Short and Sweet

Dear Parents,

Another week has zipped by!  It will be Spring Break before we know it!  Just a reminder that Valentine boxes can be brought in as early as Monday, February 11th.  We won’t deliver Valentines until a majority of the students have brought in their boxes. Please make sure each student in the class is receiving a Valentine from your student and one is made for their first grade reading buddy.  They are also more than welcome to make Valentines for friends in other classes. Have fun!

UPCOMING DATES

Week of February 4th  - Counselor Appreciation Week

February 14 - Valentines Party

February 26 - February Night Write due

UNITS OF STUDY

Reading - Retell a folktale in script format - publish using Comics Head

Writing - Expository writing

Spelling - Week 15 homework due Thursday, test on Friday

Math - Complete our study of Fractions

Science - Weather

Enjoy the weekend!

Kelly

Look Towards February Already!

Dear Parents,

We are wrapping up Texas history for the time being and moving on to weather.  Living in Texas provides ample weather conditions. As the saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute!”  Please make sure your child’s clothing has your last name in it because the Lost and Found is filling up. Speaking of being full, thank you 2nd grade parents for the delicious lunch on Friday!  The teachers really appreciate this treat every month.

Valentines Party

Let the candy rush begin at 2pm on Thursday, February 14th.  Students will need to bring in a Valentines box. Please make sure the slot is big enough for treats to fit into.  Boxes may be brought to school on Monday, February 11th. Pleases do not send in a box prior to this date. Students need to bring a Valentine for each student in our class and their reading buddy.  A class list will be sent home soon.

Reminders

Night Write is due Tuesday, January 29th

DreamBox - students should complete a minimum of 40 minutes per week

Buddy Book are need next Friday, February 1st.

Parent Survey - please take the time to complete the district survey:www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019_FamilySurvey

UPCOMING DATES

January 29 - Night Write due

January 31 - Spring Picture Day

February 14 - Valentines Party

UNITS OF STUDY

Reading - Elements and Structure of Drama

Writing - Expository writing and Coordinating Conjunctions

Spelling - Week 14 homework due Thursday, test on Friday

Math - Comparing Fractions

Science - Weather

Enjoy the weekend!

Kelly

Hooray for Long Weekends!

Dear Parents,

Another week is in the books, and this one was a busy one!  We have continued studying traditional literature with this week focusing on tall tales and fables.  We have also started writing our next expository composition with an emphasis on making a memorable ending in our conclusions.  We have begun tackling adding and simplifying fractions, and we have learned all of the events that led to Texas declaring its independence from Mexico and the revolution that followed.  Whew! We need this three day weekend!

DreamBox Learning

You received information about DreamBox Learning in this week’s Tuesday folder. DreamBox is a rigorous, and highly adaptive math program that students access online.  It meets the educational needs of each learner, adjusting and re-adjusting in the moment as they engage in a fun learning environment.  Your child will be required to complete a total of 40 minutes of DreamBox each week. Most of this time should and will be completed at home.  However, many students may have some opportunity to work towards the 40 minutes while at school. In order for students to be able to have access to DreamBox at school, you must sign and return the yellow COPPA letter that was also in this week’s Tuesday folder.  I included your child’s login information with the DreamBox information.

Reading Log

There will not be a reading log due next week.  Use this extra time to begin exploring DreamBox and to have your child put in their best effort into their Night Write that is due the following week.

STEAM Night

Canyon Creek will be hosting our annual Family STEAM Night on Thursday, January 24th from 6pm to 7pm.  Come and explore the different STEAM activities that the students of Canyon Creek have been participating in this year.  Parents MUST attend STEAM Night with their children.

UPCOMING DATES

January 21 - MLK Day, no school

January 24 - STEAM Night - 6pm - 7pm

January 29 - Night Write due

UNITS OF STUDY

Reading - Traditional Literature

Writing - Expository writing

Spelling - Week 13 homework due Thursday, test on Friday

Math - Adding and Subtracting Fractions

Texas History - Road to Statehood

Enjoy the long weekend!

Kelly

Ringing in the New Year

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year!  A big thank you to Mrs. Stankes and Mrs. Blackley for ending 2018 with a fabulous party and making our holiday so bright!  Now it is on to 2019 with new learning discoveries and the start of a wonderful semester. This is traditionally the most challenging semester in fourth grade.  I appreciate your assistance in getting your child to bed at an appropriate time, reinforcing good study habits at home, and helping your child understand that effort is related to quality work.

School Supplies

This is also a great time to refresh your child’s supply of glue sticks, colored pencils, and sharpened pencils.  Many students have misplaced some colored pencils, and most of them have used up their pencils and the eraser on their pencils!  Please put your child’s name on their supplies.

Night Writes

Night Writes are beginning this month.  We have designed a Night Write packet that came home this week in your child’s homework folder.  PLEASE help your child keep track of this The first Night Write is due on January 29th. HOW IT WORKS -- Each month will begin with a choice menu of prompts.  They are to circle one prompt that they would like to take to final copy. They then must work through all steps of the writing process. Each step has a page in their booklet as well as some pointers and a given time frame to help with pacing.  Please feel free to use this a a tool to help work with your child on the development of their ideas, grammar, spelling, word choice, organization, etc. In doing so, though, we still ask that the piece remains authentic to them. As a parent, you could conference with them about their idea to make sure they are on the right track and again with the revising and editing.  Please try not to over help and rewrite the composition for them. Believe me -- I know it is hard to resist at times! Thank you again for your support with their writing. Your work with them, as always, is invaluable. We will stress in class that pacing is important. Your child should “chunk” the various steps of the writing process so their final composition will be thoughtful and the very best work possible.  A composition written in two days in not quality work!

Reading Log

We began our new class book study this week.  While we continue reading There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom in class, your child will complete an assignment in Google Classroom each week as homework.  This past week was a summary sheet. Next week there will be a character trait assignment. My expectation is for students to write complete and thoughtful answers for each assignment.  The reading log (Google Classroom assignment) will be due on Friday mornings.

Character

Our character word for January is “helpful”!

UPCOMING DATES

January 21 - MLK Day, no schcool

January 22 - Report cards go home

January 24 - STEAM Night - 6pm - 7pm

January 29 - Night Write due

UNITS OF STUDY

Reading - Traditional Literature

Writing - Expository writing; There, Their, They’re

Spelling - Week 12 homework due Thursday, test on Friday

Math - Fractions

Texas History - Texas Revolution

Thank you for reading my newsletter.  Communication is key!

Kelly