What a fantastic two weeks so far!!! The children are doing a great job adjusting to fourth grade. I am looking forward to a terrific year filled with lots of learning and fun.
I am new to Mark Twain Elementary School, and very excited to join such a superb school!
Math:
We are learning about place value. The children are enjoying themselves building numbers with the place value blocks. All of the Fourth Grade students are creating a cube equalling one million! It will be quite amazing!We are also working on problem solving each day. We will be working on the multiplication facts 0-5. The students will be taking a quiz over the 0-5 facts next week on Wednesday, September 19th. Please make sure your child knows these facts by heart. Our goal is to be able to write the answer to each fact in 2 seconds or less with 90% accuracy. We will not spend much time reviewing these facts in class, so it is important that the children review them at home on a daily basis. I will be assigning homework 2-3 days a week. Please review all math facts regularly.
Our first unit of inquiry in our PYP Planner is:
Matter Matters!
Central Idea:
The properties of matter help us know and understand our environment in order to make decisions.
Inquiry Into:
• What matter is
• Physical properties of matter
• How the properties of matter help us make decisions
We discovered that there are more than three states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, plasma, and Bose-Einstein Condensate. We will be doing alot of experiments this year in class. I hope you don't mind, but on occasion I may ask for some of the materials to go along with the experiments.
Reading and Language Arts:
LOTS OF WRITING and READING EVERYDAY! We have been going to Mrs. Gee for LDC the last week. We are reading a book called School Story. It is about a girl that writes her very own book, and goes through some challenges to get it published. They will be having homework almost everyday. Please make sure your child reads at least 20 minutes every night, and sign their reading log.
Spelling:
We are working on the long and short vowel sound words. They need to write each unit's spelling words four times each, and sentences with each word by Thursday morning. Tests every Friday, if possible.
REMINDER!
Remember to turn in the forms that went home in the “Welcome Packet.” Check your child's agenda and homework every night. Please sign the reading log. I will be putting a conduct chart in the Tuesday Folders, which needs to be signed as well.
I am excited to be working with you and your children this year. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make this year the best year ever. If you have any questions, ideas, or concerns, please email me, call, or come by.
Ms. Janette M. Clark
Mark Twain Elementary School
Fourth Grade Teacher
HISD
School #713-295-5230
Room E204
jclark6@houstonisd.org
October 15,2007
Hello to all! It is hard to believe almost eight weeks have flown by! I want to share with each and everyone of you that I am truly enjoying teaching your children. They are pushing me to be a better teacher and human. We are recyling, they want to adopt a polar bear in the wild, and they are more aware of others throughout our world! Of course, I am only mentioning just a few of the great things they are doing in class.
THANKS-I enjoyed meeting everyone at Open House. Thank you to all of you for making a normally uncomfortable(for any new teacher) event go smoothly. I also want to thank the parents for sending us materials for our Matter Planner. You all really helped me out!
FYI-Our class will be doing the morning announcments the week of October 22 and the last week of school in May. We have each day planned out with something special to share. Monday-Chemical Changes presenting Dr. Einstein, Tuesday-Native Americans, Wednesday-Our Environment, recyclying & taking care of our world, Thursday-Pablo Picasso, celebrating his birthday October 25th, and sharing about his art, Friday-PYP attitudes.
*Class Party October 19 5:30-7:30pm*
Potluck Dinner(bring your favorite food)
Twain Pavillion
Bring the family! See you all there!!!!
Thanks to Tadan Gaston and his family they have donated a hermit crab to be our class pet. Her name is Hermes. The kids are so thrilled to have her! The children will be babysitting her on the weekends.
Maybe later on we can get a hamster.
Planner-We have begun our new planner called "The Source of It All." It is on natural resources, Texas, landforms, and Native Americans. The students will be doing a research paper on one of the Native American tribes. It will be due the end of November. The first planner on Matter tended to be more about science, so it didn't lend itself to give us a lot of Social Studies grades. That is why you might have noticed a blank space on your child's progress report. This planner is more Social Studies. It will all balance out.
Writing-We are continuing our LDC classes. Keep an eye out for your child's blue LDC folder. Mrs. Gee and I would like for your child to read aloud their story to you, so they can hear how it sounds. You may give them pointers at that time. Then they can go back and make any changes if needed. Please write somewhere on each night's LDC writing homework this statement: I heard_______read his/her story to me. Then please sign. It will make a big difference in your child's writing if they read aloud their story several times. Check agendas regularly.
Math-Continuing reviewing place value, problem solving, and we started multiplication.
Reading-read 20-30 minutes every night, and please sign their reading log for documentation. Occasionally there will be a story map to map out the story elements.
Reminder-please talk to your child about coming to school on time, wear uniform, do their best every day, work hard, play hard, do their homework, be respectful, follow classroom essential agreements(rules), and participate in our lessons.
They are all doing a great job!
Yours truly,
Ms. Clark
November 6,2007
Hello all! I just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the room moms for arranging such a great Class Party! I was so happy to see everyone there! All the food was fantastic! I loved the variety of foods!
I had a great time at Spooky Spaghetti! Did everyone see that I even dressed up? I was one of the witches selling cookies in the cafeteria. Mark Twain parents really know how to make a fun day for all!
Thank you Gaston family for helping out with morning announcements! I couldn't of done it without you! We had three cameras going at one time. The kids did a great job!!!
FYI:
*Last Friday of every month is Free Dress Friday
*Report Cards went out Oct. 31, 2007. Please sign and return. If you need a copy please let me know.
*Early Dismissal Nov. 7 at 1230pm
*Student Led Conferences from 1-4pm (student meets with their parents reflecting on their strengths/weaknesses and sharing goals)If you are unable to attend your child will still be able to have their conference with another adult. I don't want anybody missing out in this wonderful opportunity. It is a great learning experience!
*Check agendas.
*Students are to read every night for 20 or more minutes. Please sign their reading log.
*We are starting our research next week on the Native Americans of Texas.
*Science Common Assessment Test Nov. 9, Friday on matter.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STARS OF THE MONTH!
September-Sidnee Wilson
October-Ryan Levitt
November-Joie Ling
Also, a big congratulations to my students for working very hard to get on Honor Roll and coming to school every day!!!!!
Ms. Clark's 4th Grade 1st 9 weeks:
All A's
Tadan Gaston
Karen Guo
Liyuan Guo
Corrinne Cassel
Lihan Fitz
Ryan Levitt
Cindy Zhou
Ms. Clark's 4th Grade 1st 9 weeks:
A's and Two B's
Joie Ling
Camilla Strathearn
Sidnee Wilson
It’s already that time of year…the holidays. We have a lot of wonderful things going on. The Fourth and Second Graders will be singing at this year’s Holiday Program. The children will be singing for the other students Thursday at 9am, and for all of the parents Thursday evening at 7pm. Please have your child dressed in the white turtle neck and black pants/skirt Thursday morning. They need to bring their uniform in a bag to change back into, so they won’t get dirty. Please have your child come to my classroom at 630pm Thursday evening dressed and ready to sing. I hope you all can make it!
We will be having our Holiday Class Party on Dec. 20, 2007, Thursday at 12:15pm. You are all welcome to attend. We will be serving pizza, juice, and holiday sweets. If there is something special you would like to bring, please sign up on the sign up sheet. You can also let Mrs. Gaston, Mrs. Moncada, Mrs. Reader, or Ms. Gray know. In the spirit of giving, the children would like to do a gift exchange with one another. We agreed on a $10 gift. Some great ideas would be a book and bookmark, or bookstore gift card in the amount of $10. Please send your child with $2 for the pizza by Tuesday. The $10 gift can be brought on or before Thursday. I look forward to seeing everyone there! I wish each and every one of you a wonderful holiday!
Feliz Navidad,
Ms. Clark
Dec. 11, 2007
Dear Parents,
I just found out that we adopted a boy through the YMCA. What a great opportunity to share with others that have less than we do. I want to apologize for just now getting this to you. Here is his info: Boy, Age 11, Shirt XL, pants 33X30, and Shoe Size 7. His wish list is: soccer shoes, soccer ball, Christian CD's (Spanish or English), shoes, shirts, and pants. Any help would be greatly appreciated! If you would like to help with something from his wish list, another item, or donate money please send with your child by Friday. Since I just received the letter late I will bring the gift over myself Friday afternoon.
Thanks,
Ms. Clark
March 25, 2008
Hello to all! I hope everyone had a fun and restful Spring Break!
FYI-*We will be going to the Museum of Natural Science on Wednesday, March 26, 2008. This will be a HISD sponsored fieldtrip, so there is no charge. Please send your child with a sack lunch.
*I sent home the Stanford results for each child today. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I am so proud of how well they all did!
*Math and Reading TAKS Tests April 29 and 30
*See you all at Huckleberry Bash on April 4th! Hope you all had a chance to donate for the gift baskets.
*CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STARS OF THE MONTH!
August/September-Sidnee Wilson
October-Ryan Levitt
November/December-Joie Ling
January-Cindy Zhou
February-Sapir Maor
March-????
April-????
May-????
LDC-We are reading Tuck Everlasting for LDC this week and next week.
Science-I have extended the due date for the Science Fair Projects to Monday, March 31, 2008. The students need to bring their boards, journals, and reports. Each student will be graded on the experiment and the report. There will be a Science Fair Open House for all of the parents on April 9, 2008, so the parents may see all of the projects. I am looking forward to seeing all of their wonderful experiments!
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