student who will be returning next year.
Weekly Review
Last week, we started talking about The Great Kindness Challenge, which is taking place January 26 - 30. The Great Kindness Challenge is one week dedicated to creating a culture of kindness on campuses nationwide. Our school is proudly participating in this positive anti-bullying initiative. All students have received a Great Kindness Challenge checklist with 50 kind deeds and last week students created posters, cards, pictures and bookmarks to give to classmates and friends this week. Some of the deeds can be done at school and some can be done as a family. Please encourage your child to complete the checklist and show the world that KINDNESS MATTERS!
Communication
Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Parents and students can e-mail me at [email protected]. You can also leave a voice message on the class phone, come into the classroom before or after school, or call me before 8PM at home.