10/8 – 10/10

This week is going to be very short, but packed full of learning. Students do not come to school Thursday or Friday this week, which means we will not be sending home homework. I will try and put together review packets and work for students to do on their 2 days off from school.

Last week had some major accomplishments. Our class won the Golden Shoe, Tori and Ricardo ran the most laps out of all the students in our school, and we raised enough money to have the bounce house party!!! Thank you to everyone who took the time to donate, collect donations from family and friends, and came to support our kids during the Fun Run! PTO uses this money to help fund field trips and support classrooms. I am very grateful for all of their hard work!

Last week I also started using Class Dojo to award points to students while I am teaching. I am trying to give as many positives as possible, but handing out the paper WOWs takes a lot of time. The Class Dojo points and WOWs can be used to earn prizes in my room. I felt like the class responded well to this and as a whole they were more focused and respectful. You can check how your child is doing on the Dojo App.

10/1 – 10/5

Happy October! I feel like fall has really started now. The mornings are crisp and the sky is still mostly blue. As the weather changes, however, we still try very hard to get outside. Please make sure they are dressed to go outside even if it is a little rainy and cold. Coats with hoods and tennis shoes are a good idea this time of year. 

October also means we have almost been in school a month! We have been practicing school rules, classroom expectations, learning new routines, and learning about each other. My expectations are very high for fourth graders and my goal is for them to become problem solvers and rely on each other when they are stuck on a problem. This can be very challenging at the beginning of the year, but it will get better. This year they will learn how to advocate for themselves and take responsibility for their actions. Middle school is quickly approaching and fourth grade is a good year to start learning these responsibilities and creating high expectations for themselves. 

We are going to have a busy week. Tuesday there will be an orchestra presentation for the fourth and fifth graders. Please look for information about joining the strings program at Willagillespie! Thursday is our Fun Run at 11:45. If you would like to help mark laps or just want to come and cheer on your child let me know! The more the merrier 🙂 And Friday will be our first spirit day of the year – Crazy Hair Day!

The year is in full swing and I hope everyone is starting to get used to the new schedules and routines!

9/17 – 9/21

I was blown away last week after checking in homework; almost everyone turned it in! I also really enjoyed reading their responses and learning how they have helped their friends or their friends have helped them. Such a kind and genuine group of kids!

This week we are going to start science and social studies! I love social studies in 4th grade because it is all about Oregon. We will start by learning how to read maps, learn about the different regions, and then end the unit by making a salt dough map of Oregon. Then we move on to the Oregon Trail. This year 4th graders have a very unique opportunity – to win a trip to Washington D.C. to light the Christmas Tree at the White House!!! Please find the cream colored paper in your child’s homework folder because it outlines the contest and how the tree will be getting to D.C. Let me know if you have any questions about this writing contest.

I really hope that you can all make it to curriculum night. I will go over many of the important assignments, projects, field trips, and expectations for 4th grade. Even if you have had another child in my class, I would love to get a chance to review all this information. This is also one of the few times that I get to talk with parents and answer any questions you might have. Grades 3-5 will meet from 7:20-8:00.

We are ready for another full week of learning and I hope to see you all this week!

9/10 – 9/14

The first couple days of school can be exciting, nerve-racking, and long. It is so fun to see old friends and meet new ones! But, during the first couple of weeks we are learning new routines, learning school and classroom expectations, and getting our bodies back into the habit of waking up early and that can be hard. All this to say, I am excited to be starting our first whole week so that we can solidify all our routines.

I will send homework home on Mondays every week. Homework in fourth grade is all about learning accountability and practicing what we have already learned in the classroom. Students should spend no more than 40 minutes working on homework each day and 20 of those minutes should be reading! If you have any questions please email me.

This week we will start our reading, math, and social studies curriculum. I like to start a couple of subjects at a time so that we build up our stamina for a full day of learning! Once we are in the swing of things our day will go very quickly because we cover many topics in fourth grade. I am so excited to see how much these kids learn this year. 🙂

***We have to switch our Friday P.E. time to Monday so please take a look at our updated schedule.***

Have a great week!