The countdown to Christmas has begun!
We will be very busy this week with the Christmas concert performance and our Christmas party. Monday we will rehearsing at the high school until about 11:00. Tuesday we will be doing a morning performance for the third graders at Maple and then again at the high school at night. Wednesday will be a jammed packed day of work, and then we will have time for some fun on Thursday. At 12:30 we will start making gingerbread houses, and then progress to a party. Thank you for sending in the materials for the gingerbread houses and the goodies for the party.
There will be no spelling test this week, although I will introduce the spelling pattern and practice it in school. Also, we won't be having Rotations this week. The children that go to Mrs. Brazell, Mrs. Chisholm and Mrs. Jordan will be going every afternoon, but enrichment for the rest of the class has been canceled. The rest of the class will be doing work with me on Reading, since we will be missing it during our regular morning time.
For the concert, please note that tickets are limited, and there doesn't seem to be any extras. The children are supposed to be dressed in their best attire, at the high school, at 6:30. I will be there supervising them, as will the rest of the fourth grade team. PLEASE, wait for instructions for the dismissal from the stage. If we don't do this in an orderly way, it will be unsafe for your child. We all want this to be enjoyable and memorable for the children's performance, not for adult craziness. Please have patience, so we can all get home safely.
I hope you have a great holiday and vacation.
Sincerely,
Jackie Hamilton
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Dear Parents,
Thank you very much for taking the time to visit with me and discuss the progress of your child, during parent-teacher conferences. I am happy to show you the work that they have been doing and share with you what you can do at home to help your child learn. Report cards will be go home with your child if you weren't able to meet with me. I will be making telephone conferences this week.
Mrs. Wellbourne is coordinating our Christmas party scheduled for our last day of school before vacation; Dec 23. We will also be making gingerbread houses, before the party. The kids will be able to take them home that afternoon. It is a full day of school and will be a busy one. Remember there will be no gift exchange. Thank you for all who have so graciously donated to our gingerbread houses.
This week we will be changing teachers for the enrichment block. Every 6 weeks we will change. That way every child will get to work with Mrs. Swank, Mrs. Mistretta and myself.
Our topic for Reading Streets is Pattern in Nature. Please remember to go over the parent letter that is sent home every Monday, with your child. There are important concepts listed that we will be working on.
Have a great week
Sincerely,
Ms Hamilton
Thank you very much for taking the time to visit with me and discuss the progress of your child, during parent-teacher conferences. I am happy to show you the work that they have been doing and share with you what you can do at home to help your child learn. Report cards will be go home with your child if you weren't able to meet with me. I will be making telephone conferences this week.
Mrs. Wellbourne is coordinating our Christmas party scheduled for our last day of school before vacation; Dec 23. We will also be making gingerbread houses, before the party. The kids will be able to take them home that afternoon. It is a full day of school and will be a busy one. Remember there will be no gift exchange. Thank you for all who have so graciously donated to our gingerbread houses.
This week we will be changing teachers for the enrichment block. Every 6 weeks we will change. That way every child will get to work with Mrs. Swank, Mrs. Mistretta and myself.
Our topic for Reading Streets is Pattern in Nature. Please remember to go over the parent letter that is sent home every Monday, with your child. There are important concepts listed that we will be working on.
Have a great week
Sincerely,
Ms Hamilton
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Now that the Thanksgiving break is behind us, it is time to get back to work. I hope you had a restful, peaceful few days. I had a blast with my family! A two year old grandchild can be very entertaining!
Our enrichment block is going well. This is our fifth week! After next week, we will be rotating groups. Mrs. Swank's group will go to Mrs. Mistretta, my group will go to Mrs. Swank and Mrs. Mistretta's group will come to me. We will adjust our teaching to meet the needs of the new group. We will continue rotating in this manner every 6 weeks until school is over.
We are starting new rotation groups this week. Please make sure your child does all of the rotation homework. I had 3-4 children not complete their work, for their rotation teacher. That isn't acceptable. We are trying to get them ready for the middle school, by teaching them to be responsible for getting their work done on time.
Our Reading Street Question of the Week is "What is the job of the President of the United States?" We will be exploring this subject in Reading, Social Studies and Enrichment. I hope your child will share some of their new learning with you.
In Math we will take the Chapter 4 test this week and start Chapter 5. Chapter 5 concentrates on Multiplication, by practicing multiplication facts, estimating products, lattice multiplication and partial-products. Please help your child study his or her multiplication facts at home. We will be taking another timed test soon.
Next week we will be having parent-teacher conferences. Please watch for the sign up sheet to come home in your child's folder. I would like to have them back by Dec 6.
I hope you have a great week.
Sincerely,
Jackie Hamilton
Our enrichment block is going well. This is our fifth week! After next week, we will be rotating groups. Mrs. Swank's group will go to Mrs. Mistretta, my group will go to Mrs. Swank and Mrs. Mistretta's group will come to me. We will adjust our teaching to meet the needs of the new group. We will continue rotating in this manner every 6 weeks until school is over.
We are starting new rotation groups this week. Please make sure your child does all of the rotation homework. I had 3-4 children not complete their work, for their rotation teacher. That isn't acceptable. We are trying to get them ready for the middle school, by teaching them to be responsible for getting their work done on time.
Our Reading Street Question of the Week is "What is the job of the President of the United States?" We will be exploring this subject in Reading, Social Studies and Enrichment. I hope your child will share some of their new learning with you.
In Math we will take the Chapter 4 test this week and start Chapter 5. Chapter 5 concentrates on Multiplication, by practicing multiplication facts, estimating products, lattice multiplication and partial-products. Please help your child study his or her multiplication facts at home. We will be taking another timed test soon.
Next week we will be having parent-teacher conferences. Please watch for the sign up sheet to come home in your child's folder. I would like to have them back by Dec 6.
I hope you have a great week.
Sincerely,
Jackie Hamilton
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Happy Halloween!
We had a great party on Friday following the Goffstown parade. The children were very excited and looked adorable in their costumes. Thanks goes to Rachel Welbourne for organizing the party and for the wonderful pictures. Also, I would like to thank all the moms who provided delicious treats for the kids and helped serve and clean up. They are: Laurie Dalton, Christine Biron, Cindy Murphy , Katlyn Goss, Gail Houle, Donna McKay, Erin Fontaine. I hope that the children will be all settled now after a fun-filled weekend.
In math this week, we will be taking the unit 3 test. It is still necessary for your child to be studying their math facts every night. We need to get them to memorize them so that they will be able to do the more challenging math that lays ahead.
Our Reading Streets program is becoming a little more comfortable for the students and me. We are starting to get into the routine. A spelling test is given every Friday. One week we almost had every child with a 100%, but since then there has been a decline. Please make sure they study at home.
On Tuesday, the district is having a workshop for us on the use of technology with the Reading Street program. I am looking forward to learning how the children can access the program from home and do some of their home reading on the computer.
I hope that you have a good week.
Sincerely,
Jackie Hamilton
We had a great party on Friday following the Goffstown parade. The children were very excited and looked adorable in their costumes. Thanks goes to Rachel Welbourne for organizing the party and for the wonderful pictures. Also, I would like to thank all the moms who provided delicious treats for the kids and helped serve and clean up. They are: Laurie Dalton, Christine Biron, Cindy Murphy , Katlyn Goss, Gail Houle, Donna McKay, Erin Fontaine. I hope that the children will be all settled now after a fun-filled weekend.
In math this week, we will be taking the unit 3 test. It is still necessary for your child to be studying their math facts every night. We need to get them to memorize them so that they will be able to do the more challenging math that lays ahead.
Our Reading Streets program is becoming a little more comfortable for the students and me. We are starting to get into the routine. A spelling test is given every Friday. One week we almost had every child with a 100%, but since then there has been a decline. Please make sure they study at home.
On Tuesday, the district is having a workshop for us on the use of technology with the Reading Street program. I am looking forward to learning how the children can access the program from home and do some of their home reading on the computer.
I hope that you have a good week.
Sincerely,
Jackie Hamilton
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Dear Parents,
This week will be a busy week with the NECAP testing from 9:00-10:30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We will miss quite a bit of Reading, but we will push on and get as much done as possible without overloading the children. They will get an extra recess at the end of the school day. Next week the NECAP testing will be in Math and the children will be tested at the same time on Wed, Thurs and Friday, so we will change our schedule to shorten the regular class math time and fit in reading instead. Please make sure that your child gets plenty of sleep and is well nourished.
Our math this week will be on collecting, organizing and interpreting a set of data. The children will need to learn the vocab- landmark, maximum, minimum, mode, mean, median. At the same time they should be memorizing their multiplication tables at home.
Some still need to practice the addition and subtraction tables, so that they don't have to count on their fingers, which slows them down and makes everything else that much more difficult.
I hope you have a good week.
Sincerely,
Jackie Hamilton
This week will be a busy week with the NECAP testing from 9:00-10:30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We will miss quite a bit of Reading, but we will push on and get as much done as possible without overloading the children. They will get an extra recess at the end of the school day. Next week the NECAP testing will be in Math and the children will be tested at the same time on Wed, Thurs and Friday, so we will change our schedule to shorten the regular class math time and fit in reading instead. Please make sure that your child gets plenty of sleep and is well nourished.
Our math this week will be on collecting, organizing and interpreting a set of data. The children will need to learn the vocab- landmark, maximum, minimum, mode, mean, median. At the same time they should be memorizing their multiplication tables at home.
Some still need to practice the addition and subtraction tables, so that they don't have to count on their fingers, which slows them down and makes everything else that much more difficult.
I hope you have a good week.
Sincerely,
Jackie Hamilton
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Dear Parents,
The past few weeks have gone by very quickly. We have been working hard getting to know each other and at the same time making our way through the curriculum.
This past week we finished the first chapter in the Math book and we will be taking the test this week. Chapter 2 will be about data collection. Please save the parent letter that will go home on Monday. You will need to review the terms median, mode, and mean and we will be practicing place value using very large numbers.
I will send home a parent letter from the reading series to keep you updated in what they are learning in Literacy.
Wednesday at 6:30 the school will be open for you to come by and meet other parents and see our classroom. I will be there also, to enjoy some ice cream with you.
Friday is picture day. A form went home last week with some directions for ordering prints online. You still have the option of ordering the pictures in the same way as before.
Have a good week.
Jackie
The past few weeks have gone by very quickly. We have been working hard getting to know each other and at the same time making our way through the curriculum.
This past week we finished the first chapter in the Math book and we will be taking the test this week. Chapter 2 will be about data collection. Please save the parent letter that will go home on Monday. You will need to review the terms median, mode, and mean and we will be practicing place value using very large numbers.
I will send home a parent letter from the reading series to keep you updated in what they are learning in Literacy.
Wednesday at 6:30 the school will be open for you to come by and meet other parents and see our classroom. I will be there also, to enjoy some ice cream with you.
Friday is picture day. A form went home last week with some directions for ordering prints online. You still have the option of ordering the pictures in the same way as before.
Have a good week.
Jackie
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Dear Parents,
Our first 2 partial weeks of school were exciting as we got to know each other and the other portable pals in Ms. Swanks class. With so many students in the class this year, I have had to change some of the ways we line up, etc. I am trying new things to eliminate the number of interruptions in the day. Hopefully, we will get a smooth routine going this week.
The Reading teachers have come into our classrooms to show the children how to do their best on the NECAP testing. Last year we found that teaching test taking strategies really improved the scores. There will be six whole class lesson and six small group lessons before the test. Our testing dates have been set and they are October 5,6,7 and 13,14,and 15. I will re-post those dates as we get closer.
This week I will be going to a workshop on the new Literacy program while the children are enjoying a day off. There will be a electronic component to the program which will be helpful to keep track of the students progress, and we might learn about some way that the children can practice their reading at home.
In our math program, this chapter is dedicated to geometry. We will be talking about shapes and angles and the vocabulary that goes with it. Please remember to read the Parent letter that went home last week. It would be helpful if you would keep a folder for the math information that I will send home periodically.
I hope that you will be able to come to the parent information night on Thurs at 7:00.
At that time I will be able to show you some of our materials and explain some of the curriculum. Plus I would like to talk to you and get to know you better. Thank you so much for writing to me about your adorable children. It really helps me to know what makes them tick.
Sincerely,
Ms. Hamilton
Our first 2 partial weeks of school were exciting as we got to know each other and the other portable pals in Ms. Swanks class. With so many students in the class this year, I have had to change some of the ways we line up, etc. I am trying new things to eliminate the number of interruptions in the day. Hopefully, we will get a smooth routine going this week.
The Reading teachers have come into our classrooms to show the children how to do their best on the NECAP testing. Last year we found that teaching test taking strategies really improved the scores. There will be six whole class lesson and six small group lessons before the test. Our testing dates have been set and they are October 5,6,7 and 13,14,and 15. I will re-post those dates as we get closer.
This week I will be going to a workshop on the new Literacy program while the children are enjoying a day off. There will be a electronic component to the program which will be helpful to keep track of the students progress, and we might learn about some way that the children can practice their reading at home.
In our math program, this chapter is dedicated to geometry. We will be talking about shapes and angles and the vocabulary that goes with it. Please remember to read the Parent letter that went home last week. It would be helpful if you would keep a folder for the math information that I will send home periodically.
I hope that you will be able to come to the parent information night on Thurs at 7:00.
At that time I will be able to show you some of our materials and explain some of the curriculum. Plus I would like to talk to you and get to know you better. Thank you so much for writing to me about your adorable children. It really helps me to know what makes them tick.
Sincerely,
Ms. Hamilton
Friday, April 9, 2010
April 9, 2010
Dear Parents,
How great is it that Spring has begun? We can see that students are getting more and more excited about the summertime!
We are currently running low on some classroom supplies. If anyone would like to bring in tissues, paper towels, and wet ones, it would be greatly appreciated!
This week, the 12th through the 16th, the fourth graders will be taking their NWEA tests. This is testing that will be completed on the computer. This testing assesses students in Reading, Language Use, and Mathematics. We will be testing on Monday in the afternoon, Wednesday before lunch, and Friday in the morning. Therefore, it is important that students have a good lunch on Monday, a good snack on Wednesday, and a good breakfast on Friday. As always, it is very important that they get good nights of sleep so they are bright-eyed and prepared to do their best!
In Reading next week, we will have a review week with our Imagine It! program. There will be no spelling words and no spelling test. Instead, we will review test-taking skills and strategies and read some poetry. The poetry is very appropriate since April is National Poetry Month! Continue to have students participate in the Bikes for Books program. For every 20 minutes they read, they may fill out one box on the paper that was sent home. Bring the paper in and receive another! The drawing and assembly will be held on April 22nd.
In Math, we have begun Unit 9 on Fractions, Decimals, and Percents. A parent letter should have gone home recently regarding this Unit. The study link (9.1) that has gone home today will require students to gather data by surveying people. This will be interpreted and analyzed in a future lesson. Please spend time working on this survey with your children.
In Social Studies last week, we created and shared our Northeast city brochures. Students did a great job with these and did an even better job at providing feedback for their peers. In Science this week, we are talking about weathering and erosion. Ask students what the difference between these two concepts is. Ms. Hamilton is working with the students on an interdisciplinary lesson that includes Social Studies and Writing. Students will be writing summaries about the Northeast region. They will be focusing on great introductory sentences and transitions throughout their writing.
Students are doing a fantastic job and have been showing a lot of effort! Let’s keep up the good work for the remainder of the school year! Feel free to call or e-mail with any questions.
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Dear Parents,
How great is it that Spring has begun? We can see that students are getting more and more excited about the summertime!
We are currently running low on some classroom supplies. If anyone would like to bring in tissues, paper towels, and wet ones, it would be greatly appreciated!
This week, the 12th through the 16th, the fourth graders will be taking their NWEA tests. This is testing that will be completed on the computer. This testing assesses students in Reading, Language Use, and Mathematics. We will be testing on Monday in the afternoon, Wednesday before lunch, and Friday in the morning. Therefore, it is important that students have a good lunch on Monday, a good snack on Wednesday, and a good breakfast on Friday. As always, it is very important that they get good nights of sleep so they are bright-eyed and prepared to do their best!
In Reading next week, we will have a review week with our Imagine It! program. There will be no spelling words and no spelling test. Instead, we will review test-taking skills and strategies and read some poetry. The poetry is very appropriate since April is National Poetry Month! Continue to have students participate in the Bikes for Books program. For every 20 minutes they read, they may fill out one box on the paper that was sent home. Bring the paper in and receive another! The drawing and assembly will be held on April 22nd.
In Math, we have begun Unit 9 on Fractions, Decimals, and Percents. A parent letter should have gone home recently regarding this Unit. The study link (9.1) that has gone home today will require students to gather data by surveying people. This will be interpreted and analyzed in a future lesson. Please spend time working on this survey with your children.
In Social Studies last week, we created and shared our Northeast city brochures. Students did a great job with these and did an even better job at providing feedback for their peers. In Science this week, we are talking about weathering and erosion. Ask students what the difference between these two concepts is. Ms. Hamilton is working with the students on an interdisciplinary lesson that includes Social Studies and Writing. Students will be writing summaries about the Northeast region. They will be focusing on great introductory sentences and transitions throughout their writing.
Students are doing a fantastic job and have been showing a lot of effort! Let’s keep up the good work for the remainder of the school year! Feel free to call or e-mail with any questions.
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Saturday, March 20, 2010
March 22, 2010
Dear Parents,
Happy spring! The school year is flying by! Soon the kids will be out playing baseball and staying up later. Please remember that we have still have a lot of work to do in the next 3 months. The week of April 12, the children will have another chance to show what they know on the NWEA teasting. I hope they do as well as they did on the NECAP.
We will be having a field trip on April 6th to the state house and History Museum, which follows our studies of New Hampshire, and our government. It is important that the children make a good impression on our representatives. They may even have a chance to meet Governor Lynch! They should dress in their best clothes and remember that we expect them to be on their very best behavior. Permission slips have already been sent home and need to be returned by March 31st. Please remember to fill out both sides of the paper. If there is any problem with the cost of the trip, please contact Mrs. Psyzka.
We will be having another timed multiplication facts test soon. The children need to study their multiplication facts as often as possible, because they never know when they will be tested. Several children are still lagging behind.
Raz-kids continues to be a fun reading source for all the children to use. Please try to have them use it at least once a week. Their participation has dropped dramatically.
We will be reading a mystery in Reading this week to go along with our “Science Fair” theme. This past week we did some experiments with magnets that also went along with the new reading series.
In Social Studies, we will begin to discuss the regions of the United States and will focus on the Northeast for a couple weeks. Our projects might require some work to be done at home.
The eighth chapter of our math book is rather difficult. It deals with area and converting square feet to square yards etc. An Everyday Math parent letter should’ve gone home on Friday. Please take time to read this, it can help with any homework confusion!
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Dear Parents,
Happy spring! The school year is flying by! Soon the kids will be out playing baseball and staying up later. Please remember that we have still have a lot of work to do in the next 3 months. The week of April 12, the children will have another chance to show what they know on the NWEA teasting. I hope they do as well as they did on the NECAP.
We will be having a field trip on April 6th to the state house and History Museum, which follows our studies of New Hampshire, and our government. It is important that the children make a good impression on our representatives. They may even have a chance to meet Governor Lynch! They should dress in their best clothes and remember that we expect them to be on their very best behavior. Permission slips have already been sent home and need to be returned by March 31st. Please remember to fill out both sides of the paper. If there is any problem with the cost of the trip, please contact Mrs. Psyzka.
We will be having another timed multiplication facts test soon. The children need to study their multiplication facts as often as possible, because they never know when they will be tested. Several children are still lagging behind.
Raz-kids continues to be a fun reading source for all the children to use. Please try to have them use it at least once a week. Their participation has dropped dramatically.
We will be reading a mystery in Reading this week to go along with our “Science Fair” theme. This past week we did some experiments with magnets that also went along with the new reading series.
In Social Studies, we will begin to discuss the regions of the United States and will focus on the Northeast for a couple weeks. Our projects might require some work to be done at home.
The eighth chapter of our math book is rather difficult. It deals with area and converting square feet to square yards etc. An Everyday Math parent letter should’ve gone home on Friday. Please take time to read this, it can help with any homework confusion!
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Sunday, March 14, 2010
March 15, 2010
Dear Parents,
All of this rain certainly means that spring is coming! Students have been very busy and doing a great job.
We have started Unit 4 of our Imagine It! reading series. This unit is called “Science Fair”. The reading series is great because it is made up of stories using social studies or science content. This past week we read about the scientific method. Consider taking this opportunity to discuss the scientific method with your child:
“A scientific method of solving problems encourages thinking about all the possible reasons for or answers to a problem. After your child has finished reading "Scientific Method," you may want to encourage him or her to think of a time when he or she observed something that was different from how it usually appears or functions. Help your child write down the possible reasons for this difference.”
Students will be going home with a Magnetism home connection this week. Please help your child to identify any items in your house that contain magnets inside, such as your television.
In Science this past week, we did an experiment called Bird Beaks and Survival. This is great practice for the students with NECAP testing. We also watched a video and discussed different types of animal adaptations. This week, we will continue along with plant adaptations and finish up the ecosystems unit.
Also, we have started a cube drop experiment in Math. This helps students to practice with probability. After the experiment, we will be reviewing Unit 7 for a couple days and then we will take our Unit 7 test. Please continue to help students study their multiplication facts! When students memorize these facts, it makes a great deal of the math lessons easier for them.
I hope the students told you all about the Brain Party celebration we had on Friday afternoon. They all had a great time and it was nice to celebrate their wonderful scores on the NECAP.
Mrs. Oljey came into the classroom Wednesday to begin talking to students about different careers. Students will have the opportunity to explore different career options through internet research in the Smart Room. She will be coming in for a few upcoming Wednesdays.
Let’s hope for some sunshine!
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Dear Parents,
All of this rain certainly means that spring is coming! Students have been very busy and doing a great job.
We have started Unit 4 of our Imagine It! reading series. This unit is called “Science Fair”. The reading series is great because it is made up of stories using social studies or science content. This past week we read about the scientific method. Consider taking this opportunity to discuss the scientific method with your child:
“A scientific method of solving problems encourages thinking about all the possible reasons for or answers to a problem. After your child has finished reading "Scientific Method," you may want to encourage him or her to think of a time when he or she observed something that was different from how it usually appears or functions. Help your child write down the possible reasons for this difference.”
Students will be going home with a Magnetism home connection this week. Please help your child to identify any items in your house that contain magnets inside, such as your television.
In Science this past week, we did an experiment called Bird Beaks and Survival. This is great practice for the students with NECAP testing. We also watched a video and discussed different types of animal adaptations. This week, we will continue along with plant adaptations and finish up the ecosystems unit.
Also, we have started a cube drop experiment in Math. This helps students to practice with probability. After the experiment, we will be reviewing Unit 7 for a couple days and then we will take our Unit 7 test. Please continue to help students study their multiplication facts! When students memorize these facts, it makes a great deal of the math lessons easier for them.
I hope the students told you all about the Brain Party celebration we had on Friday afternoon. They all had a great time and it was nice to celebrate their wonderful scores on the NECAP.
Mrs. Oljey came into the classroom Wednesday to begin talking to students about different careers. Students will have the opportunity to explore different career options through internet research in the Smart Room. She will be coming in for a few upcoming Wednesdays.
Let’s hope for some sunshine!
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
February 23, 2010
Dear Parents,
Happy February vacation!! I hope students are enjoying a break from all the hard work they have been doing in class. Students should have brought home a note to the parents explaining inquiry research. We would like all students to bring something in to share about their respective topic, focusing on Abraham Lincoln. This experience with internet research will be very valuable to your student.
Students have finished and shared their Gold Rush newspaper articles. They came out great! We will be displaying them on our class bulletin board in the hallway of the school. After vacation, we will begin talking about famous New Hampshire people which should be a lot of fun.
We are now closing up Unit 3 in the Imagine It! program. This week, we will NOT have spelling words. Therefore, there will not be a spelling test. Instead, we are going to take a look at some poetry, focus more on our writing, and review everything we have learned so far from this reading program.
We are still working on fractions and probability in Math. We will be learning how to convert fractions into decimals, how to order fractions, and how to find the whole for a fraction this week. Students should be continuing to study their multiplication facts at home. We did a 50-facts test last week and most students improved but we would still like to see the scores up higher!
Keep reading and using Raz-kids!
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Dear Parents,
Happy February vacation!! I hope students are enjoying a break from all the hard work they have been doing in class. Students should have brought home a note to the parents explaining inquiry research. We would like all students to bring something in to share about their respective topic, focusing on Abraham Lincoln. This experience with internet research will be very valuable to your student.
Students have finished and shared their Gold Rush newspaper articles. They came out great! We will be displaying them on our class bulletin board in the hallway of the school. After vacation, we will begin talking about famous New Hampshire people which should be a lot of fun.
We are now closing up Unit 3 in the Imagine It! program. This week, we will NOT have spelling words. Therefore, there will not be a spelling test. Instead, we are going to take a look at some poetry, focus more on our writing, and review everything we have learned so far from this reading program.
We are still working on fractions and probability in Math. We will be learning how to convert fractions into decimals, how to order fractions, and how to find the whole for a fraction this week. Students should be continuing to study their multiplication facts at home. We did a 50-facts test last week and most students improved but we would still like to see the scores up higher!
Keep reading and using Raz-kids!
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Monday, February 8, 2010
Dear Parents,
Can you believe it is already February? Spring will be here before we know it! This week is ending with our Valentines Day party, which I am sure all the kids are very excited about. Please remember to add our newest student, Kaela, to the list for valentines.
Students presented their Biome posters to the class last week and did an amazing job. The students certainly aren’t shy about presenting which is great! We began reading about the California Gold Rush in our new reading series this week. This turned into a Social Studies lesson in which students are each writing a newspaper article reporting the event to the country in 1848 or 1849. We went to the Smart Room today to begin typing them and will finish the articles by the end of the week.
We have really started to settle into the new reading program. Students are doing a fantastic job on their weekly spelling tests. The words now go along with the program’s weekly story which allows them to practice more frequently. We can tell that they are studying hard! Students have also been working on creating thoughtful responses to open ended questions on our new reading lesson assessments. Each week we see an improvement for every child!
Hopefully you received your Unit 7 Family Letter for Everyday Math. We are now working with fractions and probability. Students are having fun working with pattern block shapes to figure out the fractions in geometric shapes.
I am already in my 5th week of student teaching and am surprised at how fast it is flying by. Your students have been very helpful already and I’ve learned so much in the classroom. They are a fun and respectful group. I can’t wait to meet you all in the next few months.
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Can you believe it is already February? Spring will be here before we know it! This week is ending with our Valentines Day party, which I am sure all the kids are very excited about. Please remember to add our newest student, Kaela, to the list for valentines.
Students presented their Biome posters to the class last week and did an amazing job. The students certainly aren’t shy about presenting which is great! We began reading about the California Gold Rush in our new reading series this week. This turned into a Social Studies lesson in which students are each writing a newspaper article reporting the event to the country in 1848 or 1849. We went to the Smart Room today to begin typing them and will finish the articles by the end of the week.
We have really started to settle into the new reading program. Students are doing a fantastic job on their weekly spelling tests. The words now go along with the program’s weekly story which allows them to practice more frequently. We can tell that they are studying hard! Students have also been working on creating thoughtful responses to open ended questions on our new reading lesson assessments. Each week we see an improvement for every child!
Hopefully you received your Unit 7 Family Letter for Everyday Math. We are now working with fractions and probability. Students are having fun working with pattern block shapes to figure out the fractions in geometric shapes.
I am already in my 5th week of student teaching and am surprised at how fast it is flying by. Your students have been very helpful already and I’ve learned so much in the classroom. They are a fun and respectful group. I can’t wait to meet you all in the next few months.
Sincerely,
Lauren Ferreira
Ms. Hamilton’s Student Teacher
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Dear Parents,
Pajama day was a huge success! The kids really enjoyed it and almost all participated. They looked so cute and comfortable.
Our student teacher, Ms. Ferreira, is in her third week of student teaching. SNHU has given us a timeline for her to gradually assume responsibilities. She has already started to teach parts of the new reading program that we are piloting. She has taken the children to the Smart Room to work on Science reports about biomes. This week they will be presenting their reports to the class. Also this week, she will take on the responsibility for teaching some of the Math. There is no need to worry there; she was brought up with this program and knows partial quotients very well. She has been a big help by providing some one-on-one instruction to the kids in Math. Eventually, she will do two consecutive days on her own, and then a week by herself. By that time, she will be very capable of taking over. All of her lessons are done with approval from me. She has been instructed on how to follow the district guidelines and I spend a lot of time discussing her teaching with her.
We completed our first week of the Reading program that my class is piloting. It is called Imagine It. You will see some papers coming home for homework that pertain to the program. From looking at the scores of the beginning test, it seems like the kids need the most work in grammar, usage and mechanics. They all had a total score higher than the standards for the first trimester. Our day just flies by!
Our Valentine's Day party will be on Feb 12. Someone will call some of you to provide goodies for our party. I will send home a list of names so that children can address their Valentines. Please remember to include everyone; we don't want anyone's feelings hurt.
If you have any questions, please drop me a note or e-mail.
Sincerely,
Jackie
Pajama day was a huge success! The kids really enjoyed it and almost all participated. They looked so cute and comfortable.
Our student teacher, Ms. Ferreira, is in her third week of student teaching. SNHU has given us a timeline for her to gradually assume responsibilities. She has already started to teach parts of the new reading program that we are piloting. She has taken the children to the Smart Room to work on Science reports about biomes. This week they will be presenting their reports to the class. Also this week, she will take on the responsibility for teaching some of the Math. There is no need to worry there; she was brought up with this program and knows partial quotients very well. She has been a big help by providing some one-on-one instruction to the kids in Math. Eventually, she will do two consecutive days on her own, and then a week by herself. By that time, she will be very capable of taking over. All of her lessons are done with approval from me. She has been instructed on how to follow the district guidelines and I spend a lot of time discussing her teaching with her.
We completed our first week of the Reading program that my class is piloting. It is called Imagine It. You will see some papers coming home for homework that pertain to the program. From looking at the scores of the beginning test, it seems like the kids need the most work in grammar, usage and mechanics. They all had a total score higher than the standards for the first trimester. Our day just flies by!
Our Valentine's Day party will be on Feb 12. Someone will call some of you to provide goodies for our party. I will send home a list of names so that children can address their Valentines. Please remember to include everyone; we don't want anyone's feelings hurt.
If you have any questions, please drop me a note or e-mail.
Sincerely,
Jackie
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Dear Parents,
Happy New Year! Thank you to all who contributed materials to make the gingerbread houses. The children seemed to enjoy making them. We used that time to write a "how-to" story and now we have to revisit that writing when they are not consuming so much sugar!
The class came back from vacation relaxed and ready to work hard in this second trimester of the school year. This is usually a productive time of year when the days are shorter and the children aren't so excited about being outside.
Next week our student teacher, Lauren Ferreira, will be starting her classroom training with me. She will be here until the second week in May. During that time she will do some solo teaching, but most of the time she will be helping me. The extra pair of hands will ensure that your son/daughter will receive more help in the classroom.
Lauren and I are excited about piloting a new reading program called Imagine It. One teacher from each grade level will be using this program for all our language arts instruction. Therefore, there will be a new spelling and writing procedure starting soon.
In recognition of Martin Luther King Day, we will begin discussions about the Civil Rights Era. This is always an eye opening time for the children. I have lots of good books to spark discussions. You may want to have some discussion at home, also.
We have started Chapter 6 in Math which involves division, map reference frames and measures of angles. The children will learn the Partial Quotient method which I know will be new to you. Therefore, I will send home a letter to explain it. When we finish this, we will be taking the mid-year test.
Keep warm!
Happy New Year! Thank you to all who contributed materials to make the gingerbread houses. The children seemed to enjoy making them. We used that time to write a "how-to" story and now we have to revisit that writing when they are not consuming so much sugar!
The class came back from vacation relaxed and ready to work hard in this second trimester of the school year. This is usually a productive time of year when the days are shorter and the children aren't so excited about being outside.
Next week our student teacher, Lauren Ferreira, will be starting her classroom training with me. She will be here until the second week in May. During that time she will do some solo teaching, but most of the time she will be helping me. The extra pair of hands will ensure that your son/daughter will receive more help in the classroom.
Lauren and I are excited about piloting a new reading program called Imagine It. One teacher from each grade level will be using this program for all our language arts instruction. Therefore, there will be a new spelling and writing procedure starting soon.
In recognition of Martin Luther King Day, we will begin discussions about the Civil Rights Era. This is always an eye opening time for the children. I have lots of good books to spark discussions. You may want to have some discussion at home, also.
We have started Chapter 6 in Math which involves division, map reference frames and measures of angles. The children will learn the Partial Quotient method which I know will be new to you. Therefore, I will send home a letter to explain it. When we finish this, we will be taking the mid-year test.
Keep warm!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)