Marketplace Grand Opening

The students were very excited about the grand opening of the Marketplace today. Jared said he was so excited he could hardly sleep! The class worked very hard creating signs and organizing their stores before the other students made their pucrchases.

Congratulations to the following students who made their January goals and get to celebrate in the classroom during lunch tomorrow: Caitlin, Jared, Jenna, Riley, Jessica, Bryce, and Tim. It's not too late though. Any student who reaches his/her goal by tomorrow at noon is eligible for the January lunch.

Today's Assignments:
Science-water cycle worksheet
Reading-Chapter 7 in From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Math-Misleading Graphs (text 232-233); workbook p. 57
Social Studies-Finish map

Fund Raiser News:
Our school is selling Y-Ties to raise money. Each pair is $4.00 with 50% of the price going directly to our school. The classroom that sells the most wins a pizza party!

Rain, Rain Go Away

S.S. Finish map
Math workbook page
Reading Chapter 6; reader response journal; scrapbook
Science preassessment

Tomorrow we will begin Marketplace at noon.

Monday, Monday

Today we read chapter 5 From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. We also created water cycle models in science and completed a worksheet on antonyms.

This week:
Read chapters 5-8 in From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Present biography literature projects on Friday.
Homework packets and spelling due Friday

No More Snow!

Homework packets and spelling homework are coming home today.

In reading we completed chapters 3 and 4 in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. We continued writing in our reading response journals as well.
In science we completed missing work and played Weather Jingo to become more familiar with weather vocabulary.
Math's focus was measurement and social studies' was map skills.

Our field trip to US Bank Arena to see the Cincinnati Cyclones is coming up on February 6. If you have not already sent in your child's permission slip and fee ($10.00), please do so before next Friday, February 2. It is a fun and EDUCATIONAL opportunity.

The next AR lunch will be January 31. Several students have already reached their goal!

Visit the Met

Click here to visit the Metropolitan Museum just like Claudia and Jamie. You may find some ideas for souvenirs to put in your scrapbook.

Assignments:
Weekly Reader
Math p. 55
Spelling worksheet
Read chapter 2 in From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Worksheet, reading response entry.

True, No Spelling

Yes, teachers make mistakes too. There will be no spelling this week because the list sent home is an old list. Students were told on Friday, but just in case someone "forgot", there is no spelling homework or test this week.

We are studying weather in science as well as in art and music. Your child made a cloudy graphic organizer in art and sang a cloudy song in music. We are collecting weather data this week in order to analyze it on Friday. This goes along with the your child's study of data and graphs in math.
Quick reminder-

• median=middle. Once the numbers are numerically arranged from least to greatest, the median will be the number in the middle (like the median in the middle of the highway).
• mode=most. A great way to find the mode is to create a line plot graph (basically a number line with Xs). The interval (number you are counting by) must be one. Each number in the data gets one X. The number that appears the most times is the mode.
• range=difference between high and low. A line plot graph is a great tool to use to find the range, but as long as your child can identify the highest and lowest numbers in a set of data and subtract, the range will be found. Many times adults will give a range as "between 6 and 10" but mathematically the range must actually be subtracted. If the number is between 6 and 10, then the range is actually 4 (10-6=4).

We began reading From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler today. We began writing in our reading response journals as well. Since we will be doing lots of writing with this novel, we will not be writing in our take home journals until we finish the book. Each day your child will be asked to choose a prompt and write a response considering what was read in the day's chapter. We will also be working on test-like items and creating a scrapbook based on the main characters' thoughts and ideas.

Next Wednesday we will begin Marketplace. To date your child has been earning money for his/her classroom job and attendance. He/she has also been paying fines for minor offenses like failure to push in a chair or needing an unscheduled trip to the locker. Due to the enthusiasm of some students and to test our economy, on Wednesday (1/30) we will open the Marketplace. In the Marketplace students who have purchased a business license may set up a school-appropriate business. For example, Lexie may choose to sell bags of stickers and pencils and set her own price if she has purchased her license to sell. If your child has missing work in any area, he/she will NOT be permitted to BUY or SELL. If your child wishes to sell items from home, he/she must have written permission from you to sell that item. Hopefully this will prevent the looting of brothers' and sisters' toys/stuff. NOTE: Real money is not involved. All items will be purchased using Fourth Grade Bucks.

Today's Work:
Reading-chapter 1 From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler; Reading Response Log
Science-Weather-Lesson 2 worksheet
Social Studies-Extra Credit Weekly Reader

No Spelling this week in spite of the words listed on the Friday Folder report.
Enjoy your day off today!

For the next three weeks our class will take a literature break from our reading text so there will not be any reading tests on the next three Thursdays. Instead we will read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg.

Washington Update

Washington D.C. Update

Final payment for the Wshington D.C. trip is due April 6, 2008. The tour total is $369.oo per person with a $50.00 deposit which has already been collected. The amount due by April is $319 per person. Checks should be made payable to and mailed to Croswell Tours.

Assignments:

Math p. 54

Reading Buckle Down Lesson 10

Writing Buckle Down Lesson 10

Language verbs sheet

Reminder: No School Monday

Tell Why Your School is Cool

FOX19 is looking for some Cool Schools. Click here to visit the link to vote for CNE.

Today's Assignments:
Math p. 53
Social Studies-Use graphic organizer to identify and compare chores done by pioneer men, women, and children to men, women, and children of today. Choose one set (men or women or children) and write a paragraph comparing pioneer chores with today's chores.
Reading-test
Grammar-edit sentences
Science-weather lesson 1

Tomorrow:
Spelling test
Turn in spelling homework and homework packet

Early Release Today

Today's Assignments:
Weekly Reader
Math-Ordered pairs p. 52
Lanugage-Verbs worksheet

Snow Tuesday; Early Release tomorrow

Thought for the day:
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

Reading: Read "Eye of the Storm"; review cause/effect.
Math: Bar graphs
Writing: Why I'm Proud to Be CNE

Another Delay

This week seems to be getting shorter all of the time. Two 2-hour delays and tomorrow is an early release day. The meteorologists are also predicting snow for Thursday and Friday.

This Week:

Thursday: Reading Test "Eye of the Storm"

Friday: Spelling Test; spelling homework and homework packet due

Practice Tests Complete

After a week of practice tests, I think everyone is happy to be finished. We reviewed all three tests together as a class. Overall, our class was most successful on the reading test. I look for everyone's scores to improve in math since students have been focusing on number sense and have not yet touched data analysis, geometry or fractions. In the writing area, editing for
misspelled words and improper grammar will definitely need to be addressed, as well as writing to express feelings.

Next Week:
Science: Weather

Reading Story: Eye of the Storm

Homework: Spelling 50 points and packet

Don't forget that Wednesday, January 16 is an early release day.

Report cards will be sent home on Friday, January 18.

Upcoming Dates:

1/16: Early Release

1/18: Report Cards

1/21: No School-Martin Luther King Day

2/1: Biography Literature Project due

2/6: Cyclones Field Trip

2/14: Valentine's Day Party

2/15: No School

2/18: No School-Presidents' Day

2/19: Conferences 3:30-6:30

2/20: Conferences 3:30-6:30; Early Release

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations to Lexie Bradford, the winner of the 2008 CNE Elementary Spelling Bee! Congratulations go out to all of the students who participated as well! The WCPO-TV regional bees take place March 1, at the Duke Energy Center, 525 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

The schedule for March 1 is as follows:
12:00 noon WCPO-TV Region II Spellers (OH schools) check-in.
1:00 p.m. WCPO-TV Region II Bee begins (OH schools).
4:45 p.m. WCPO-TV Region II Bee (OH schools) concludes and a champion is named; prizes are awarded to all participants.

Today we took the Adelina's Whales test. Many students also chose to take their spelling test today. Don't forget to complete homework packets and spelling homework tonight. Math workbook p. 49 is due if it was not finished in class. Tomorrow is the last day to turn in any work because it is the end of the six weeks. Report cards will come home next Friday, January 18.

Math Test

Yesterday we finished reviewing the reading practice OAT as a class. Overall, this class did a fine job. I hope to review the math test today, and finish up tomorrow if necessary. Both the reading and math tests will come home Friday. I will also send the writing test home Friday IF we are able to review the entire thing, otherwise it will come home next week.

Tomorrow
Reading Test: Adelina's Whales-A key concept and fourth grade indicator that will be on this test is generalization.

• Generalization: A generalization is a broad statement that applies to many examples. A valid generalization is supported by facts and logic. Clue words that indicate a generalization include most, many, usually, sometimes, few, seldom, all, and generally. Examples of a generalization are the following:

1. Every neighborhood has special features, such as buildings and traffic signs.
2. Families around the world have common needs and meet them in different ways.
3. Goods and services are found in local communities.
4. Michigan has many characteristics which makes it different from other states.
5. Whales in Lagun San Ignacio are not afraid of people.
6. Children face many choices for their future.

http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dnewby/generalization.html

Spelling Bee: 1:30 Parents are welcome to attend.

Today's Assignments
Reading worksheet 114
Grammar worksheet 45, 47
Math-practice test p. 188-189

Tomorrow:
Math OAT

The practice Ohio Achievement tests (OATs) that students took this week will be sent home for parental perusal. The reading scores from Monday look good overall, but the all of the students would benefit if they were more specific in their short answer and extended response answers. When students are asked to use information from the selection, they should not put the information into their own words, but use it as it is stated in the selection.

Testing Week

Congratulations Room 220 Spelling Bee participants! Jessica, Holly Sa., and Jared will be representing our class on Thursday in the CNE Elementary Spelling Bee!

Mr. Fiore updated his website over the weekend. Check out the cool photos of his class!

We will be giving the practice Ohio Achievement Tests (OAT) this week so it is especially important that students be present and on time each day. We give the practice test for three reasons: to familiarize the students with the format and feel of the test, to identify specific academic indicators that need to be covered more thoroughly, and to identify students who would benefit from before-school tutoring. The test that the students take is an actual OAT test given in a previous year. Today students took the reading OAT given in March 2005. Students can access, take, and print this test by visiting Ohio's portal to Ohio Statewide Testing. Each student has been given a userID (first initial, last name followed by 046326, example- Suzi Smith ssmith046326) and so is able to create a new account, log in, and see the assignments that I have chosen for my class to take. I will give extra credit for each test taken. The tests are long, but they are the exact OATs that have been given in the past, the answers are given immediately after the student posts a response, AND they do NOT have to be taken all at one time. Students may begin a test, do a few questions, and then, as long as they do not SUBMIT the test, come back to work on that test at a later date.

Today's assignments:
Read "Adelina's Whales".

Later this week:
Wednesday: Math OAT
Thursday: Reading Quiz "Adelina's Whales; Spelling Bee 1:30
Friday: Writing OAT; Spelling test; Spelling homework due; Homework packet due

Welcome Back!

Finally, we're back in a routine! I hope everyone enjoyed the extended vacation and the time spent with family and friends. I certainly did.

Today we began the QUEST program with presenter Julie Brown. Lions Quest assists students in developing positive social skills, self-discipline, responsibility, good judgment, and the ability to get along with others and lead healthy, drug-free lives. It also encourages family involvement. Topics included are community building, listening skills, responsible choices, conflict resolution, and refusal skills. Because this program is funded by the United Way, Clermont County Youth Services is able to provide this program at no cost to our district.

Tomorrow we will have our homeroom spelling bee. Words will be chosen from the official spelling bee website. Click here to access those words. Three students will be selected from each third and fourth grade homeroom to represent their classes in the CNE Elementary spelling bee next Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Guests are welcome to attend the bee. The winner of the bee will participate in the Greater Cincinnati Scripps Howard Spelling Bee.

*Students are not required to participate in the bee; however, once a student accepts a bid as one of the top three representatives in the class I expect that student to fulfill that responsibility and participate in the school bee.

Today's Assignments:
How to Get Better Test Scores: Lesson 1-Context Clues
Buckle Down Reading: Lesson 8-Getting to Know the Author

No School Today

Enjoy the snow!
See you tomorrow.