Week of March 27th

Welcome Back from Spring Break,

     I hope that you had a wonderfully restful vacation. 

    Please mark your calendars for the following important FSA test dates.  Our Math FSA tests will be on Monday April 10th and Tuesday April 11th. The Reading FSA tests will be on Monday April 17th and Tuesday April 18th. Both the math and reading tests will be on the computer. 
We are in need of snacks and drinks for after each session of testing. Please click on the link below for your child's homeroom class.

Ms. Johnson--www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C054FA5A622A75-fsahealthy 

Mrs. Pavlinek--www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C054FA5A622A75-fsahealthy2

     This week in math we will spend time learning about patterns. Did you know that each individual part of a pattern is called a term? Students will be asked to figure out a certain number term in a pattern. Students will be given both number and picture patterns on problems. Usually students will be given a portion of a pattern and asked to either:

*figure out the number of items for a future term (given 4 terms, what is the 10th term).

*figure out the equation that could be used to solve for a given term. The equations will use both blanks and variables to stand for unknowns (students have solved these types of problems on Math Superstars all year).

*given an input/output table and asked what rule was used to make the table. 

*use a given rule to fill out a table (the first number is 80, fill in the table using the rule divide by 2 and add 4)

     In science this week we will learn about ecosystems. Students will learn about the different parts of an ecosystem.

Ecosystem---Community--Habitat--Population--Niche--Organism

Students will also learn about the different types of land biomes. Students will be working with a group to complete research, prepare a poster, and present the information to the class. This project will be completed in class this week and next. Students will not be required to do any of the work at home. They may bring in books from home. Students may also complete research or print pictures at home and bring it to class to use as part of their presentation. Students will receive a quiz grade on this project. 

     In social studies we will begin learning about the Civil War. This week we will learn about the causes of the Civil War and the Confederate States of America. Did you know that there were 10 states that made up the Confederacy? Can you name them? To learn more visit  http://www.ducksters.com/history/confederation_of_the_united_states.php 

Have a GREAT week,
Aesha

Week of March 13th

Hi Everyone,

     Happy last week before Spring Break!! Vacation for students begins on Friday due to a teachers planning day. Have a fun vacation but don't forget about school. Please complete some practice in your FSA practice folder and by using any of our computer sites: Ten Marks, Zearn, Prodigy, or i-Ready.

     On Thursday we will go on our field trip to St. Augustine. This trip will help us to get up close to some of the topics that we have covered in social studies. We will visit the fort, Castillo de San Marcos. While at the fort we will learn about everyday life in the fort. How the fort was used to help the Spanish hold on St. Augustine during attacks by the British. We will also take a tour of the city where we will learn about Henry Flagler and how his efforts help our state after the Civil War. We will also visit the part of the city where Martin Luther King Jr. stayed when he was in St. Augustine.
      Students should dress warmly because it will be windy and chilly. Students are asked to wear there class shirt, preferably will a long sleeve shirt under. Students should also wear long pants, we will be outside all day. They should bring a bag lunch with a drink. Students may also bring a hat, sunglasses and a camera.

     As we head into spring break we want students to rest and have fun. I would also like for students to spend some time seriously working on as many of our computer learning platforms. Students will have access to i-Ready, Zearn, Prodigy and Ten Marks. Students will also have their FSA/Data folders to focus in on standards that they maybe having difficulty with. You can find activities on any of our computer platforms. You may also visit http://fsassessments.org/. For some fun games that are aligned by grade level and standard visit http://www.fsagames.com/. You can also find worksheets and games by searching on GOOGLE. Simply type in the standard and interactive games or worksheets. 
On this site you will find information about the FSA and a math practice test. When we return from vacation we will cover our last few standards, 
*MAFS.4.OA.3.5 (patterns--number and shape)
*MAFS.4.MD.1.1 (measurement conversion)
*MAFS.4.MD.1.2 (solve problems involving distance, intervals of time and money).
These standards are not difficult and we will work on them when we return to school.



Have a wonderful vacation,
Aesha

Week of March 6th

Hi Everyone,

     I hope that everyone is having a great week so far. There are many things due this week please see the list below.

Tuesday March 7th -- Social Studies Test Chapter 5 Vocabulary Due

Thursday March 9th -- Science Study Guide is due

Friday March 10th -- Fraction Choices (2) and Decimal Choices (2) are due

Friday March 10th -- Math Enrichment Projects Due -- one of the following:

*G.O.’s Planting Project *Plant Sale *Jazz Concert

Friday March 10th --Chapter 7 Science Test Vocabulary Due

Monday March 13th -- Last Day Math Choices or Math Enrichment will be accepted

     Earlier this week a field trip permission slip was sent home. We will be going to St. Augustine. While there we will visit the fort and take a trolley tour of the city. The cost of the trip for students is $15. The cost for chaperones is $26. Each class is only allowed 5 chaperones. If your child is in my homeroom and you would like to be a chaperone please send me a note or email no later than Friday. I will pull names and let you know on Friday afternoon if you have been chosen. All money (student and chaperone) is due no later than Monday March 13th.

     Also coming home this week are order forms for Spring Pictures. We will take Spring Pictures on Tuesday March 14th. Spring pictures must be preordered. Only students that preorder pictures will be sent to have their picture taken. We will all be taking class pictures. These pictures must also be preordered. 

     This week in math we will be learning about using the information given in a diagram to find the measures of unknown angles. 

A strategy that we are using in class is to find straight lines by covering up a portion of the diagram. For example to find angle ROT. I would use angle SOT. Since angle SOT equals 125 degrees, I would subtract that from 180 degrees. g = 55 degrees. I can now use angle ROT to help me find the measure of angle ROV by using the same procedure. To find angle VOS you could use the same procedure or you can add up the angles you know and subtract them from 360 degrees. 

     We will also learn about parallel lines, perpendicular lines and intersecting lines. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3AOoLbA3us. We will end the week learning about symmetry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kah5w06eyCo. 

     Also in math students will receive a folder for FSA review. In the folder are some sheets that we will use to review content for the FSA. Our test is going to be on Monday April 10th and Tuesday April 11th. Be on the look out for an additional data sheet in the FSA folder. This sheet will be broken down by standard to show how the students did on math scrimmage. We are doing lots of overall review in class and I pull kids for groups based on this data. Students can also be in charge of their learning by using this data sheet to find and complete additional review on www.zearn.org or www.floriddastudents.org. Students can look up information by standard on both of these sites for some practice and review. Please sign this sheet after you have reviewed the information. Data for standards mastery will be added later. These folders should be kept in their Trapper. Students are expected to have these folders with them daily. 

    This week in science students will take the test for chapter 7. So we will spend the week reviewing and preparing. The test will be on Friday. The vocabulary for chapter 7 will also be due on Friday. 

     This week in social studies we will take our test on Tuesday. If we have time we will begin looking at chapter 6. In chapter 6 we will begin learning about the Civil War. Since it is not a definite that we will get to start this week students do not need to read a lesson. 

Have a GREAT week,

Aesha