4-15-15

Reading/ELA:
Read 30 minutes

Class 1: Finish your Andrew Jackson rough draft 

Word Study: No Word Study This Week

Math:

Class 1:

Workbook pages 855-856 #1-6 and pages 857-858 #1-15

Class 2:

Workbook pages 733-734 #1-15

Science Class 2: 

Animal Adaptations Vocabulary Test Thursday, April 16th

Animal Adaptations Test Friday, April 17t

I highly encourage both groups to work on their OAS Testing Log at home. We will be going once a week to the computer lab for the students to complete tests as well. If they bring their testing log then I can initial if they score 80% or higher. 

GMAS Information

Dear Parents,

We need your help! Next week, we will start our end of the year Standardized testing. Students will take two sections each day (other than the Language Arts day 2), and sections of this test will be very lengthy.  Because of this, I would like to provide students with a healthy snack in between the two sections of the test each day. I am requesting that parents send in snacks, if possible, to help make sure that students have energy and are able to focus completely during the testing time. Please let me know if you are able to send in any of the following items. Please keep in mind that we have 26 students in our class. PLEASE NOTE: Snacks must be individually wrapped and ready to hand out quickly. Also, please make sure that all snacks are peanut free, as we have allergies in the classroom.

Monday, April 20- Goldfish snack crackers
Tuesday, April 21- Pretzels
Thursday, April 23- Nutrigrain Bar
Monday, April 27- Quaker Granola Bar
Wednesday, April 29- SmartPop! Kettle Korn Mini Bags
All days- Bottle of water

I really appreciate all of your help as we work together to make testing as successful and stress free as possible!

Thank You,
Amy Howell

Other important information:
· GMAS Testing will be from April 20-May 1. The test schedule is as follows:
o Language Arts Section 1/2- Monday, April 20
o Language Arts Section 3 (Extended Response)- Tuesday, April 21
o Math- Thursday, April 23
o Science- Monday, April 27
o Social Studies- Wednesday, April 29
· Feed your child a breakfast high in protein (for example: eggs or peanut butter).
· The school offers breakfast a healthy breakfast every morning.
· Make sure your child sleeps at least 10 hours the night before a testing day.
· Keep life simple the week of testing.
· Have your child at school by 8:20 each testing day so that they have time to settle in for the day.
· NOTE: Children who must take make-up tests will not be tested in their own classroom by their own teacher and will be less at ease and more likely to make mistakes.  So, please make every effort to have your child in school and on time ALL testing days.
· Remind them to always do their best!
· Our lunch time will be from 11:45-12:10 from April 20-May 1

Animal Adaptations

Study Guide

Vocabulary

4-14-15

Reading/ELA:
Read 30 minutes

Class 1: Andrew Jackson Rough Draft due Tuesday

Word Study: No Word Study This Week

Math:

Class 1:

Workbook pages 837-838 #1-10 and pages 849-850 #1-7

Class 2:

Metric Worksheet

Social Studies Class: 

Vocabulary Pictures 

Science Class 2: 

Animal Adaptations Vocabulary Test Thursday, April 16th

Animal Adaptations Test Friday, April 17th

I highly encourage both groups to work on their OAS Testing Log at home. We will be going once a week to the computer lab for the students to complete tests as well. If they bring their testing log then I can initial if they score 80% or higher. 

4-13-15

Reading/ELA:
Read 30 minutes

Class 2: Andrew Jackson Rough Draft due Tuesday

Word Study: No Word Study This Week

Math:

Class 1:

Workbook pages 829-830 #1-11 and Workbook pages 843-844 #1-9

Bring OAS Log tomorrow

Class 2:

Workbook pages 707-708 #1-23 Except for #'s 2, 7, and 12

Science Class 2: 

Animal Adaptations Vocabulary Test Thursday, April 16th

Animal Adaptations Test Friday, April 17th

I highly encourage both groups to work on their OAS Testing Log at home. We will be going once a week to the computer lab for the students to complete tests as well. If they bring their testing log then I can initial if they score 80% or higher. 

Newsletter 4-3-15

Ms. Howell’s 4^th Grade Class 

April 3, 2015

Dear Parents,

Happy Spring Break! I know many of you are traveling and going on vacations over the next week. Please be careful and have fun! The students have been working so hard preparing for the GMAS and I know they are looking forward to a much needed break! Enjoy J

We will be taking a field trip to the Fernbank on May 5^th.  I sent home the permission slip with your child yesterday. Please complete and return by Friday, April 24^th. A contribution of $21 is requested to cover the cost of transportation and admission fees. No student will be denied an opportunity to participate because of failure to contribute; however, if enough funds are not secured, the field trip may have to be cancelled. We will also need to have at least three chaperones to keep group sizes down. The cost for a chaperone is $24. If you are available to chaperone please indicate on the form and/or send me an email. You can send in cash, check, or may on My Payments Plus. I know the students are looking forward to this!

Please make sure that your child has the supplies that they need for school. Such as pencils, red pens, glue sticks, and scissors. I am completely out of my personal supply of these materials and I will not be able to make another purchase this school year. Please talk with your child and see what supplies they need, so they can be prepared for the remainder of the school year. Thank you to all of you who have sent in extra supplies for our classroom! I greatly appreciate it!

Please ensure that your child is taking GMAS practice tests online weekly, or even nightly. All tests are due by Friday, April 17^th. They are a great preparation for the GMAS we have coming up at the end of April. They model the GMAS and it is important that your child feels confident with the format of the test. It will reduce any anxiety they have before the real thing! If you have any questions please let me know.

GMAS Information:

One of the things I shared at conferences this week was about the new Georgia Milestones Assessment (GMAS).

Below are some links of information that will give you some additional information. 

·      Want more general information about the upcoming Georgia Milestones Assessment? Take a look at the PTA Guide. http://s2.onmycalendar.com/Files/GE/A5R7514422I_PTAguide.pdf

·      Would you like to see a sample of the online Georgia Milestones Assessment? Click through this elementary online test sample.  http://learnoas.ctb.com/GA/

·      Want detailed information about the upcoming Georgia Milestones Assessment? The Department of Education published this assessment guide specific for each grade level tested. http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-End-of-Grade-Assessment-Guides.aspx

·      Parents: This is last year's Georgia Department of Education practice test. This is the only practice test available date formats as seen in the assessment guides.  There are about  4 practice tests for each subject for grades 3-5. There are about 8-12 questions on each practice test.  https://www.georgiaoas.org/servlet/a2l

Below are just a few reminders/notes for the week:

·        Don’t forget to be completing practice tests on the OAS website.  If students turn in forms by April 17^th, they will receive a special treat from me. 

·        Field day t-shirt order form are due by Friday, April 17^th

·        Mother’s Day Cake Order are due by Friday, April 17^th (I sent this order forms home yesterday)

·        Field Trip Form and donations are due by Friday, April 24^th (I sent this order forms home yesterday)

·        Omega Learning, one of our business partners, is hosting a reading contest at our school. The top reader at our school will win a Kindle Fire, and the next four readers will be placed in a drawing for a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble. All you have to do is read and log your minutes. The form is available on our school website. All entries are due by Friday, April 17. We cannot take late entries, so be sure you turn it in on time! Good luck, and keep on reading!

School Wide Information 

·        April 6^th – 10^th – Spring Break

·        April 17^th-Label Ladies, Hat Day, Midterms Go Home

·        April 20^th – GMAS Testing begins

Next Week at a Glance

Reading – Informational Reading

Writing/Grammar – Opinion Writing

Word Study – No Word Study until after GMAS

Social Studies – Women Reformers/Personal Finance

Science –

Mon./Tue. Group-Animal Adaptations; Review all Science AKS taught this year for GMAS

Wed./Fri. Group-Review all Science AKS taught this year for GMAS

Math –

9:00 Group Area, Perimeter, Line Plots; Review all AKS taught this year

12:45 Group Measurement, Area, Perimeter, Line Plots; Review all AKS taught this year

Specials Rotation:

Monday-PE

Tuesday-Art

Wednesday –Music

Thursday –Technology

Friday – PE

4-2-15

Reading/ELA:
Read 30 minutes

March Bookmark due Friday, April 3rd

Word Study: No Word Study This Week

Math:

Class 1:

Measurement Test Friday

Class 2:

Geometry Test Friday 

I highly encourage both groups to work on their OAS Testing Log at home. We will be going once a week to the computer lab for the students to complete tests as well. If they bring their testing log then I can initial if they score 80% or higher.