Visual Fractions An on-line tutorial offers instruction and practice in identifying, remnaming, and operating on fractions. All examples are modeled with number lines or circles.
The Christmas Service Project begins this week. Please see the student(Tuesday, 12/2) handout for details.
Homework- December 1- 5
Monday:
Math: Study for Chapter 9 Test
Science: None
Tuesday:
Math: Check What You Know p. 213
Science: None
Wednesday:
Math: Workbook 9.2
Science: None
Thursday:
Math: Workbook 9.3
Science: None
Friday:
Math: None
Science: None
Chapter 9 Math Test is Tuesday, December 2
The Field Trip to the Archives and History/First White House of the Confederacy is Wednesday, November 18. Drivers need to be at St. Bede by 9:20. Here are a few reminders:
-Bring a sack lunch.
-Wear long uniform jeans, spirit shirts, uniform jackets, and sneakers.
-Children do not need to bring money.
Homework November 17-21
Tuesday:
Math: Workbook 9.2
Science: Read pages 98-99 and answer the “Focus Question” on page 99.
Wednesday:
Math: Workbook 9.3
Science: Reread pages 100-101 and answer the “Focus Question” on page 101.
Thursday:
Math: Workbook 9.4
Science: Reread page 102 and answer the “Focus Question” on page 102.
Friday:
Math: None
Science: None
Chapter 9 Math Test is Tuesday, November 25
November 3, 2008
My homeroom (4N) has Mass on Friday. We invite our families to attend and celebrate this Mass with us. If your child has a part in the Mass, please have him/her practice his/her reading every night.
The Fourth Grade Frontier Days field trip is Wednesday, November 5. The children should wear their spirit t-shirts and jeans. They should bring a sack lunch.
Miss. Kirsch will send home a note tomorrow with further details.
Our Science test is scheduled for Friday, November 14. I will be sending home a study sheet later this week. This is a study sheet by which your child should study.
Your child should begin using his/her notes, handouts, and the text book to look up the answers to the worksheet this week.
Tomorrow we will begin Chapter 8, Practice Multiplication and Division Facts. We will begin multiplication Mad Minutes next week. I hope you have been practicing those multiplication facts at home. If you have not, get out those flash cards. The students can also practice multiplication facts by following the AAAMath link above. I have added three new links above. One link is a Mad Minutes site forwarded by a parent. The other is a science site on
heredity. Thanks for sending in the spiral notebooks so promptly. I still have a few students
who still need a spiral notebook.
Homework October 27-31
Monday: p. 163 Check What You Know
Tuesday: Worksheet RE 8.1
Wednesday: Workbook 8.1
Thursday: Workbook 8.2
Friday: None
Dear Parents,
The Chapter 4 math test scheduled for Wednesday, October 22 has been rescheduled for Monday, October 27.
The children need a two or three subject spiral notebook with section pockets for science and math notes. I keep finding science notes on the floor.
Math tutorials are every Wednesday afternoon
from 3:00-4:00. Science tutorials are every Friday afternoon from 3:00- 4:00. You do not have to be invited to attend.
Math Homework Week of October 20-24
Monday- Reteach worksheet 4.4
Tuesday- Workbook 4.4
Wednesday- Workbook 4.5
Thursday- page 82, Set D and E
October , 2008
Nation’s Notes
Dear Parents,
Conference schedules were sent home on Friday. Please sign and return them as soon as possible. If you can't make your scheduled appointment, please let me know.
I have a conference this Friday after school so I must cancel science tutoring.
The students will wear their school uniform for their field trip on Thursday.
Math
Monday- Check What You Know page p. 63 1-21 odd
Tuesday- Practice Workbook 4.1
Wednesday- None
Thursday- None
Math Test October 22 (Subject to change)
Science
Monday- Five animal pictures
Tuesday- Study for Test on Wed.
Wednesday- Science Test
Scientist information and materials due
Thursday- None
September 28, 2008
Nation’s Notes
Parents,
· Since Miss Kirsch cannot tutor for science, from now on, I will be tutoring Math on Wednesdays and Science on Fridays.
· I will not be recording the grades of (or sending home) the papers completed on the days I was absent. I will send the others home on Friday.
· Chapter 3 Math TEST on Friday, October 3
· Chapter 1 Classifying Living Things TEST Wednesday, October 8- I will send home the study guide on Wednesday, October 1
· The Famous Scientist Wanted Poster (See attachment) research should be completed by Wednesday, October 8. This is an in-class project, but the research must be done at home. All materials and information needed to complete the project in class must be brought to school no later than Wednesday, October 8. We will work on them in class on Thursday, 10/9 and Friday, 10/10.
· Please sign and return both attachments (Famous Scientists Wanted Poster Project Requirements and the Famous Scientist Wanted Poster Rubric)by tomorrow, September 30.
· Science Olympiad Note: Practice Tuesday and Thursday from 2:50-3:45
Practice on Tuesday is for Period 2 events and practice on Thursday is for Period 3 events.
HOMEWORK FOR 9/29- 10/3
Monday- 9/29
Language Arts:
Math: Practice Workbook p. 3.3 odd Math Test Friday
Science: Science Test Wednesday 10/8; Finish RS 5 and 6; Sign and return Project Expectations and Project Rubric
Social Studies:
Tuesday- 9/30
Language Arts:
Math: Worksheet Reteach 3.5
Science:
Wednesday- 10/1
Language Arts:
Math: Practice Workbook p. 3.6
Science:
Thursday- 10/2
Language Arts:
Math: Study for Chapter 3 Test
Science:
Friday- 10/3 Math Test today
Language Arts:
Math: None
Science:
NOTICE: I will begin my new tutoring schedule tomorrow, Wednesday, September 10 instead of next week as stated in my letter dated September, 7.
September 7-12
Science Olympiad Practice Tuesday and Thursday 2:50 to 3:45. Science Olympiad: Madison Gaston, Audrey Kim, Ashleigh Little, Alexandra Faulstich, Ivy Bach, Margaret Ann Allen, and Adam Bristol
September 7, 2008
Dear Parents,
I am sending home the science study guide today. Please go over these with your child in preparation for the test on Friday, September 12th . These test grades will not be reflected in the science grade for the mid-term progress report that goes home on Friday.
I will need your help collecting supplies for a science investigation we will do next Monday. Each group member will be assigned one item that will be used in the investigation. I will send home the name of your child’s item in his/her Friday Folder.
Please be sure he/she brings it to school on Monday, September 15. He or she will know his/her assigned item later in the week so if you want to send it in early that would be great.
The math test has been postponed until Wednesday, September 10th. Please review the chapter using the review test at the end of the chapter. It is still essential that students know their basic facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division); timed tests (mad minutes) are given to check for fluency and are a component of the math grade.
Please make sure that you sign and return tests. There are still some Chapter 1 Tests that have not been returned signed. Homework is the second exposure to a concept. It is extremely important that it be completed daily and returned for correcting. I send home a homework notice when a child does not have his/her homework. The notice must be signed and returned the following day with the completed assignment. Please sign your child’s assignment planner after all homework is completed. You may use the planner to record notes and questions to any of the teachers. I check them daily.
My tutoring schedule is changing next week from Tuesdays and Thursdays to Wednesdays and Fridays 3:00-4:00 due to Science Olympiad practice.
Please check schoolnotes.com for Science Olympiad practice dates. Have a great week,
Lisa Nation
Things to Remember:
September 9- Pot Luck 6:00 P.M.
September 10- Math Test
September 12- Science Test
September 19 - Progress reports go home
CONGRATULATIONS to the following students who were chosen to represent the 4th Grade on the Science Olympiad Team : Madison Gaston, Audrey Kim, Ashleigh Little, Alexandra Faulstich, Ivy Bach, Margaret Ann Allen, and Adam Bristol.
Science Olympiad is an academic competition so it was logical to base the selection on academics. To be as fair as possible, we based our selections on grades and ITBS science scores.
We were so sorry that we could not include everyone on the team. We are considering a Science Club for those students who are interested. We will let you know later this quarter.
September 1. 2008
Dear Parents,
I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!
I need to address some issues that keep popping up. I
have had several e-mails and calls concerning the weekly papers. I grade everything. Some teachers do not, but I do. I feel it is important to see mistakes that a child makes. It helps me to teach prescriptively. However, I don't record all grades in my grade book.
Homework is 0-5 points daily. If a child completes all work and all work is shown, he or she receives 5 points daily. I write a percent on all tests, quizzes, and projects. I use a fraction for all daily work, but I do not record ALL daily work. I record the number correct in my grade book. At the end of the quarter, I divide the number correct by the total number of problems the child has attempted over the quarter. For instance, if a student was assigned 487 problems over the quarter, and he/she answered 400 correctly that would be 400/487 or 400 divided by 487. That average is an 82% for daily work which is 10% of the overall grade.
I will send a study sheet for science tests a week
prior to the test. I do not send study sheets for math tests. Math chapters are short, and we usually test every seven to ten days. Each skill taught in each lesson of the chapter is represented on a math test. Going over the Chapter Test/Review at the end of each chapter is a good way to prepare for the test. I assign that for homework or daily work and take a quiz grade for it ever time (Hint, Hint).
If a child makes a 69% or below, he or she may retest. There is a catch. He or she must attend tutoring before he/she may retest. The highest grade that a child can make on a retest is 80%. I tutor on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-4:00. These days will change when Science Olympiad practice begins.
Mr. Bourke, Mr. Myers, and I will announce members of the Science Olympiad Team tomorrow via schoolnotes.com. Each of us had to cut the number of students by half. I had sixteen students complete the
paragraph. We can only take eight 4th graders. We were so pleased to have so many children show such interest.
Have a wonderful week,
Lisa Nation
September 7, 2008
Dear Parents,
I am sending home the science study guide today. Please go over these with your child in preparation for the test on Friday, September 12th . These test grades will not be reflected in the science grade for the mid-term progress report that goes home on Friday.
I will need your help collecting supplies for a science investigation we will do next Monday. Each group member will be assigned one item that will be used in the investigation. I will send home the name of your child’s item in his/her Friday Folder.
Please be sure he/she brings it to school on Monday, September 15. He or she will know his/her assigned item later in the week so if you want to send it in early that would be great.
The math test has been postponed until Wednesday, September 10th. Please review the chapter using the review test at the end of the chapter. It is still essential that students know their basic facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division); timed tests (mad minutes) are given to check for fluency and are a component of the math grade.
Please make sure that you sign and return tests. There are still some Chapter 1 Tests that have not been returned signed. Homework is the second exposure to a concept. It is extremely important that it be completed daily and returned for correcting. I send home a homework notice when a child does not have his/her homework. The notice must be signed and returned the following day with the completed assignment. Please sign your child’s assignment planner after all homework is completed. You may use the planner to record notes and questions to any of the teachers. I check them daily.
My tutoring schedule is changing next weekfrom Tuesdays and Thursdays to Wednesdays and Fridays 3:00-4:00 due to Science Olympiad practice.
Please check schoolnotes.com for Science Olympiad practice dates
Have a great week,
Lisa Nation
Things to Remember:
September 9- Pot Luck 6:00 P.M.
September 10- Math Test
September 12- Science Test
September 12 - Progress reports go home
August 22,
Dear Parents,
I am the 4th Grade math and science teacher. Ms. Kirsch teaches the social studies and religion, and Mrs. Riggles teaches the language arts, but we also have homeroom classes. To differentiate between the homeroom classes we refer to my homeroom as 4N, Ms. Kirsch’s homeroom as 4K, and Mrs. Riggles’s homeroom as 4R. We list each teacher’s homework assignment in our homeroom on the assignment poster and allow fifteen minutes at the end of the day to record the assignments, gather books, and pack to dismiss. I have been listing all classes (color coded) under the math section. Perhaps listing all classes, and the fact that they have never recorded assignments in a “calendar” type plan book before may be adding to the confusion. I will be reading and signing each child’s assignment pad everyday until I feel they are doing it properly.
We expect each class to progress at different rates because of unforeseen interruptions like fire drills, mass, pictures, etc. Therefore,
one class may have a different homework assignment than another. I will write only my homeroom’s assignments down on my board as will the other teachers. We will, however, test on the same day; therefore I am delaying the math test until Tuesday.
As I stated in my note of Monday, you can access my assignments at www.schoolnotes.com but, you must use the zip code 36116. You can not
use the link from Montgomery Catholic’s web-site. You must type in the web address above. I have linked Ms. Kirsch’s School Notes to Mrs. Riggles’s and my School Notes. You must enter Ms. Kirsch’s School Notes
page, go all the way to the bottom, and click on the link to “Mrs. Nation’s Homeroom”. The homework assignments will be posted every Monday morning for the week; however, you should rely on your child’s assignment pad. I sometimes change assignments when I feel a class has not conceptualized a lesson. I do update the homework each afternoon.
Things to Remember:
Monday, August 18 - Due today:
1. Folder
2. Behavior Update
Wednesday, August 27 - Fall pictures
Friday, August 29 - No school/ Teacher In-service
God Bless You,
Lisa Nation
Dear Parents,
Mrs. Riggles and I thought we had transferred our School Notes accounts over to Montgomery Catholic; however, they are still listed under Queen of Mercy’s zip code 36116. In order to transfer our accounts, We must register new accounts in the 36109 zip code. The only problem is that School Notes is updating, and the new account will be at www.newschoolnotes.com. Montgomery Catholic Preparatory is not listed as a school at the new site. We are discussing the options today at the faculty meeting. Until then, you may access Mrs. Riggles and my pages under the 36116 zip code.
Thanks,
Lisa Nation
Friday, August 15, 2008
Dear Parents,
We had a super week! We had a few glitches with the schedule, but it seems to be running smoothly now. The children are learning the routine.
Every Friday your child will take home his/her Friday folder. It should contain the following: a behavior update, his/her work for the week, tests, and quizzes. You may keep the contents of the folder, but please return the folder, behavior update, and any paper stamped sign promptly on Monday. Mrs. Riggles, Miss Kirsch, and I will send home a weekly note on Mondays. Please look for it.
I am listed on School Notes.com now. For those of you who did not get a copy of my packet, you will find it along with the weekly letter and homework assignments. The homework assignments posted on School Notes are projected assignments and are subject to change; therefore, please be sure to check your child’s daily planner for homework assignments. These assignments are accurate.
It was lovely to meet each one of you on Monday night. Thank you for sharing your child with us this school year. I look forward to getting acquainted with each family.
Things to Remember:
Monday, August 18 - Due today:
1. Folder
2. Behavior Update
Wednesday, August 27 - Fall pictures
Friday, August 29 - No school/ Teacher In-service
God Bless You,
Lisa Nation
Dear Parents,
Welcome to a new school year!
For teachers and children, it’s a time of change and new beginnings, new surroundings, new friends, new experiences, new skills, and new challenges. Your children are about to embark on an exciting learning adventure, and you can come along! I am truly thrilled to have the opportunity to work with your children this year and share my love of math and science with each and every one of them.
I have lofty expectations for the children placed in my care. I will strive to help each child meet his or her full potential in both his or her spiritual growth and intellectual growth. I cannot do this alone. Recognizing the responsibility of parents as the primary educators of their children, I am here to assist you and your children in that growth process. You possess invaluable insights in regard to your children’s capabilities and specific learning styles. Only through our open and honest communication with each other can we assist your children in reaching their full potential.
I hope you will feel free to share with me your hopes, fears, concerns, and expectations for your children. I welcome your input.
Let me share with you what I expect of your children in the classroom.
Expectations
· Arrive at school on time
· Be prepared for class
· Complete homework assignments at home
· Complete work in a neat and organized manner
· Follow the school rules
· Do his or her “personal best”
· Treat peers with respect
Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible
Math Goals
This year, I will help your child:
·Increase his/her appreciation, confidence, and communication skills in math.
·Improve his/her number sense through mental math activities and warm-ups.
·Strengthen his/her creative, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
·Utilize graphic organizers, highlighting materials, manipulatives, and focusing tools to help him/her read, understand, and write word problems.
·Improve student performance using the step-by-step approach of Model-Drawing from Singapore.
·Use problem-solving strategies through the use of concrete examples.
Science Goals
I will:
·Encourage asking questions and constructing ideas and explanations
based on experiences obtained while doing science
·Inspire students’ curiosity about scientific concepts
·Encourage independent scientific investigations
·Instill habits of scientific inquiry
·Expand students’ use of scientific tools, equipment, and technology
·Teach the students to design and conduct scientific investigations
·Show them how to analyze and interpret data
·Instill a love of science through inquiry-based instruction
Grading Scale
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 59 and below
Assessments
Grades will be based on the following criteria:
Homework
Homework is a review of what is learned in school. The children should spend no more than 30 minutes completing homework. Math homework is given every night and is designed to help your child’s grade not hurt it. Sign your child’s assignment pad after you have checked that the assignment has been completed.
Projects
Math and science projects will be assigned periodically throughout the year.
I will notify you in advance with specific instructions.
Communication
Graded work will be sent home in Friday Folders along with a short weekly newsletter. The newsletter will keep you informed as to upcoming projects and events. Papers stamped with a red “Sign and Return” are to be returned on Mondays in the Friday Folders. Please look for them. If you have an e-mail address, please make sure you list it on the information card included in this packet. I am also in the process of changing my School Notes account to St. Bede. The weekly newsletter and homework assignments will be listed there also. I will let you know as soon as it is up and running.
Conduct
Saint Bede follows the Positive Behavior Support System as its discipline system (Please see attachment). A Weekly Update will be sent home in the Friday Folder.
Field Trips
We have several field trips planned for the year including Space Camp in May. You will be notified through the weekly newsletter in advance with the specifics. We will need drivers. You must have the appropriate insurance forms on file in advance to drive on field trips. You must also complete the Child Protect class to be eligible to drive.
Birthdays
We want your child to feel special on his or her birthday. You are welcome
to send a modest treat on his or her special day. The treat will be served at our lunch time (11:00).
Conferences
There are two scheduled conferences a year. Please feel free to call the office to schedule a conference at any point during the year if you have a concern.
You may e-mail me at lnation@montgomerycatholic.org or nation.lisa@yahoo.com.
I look forward to a wonderful and event-filled year.
Sincerely, Lisa Nation
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