Blast Off!!

Our field trip to MOSH today was the best ever!! Ask your child about the sun's real name. It might be an extra credit question on our test tomorrow. Check out Ms. Anderson in the Rocket Chair. It was soooooo loud. (Sorry the pictures are dark but it was really dark in the Science Lab.)

Fall Carnival

An Adventure Around The World

Our Fall Carnival is right around the corner! It is on Thursday, October 23rd. We be in charge of the Ponies Booth. We will be sending home letters about having you volunteer for this booth. It is from 6-9 and we usually do a 30 minute block of time for you to help out. Please start thinking about if you will be able to volunteer! Please write a note in your child's planner if you are able to volunteer!!

The KIS Strategy

Last week we learned the KIS strategy for making an inference. ( This is not a kiss and tell strategy!) An inference has to be made when the information is not stated directly in the text. Many readers are hoping to go back into the text and find the answer righ there. Most of the higher level reading strategies require the student to make an inference.
The KIS strategy is this... The K stands for Key words in the text. As the student is reading, they should underline Key words that are important to the text. These are the words that will help the child make an inference later. The I stands for the Inference. What educated guess can they make about the text? Finally, the S stands for Support. The inference that the student makes should be able to be supported through the Key words in the text. We will continue with this strategy this week.

Reading Buddies

For the last two weeks our class had read with a first grade reading buddy from the Mackarado first grade class. Next week we will also read with first graders from the Mallard first grade classroom. The fourth graders are so excited to have an "audience" for their weekly repeated reading! The first and fourth graders also practice a reading strategy each week. This is a picture of what a first grader visualized while listening to their fourth grade reading buddy read Shoe Town.
We are so appreciative of the first grade classrooms welcoming us into their rooms each week.
The fourth graders feel empowered to share their reading strategies and knowledge, and they also love having someone to read to. The first graders benefit from having the same reading buddy each week, so they feel safe as readers with their buddy. They too, get to practice a reading strategy on their level and have someone to listen to them read.

Dream Big

September 24, 2008

Quote of the Day
"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Multiplication Clusters

The past few weeks we have been working on "building" multiplication clusters during our math workshop. The students learned how they could model clusters using array cards and then transfer their work onto graph paper. Be sure to take a look at the student work posted on our bulletin board and in the hallway so you can better understand how we use arrays to represent multiplication problems.

Multiplication clusters are a way of decomposing a multiplication problem into simpler facts which can be determined using mental math. The cluster is then recomposed to find the product of the initial problem. Multiplication clusters usually fall into three main categories (addition, subtraction, or doubling).

An example of an addition cluster for 9 x 8 might look like this:

...5 x 8 = 40
+ 4 x 8 = 32
= 9 x 8 = 72 (40 + 32)

In order to solve the more difficult problem of 9 x 8, the 9 can be decomposed into 5 + 4 and two simpler problems are created. In other words, 9 groups of 8 is equal to 5 groups of 8 plus 4 groups of 8. It is important to remember, at this stage, that we are only decomposing one of the two factors.

A subtraction cluster for 9 x 8 could be:

10 x 8 = 80
- 1 x 8 = 8
= 9 x 8 = 72 (80 - 8)

Similar to the addition cluster, 9 x 8 is looked at as a combination of two simpler problems. In this case, 10 groups of 8 minus 1 group of 8 equals 9 groups of 8.

Finally, a doubling cluster for 9 x 8 could be:

9 x 2 = 18
therefore 9 x 4 = 36 (18 doubled)
and 9 x 8 = 72 (36 doubled)

When you double one of the factors in a multiplication equation and keep the other factor constant, the product of the new equation is doubled. If you double the number in each group (9 groups of 2 doubles to 9 groups of 4), the total doubles from 18 to 36.

As we progress into bigger numbers, multiplication clusters will become an invaluable tool for our students.

Reminders

1. We are desperately in need of a second Build-A-Bear "Chet" for our classroom! With a class of 44 students, he is becoming double booked on the weekends! (What a popular fellow!) Even with his cousin, "Effiel", we could use another traveling bear. If you are interested in donating another Chet to our room, he is the "Curly" Build-A-Bear. (If you haven't been in the Build-A-Bear Workshop yet, you are in for a treat!

2. Open House is coming up! Check Monday's newsletter for more information.

3. Field trip permission slips and money were due last Friday!! (Again, we do not post any specific information about our field trips until after the trip for safety reasons.)

4. Progress Reports will go home Wednesday, September 24th (if all goes according to plan)!!

Eiffel Tower Base Words- ped

Here are the vocabulary words and their definitions for the week. We will do an activity each day to practice these words. The test will be next Tuesday. It will be multiple choice and fill in the blank. Research shows that the best way for students to learn and remember vocabulary words is to know greek and latin roots and prefixes. We of course have different ways to learn vocabulary, but this is one practice we will do throughout the year.
ped= foot

biped- a creature with two feet
centipede- a creature with 100 feet
impediment- something that stands in one's way; an obstacle
millipede- a creature with 1,000 feet
pedal- a lever that is moved with one's foot
peddler- a person who goes from door to door on foot trying to sell a product (wares!)
pedestrian- a person who walks across the street on foot
pedicure- a foot treatment that could include soaking the feet and polishing the toenails
quadruped- a four footed creature
tripod- a three-footed stand often used to balance a camera




http://www.thelearningworks.com/
You can go to this site, click search. Type in Greek and Latin Roots and the book will appear. This is the book that has the roots we will be studying. This manufacturer also sells a book on prefixes.

Please Post a Comment

Calling all parents and others that read our post. We have had so few comments from you. Since we made this blog for our parents to learn, we would like to know if you have any questions so far with any post we have written. Do you not understand a term, or do you want more info on something else we are doing in our class. Just ask and we would like to deliver.

100% PTA

Congratulations to our class for reaching 100% PTA Membership. Our class has won a POPCORN PARTY. How exciting. We are so privileged to have such a grand PTA!! Thank you for all you do!

Did you hear, Ms. Anderson was exuberant when she won the gift card from PTA??!!

Cafe of Learning Newsletter

The Learning Cafe Newsletter- 9-8.doc

Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com

Scholastic Book Clubs

Dear Parent,
I have exciting news... You can now place your Scholastic Book Club orders online!

Browse all the great monthly Club selections at low prices and order online - all while helping our classroom earn FREE books, software, and resources.

Here's how it works:

Use the information below to access the Scholastic Book Clubs Web site.
Browse the titles with your child, and place your order with your credit card.
Your order will come to me, and your credit card payment will go directly to Scholastic's secure server. There's no need to send money to school.
After I submit the entire class's order to Scholastic, your order will be delivered to our classroom for your child to take home.

www.scholastic.com/parentordering

Class User Name: cafeoflearning
Password: chetscreek

Remember, placing your online credit card order is completely safe and secure. Ordering online is the most convenient way to use Scholastic Book Clubs. You can order anytime, right up until the online order due date. And this month, our class can earn additional FREE books, just for trying this online ordering service. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Ms. Anderson

Cafe of Learning Newsletter

The Learning Cafe Newsletter- 9-2.doc

Makeup Days for Duval County

Mark your calendar:

Makeup Days for Duval County Public Schools’ Students are Set!!

JACKSONVILLE – Tropical Storm Fay caused Duval County Public Schools’ students to miss three days of school at the beginning of this school year. The District currently has five days built into our school calendar in order to makeup any days missed due to weather.
Makeup days for students due to Tropical Storm Fay will be on November 10 and December 18 and 19. The storm also required us to move the end of the first quarter, changing the date for Teacher Planning Day from October 20 to October 24. Students will need to now attend school on October 20, not on Teacher Planning Day, October 24.

We will keep our eyes on Hanna as well.

Art Lab Needs You!!

Mrs. Snead, our Art Teacher, has a"garbage list" and "wish List". Your donations to the art lab will be greatly appreciated!!

"garbage list"

old CDs and DVDs

Syrofoam egg cartons

clean soup/veggie cans

craft scraps

small wood, metal, plastic pieces

Wish List

baby wipes

sponges

copy paper

Heavy Duty foil

wax paper

IVORY soap

hydrogen peroxide (for developing cyanotype photography)

liquid starch

new AA rechargable batteries

staple gun and staples

If you prefer to send in a gift card to purchase any of these items please put your Child's name and Home Room teacher on it.

Thanks!

Show and Tell Shoebox

This week your child will have the opportunity to bring in items in a shoebox from home. These items should represent their interests, hobbies, adventures, family, etc. We will use these items to get to know your child better as well as using these items to trigger story ideas! Have fun collecting!