Wednesday, September 30, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes and complete log
finish wkbk pages 27 and 28
SPELLING: wkbk page 12 and study for test
MATH:  both sides of wksh
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
Carnival Program
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
permission slip
band instrument
emergency food baggie
$10 for Julian Street

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes and complete log
SPELLING:  wkbk pages 10 and 11
MATH: wkbk pages 42 and 43
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
Tuesday Envelope
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
permission slip
PE clothes
$3 for hot lunch
emergency food baggie
$10 for Julian Street

Monday, September 28, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes and complete Monday log
LA: finish Grammar pages 9 and 10
SPELLING:  wkbk page 9
MATH: wkbk page 39
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
Monday packet
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
emergency food baggie
$10 for Julian Street

September 28, 2009

Dear Parents,

Last week in Religion your children learned about Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist.  Your children learned that during Eucharist we give thanks and praise to God for giving us his only Son, Jesus.

In last week’s Tuesday Envelope a letter was sent home to you regarding 4^th grade’s first Reach-Out Project of this year, making lunches and decorating lunch bags for the residents of the Julian Street Inn.  The people that live at the Julian Street Inn in downtown San Jose suffer from mental illness and would be homeless if not for the efforts of the caring people that work there.  Three times this year we will decorate lunch bags with loving, caring messages and fill them with nutritious food.  Each of your children is asked to bring in ten dollars to cover the cost of the fifty lunches that they will make.  Since this is a Reach-Out project, it is very important that your children share their own money that they have earned so that they more fully understand how they can help the less fortunate.  Please provide opportunities for your children at home to earn the ten dollars so that this kind gesture is truly coming from them.

This week we will finish Chapter 5 in Math about algebraic expressions and equations.  Next Monday we will be reviewing this chapter, and the test will be next Tuesday.  I will send textbooks home next Monday night so that you can use pages 106 to 109 and the practice test to help your child study for this test.

Last week in Reading we explored the question “What opportunities can be found in new places?” as we read Hurry Freedom about African Americans traveling to California for the Gold Rush.  We also learned about how understanding the author’s purpose for writing can help us better comprehend what we read.  This week we are reading Grandfather’s Journey.  Please look for the “Family Times” letter in this packet which summarizes what we will be learning this week.

In Science we learned about food chains, food webs and how energy moves in an ecosystem.  In Science lab your children created food webs that are displayed outside our classroom this week.   Last week in Social Studies your children learned about how we divide the Earth with the equator and prime meridian into the four hemispheres.

Your response to last week’s BINGO survey was quite positive.  Out of the 29 surveys that were returned by Friday, 22 of you are willing to attend a Saturday night BINGO if the date is one which you are free.  Next week after talking with our room moms, I’ll send another survey trying to find a date that will work for most of you.

Today your children have their new book orders.  Remember you can order books for your children the traditional way by sending the form and a check made out to Scholastic Books into the classroom or you can order online using the information below.  Orders will be due on Wednesday, October 7.

www.scholastic.com/parentordering

Class User Name: sjcgrade4

Password: grade4

On Thursday, October 8, the 4^th grade will be going on our first field trip, to Guadalupe River Park and Garden for a program called Worms and Squirms. This program will teach us about worms and how they are important in decomposition.  We will leave the park with a worm bin so that we can continue to learn about composting in our classroom.  This supports what we are learning about food chains and food webs in Science.  Your child has a permission slip in his or her homework folder.  Please return it to school by Friday.  If you are volunteering to drive, please be sure to have your driver information sheet and a copy of your insurance and license on file in the office.

Please review with your children their work of the past week.  If you have any questions or concerns, please drop by, call me at school, or email me at triciaheis@aol.com.  Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Tricia Heissenbuttel

Thursday, September 24, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes
LA:  Thurs. cursive
SPELLING:  study for test
MATH:  none
RELIGION: do pages 25 and 26 and use pages 17 to 24 to study for quiz
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
Tuesday Envelope
last magazine turn in day
emergency food baggie

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes
LA: Wed. cursive
SPELLING: wkbk page 7 and 8
MATH:  use the practice test and pages 86 to 88 to practice for tomorrow’s test
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
band instrument
emergency food baggie
BINGO survey

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes
LA:  Tues. cursive
SPELLING:  wkbk page 6
MATH: wkbk page 33
SCIENCE:  answer 4 and 5 on lab wksh
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
Tuesday Envelope
old emergency snack bag
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
PE clothes
$3 for hot lunch
Bingo Survey
new emergency snack bag

September 21, 2009

Dear Parents,

It is hard to believe that we have just finished our first month of school.   What a busy month it was!  Your children are proving to be very responsible and motivated 4^th grade learners. Your children worked very hard last week to do their best on their ITBS tests. I am very proud of them and am enjoying them immensely. This week, we are all excited to return to our regular curriculum.

On Wednesday morning at 8:30, the fourth and first grades will be leading the student body in our first SPARCCLS prayer service focusing on Spiritual and Peaceful.  Over the last two weeks, your children have been working hard to prepare this special service.  Feel free to join us in the parish hall if you’re able.

In Math this week we will be reviewing subtracting and estimating differences of whole numbers. On Thursday we will have our test on chapter 4.  You can use pages 86 to 89 in the textbook and the practice test to help your child study. Your child’s chapter 3 math test is in this packet; please review it with your child.

In Science we learned about how energy is passed from producers to consumers in food chains.  In Social Studies we began learning about how the Earth is divided into hemispheres.

I tallied all the results of your “Geology Rocks” surveys; out of the 30 surveys that were returned (many with multiple marks), there were 22 marks for an afternoon performance, 10 for lunch, 11 for morning. In order to accommodate the largest majority of you, I chose Friday, April 23 at 2:00 for your children’s performance of “Geology Rocks.”  I apologize to those of you who marked morning times and hope that you are able to rearrange your schedule for this one day.

As I spoke to you at Back to School Night, the Holy Name Society is willing to share their profits with our class if we are able to supply a sizable group of parents and their friends to play BINGO on a Saturday night.   They will give the 4^th grade class half of all profits that they make above their average nightly intake which we can use to supplement our field trip funds. Truly this will provide a great night of fun for all of you, and you will directly help your child to have memorable experiences with their classmates that otherwise they might not be able to have.  As you know, we go on many fun yet expensive trips to Sacramento, San Juan Bautista and Ano Nuevo. Please fill out the survey below and return it Friday, September 26.

Please review with your children their work of the past week.  If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at triciaheis@aol.com, drop by or call me at school.  Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Tricia Heissenbuttel

——————————————————————————————–

BINGO SURVEY

______  I would be willing to attend a Saturday Night Bingo.

______  I will be unable to attend Bingo on a Saturday night.

Comments:

_____________________                      _______________________

Print your name                                                  Signature

Monday, September 21, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes
LA:  Monday cursive
finish page 5
SPELLING: wkbk page 5
MATH: wkbk pages 29 and 31
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
Monday Packet
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
BINGO survey

Thursday, September 17, 2009

READING: read for 20 minutes
LA:  Thurs. cursive
MATH:  worksheet
THINGS TO TAKE HOME:
THINGS TO BRING TO SCHOOL:
Tuesday Envelope
Magazine turn-in day #2