Hello 4B Families!
This week will be a busy week for our 4B scholars!
We finished our last day of MAP testing today (yay!), which replaces the GALILEO testing from last year. We also concluded our mountain unit with a quiz today. Hold on to mountain worksheets and notes as the students will have an opportunity to correct their quizzes, as they did with the map quizzes. Our upcoming unit is about the Middle Ages; I am sure everyone is excited for battles, knights, queens, and castles!
Mrs. Gore and Mr. Leonard are giving a math quiz tomorrow on factors and multiples. Mrs. King and I are giving the quiz on Wednesday so we can go over the study guide in depth tomorrow.
We will be taking our Pollyanna quiz on Thursday for chapters 1-15. Things are certainly becoming intriguing with some of the characters...ask your students about Aunt Polly and John Pendleton.
Finally, we will be taking a geology quiz on Friday, which will cover the layers of the Earth, the different theories we have discussed (Continental Drift), and the different ways in which the crust moves. Ask your students about the graham cracker and frosting demonstration! We will still continue with geology on Monday, but we will be moving on to different aspects.
On Tuesday of next week, I will send out Performance Notices. These are notifications to parents who have a child with a low C or lower in any subject. In these forms, I outline the student's grade, possible reasons for the grade, and ways to reach a passing score by the end of the first quarter (October 7th). Not all parents will receive a notice, so please do not worry if you do not get one on Tuesday. These will need to be signed and returned by Friday, September 9th.
Just a reminder, although I am sure the students did not forget, but this weekend is an R&R weekend. So, enjoy your 3 days off and come back on Tuesday refreshed and ready to finish out the second half of the first quarter!
Monday, August 29, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Week 3 Updates
Hello 4B Families!
Before I get into the content of our lessons week, here are a few important dates to keep in mind:
Picture Day: Thursday, August 25th
-Bring in your orders by Thursday so I can give them to the photographer.
Spalding Night- Monday, September 12th
-Hosted by Margie Clouse at 6 p.m. Come and learn the best way to support your student through the Spalding curriculum.
Singapore Math Night- Thursday, September 26th
-Hosted by Kara Infantolino at 6 p.m. Ms. Infantolino will teach you the best ways to help your student with math homework while staying true to the Singapore method.
In Language Arts this week, we are finally beginning our spelling words! Monday-Wednesday, the students will be given a half sheet of paper with their 10 nightly words. These words must be dictated to the student and written three separate times each. On Thursday, the students receive a list of 30 words, which they will only write once. These will also need to be dictated, but the students can write the words without markings and rules. We are also practicing memorization of pronouns in grammar. We went over personal pronouns today and we will cover demonstrative pronouns tomorrow. The students will have a quiz with all pronouns on Friday. We are almost half-way through Pollyanna, expect a quiz through chapter 15 next week (most likely Wednesday).
In history, we are finishing up our mountain unit and we will have a quiz on Monday, August 29th. I will be returning the map quizzes tomorrow, which the students can correct and return to receive half credit on missed questions.
I hope all of your children showed you their models of the Earth's layers! We had a lot of fun with Play-Doh on Friday and we will continue discussing the layers on Thursday with a foldable activity. Today, we discussed the Continental Drift Theory; ask your students about Pangaea and Alfred Weneger!
As always, thank you for your support as we settle into the new year and we are excited for another great week!
Before I get into the content of our lessons week, here are a few important dates to keep in mind:
Picture Day: Thursday, August 25th
-Bring in your orders by Thursday so I can give them to the photographer.
Spalding Night- Monday, September 12th
-Hosted by Margie Clouse at 6 p.m. Come and learn the best way to support your student through the Spalding curriculum.
Singapore Math Night- Thursday, September 26th
-Hosted by Kara Infantolino at 6 p.m. Ms. Infantolino will teach you the best ways to help your student with math homework while staying true to the Singapore method.
In Language Arts this week, we are finally beginning our spelling words! Monday-Wednesday, the students will be given a half sheet of paper with their 10 nightly words. These words must be dictated to the student and written three separate times each. On Thursday, the students receive a list of 30 words, which they will only write once. These will also need to be dictated, but the students can write the words without markings and rules. We are also practicing memorization of pronouns in grammar. We went over personal pronouns today and we will cover demonstrative pronouns tomorrow. The students will have a quiz with all pronouns on Friday. We are almost half-way through Pollyanna, expect a quiz through chapter 15 next week (most likely Wednesday).
In history, we are finishing up our mountain unit and we will have a quiz on Monday, August 29th. I will be returning the map quizzes tomorrow, which the students can correct and return to receive half credit on missed questions.
I hope all of your children showed you their models of the Earth's layers! We had a lot of fun with Play-Doh on Friday and we will continue discussing the layers on Thursday with a foldable activity. Today, we discussed the Continental Drift Theory; ask your students about Pangaea and Alfred Weneger!
As always, thank you for your support as we settle into the new year and we are excited for another great week!
Monday, August 15, 2016
Off and Running!
Hello 4B Families,
Thank you for your patience as we settled into a new routine last week. Before I delve into our various topics of study, I would like to draw attention to some upcoming events.
In science this week, we have finished our unit on scientific method by concluding with a lava lamp experiment. Unfortunately, the "lava" mostly fizzed and died down, but there was still plenty of excitement to go around. We will begin our geology unit tomorrow by discussing the layers of the Earth.
In history, we have a map quiz tomorrow and we will launch into the mountain unit on Wednesday. Your scholars did an excellent job in our review session today; I can tell everyone put in some study time.
In math, we will finish rounding and complete a quiz on place value and rounding on Thursday. On Friday, we will begin a discussion on multiples and divisibility.
In language arts, we will be finished with chapter 10 of Pollyanna by Friday and our spelling words will start up next week as we continue to set up our Spalding composition books.
We are excited for another wonderful week full of new lessons!
Thank you for your patience as we settled into a new routine last week. Before I delve into our various topics of study, I would like to draw attention to some upcoming events.
- Curriculum Night
- Curriculum Night will take place on August 18th, which is Thursday of this week. I have sent invitations home with your children today, which outline the evening's schedule. Parents will attend a math session at 6:15, a specials session at 6:35, and the homeroom session at 6:55. Please note that the invitation is extended to parents only and arrangements should be made for leaving children at home.
- Picture Day
- Picture Day is on August 25th, which is next Thursday. I have sent home order forms with your students. Please bring the envelopes back and I will hold on to them.
In science this week, we have finished our unit on scientific method by concluding with a lava lamp experiment. Unfortunately, the "lava" mostly fizzed and died down, but there was still plenty of excitement to go around. We will begin our geology unit tomorrow by discussing the layers of the Earth.
In history, we have a map quiz tomorrow and we will launch into the mountain unit on Wednesday. Your scholars did an excellent job in our review session today; I can tell everyone put in some study time.
In math, we will finish rounding and complete a quiz on place value and rounding on Thursday. On Friday, we will begin a discussion on multiples and divisibility.
In language arts, we will be finished with chapter 10 of Pollyanna by Friday and our spelling words will start up next week as we continue to set up our Spalding composition books.
We are excited for another wonderful week full of new lessons!
Monday, August 8, 2016
Welcome Letter!
Hello Parents and Guardians!
Welcome to Fourth Grade! It is going to be a wonderful year.
Firstly, let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Karolina Walls and this is my second year working with Great Hearts. Although I did not teach right after graduating, I discovered my passion while substituting at BASIS a couple of years ago. I enjoyed my time at BASIS and I worked with some great people, but I have a strong preference for a liberal arts education and I wanted to explore my options in that environment. Once my nephew started attending Archway Cicero, I knew Great Hearts would be a perfect fit for me.
I am pleased to announce that I am once again joined this year by Mrs. Jennifer King. This is our second year working together and we are so excited to welcome in a new group of 4th graders. Jennifer comes from a strong musical background, as that was her focus at Hillsdale College. Last year, 4B was lucky to experience impromptu viola solos courtesy of Mrs. King, and I am excited to hear more this year.
As returning families know, the curriculum is indeed rigorous, but it is also rewarding. If you are new to Great Hearts this year, you will have the pleasure of watching your child transform into a true scholar. In Fourth Grade, we will uncover the mysteries behind many exciting topics. Our adventures will take us through the rock cycle, geological features and natural disasters, maps, medieval Europe, Arizona history, Greek and Latin roots, five spectacular novels, and so much more.
Please note the following important information.
Dates:
Lunches:
As I heard many times during training, there is a reason we call ourselves ‘Great Hearts’. In addition to the curriculum-related subjects, we will also be reviewing and shaping our behavior around the nine core virtues that are upheld by all Great Hearts schools. These virtues encourage students to be more than intellectual beings; they exhort each individual to make choices that are in accordance with integrity, humility, honestly, friendship, and the like. With these as markers to reflect on, reference, and celebrate, I am confident that the 4B classroom will be a tight-knit community full of great-hearted, avid learners.
As with any new experience, I am sure there will be an abundance of questions and I work my hardest to provide you with answers. Feel free to email me at kwalls@archwaylincoln.org if you have any questions or comments. I thank you in advance for your support and partnership in what will be a fantastic year.
Warmly,
Karolina Walls
Welcome to Fourth Grade! It is going to be a wonderful year.
Firstly, let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Karolina Walls and this is my second year working with Great Hearts. Although I did not teach right after graduating, I discovered my passion while substituting at BASIS a couple of years ago. I enjoyed my time at BASIS and I worked with some great people, but I have a strong preference for a liberal arts education and I wanted to explore my options in that environment. Once my nephew started attending Archway Cicero, I knew Great Hearts would be a perfect fit for me.
I am pleased to announce that I am once again joined this year by Mrs. Jennifer King. This is our second year working together and we are so excited to welcome in a new group of 4th graders. Jennifer comes from a strong musical background, as that was her focus at Hillsdale College. Last year, 4B was lucky to experience impromptu viola solos courtesy of Mrs. King, and I am excited to hear more this year.
As returning families know, the curriculum is indeed rigorous, but it is also rewarding. If you are new to Great Hearts this year, you will have the pleasure of watching your child transform into a true scholar. In Fourth Grade, we will uncover the mysteries behind many exciting topics. Our adventures will take us through the rock cycle, geological features and natural disasters, maps, medieval Europe, Arizona history, Greek and Latin roots, five spectacular novels, and so much more.
Please note the following important information.
Dates:
- August 3rd: Meet the Teacher Night at 5:00
- August 4th: 2016/2017 School Year Begins (doors open at 7:40 A.M., students report to homerooms at 7:50 A.M., school begins at 8:00 A.M. daily)
- Please note that the first day of school is a full day (dismissal at 3:20 P.M.)
Lunches:
- No hot lunches will be served the first week of the new school year, so please be sure to pack a snack, a lunch, and water bottle for your child each day during that time. Please be sure to label your child’s lunchbox and water bottle with their first and last name.
- Please be sure to label your child’s water bottle and lunchbox with their name.
- Please be sure to label your child’s outer wear with their name (sweaters, pullovers, etc.)
- Please clearly label your child’s binder, notebooks, folders, pencil pouches, colored pencils/markers, erasers, sharpeners, and all books from the consumables list.
- Please do not bring supplies to Meet the Teacher Night. Your child may bring in his/her supplies on the first day of school.
- Singapore math books will be distributed at school.
As I heard many times during training, there is a reason we call ourselves ‘Great Hearts’. In addition to the curriculum-related subjects, we will also be reviewing and shaping our behavior around the nine core virtues that are upheld by all Great Hearts schools. These virtues encourage students to be more than intellectual beings; they exhort each individual to make choices that are in accordance with integrity, humility, honestly, friendship, and the like. With these as markers to reflect on, reference, and celebrate, I am confident that the 4B classroom will be a tight-knit community full of great-hearted, avid learners.
As with any new experience, I am sure there will be an abundance of questions and I work my hardest to provide you with answers. Feel free to email me at kwalls@archwaylincoln.org if you have any questions or comments. I thank you in advance for your support and partnership in what will be a fantastic year.
Warmly,
Karolina Walls
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