Homework - 10/26

Reading - 20 minutes
Math - Workbook pages 17 to 20
Spelling - Use in a sentence

*Cover both textbooks

Spelling and Vocab for Week of 10/25, Homework for 10/25

Homework for 10/25

Reading - 20 Minutes of reading
Math - Workbook pages 11 to 15, even #'s only. Odds for extra credit. (This is review for them, but there will be a test before the end of the week on the material.)
Spelling - Write spelling words 5 times each
Spelling and Vocabulary Words 10/25 – 10/28

1. Hurricane
2. Radio
3. Rescue
4. Florida
5. Disaster
6. Storm
7. Raise
8. Emergency
9. Message
10. Carefully
11. Farmhouse
12. Route
13. Strange
14. Neighbor
15. Action
16. Knock
17. Midnight
18. Whispered
19. Chatter
20. Battle

Vocabulary Words
1. Ferocious: fierce, powerful

2. Hurricane: a storm from the ocean with violent winds and heavy rains

3. Distress: serious danger or trouble

4. Transmitting: sending signals by radio or wire

5. Acknowledged: received and made a reply to

6. Route: way or path

7. Urged: pushed onward
8. Reins: Straps a rider uses to guide an animal

Homework - 10/21

Reading - 20 minutes
Language Arts - For any spelling words missed on the practice test, write 5 times each. For any vocab words missed on the practice test, write word and definition 3 times each. Spelling and vocab test tomorrow. Reading - Poem worksheet.
Math - Test Tomorrow
Social Studies - Egypt worksheet

Homework for 10/20

Reading - 20 minutes on reading log
Spelling & Vocab - Study for practice test tomorrow
Math - Quiz tomorrow. Workbook pages 7, 8, 9, 10
Language Arts - Headline Worksheet

* Covers needed for both textbooks.

Thanks!

Tonight's Homework - 10/19 & Weekly Summary

Reading - 20 minutes & 1 sentence summary
Social Studies - Egypt Worksheet
Spelling & Vocab - Use each word in a sentence
Math - Quiz Thursday, Workbook pages 5 and 6
Language Arts - Poem Worksheet
*Please cover both your Reading and Math textbooks. Brown paper bags are a great/cheap option.

We started talking about Egypt in social studies today. We will be learning more about ancient Egypt over the next week and half.

We we reviewing our math from earlier in the year now that we have our math textbooks and workbooks. We are trying to cover one to two lessons a day so you may see extra math homework over the next few weeks as we move quickly through these review lessons.

Poems are the topic of the week in reading. We will be writing poems to share with our classmates and family later this week.

Have a great week!

Spelling and Vocab for Week of 10/18

1. Sleep
2. Rhyme
3. Sea
4. Peek
5. Leaf
6. Spray
7. Pail
8. Sweet
9. Main
10. Pain
11. Bleed
12. Neat
13. Pray
14. Afraid
15. Weakly
16. Raisin
17. Wednesday
18. Easel
19. Delay
20. Easy

1. Beats - Short sounds that are made again and again
2. Lines - Rows of words on a page
3. Pattern - Something that repeats the same way
4. Rhyme -- Words that have the same sound at the end
5. Rhythm - Sounds that repeat in order
6. Stanzas - Groups of lines in a poem

READ READ READ!

Next week you will receive a very informative letter about your child's reading abilities and recommendations for activities specifically targeted to your individual child's needs. These skills are geared towards improving the skills needed to successfully complete the FCAT this year. Below you will find facts about reading trends. The good news is that I am ready to work with you to improve your child's literacy! Enjoy the long weekend and I will see your children on Monday. Until then, ENCOURAGE THEM TO READ!


1. In 1998, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
tested children nationwide for reading skills. The results for reading
tests for 4th graders were:
Below the most basic level 38%
Proficient 31%
Advanced 7%

2. In 1998 there were ten million children between seven and eleven
years of age who performed below the most basic level of reading
achievement.

3. It is very important to note that a substantial number of children
from highly literate households and who have been read to by their
parents since very early in life also have difficulties learning to
read.

4. In 1998, students who reported reading more pages daily in school
and for homework had higher average scale scores than students who
reported reading fewer pages daily.

5. In 1998, students who reported watching three or fewer hours of
television each day had higher average reading scores than students
who reported watching more television.

6. National Institute of Health studies are finding that at least 95%
of even the poorest readers can learn to read at grade level if they
are given proper instruction in sound-letter relationships.

7. Having kids read a lot is one of the crucial components of becoming
a good reader. Young readers need to become practiced at recognizing
letters and sounds. The only way to get good at it is to practice.

8. The average reader spent about 6 minutes per day reading connected
text. Children with reading problems spent about one minute per day.
The amount of time students spent on worksheets did not relate to
gains in reading achievement. What appeared to be most relevant was
time spent reading connected print.

9. Four year old children who were read one alphabet book per day
significantly improved in their awareness of phonemes - tiny letter
sounds that make up words.

10. Children who struggle in vain with reading in the first grade soon
decide that they neither like nor want to read.

http://www.succeedtoread.com/facts.html

Science Test

Dear Parents,

I understand the concerns regarding the results of today's science test. We will retake this test on Thursday, Oct. 14th with the better of two grades as your child's final grade on this test. All students received a study guide last week, please ask them to share it with you. I would also suggest you use their first test as a resource as well since the retest will be very similar. We will review on Wednesday and retest Thursday.

Thank you all for your patience as we transition these first few weeks.
Regards,
Mrs. Plumblee

Spelling & Vocab for this week

Stand
Rest
Plate
Clock
White
Stuff
Spoke
Bend
Frame
Twist
June
Mile
Liquid
Solid
Decide
When
Nonsense
Unusual
Worried
Rumpled
Situations

1. Directions - Lines of paths along which someone or something goes
2. Rumpled - Wrinkled or creased
3. Situations - Set of conditions at certain moments in time
4. Unusual - not usual, common or ordinary
5. Visible - able to be seen
6. Worried - Concerned or anxious

Mrs. Plumblee's Scholastic Book Club

Online Ordering Information
Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class Activation Code: HGK7P

Dear Parent,

Now it’s easier than ever to find the perfect books for your child—shop our NEW online Book Clubs Web site. Choose from a much-wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card to pay.

Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.

It’s so simple! Here’s how it works:

SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, register by clicking click the “Don’t have a user name or password?” link. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.

SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers.

SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to my classroom.

Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flyer. But why not see for yourself how convenient it is to order online?

Thank you,
Mrs. Plumblee

Next Week

Dear Parents:

It was a great first week together at Cornerstone Charter Academy. Our class is really looking forward to this coming week where we are going to learn about Christopher Columbus. Don’t forget to remind your child to bring three personal items to share with the class on MONDAY for Discovery Day.

The students will also need one Ivory soap bar. We will be making soap boats which they are going to use to "race" their classmates. This will also give them a big of scientific skills as we talk about the buoyancy of the soap in water as well as using the concept of using their physical breath to propel the boat and the transfer of energy that moves the boat forward.

Finally, as part of our Discovery Day, we will also have a history and reading lesson which will be centered on Columbus Day. It will be educational and fun.

We started learning about the parts of a friendly letter this past week. The students will be writing you a letter to read at open house and you will have an opportunity (at open house) to write a response to their letter. Your letter will be read on Thursday when they come to class. We are going to continue a special book study for the balance of the week until we move on to the next story in our reading textbook.

We are reviewing a number of concepts in math including estimating, rounding, and place values. We will continue to review as we move on to addition and then subtraction. We are working on our ones multiplication table but if you would like to working on the twos and threes multiplication tables they will have a little bit of a head start. I find “flash” cards, which you can purchase at most bookstores or educational stores, to be helpful.

Don’t forget the elementary school open house is this Wednesday at 6:00 PM. I hope to see you there. I appreciate your continued patience as we develop new routines and procedures.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me.

See you Wednesday night!
Mrs. Plumblee

Get Green Spirit Day

"Get Green Spirit Day" this Friday, 10/8 for the next Phase of our Campus Beautification Project!

This time the class with the highest dollar donation amount wins a Pizza Party!! For a minimum $2 donation, your child can wear their spirit shirt OR jeans of Friday. Mrs. Plumblee's 3rd grade class is hoping to win this week!

PS - Thank you parents who sent in snacks today. I'll make sure you are the last on the upcoming rotation. Mrs. Plumblee appreciates her class parents!

FYI

Dear Parents,

I will try not to overwhelm you with information but there are a few issues we need to discuss:

#1. Snacks - We are out of snacks. I will send home a sign up sheet next Monday, but if any parent would please be willing to send in some snacks, it would be greatly appreciated. Please keep it healthy. NO JUNK FOOD, which means low fat and low sugar. Snacks to do not have to be individually portioned. Healthy examples include Teddy Grahams, Gold Fish crackers, Quaker Oats Chewy Granola Bars, pretzels, raisins/yogurt covered raisins, apple sauce, yogurt (we will have a refrigerator for snacks only on Monday), cheese and crackers, sliced fruit, fruit cups, etc. I will provide spoons.

#2. Reading homework - Please make sure your student is reading AT LEAST 20 minutes a day and they need to record the title, pages, and a one sentence summary on their reading log for me each night.

#3. Dress Code - Please make sure your student is abiding by the Cornerstone uniform policy. A brown or black belt for all boys and for girls wearing shorts is required. Our classroom tends to be very cold. Cornerstone only allows uniform sweatshirts or sweaters and I know some sizes are on back order. Until the school-approved sweatshirts arrive, your child may wear a plain navy sweatshirt.

#4 Water - Frequent water fountain breaks are not allowed so please provide your student with a labeled water bottle to leave at school and use daily. Conversely, frequent bathroom breaks are discouraged. They are a distraction to the class and the students fall behind in their learning activities. Please ask your child to use the bathroom before school starts and they will also have a morning and an afternoon break. As always, consideration will be given to emergency situations.

#5 Tests - Spelling and vocabulary tests are Friday. In addition, there will be a science test on Monday. A science study guide on matter will be sent home this Wednesday for review over the weekend.

There is a going to be an increased focus the next few weeks on proper classroom etiquette. Each student will bring home a calendar nightly indicating their daily behavior for your review and initial. If they receive a yellow or red color (warning and unacceptable, respectively) I would ask you to speak with your child about the rules and why it is important they be followed. The calendar will reflect which rules were broken that day. It is my desire to create a nurturing environment that minimizes distractions and maximizes learning.

As always, please contact me should you have any questions.

Regards,
Mrs. Plumblee

Spelling and Vocab Words

Here are this weeks spelling and vocab words. Your children will now be required to record this information in their planner. This information should only be used to double check your students list. We will test on Friday.

Spelling
1. Stove
2. Safe
3. Vote
4. Rule
5. Spoke
6. Shake
7. Theme
8. Piece
9. Niece
10. Price
11. Knife
12. Explode
13. Divide
14. Polite
15. Telescope
16. Gone
17. Fire
18. Flute
19. Scene
20. Awhile
Bonus 21. Invaders

Vocabulary
1. Sorrowful - very sad
2. Invaders - enemy attackers from another country
3. Frail - weak
4. Harsh - extremely unpleasant
5. Dusk - the time of evening just before dark
6. Swift - fast

A Time of Transition

Dear Parents,

I know that this time of transition will be unique for your children, but my goal is to make the next few weeks as effortless as possible. I am very happy to have your child in my classroom and I believe that by working together, we will make this a very successful year. I consider it of prime importance that you are an active part of your child's education and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you.

You are invited to contact me should you have a questions concerning your child's progress. I will keep you informed by sending home a weekly sampling of your child's work as well as a progress reports.

There will be many updates and papers sent home this first week of October as we all settle into our new surroundings together. I welcome your input and feedback. I am committed to providing your child with a great learning experience and I will do my very best to earn your confidence.

I consider it a great privilege and responsibility to be your child's teacher this year, and look forward to meeting each of you.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Plumblee