Marching in Like a (cold) Lion

March is here!  This month is living up to the old saying and has made its entrance like a lion.  The forecast has been a little all over the place, so please be sure to send your student to school with the appropriate clothing and outerwear.  

You may have noticed that your student came home with a "Life Skills Progress Report."  With the end of this trimester coming soon, I wanted to give students a chance to reflect on some of their life skills.  They should have filled it out (honestly, hopefully!).  Please look at it (and talk about it!), sign it, and send it back in.  I have stapled a current grade report with things to work on in the Life Skills area, if necessary. 

As a grade level we have decided to handle the math unit 6 retest a little differently.  We are still reteaching standards that students received a 1 or 2 in.  We have decided to tackle one standard a week, with the retake happening at the end of the week (retake will only be on the standard that was retaught).  That means that if your student has more than one area to retake, he or she will be retaking one standard over the course of the next 3 weeks.  Please let me know if you have questions on this!  

Don't forget that we are celebrating March is Reading Month!  Next week's Friday activity will be a "Better Together Assembly Read In."  Students should wear their Color the Park shirts.

Reminders:

Math Unit 6 Retest: Different for each student, but will be in the next 2 weeks.

Life Skills Progress Report: Should be signed and returned by Monday.

MSTEP:  The dates are: 5/9, 5/10, 5/11, 5/16, and 5/18.  Please try to not to schedule vacations or appointments on these days.  

Early Release: Friday, March 10th; school ends at 12:15

Color the Park Shirt: Should be worn on Friday, March 10th.

Here is what we learned in 4th grade this past week:

Writing: 

I can use different text structures to organize my informational writing.

I can use transition words in my informational writing.

I can write an introduction to my informational book.

I can write a conclusion to my informational book.

Science:  
I can tell what changes the state of matter.
I can define continent and tell how many there are.

I can name the 4 oceans.

Math: 
I can find fractions on a number line.

I can use number lines to compare fractions.

I can use multiplication to make equivalent fractions.

Reading:
I can understand and create a timeline for both the historical era and for the character in my book.
I can understand that the decisions characters make are influenced by the historical time period.

Important Dates:

March 10th: Early release day; school ends at 12:15

March 14th: Parent Club meeting at 9:00am

March 16th: Skating party, 6:30pm
March 17th: Popcorn Friday

March 20th & 22nd: Parent-Teacher conferences