Hi there.
We started the day off with CC Meeting. We read a story about the Chicago Fire back in 1871. The story had many examples of people paying it forward. Please ask your child to share at least two of them. If they can, write FIRE in the planner for $20. We have learned soooooo much about this topic. It has been very fun seeing and hearing all the excitement about this topic. Thanks Rusty!!!
In Language today, we completed a DOL. This is where kids have to take a sentence and tell me what part of speech each word is. (old school diagraming sentences for us) I had the kids turn it into me today, and oh my. We had a lot of confusion and I was thinking they knew a lot more than they did. Yikes! So, we back tracked and went over each part of speech again and wrote down the definitions and examples. I then had kids come back and we worked through the sentences together. The sentences today were pretty tough!!!!! I told the kids that if they can really buckle down and get the harder ones, then the easy ones will be super easy. I also told kids that they should walk away from assignments saying, wow that was challenging not man that was easy. So many kids in here need that extra challenge, and I know they will rise to my new expectations. We will continue to work on them. So, what can you do to help at home? In the car, give the kids a sentence and have them go through it word by word and tell you the parts of speech. You will be amazed at how much you learn too. I learn every day on these things! Love it!
We will have the review spelling test tomorrow. No need to study. This test shows me if they have really learned all their words and transferred them to long term memory or just memorized for the Friday test.
In Science today, we began to talk about where we can find fossils. We brought out some samples of Sedimentary Rocks and saw how different they feel depending on what layer they came from. We talked about the pressure needed to create this type of rock and these remains into fossils. I also shared with the kids that we will be taking a field trip the last week of March to the Dino Lab here in Billings. It is down by the Metra. We will catch the Met bus at Bitterroot and it takes us right there. We will then tour the place for about an hour and come back to school on the Met Bus again. The return bus brings us right back to Bitterroot at 3:10 so pick up will be right on time. There is a $5 charge per student. Please send that in with the permission slip that will come home next week. There will also be a $500 buy in with fake money. Kids that can't buy in will stay at school in an alternative placement. Everyone should be well over that amount by now. Ask your child how much money they have in their wallet right now. Write the amount they say in the planner and earn another $20 tomorrow. If your child is under $500 ask them why. Have they had missing assignments? Talking in class? Unsigned planners? Those are about the only way they can lose money in here.
Many kids brought home their MT History journals tonight to finish up some Lewis and Clark stuff. Journals are due tomorrow. I NEVER, EVER, EVER let these go home so I told all of them that they MUST come back tomorrow! If a kid loses theirs, it will be impossible to replace. I do want you to see all the work they have done though. Take a minute to sit down and allow your child to walk you through it. It has been an amazing journey. If you do, write MT HISTOY in the planner for another $20. We will begin our journey into fur trapping on Monday. Awesome!
Testing is coming up next week. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!! We will be testing the following all week NEXT week.
Monday: Science-Morning
Tuesday: Reading-Morning, Math-Afternoon
Wednesday: Reading-Morning, Math-Afternoon
Thursday: Reading-Morning, Math-Afternoon
Friday: Science-Morning
KIDS MUST BE HERE ALL WEEK!!!!!!!!! Make-up testing is a royal pain, not a natural testing environment, and kids miss the regular instruction when they are pulled for over an hour to make up tests. If you have appointments scheduled during the above times, please reschedule them. Normally, we test MONT Cas for three weeks. We all agreed to condense it into one and be done. Many schools have found this to work the best. Kids are fresh and they know that it is one week and over, rather than three. I will be sending a note home from Mr. English tomorrow about testing do's and don'ts. Here is the basic run down:
1. Kids need a good night's sleep. (No homework next week)(4th graders should be in bed and asleep by 9:00)
2. Eat a good breakfast that contains protein. (Eggs, peanut butter, and meat)
3. Be here every single day ($100 reward each day we have perfect attendance.)
4. Be on time daily. (If test has started, kids will have to stay in office until it is over)
5. Stay home if really, really sick. (Once a child starts a test, they may not leave and start again)(It is better to stay home and make it up)(Fever or Throwing up) Also avoid picking kids up early. They may be in the middle of a test. Again, if they leave, everything left undone is marked against them. They may not go back and finish.
6. Bring a healthy snack each day. (Again, hardboiled eggs, nuts, peanut butter on a spoon, jerky, beef sticks)
7. Kids may chew healthy, regular stick sized gum. Please bring a pack to school on Monday that will last the entire week. (Optional)(Loud chewing, blowing bubbles, or smacking of gum will be a loss of gum)
8. MOST IMPORTANT: Send kids out the door in a good and positive mood. Tell them you love them, give them extra hugs, encourage them to do their very best, and tell them how proud of them you are. (You know, like you do every day! :0))
Doing these things above honestly does make a difference. Kids are going to ROCK these tests. These tests are used to determine our Annual Yearly Progress with the No Child Left Behind Program. We have to have a certain number of kids present to pass a certain section. Attendance is imperative! We so appreciate all that you do for your kiddos, and for us! Thank you.
Well, that abut wraps it up. Have an awesome night with your awesome kid!
