Dear 4A Families,
Happy second week of Advent. I hope you all had a nice weekend. This Thursday the 10th is the big Christmas Program. Students should come dressed in their “Sunday best”—holiday wear. All students should have their songs memorized for the program. Copies of the songs are in your child’s filer. Thank you for practicing with your child as needed.
Students should come up to the classroom no later than 6:15. Please do not send your children into the school before 6:00 as there is no supervision until 6:00. If you come earlier to get a seat, please keep your children with you until 6:00. Thank you!
On Tuesday the 8th we celebrate the Mass of the Immaculate Conception at 8:45. Students need to come in perfect uniform. This includes a red sweatshirt, vest or sweater.
Report cards will go home this Friday. I am very proud of the progress the students are making. I will ask the students not to open their report card envelope until they get in their car or home. You can help by reinforcing this request as well. Grades are personal and should not be shared and compared with classmates or other families. The IOWA and CogAT test scores will also be in the report card envelope. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding your child’s grades and or progress during the first trimester. Please note; the overall spelling grade is a combination of spelling tests, spelling practice work and applied spelling (spelling in written work).
Math/Spelling: Because of the very busy week, I will not send home math homework this week and there will not be a spelling test to lighten the load somewhat at home. We will work on the math lessons and homework in class. I will also be assigning lessons on Mathletics for those students that would like the extra home practice. Continued review of multiplication and division facts is expected if not mastered.
Reading/Language Arts: We will be finishing up Charlotte’s Web this week. Next week we will have some final tests and activities related to the story and vocabulary. Each student will have a copy of the list of vocabulary words we have been working on throughout the story in their filer on Monday. These words will be part of the final test next week. You can quiz your child on definitions and parts of speech. Don’t forget that the Quote Posters are due by next Monday the 14th, but students can turn them in early if finished.
Social Studies: Those students that did not take the Midwest/SE/NE test last week will be taking the test this Wednesday. As mentioned last week the Western and 50 state tests will take place after the break. Students are encouraged to visit the Map Skills links on the 4A website over the break to practice states and abbreviations. They can also get a head start on the rivers and lakes test with one of the links as well.
Science: This week we will be discussing light energy. The students will learn about reflection and refraction and how light travels. We will have a hands-on lab where the students will see how prisms, magnifying glasses, and polarized glasses work. They will also gain a better understanding of how each color on the visible spectrum corresponds to a different wavelength.
Religion: Last week the students filled out two study sheets for their Liturgical Year test that will take place this Thursday the 10th. Hopefully the students have been taking time to study each night. Extra copies can be found in the “Liturgical Year” tab at the top of the page. This is a two-part test in which the students will answer questions about the liturgical year as well as fill in and correctly color a liturgical calendar. We will review in class this week as well.
Thank you for supporting our all-school collections for Advent. Next Thursday the 17th we will gather in the church to have the items collected blessed by Fr. Oakland and then immediately distributed to the organizations.
Grade 4 is collecting the following:
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Monetary donations for St. Vincent de Paul -
Warm items: Scarves, gloves, hats, socks, blankets, coats for St. Vincent de Paul (New or gently used)
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Canned food for Holy Rosary food bank
Thank you all so much for your generosity with all of these service/outreach requests. We are truly doing Works of Mercy!
Next Wednesday the 16th the students will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation with Fr. Oakland. We will be reviewing and preparing for this Sacrament in class and Fr. Oakland will be providing some materials as well. Thank you for taking time to remind/assist your child in his or her preparations for this special event. Students should continue to practice the Act of Contrition. Each student will need to be able to recite this prayer during the Penance Service.
This week all students will participate in the Hour of Code that is happening world-wide. It is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. I am always amazed at how quickly the students pick up coding.
Students should continue to pray for their prayer partners and be sure to make their card and have it to school by next Wednesday the 16th.
- Midwest State Test on Wednesday the 9th if not already taken
- Liturgical Year test on Thursday the 10th
- Know words to songs for the Christmas program.
- Quote Poster due on Monday the 14th
- Math fact review and visit Mathletics if possible
- Charlotte’s Web vocabulary review
WE are still in need of small jam or jelly jars for our little Christmas project. We will need them by next Monday the 14th if possible. Thank you.
