End of September Weekly Reminders

Rockhopper Weekly Reminders
September 26-30

Mark Your Calendars:

• Monday, 9/26: Destination Imagination Info Night at 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, 9/27: Math Olympiad Parent Information Meeting at 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, 9/28: PSCO Meeting 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, 9/29: Math Olympiad Registration due
• Friday, 9/30: Learning plans go home
• Geography Test: Southeast States
• Portal T-shirt Spirit Day
• October 10/10-10/21: October break- NO SCHOOL!!!
• Monday, 10/24: School resumes

Curriculum Flash!

Language Arts
While we’re wrapping up our reading and our literature rotations for Stone Fox, we’re also preparing to begin our fine arts performance work! This year’s play is “U.S. Presidents”; it’s the perfect compliment to our United States history studies in the afternoons.

Math
5th grade: We are continuing with our algebra unit. As we move forward, we’re looking at more complex patterns and creating generalizations or “rules” for these patterns. We are also beginning to introduce variables into our rules and patterns so we have a foundation for solving algebraic equations.

4th grade: We testing our understanding of expressions, equations, and inequalities this week, then we’ll begin our exploration of numbers and operations with fractions!

Social Studies
In social studies, we continue our study of Native American cultures. We have studied the Desert Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and will now be introducing the Plains Tribes. Our project for the Pacific Northwest has been postponed due to lack of volunteers. We will be doing an alternate project for now. Thank you to those that offered to help, we really appreciate it!

Science
Now that we know the human circulatory, respiratory, and digestives systems so well, we’re going to learn about another type of organism’s mechanisms for survival- vascular plants and their living systems!
Name That State!

• This state's largest county is 1,134 square miles.
• The first tea farm in the United States started in this state in 1890.
• This state produces and ships the most peaches of any state east of the Mississippi River.
• A coastal plain covers two-thirds of this state.
• The first battle of the Civil War took place at Fort Sumter in this state.
• Which state is it?

Sept. 19-23 Reminders

Rockhopper Weekly Reminders

September 19 - september 22

Mark Your Calendars:

• 9/19-9/22 Goal Setting Conferences!

Goal-setting conferences will continue this week! Please be punctual to take advantage of the full 20 minutes allocated to you. This conference is attended by both parents and child. As a reminder, students will be dismissed at 12:30 each day. Be sure to check out the Book Fair in the multi-use room.

• Friday, 9/23 Staff Learning Day- No School!
• Monday, 9/26 Science I-Check, Investigation #1 (open book/note)
• Monday, 9/26 DI Info Night at 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, 9/27 4th grade math- Ch. 5 Quiz
• Wednesday, 9/28 PSCO Meeting 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, 9/30 Learning plans go home
• Friday, 9/30 Geography Test : Southeast States. A reminder: all geography tests are cumulative.

Curriculum Flash!

Writing
In our next lessons on writing technique, students will be learning different ways to write topic sentences, peer editing strategies, and personal revision and editing of work to create the best expository writing.

Science:
Students are working in groups on a poster and paragraph as part of the first investigation in the unit “Living Systems,” which addresses the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and excretory systems in the human body. After the poster is complete, we will assess our understanding of the unit with our first Investigation Check (I-Check) on Monday, Sept. 26.

Fourth Grade Math:
We are currently learning the distinctions between expressions, equations, and inequalities. Of course, we’re also learning proper technique for evaluating and simplifying expressions by themselves, or as part of an equation or inequality. We challenge our students to use the appropriate vocabulary to describe their work! There will be a quiz on this chapter on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

Fifth Grade Math:
We began this year by looking at patterns in nature and sequential number patterns, and then moved along looking for patterns in the base 10 number system, both with whole numbers and decimals. Students learned prime factorization and how to express numbers as exponents. The students were given a quiz on these topics on Friday to assess any standard that needs to be retaught.

Volunteer Opportunity in Social Studies!
Yes, we have another fun hands-on project coming up in Social Studies! On September 26th (12:30-2:40) and September 28th (1:15-2:40), we will need parent volunteers to help students make tribal masks representative of the tribes located in the Pacific Northwest. Please email your child’s social studies teacher if you’re available and have submitted your negative TB test results to the front office. Thank you in advance!

Name That State!

• The first baseball stadium was built in this state in 1909.
• This state is the only one of the 13 original colonies not bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.
• Punxsutawney Phil, a famous groundhog who checks for his shadow every Groundhog Day, lives in this state.
• A town in this state is considered the Chocolate Capital of the United States.
• The Declaration of Independence was signed in this state in 1776.
• Which state is it?

Rockhopper Weekly Reminders

September 12 - September 16

Mark Your Calendars:

• Monday, 9/12 Wildlife Associates Assembly (Ask your child about it!)
• 9/14-9/22 Goal Setting Conferences!

Goal-setting conferences begin this Wednesday! Please be punctual to take advantage of the full 20 minutes allocated to you. This conference is attended by both parents and child. As a reminder, students will be dismissed at 12:30 each day. Be sure to check out the Book Fair in the multi-use room.

• Friday, 9/23 Staff Learning Day- No School!

Curriculum Flash!

Stone Fox
Students have begun reading Stone Fox, our core literature book for the first trimester. In order to build background knowledge for the story, students have researched Samoyeds, read about the Iditarod race, and have had some hands on fun with potatoes!

Thank you for attending Family Fun Night! What a wonderful event to build a sense of community while having fun!

Great appreciation to our Social Studies volunteers who helped last week w/our Kachina dolls!

Name That State!

• This state was named after a queen of England.
• The first umbrella factory in the United States opened in this state in 1928.
• Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" in this state while watching an attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.
• The United States Naval Academy is located in this state.
• Which state is it?

Labor Day Week- Reminders

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Rockhopper Weekly Reminders

September 6 - September 9

Mark Your Calendars:

• Thursday, 9/8 Running Club starts!
• Thursday, 9/8 PEP Registration goes home
• Friday, 9/9 Geography States Quiz (Mid-Atlantic States)

• Saturday, 9/10 Family Fun Night! 4:00-7:00 p.m.

We hope to see you at this event filled with food, games, friends, and fun!

• 9/14-9/22 Goal Setting Conferences!

Goal-setting conferences begin next week. Please be punctual to take advantage of the full 20 minutes allocated to you. This conference is attended by both parents and child. As a reminder, students will be dismissed at 12:30 each day. Be sure to check out the Book Fair in the multi-use room.

• Friday, 9/23 Staff Learning Day- No School!

A Note From the Front Office:
If parents need to drop off a binder, backpack, or book after the start of the day, materials will be held in the office for students to pick up during recess.

Curriculum Flash!

Accelerated Reader This Week!
Students will be taking their AR reading test this week which allows them to pick books at their appropriate level. They will use this number, the ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development), to make sure that books are not too difficult for them. These book levels can be found by visiting www.arbookfind.com.

Blogging
Due to the short week, there is no official blogging this week.

Thank you to the parent volunteers who’ve volunteered to help with our Kachina Doll project this week in social studies!

Name That State!

• Motion pictures (movies) were invented in this state.
• The first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton was found in this state in 1858.
• This state was the first to ratify the U.S. Bill of Rights, in 1790.
• This state is the most densely populated state in the United States.
• Inventor Thomas A. Edison had his lab in this state.
• Which state is it?