Check out these three Winter Book Report Samples from Previous Years!

January Classroom Newsletter

Dear Families,

            Thank you so much for all the generous gifts and cards.  I appreciate each and every one (and the thought behind them) and thank you card went home.  I hope you saw the thank you as I was very overwhelmed with such kindness.  The true gift is having the opportunity to work with such fun kids each day. 

As we return from winter break, here’s what we’ll be up to!  As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Writing:  As a class, we are deep into learning how to add elaboration to our stories by stopping to describe.  The winter stories are turning out nicely.  We will finish editing them this week and then they will be typed up for display.  Typed stories should be printed and will be due to Mrs. Allen by January 22^nd.  I want to ask that you please read through your child’s finished story to check for typos and errors before printing.  Please have your child use Century Gothic, Arial, or Times New Roman as their font and have them use size 14 font.  We will display them once they are written in a finished copy format.  The students will complete some artwork to go with this finished piece.  Next in writing, we will be writing a fun Haiku Poem about winter as a soft landing back from the break and then we will be learning about expository writing.  Students will learn that expository writing is when we write to teach, share information, or explain step by step.  Students will learn that expository writing has DEARFD (details, examples, anecdotes, reasons, facts, and definitions) used to support their ideas.  Student will learn how to add each of these kinds of support to their writing to accurately explain their topic.  As always, please continue to reinforce the importance of good editing skills at home.  Encourage the use of dictionaries and checking all written work carefully after completion. 

Math: We will be finishing up our unit on multi-digit multiplication the week back from winter break and we will have an end of the unit test on these skills on Tuesday, January 8^th.  Then we will be moving into learning about division concepts.  Of course, knowing your math facts for multiplication is vital for learning to solve for division and higher level fraction concepts (coming in late January) so students who have not “passed” their facts through their 12s by February 6^th (the last Wednesday with math fact volunteers before winter parent conferences) will need to stay in one recess each day after that to practice their facts in partners.  Please ensure that your child is practicing their multiplication facts each day for at least 10 minutes.  I can’t stress enough that knowing these facts are instrumental to learning more advanced concepts and feeling confident in math (and the sooner, the better). Thanks again to Mrs. Kotrlik, Mrs. Harding, Mrs. Hansen, Mr. Carlson, and Mrs. Gehrmann for their help with math facts each week. 

Reading:   Our reading focus this month will be finishing up our study on Stone Fox and summarizing/main idea.  Then we will move into learning about inferencing.  To make an inference, we use text clues and what we already know (our background knowledge) to make conclusions about what the author wants us to know or learn from the text.  Our reading equation for this is TC (text clues) + BK (background knowledge) = Inference.  We will explore inferencing in our reading groups and read aloud.  Our next book report and book is well under way.  It should be a chapter book (100-200 pages) at your child’s reading level that tells a story.  The book should tell about a part of northwest history.  Some ideas could be a story about a Native American, Early Sea Explorer, or a Pioneer heading west.  The students should have already chosen a book and be actively reading the book.  Check in with your child about the book they selected and make sure they are making progress on it.  The organizer for the rough draft was sent home before the break and there will be samples posted in our class for the students to see.  I will also post sample book reports on my blog.  I will send home the final draft paper after I have seen each student’s rough draft filled out.  The rough draft of the book report is due Friday, February 22^nd.  The final copy poster is due Friday, March 8^th.  Encourage best writing on the book report including strong supporting details, excellent spelling and punctuation.  Students are to trace over words with BLACK pen for final copy.  We are continuing our High Five Book Club winter trimester.  The challenge to the students is to read chapter books at their own level to total 500 pages read by the end of winter trimester.  Each time they finish a book; they complete a summary of the book and turn it in.  They receive a star shaped punch for their High Five Reading card for each 100 pages read and once they reach the goal of five punches for the trimester, they receive a prize.  Check with your child about their progress toward this goal.  High Five Book Club summaries are due by March 15^th.

Social Studies/Science:  In Social Studies, we will be learning about famous Northwest explorers who discovered Washington State.  We will focus most on Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea and their contributions.  As part of this learning, students are to create a possible bag- a bag that an explorer or fur trapper/trader might have carried as they traveled.  The directions for this project came home before winter break.  The directions are on the front side and the pattern is on the back side.  The possibles bag is due on January 14^th and the students will present their bags to the class and share the items in their bags with the class that day. In science, we will begin learning about environments.  We will closely study how animals live together with their environment as we move into February.

POW (Problem of the Week):  You may have already seen POWs (Gray Whales in Winter was one) coming home and Human Calculators will be coming home soon.  These are released WASL and MSP items that are used to give students an opportunity to build confidence with the MSP (Measure of Student Progress) test and practice important skills.  Students complete most of the POW in class and most of the time I will check and ask students to correct missed problems.  I will have parents sign the POW so that you are informed as to how your child is progressing toward state standards.  Please keep an eye on how your student is progressing with these practice passages.

Conference Days in February:  There are two half days set aside in February for parent conferences: the 12^th and 14th. I will conference with students and parents for which I have special concerns. If you would like to request a conference with me for that time, you are welcome to.  I will contact you with days and times if I feel like it is necessary at this point.  The end of our winter trimester grading period is March 15th. 

Thank you for your support and I will talk to you soon!  Have a wonderful 2013!

Warm Regards,

Karri Allen

November Newsletter

Dear Families,

            It has been a pleasure getting to know you all through conferences.  If you would like more time than we had allotted for conferences, feel free to contact me at any time to ask more questions or check on your child’s progress.  Thank you for your support!  J

Lifeskill: This month we are featuring the life skill of Responsibility.  Learning about life skills and practicing them adds to our positive learning environment at school.  We will be talking about what it means to be responsible during our class meet and greet time.

Writing: This month we will be finishing our work on a piece called Classroom Monsters.  Once I’m finished with grading them, I will return the drafts to the students to type up.  Instructions for typing the final drafts will be coming home attached to the drafts.  Then we will continue exploring the writing trait of Organization with a narrative story.  A piece of writing that is strong in organization should meet the following criteria:

• Has a beginning, middle, and end
• Indicates paragraphing with noticeable indentions
• Has an interesting lead that hooks the reader
• Has sequence/transition words such as first, then, after that . . . etc.
• Has an ending that doesn’t leave the reader hanging

Toward the end of this month and into December, we will focus deeply on writing a personal narrative that tells the story of something that has happened to us.  One final note: handwriting and spelling are still a bit of a sticking point- please encourage careful, best effort writing across all subject areas.

Math: Topics this month will be learning the concepts behind the multiplication algorithm (many students know it but not why it works, vocabulary needed, or what it looks like visually with base-ten blocks), practicing it, and applying multiplication in real world settings.  We will also get into understanding division concepts for basic facts, begin to work with division problems that are close to memorized math facts, and learn how to interpret the amount that is left over (the remainder).  We will work further with problem solving strategies.  Please keep reinforcing the practicing of basic math facts at home.  I need to have all students MASTERING their multiplication table facts by the holiday break in December.  This is vital to success in math this year.  Kids who are not fluent in their multiplication facts will struggle with new concepts. Students should be working on them at home nightly.  There are great websites that make practicing fun through games.  My hope is that even the busiest of parents can find time to work with their kids if they practice the facts orally when driving to and from after school activities.  Weekly math tutoring for math facts is very successful as long as students are practicing their facts at home.  J  Your child is working with a parent to quiz and improve their fluency with their math facts and the parents are reporting gains from most students.  Please check with your child to find out which ones they are working on and work on them at home.  Thank you to our math volunteers!  You are a tremendous help to our class! 

Reading: In class, determining importance is the reading strategy that we are focusing on the next 6 weeks.  We’ve talked that what’s important to remember when reading is like the noodles strained in the colander when making spaghetti.  The water is the information or details that aren’t important.  We’ve also talked about the fact that sometimes some of the most interesting tidbits are details that aren’t “most important.” We are continuing our High Five Book Club in class.  The challenge to the students is to read 500 pages by the end of this trimester, Nov 3oth.  Each time they finish a book; they complete a summary of the book and turn it in.  They receive a star shaped hole-punch in their High Five Book Club bookmark and once they reach the goal, they receive a prize.  Check with your child about their progress toward this goal. 

Social Studies: Soon we will be learning about Coastal and Plateau Northwest Indians of our state.  Students will be exploring all sorts of resources to deepen their understanding of these cultures.  As part of our learning about Northwest Indians, students will be creating a possibles bag.  A possibles bag was a bag that Native Americans or early explorers wore to carry items that might be needed in their travels.  Some items carried might be a compass, dried meat, twine, candle, etc.  Directions and a pattern for this project will be coming home the week after Thanksgiving and will be due mid January.  This project is a great way to spend some time one on one with your student in our class.

Science:  We will be finishing up our focus on rocks and minerals this month.  We’ve been exploring the properties of rocks and minerals. The kids are learning about the rock cycle, fossils, and erosion.  Our class has shown amazing gains in their understanding!  They will take a post-test later this month.  I will let you know the date.

The school year is really speeding along!  This time of year is filled with excitement and distractions as the holidays approach.  Can’t believe I’m already seeing Christmas stuff in the stores!  Please encourage your child to concentrate on learning in school.  I also appreciate your efforts to help your child complete homework on time with their BEST effort.  It is making a HUGE difference in class.  The children who complete their work have a clearer understanding of the next day’s lessons and are more confident.  This is a very special class-they are all such sweethearts!  We are beginning to really hit our stride!  I hope you have a safe and a wonderful week!

 

Best regards,

Karri Allen

 

Book report sample- check it out!

Here is an example of a well done book report poster.  Please remind your student that they are also supposed to prepare a shoebox or grocery sack filled with 5-7 mystery items that connect with the story.  Each student will share their poster and box of mystery items with reasons why each item represents something important about the story.  The finished poster and items are due Tuesday, November 13th.  Directions have been passed out and the poster is available for students as soon as they think they are ready for it.  Please be checking in with your student about their progress so that they are prepared to turn in their project on the due date.  Please let me know if there are concerns or questions.  Thank you for your support!

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER:

Dear Families,

        It was so nice to meet so many of you at Curriculum Night this week!  If you were not able to come to Curriculum Night, please feel free to contact me with questions, check on your child’s progress, or share good news.  Email is probably best as I can get back to you late in the evening or even on the weekend, if necessary.  My email is Karri.Allen@evergreenps.org.

 Lifeskill/Handbook: In October, we are featuring the lifeskill of work ethic.  We will compliment classmates on lifeskills we notice that the students are using at school.  We notice lifeskills in other situations too.  We use them to solve problems and we will reflect upon the different lifeskills characters have in our literature studies.  Learning about lifeskills and practicing them adds to our positive learning environment at school.  I hope that you will find them useful at home.  Please make sure to read the school’s student handbook online and fill out the form that documents that you and your student have read it.  To access the student handbook, you can go to the Fisher’s Landing Elementary website and click on the “For Parents” tab.  Then scroll down to “Student Handbook.”  Click on “Student Handbook.”  Make sure to read through the handbook and discuss its contents with your child.  Then please print the “Handbook Signature Form” and have your child sign it and then sign it yourself to verify that your child has read the handbook.  You can also send in the last page of the printed version of the handbook coming home this week.  All students are required to knowledgeable about the handbook and our school’s rules.  Please send these forms in by parent conferences.

 Reader’s Workshop: The end of this month we’ll be learning about the thinking strategy of accessing background knowledge/using schema.  Schema is any knowledge you already have about a topic and you gain that knowledge through your experiences.  Schema/background knowledge allows us to connect to what we are reading and better understand the emotions/needs/etc. of the characters in the story or people involved.  We will be exploring how schema helps us as a reader as we move into October.  Then we will move into the thinking strategy of determining importance.  Students will learn to identify what’s most important and filter out those details that, while interesting, are not the main focus in the text.  With our strategy work with determining importance, students will learn about theme, summarizing, main idea and supporting details, as well as story elements such as main characters, plot, problem, and solution. To encourage reading of chapter books from day to day, I have designed the High Five Book Club for our class.  The goal is for each student to read at least 500 pages by report card time.  Once a student finishes a book, they write a summary of the book read on a piece of loose leaf paper to demonstrate that they read the book and understood the story.  The students earn a star punch in their High Five Book Club bookmark for each 100 pages read.  I will send reminders throughout the trimester and will put the student’s progress toward this goal in the comments section of the report card. 

 Writer’s Workshop: This month we are exploring the writing trait of ideas.  Students will learn to narrow their topic down to a “seed” idea- a single moment to blow up big with details.  Students will learn to anticipate what questions the reader may have in order to add more detail and make their writing “crystal clear.”  Students will learn to use the technique of “so what about” to link details together as they write.  During the month of October, we will map out an experience we would like to share with others, then narrow that experience down to just a portion of the actual event/the most important moment.  We will take that piece through the writing process to publication.

 Math:  Now that my beginning of the year math assessments are completed, we will spend the next few weeks working with developing/practicing concepts for multiplication and building our problem solving skills.  You should have received information about accessing our math textbook from home-the web address is: www.pearsonsuccessnet.com.  The username for each child is the first and last name they go by in our class (all in lowercase). For example, my username would be karriallen.  Everyone’s password is math4u.  Students who do not finish in class activities should visit this web address to access the page from class work and finish that work for homework.  I can print textbook pages for those that do not have internet access at home.  This website also offers access to additional practice and games.

 Math Facts: Your child will be working with a parent to quiz and improve their fluency with their math facts this year. The timings consist of a page of mixed fact practice focusing on one operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division).  The “Math Moms/Dads” will work with your child on progressively more difficult/higher facts within the operation that your child is focusing on and then test them with a paper test consisting of 90 problems.  Your child must get 80 out of the 90 problems correct and skipped problems are considered incorrect.  The “Math Moms/Dads” will let you know via the planner exactly which facts your child should be working on.  It is expected that your child be working on their facts each day for about 10 minutes to be working toward their next math timing.  This is the MOST important thing we can do to help each student be successful in math this year.  Please check with your child to find out which ones they are working on and work on them at home.  I ask that when the math fact flashcards come home in the plastic pouch and that you keep track of them please.  The plastic pouch with the math facts should stay in the child’s backpack.  Take them out and practice at home but return them to the backpack so your child can use them for fact practice at school when we have math stations. Knowing your multiplication math facts by heart is vital to math success with more advanced math concepts.  I am still looking for more parents that might want to help.  I still need to find three more parent helpers this year for this program.  If you are available Wednesdays from 9:05-10:30 please email me as soon as possible.  I need four volunteers to make it work.  I need three more parents or this successful program may not happen for these kids this year.

 

I wanted to share some websites that offer opportunities for kids to practice their math facts.

www.monstermathfacts.com

www.freerice.com

www.funbrain.com

www.coolmath.com

www.mathfactcafe.com

www.aplusmath.com/Games/games.html

www.geocities.com/multiplicationfacts/index.html

www.mathcats.com/explore/multiplicationtable.html    

 Book Reports:  Students should choose a quality literature chapter book (100-200 pages unless otherwise approved) at their level to read from start to finish during the month of October and complete a book report.  One way to help your student identify a book at their level is by using the 5 Finger Rule.  This is how it works.  Find a book that your student is interested in.  Then turn to a random page full of text.  Have your child read the page aloud and each time the student stumbles on a word put one finger down.  If the student stumbles on more than 5 words, the book is too challenging at this time and the difficult words will break down the students’ ability to comprehend the text.  If the student doesn’t put any fingers down as they read, the book is too easy and not quite at their level.  I have talked with the students about this technique.  Try it out and see how it works for your student.  Directions have been provided for the book report and can be found in your child’s homework folder.  Students need to let me know their selected book by this Friday so that I can approve it before they get started with their book report.  Poster paper for the project will be coming home in the next few weeks.  This book report will be due Tuesday, November 13^th.  On this day, we will begin our book talks on the book report books.  This will be a formal presentation for a communication grade.    Please keep checking in with your child about their progress toward completing their book and their book report.

 Science:  We are using the scientific process to investigate rocks and minerals and their properties.  The class will learn about the rock cycle and about the types of rocks.

 Social Studies: We are learning about Washington State this year.  During the month of October, we will be learning about how our state was formed and the major landforms and features that make up our state.  As part of this learning, students will create a salt and flour map of our state.

 Last thoughts:  My class has some amazing thinking.  However, we are still struggling as a class to make sure our work is HIGH quality, is complete, and meets expectations.  Please encourage your child to do their personal best in all their work for our class.  PLEASE encourage your child to use correct spelling and punctuation in all subject areas.  I also appreciate your efforts to help your child complete all his/her homework on time.  The children who complete their work have a clearer understanding of the next day’s lessons and are more confident.  This is a very special class and they are so sweet.  We are beginning to really hit our stride!  I hope you all have a wonderful week!

 Kindly, 

Karri Allen

Resources for Multiplication Practice! Check it Out!

Multiplication Help

Here are some resources that may help your child practice multiplication skills. Some of these are supported by advertisements.

IXL - Individualized on-line math practice.  I have signed up for a free 30-day trial. Send me an email and I'll send you your childs username and password.

 

Khan Academy -You Tube Videos (ad supported)

Basic Multiplication

Multiplication Tables

10's, 11's, and 12's

2-digit X 1-digit

2-digit X 2-digit

Multiple Digit Multiplication

AAA Math (ad supported)

Multiflyer - (ad supported)

Mathdrill-  (ad supported)

Mr. Nussbaum Math -ad supported

Timez Attack- videogame

As always it is best for a parent to preview websites before allowing children to use them. These are merely suggestions and are not required.

Welcome to a New School Year!

Dear Parents,

Welcome!  I hope you had a relaxing summer and you are looking forward to starting another school year.  I was pleased to meet so many of you at our Open House.  I am excited to be teaching fourth grade and I’m looking forward to a great year with your child.

Enclosed are the beginning of the year documents, letters, and forms for your information.  Please complete the forms as indicated and return them to me by next week.  I would appreciate it if you would read and discuss the enclosed Parent/Student Information Handbook with your child and sign and return the appropriate pink page to indicate that you have gone over the information.  That page is on the last page in the Handbook.  We will also review this information in class.  This will help us all to have a clear understanding of our school's expectations.

Our fourth grade team has ordered a few items that we believe will help your child organize work coming to and from school.  We also ordered two magazines.  One is Washington Weekly which highlights some current Washington events, as well as historical and geographical information.  It is a valuable supplement to our Social Studies text.  The other is National Geographic magazine for students.  It has wonderful, short, nonfiction stories about nature and our world. 

Tutoring: I would appreciate your permission to allow your child to be tutored by parent and adult volunteers.  Tutoring will take place in my room and inside the main building.  Some students need additional challenges while others need review.  Many will be sharpening their math facts skills.  This will generally take place once per week for about 20 minutes per student during class time. 

Snacks:  If your child wants a have a morning snack, he/she can bring a fresh fruit or vegetable, Pepperidge Farm Fish Crackers: all flavors, Cheez-its: all flavors including Gripz and Right Bites, Teddy Grahams, or Nutrigrain Bars.  All of these snacks are considered safe snacks and provide a safe snacking environment for the student with a severe nut allergy in our class.  Please do not send any other kind of snack or brands to be eaten during class time as we cannot be certain of how safe they are.  I do not encourage water bottles unless there are special reasons for them.  We have plenty of filtered water available in the classroom and many opportunities to get a drink.

Homework: Your child will have homework each evening of the week (Mon.-Thurs.).  All homework assignments are directly related to activities and lessons at school, either that day or in preparation for the next day.  It is essential that your child complete each daily assignment.  This will ensure continued progress and preparedness for lessons to come.  Your child will list homework each day in a Student Planner.  Please read each day’s entry, respond if you would like, and then sign your name on that page. Your signature will indicate to me that you have checked your child’s homework.

Student Papers:  It sometimes happens that students do not take their papers home and parents are concerned about their child’s work.  Since this can occur, papers will be sent home at the end of each week.  I will also email and share my classroom blog with a periodic newsletter keeping you up to date on what is happening in the classroom.  Please sign the Friday Envelope indicating you have received and reviewed this important information.  Your child will then return this envelope emptied to me Monday morning.

PE:  PE in my class will be on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  Please remind your child to wear appropriate shoes. 

Library:  Library in my class will be on Mondays.  Your child will probably need EXTRA reminders about bringing their library books after the weekend.

During the first week of school our class will work together on building community.  Many of us are new and I am sure we will enjoy getting to know one another.  We will also be assessing academic areas in spelling, language, and math.

We will continue to spend time together deciding what is necessary to make our class a good place for learning.  We will review our jobs in class as a teacher and student.  We will review “The Mariner’s Code”.  In this packet there are several forms to fill out.  There is a Tutoring Form, Volunteer Form, and Student Information Sheet as well as other papers that were passed out on Open House if you were not able to be there.  If at all possible, I would like you to have all of these forms turned back in by the end of next week.  It is my understanding that a separate Volunteer Form has to be filled out and approved by the district every two years for each adult who would like to help at school or chaperone on field trips.  It takes a little time for this form to be approved so it is important to do this soon.  Please check with the office to see if your form is still current or ask for a new form to fill out if you want to volunteer and yours has expired.

Each month our school will be focusing on a Life Skill.  This month we are featuring the “Life Skill of Friendship.”  Ask your child what this means and how we can practice being good friends at school.

School Supplies: The supply list for 4^th grade is posted on the school website.

Lunch: I would suggest that you bring a lunch from home the first week of school.  The lunch lines can be longer as students get used to the routine again and new students adapt.

Attendance: Classroom doors are opened and teaching begins at 9:05 am.  There is no campus supervision before school.  For safety sake, please do not have your child arrive on campus before 9:05 am.  The tardy bell is 9:15 am.  School is over at 3:35 pm Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri.  School is over at 1:15 on Wed.

Thank you in advance for returning all forms sent home.  I also appreciate your willingness to help in our classroom.  It is wonderful to have so many supportive parents.

Education is a team process.  Feel free to contact me with any question or concerns.  If your child has a change of transportation plans after school please send a note to school or contact the office.  If you have a concern/question, it is best to email me as I can respond at my earliest convenience.  Often I catch up on emails after I put my daughter to bed at about 8 pm.  Email allows me to get back to you at any time without disturbing your evening.  A phone call is a great way to contact me about concerns that require immediate attention.  I am looking forward to another fabulous year!

Sincerely,

Karri Allen                                Email: Karri.Allen@evergreenps.org                             Phone: 604-6650 x 2569