HELP!!

Each student received an agenda at the beginning of the school year.  We use this agenda to record upcoming events, due dates & homework.  This agenda should stay in your child's backpack and come to and from school daily.  Students have been recording their homework in here all year.  This week they have had daily homework as they are working to write a story from start to finish.  The nightly homework has been recorded in the agenda daily.  MANY students have not had their agendas this week.  Please help your child make packing their backpacks in the evenings a part of their homework routine.  They should place the agenda & homework back in their backpacks nightly.

Please indicate that you have seen this post by writing "4th Grade Rocks" & signing your name (parent signature) in the language arts block on Friday, December 12th in your child's agenda.  Each student who brings their agenda with this information will receive a prize.

4th Grade Happenings

It's hard to believe we are half way through 2nd quarter.  Your child brought home an interim on Friday giving you information about his or her progress so far this quarter.  Please sign and return the report.

A December newsletter has been posted under resources or your can click here.

Writer in Residence

We are honored to have Kelly Starling Lyons, a published children’s book author, come into our classrooms next week to assist the students in writing a personal narrative.  The students will be assigned writing homework next week.  Please be sure your child completes the homework each night.  Your child’s teacher will lessen reading and/or math homework in order for your child to have time to complete the writing assignments.  Her website is www.kellystarlinglyons.com.  On Friday students will be sharing their stories with their classmates.  If you are willing to send in a snack to help us celebrate our writing, please let me know.  We have 26 students.

Giving Tree

The Giving Tree

   December 2^nd  - December 16^th 

We, the Forest Pines SGA, are collecting scarves, mittens, gloves, hats, ear muffs, etc.

                                                             

Please help us by donating warm clothing to help keep others warm during the cold winter!  Drop off items before school to an SGA member in the lobby near our tree.

You do not need to wrap your items.

Conferences -- Revised

REVISED -- since report cards are delayed a week (November 12th), I am holding conferences November 5 - Wednesday, November 20th.  If you signed up for a conference before the 12th & would rather wait until they are sent home, please go to Sign Up Genius to change your date & time.  I will have grades finalized by the 5th.

It’s CONFERENCE time!  I will be holding conferences from Tuesday, November 5 – Friday, November 15.  I know that many of you are very busy and finding a time to come to school may be difficult, therefore there are two options for our conference.  You may choose to do your conference in person or by phone.  If  you'd like a phone conference, please sign up for a time slot & then email (pfoster1@wcpss.net) me letting me know the best number for me to call you on.  If you do not wish to have a conference at this time, please email me and let me know you would like to wait to conference.  All conferences will begin & end at scheduled times!  Be sure to be on time.  Thank you for all you do to make your child successful!

Click here to sign up for a conference.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084CAEAC2E5-fall

Prediction

WHO WON????

Conferences

It’s CONFERENCE time!  I will be holding conferences from Tuesday, November 5 – Friday, November 15.  I know that many of you are very busy and finding a time to come to school may be difficult, therefore there are two options for our conference.  You may choose to do your conference in person or by phone.  If you'd like a phone conference, please sign up for a time slot & then email (pfoster1@wcpss.net) me letting me know the best number for me to call you on.  If you do not wish to have a conference at this time, please email me and let me know you would like to wait to conference.  All conferences will begin & end at scheduled times!  Be sure to be on time.  Thank you for all you do to make your child successful!

Click here to sign up for a conference.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084CAEAC2E5-fall

Achieve3000

EXCITING NEWS:  We just received training on a great new resource for students, Achieve3000!  I am very excited about this program.  Students have access to a great reading program that provides informational text to students at their individual reading levels.  Research has shown this program to increase reading levels!  See below for further information.  Your child will bring home a letter similar to the one below with their login and password.  I am in the process of revamping the homework to include this program.

Students will begin using the program in class tomorrow.  Each student will have an assigned day in which they log into Achieve3000.com during our reading rotation.

October 15, 2013 Dear Parent/Guardian, Now your child can improve his or her reading skills at home with the same great technology program we're using in school: KidBiz3000. Throughout the week, KidBiz3000 will send your child lessons. Every student in the class gets the same basic lesson, but the content is customized to match each child's own reading level. The lesson comes with a variety of fun activities to improve your child's comprehension, vocabulary and writing skills. As your child's reading level improves, KidBiz will increase the level of difficulty so he/she remains challenged and interested. Doing his or her best on the activities will ensure the best match between your child's ability and the content delivered. It is also important that your child's answers to the questions reflect work completed independently and without extra assistance. Your child will use this program in class, but you can also share in the fun at home - or anywhere a computer is connected to the Internet. Here's how: Log on to http://login.achieve3000.com with the following username and password. Username: Password:  Encourage your child to follow these five easy steps: Step 1: Respond to the Before Reading Poll. Step 2: Read the Article. Step 3: Do the Activity Questions. Step 4: Respond to the After Reading Poll. Step 5: Answer the Thought Question. Explore other KidBiz features, including other articles, the Stock Market game, puzzles, and more. We hope you enjoy exploring KidBiz with your child.

Boosterthon

Parents,

Thank you for your support of this year’s Boosterthon Fun Run! The program was a huge success, but I still need your help. As a team we finished at $60 per lap! With all the laps we ran, that comes out to $2006!  If we can collect 100% by Friday, everyone on our team earns one more team reward from our Pledge-O-meter!

Please help your student get in touch with their sponsors. Sponsors can pay three ways—Cash, Check or Credit Card. 

If an e-mail address was entered with the original pledge on www.funrun.com, your sponsor will receive a pledge link to pay directly by credit card if they so choose or they can pay at funrun.com. If not, they can mail cash or check to you and you can send it all in at once with your child’s collection envelope. That envelope went home today with a reminder letter highlighting what’s outstanding. You can also log on to www.funrun.com for all the information you may need.

Thanks again for your help and support of our class! Let’s work together to finish strong and reach our goal! 

Math Homework -- New Format

The format of our math homework is changing.  Students are bringing home a Math Expressions Homework & Remembering Workbook today.  This workbook is to keep at home.  I will be assigning weekly homework from this book which students will write in their agendas.  They will then complete the pages & problems assigned for the week.  They will tear out the pages completed for the week to turn in on the due date.  I will post the homework assignments in the student tab under homework on my blog, as well as scan in the pages in case someone needs another copy.  We do not have extra copies of the workbooks so be sure to put it in a safe place.  Also have students carry their agendas in their backpacks daily.  We mark important dates in them as needed.  If the agenda is at home, your child cannot write upcoming assignments and/or important dates down.

Homework this week:

Pages 91 & 92 --  #25 & 26 are optional

Pages 121 & 122 -- #7 optional

October Newsletter

Click here if you'd like to download a copy of the newsletter.

Open House Powerpoint

Thanks to all that attended Open House tonight.  If you didn't attend or want a copy of the powerpoint presentation click below.  It's also posted under the resources link above.

Open House

Don't forget Open House on Thursday, September 26, 2013.

5 pm dinner can be purchased
6 pm PTA general membership meeting
6:30 pm Title 1 information meeting
6:45 pm - 7:15 pm Open House
7:15 pm - 7:45 pm Open House

Hope to see everyone tomorrow evening.

New Report Cards

Elementary Report Cards

WCPSS uses standards-based grading for report cards that are provided at the end of each quarter (nine weeks) of instruction. The purpose of the report card is to inform students and parents about a student’s performance on the grade level standards in all content areas.

Starting in the 2013-14 school year, WCPSS will not use 3* for the elementary standards-based report cards. Student performance will be shown with levels of 1 to 4 to indicate whether the student has met the expectations set by the state in the Standard Course of Study and to indicate whether the student has the necessary skills and concepts to be successful in the next quarter or next grade. The descriptors for each level have been aligned to the expectations of the new Standard Course of Study (Common Core State Standards and Essential Skills) for all content areas.

                       

Level	Descriptor
4 - Exemplary	Student consistently demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the standards, concepts, and skills taught during this reporting period.
3 - Proficient	Student consistently demonstrates an understanding of the standard, concepts, and skills taught during this reporting period.
2 – Approaching         Proficiency	Student is approaching an understanding of the standards, concepts, and skills taught during this reporting period.
1 – Non-Proficiency	Student does not yet demonstrate an understanding of the standards, concepts, and skills taught during this reporting period.

Work habits and conduct will receive performance indicators separate from the content area.  The following indicators will be used:

Level	Descriptor
3	Meets expectations
2	Inconsistently meets expectations
1	Does not meet expectations

Your student will also receive a report of the student’s progress in the specials (Art, Music, and PE) at the end of each semester.  The report is provided by the Specialist teaching that area.

In the comments section, the teacher will share information related to growth, strengths and needs of the student.

Parents may request a conference with the teacher to discuss their student’s progress and ways to support their learning in and out of school.

Hat Day

We've received 75 compliment cards. Therefore, we've earned crazy hat day tomorrow.

Flashcards

We are finishing up rounding, estimating, addition & subtraction and moving onto multiplication & division. Students MUST know their facts, which means they must have MEMORIZED them.  There's no other way to master math facts but to memorize them.  Math fact knowledge is key to mastering decimals & fractions. Please continue to work on math facts at home.

We are in need of multiplication and division flashcards.  The class would love it if you could donate flashcards!

Here are some examples of acceptable written responses to homework questions this week.

Page 101
11.  Is 65 closer to 59 or 68?
65 is closer to 68 because it's only 3 away from 68 and 6 away from 59 on the number line.

13.  Is 361 in the range of numbers from 348 to 378?
361 is in the range of 348 to 378 because it's between those 2 numbers.

15.  Maury has 325 stamps in his collection and Jan has 352.   Who has more stamps?   Use place-value words to explain how you know.
I know Jan has more stamps than Maury because Jan has 5 quick tens which is more than Maury's 2 quick tens.

16.  El Paso is 1,483 miles from Chicago and 1,280 miles from Nashville.  Which city is closer to El Paso?  Use place-value words to explain how you know.
Nashville is closer to El Paso.  It is 1 thousand 2 hundreds 8 tens away.  Chicago is 1 thounsand 4 hundreds 8 tens 3 ones away.  4 hundreds is more than 2 hundreds.

Page 103
14.  The population of France is about 48,109,000 people.  The population of Italy is about 58,262,000 people.  Which country has a larger population?  Use place-value words to explain how you know.
Italy has a larger population because they have 58 million 2 hundred 62 thousand people which is more than 58 million 1 hundred thousand 9 thousand people.

Students be sure that you are reading ALL directions and including your explanations/justification/evidence when answering questions.

Homework

I have begun posting the math homework on the blog.  Students will receive a paper copy of homework on Fridays.  If you need another copy at any time, I have scanned and linked the homework under the Student tab at the top of the blog.

If your child is absent, it is his/her responsibility to come to me and ask what they missed and for the copy of the homework and any other assignments.  This is beginning to prepare them for middle school.

MATH homework is due on Friday mornings.  See Reading Response Homework packet for reading homework due dates -- the first 3 reading response journal entries are due next Friday, September 20th. Reading Response homework information is also posted under the student tab.

Happenings in Mrs. Foster's Class

We have been in school for about a week and we learned something new today.  We learned that Giovanni da Verrazano explored the Cape Fear River in March 1524, Hernando de Soto explored the Great Smoky Mountains, and Arthur Barlowe plus Philip Amadas explored Roanoke Island.  In the late 1500s, Queen Elizabeth I of England gave Sir Walter Raleigh permission to start a colony in North America.  Yesterday and today we learned a lot of social studies because we had a social studies text.

I had a wonderful weekend and I hope everybody else had a wonderful weekend.  I hope everybody else had a wonderful week at school because if I didn't I wouldn't want to go to school if I were you.  I like school do you?  I love school because I met new people and became friends with them.  I learned about stuff I never knew about.

By Evelyn Nguyen

Classroom Responsibilities

I am organizing our classroom around the concept of a School Family, where each member learns the skills needed to successfully manage life tasks such as learning, handling frustration, communicating effectively, being sensitive to peoples’ needs and getting along with others. Within our School Family students have jobs to which make our classroom a better place for everyone, help classmates be successful by making decisions that keep one another safe, and working hard & completing work.

Every child has a job -- ask your child what their job is this week.  Jobs will change every other week.  This way our "family" will share the responsibilities of of running our classroom.

One job is Classroom Blogger -- check this blog weekly (Saturday mornings, hopefully) for a student prospective of what was learned during the week.

Standards Based Grading

Ever wonder what Standards Based Grading really means?  Here's a great explanation.

Reading Response Reminders

I have scheduled reminders to be sent 3 days before Reading Response Journals are due via Remind101.com  If you'd like to receive these reminders, be sure you have signed up for the service by texting (703) 794-3741 with the message @foster2013. 

Reading Response Directions
Reading Response Homework
Reading Response Questions

Welcome to Mrs. Foster's Class

Welcome to Mrs. Foster’s Class

Welcome to 4^th Grade!  We have had an excellent first week of school.  I am look forward to a great year with your child!

Weekly Folder

A weekly folder will be sent home each Friday with your child.  This folder will have important school information, work completed by your child and a weekly communication log for you to read, comment and sign.  Please leave the log in your child’s folder.  The folders will need to be returned by Tuesday of the following week.

Snacks

Since our lunch is at 12:35 the students will be allowed to eat at snack during arrival time (8:45-9:15) and at dismissal time (3:40-4:15).  Please make sure your child is bringing a nutritional snack.  No sweets are allowed.  Students are also allowed to bring a water bottle to school.  I allow the kids to keep a water bottle on their desks throughout the day. They may also want to bring the water bottle to recess on hot days.  Make sure your child’s name is on the water bottle.

Birthdays

Birthdays are very special.  Students may bring a store bought birthday treat for the class.  The best time for birthday snacks will be during lunch.  As of now we have 24 students in our class.  We do have peanut allergies in our class.

Homework

All students are expected to read for at least 20 minutes each night.  The students will also be asked to write a written response in his/her reading response journal or on our classroom blog 3 times over a period of 2 weeks. Look for detailed information in your child’s green homework folder today. The students will receive a weekly math packet each Friday. As a working parent I understand how difficult it can be to complete homework on a nightly basis.  This is a perfect opportunity to teach your child time management skills.  Please sit down and help your child decide the best plan for him/her to complete the homework throughout the week. The packet will be due the following Friday. 

Communication

Communication between the teacher and the student is the key to a successful year for all.  Feel free to email me at pfoster1@wcpss.net or call the school (562-6262) any time with concerns. Important information will be posted on our 4^th grade website at http://forestpines4thgrade.blogspot.com/. I am also have a class website www.pamfoster.blogspot.com.  There are links to these on the Forest Pines website under classrooms. 

Data Notebook

I like the student’s in my class to keep a data notebook.  This is a notebook where the student’s will keep published writing pieces and selected math and reading assessments.  I have found this to be an excellent tool to monitor student progress throughout the year.  I send the data notebook home every other Friday. There will be sheet in your child’s data notebook for you to sign.   It will also have a list of all of the dates the notebook will be sent home.  I would like each student to bring in a 1 inch binder to use a data notebook.  I understand you have purchased many supplies for school already this year.  If you are unable to purchase a binder I will provide one for your child.  It can even be a binder you have lying around your house.

Classroom Expectations

I am organizing our classroom around the concept of a School Family, where each member learns the skills needed to successfully manage life tasks such as learning, handling frustration, communicating effectively, being sensitive to peoples’ needs and getting along with others. Within our School Family students have jobs to which make our classroom a better place for everyone, help classmates be successful by making decisions that keep one another safe, and working hard

Reading Response Homework

Your child received their reading response homework for the year.  Please review the packet with them.  If you have any questions, please email me pfoster1@wpcss.net or leave me a message at 919-6562-6262.  If you require additional packets, please click on the links below.

Reading Response Directions
Reading Response Homework
Reading Response Questions

I have also placed links to these documents under the student tab above.  Your child wrote all Reading Response Journal Due Dates in their planner today!

Remind101.com

Technology never ceases to amaze me!  I know life can get a bit hectic when kids start school and deadlines can become inundating.  Well, I’ve been introduced to a text reminder application that will allow me to periodically send out classroom and school reminders via text message to help take the burden of remembering off of you.  To participate in receiving text message reminders, simply text (703) 794-3741 with the message @foster2013.  If you'd rather get email notifications, send an email to foster2013@mail.remind101.com

Rest assured that you will not receive advertisement texts or emails and your information will remain private.  You may choose to opt out at any time by messaging “stop” to the above number.

It is my hope that this will help strengthen the home-school connection.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.  This is the quickest way for me to send reminders to upcoming happenings for our class.

My Wonderful Class

Running Toward Success

What an amazing day 4th grade had today to kickoff EOG's!!!  4th grade rocks!

End of Year Packet

Your child received a copy of our end of year packet that contains important information for our upcoming activities as well as permission slips and behavior expectations.  Be sure to sign and return the necessary information:  the End of Year News (front sheet) signed by you and your child, permission slip for our walking field trip to the Legislative Building, Capital Building and Governors Mansion; lunch order form (if you want to buy lunch for the field trip.)  If you'd like to chaperone  and walk with us, PLEASE fill out and return that form also.

We need volunteers to serve at the 5th Grade Graduation; set up, serve and clean up for the End of the Year Picnic; and set up, monitor sale and help with sale during the checkbook sale.  We also need 8 oz bottles of water, extra large bags of chips and prepackaged cookies for the End of the Year Picnic.  Please visit signupgenius.com at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084CAEAC2E5-endofyear to help us make these events GREAT!!!

Technology

Spread the word! Please go to:  http://www.donorschoose.org/pamfoster and support our classroom. Until Friday, May 10th donorschoose.org will double any donations made!!!!

Hopefully your kids are sharing some of the fun things we've been doing in class with technology. They've been using my personal iPad and phone as the scanner. With only these 2 devices it can takes a while to get around the room.  I have 2 projects for iPads on donors choose.org. 

Donors must enter TREAT during check-out where it says "Match or gift code" - and voila! The donation is automatically doubled. See where donors must enter the code.

End of Year Activities

HELP! The end of the year is near & super busy. We need help to make it GREAT. Please visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084CAEAC2E5-endofyear and sign up to help us!

4th Quarter Book Challenge

Can't believe we've entered the last month of school!  Those that completed the Book Challenge for 3rd Quarter will have a celebration this week!  A pizza lunch party.

Here's the 4th Quarter Challenge! 

Hunter Spirit Week April 22-26

Hunter Spirit Week - April 22-26

  Monday  - Mixed up Monday – Wacky Tacky day –wear your wackiest, tackiest outfit

  Tuesday - Team Day – Show your love for your favorite SPORTS Team

  Wednesday – Wake up and wear your pajamas to school!!

  Thursday - Turn back in time – Dress like your favorite Decade – poodle skirts, peace sign, bell-bottoms

  Friday - Fire it up for Hunter Heritage – Wear your Hunter T-shirt to rock your school spirit

**Please note – Spring pictures are on Friday so you may want to bring your Hunter T-shirt to change into after pictures! **

ClassDojo

You should have received an email from ClassDojo inviting you to view your child's behavior report. ClassDojo is a new teacher tool I will be using to help build your student’s learning habits and boost classroom engagement.

ClassDojo allows me to track student behavior and learning skills throughout the day!   

One of the great features of ClassDojo is that it allows me to send you a “behavior and skills report” every Friday by email.  My hope is that this will bring you and me closer together and help you better understand the progress of your student on a week to week basis. 

If you are having trouble logging in, please let me know.  One problem I had when I was logging in as a parent was that I could not use Chrome to do so.                               

Wilmington Field Trip

On Wednesday, April 17th the 4th grade will be traveling to Wilmington, NC and tour two of North Carolina's most intersting & educational attractions, the Battleship North Carolina & the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Students received an information packet on Monday, March 25th which is due back on Wednesday, March 27th.  The homeroom with the most packets returned on Wednesday will get to pick from a prize box. 

If your child will be buying lunch, please include $4 with the forms.  Lunch will include: peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, chips & a water. 

We will be leaving Hunter promptly at 7:00 am (be here at 6:45 am) and returning to the back bus loop at 5:45 pm.

Please let us know (if you have not done so already), if you are interested in chaperoning this fun day (you must have previously been cleared by WCPSS).

Field trip information packet

Case 21

Great job today focusing on Case 21 testing!  Go 4th graders -- you rock.

Check Upcoming Dates on right.  EOG testing May 22 & 23.

What is your favorite cookie?

To end our opinion writing unit, we will have an activity which involves sharing your favorite kind of cookie. Please have your child bring in enough of their favorite cookie to share with the class (28 for B1 & 21 for B2) on Tuesday, February 26th. I'd love 2 gallons of milk and 50 cups if someone is willing to make a donation.

3rd Quarter 30 Book Challenge

As part of our challenge to get fourth graders to expand their choice of genres in reading, we have created the reading log for the 3rd quarter.  Any child who reads all the genres on the 3rd quarter log and turns their log in by April 8th will get to participate in the 30 book challenge celebration!

30 Book Challenge Log

Valentine's Project & Cards

On Thursday, February 14^th students may bring in Valentine’s Day treats to share with their friends. If they intend to bring in valentines, they must bring in one for the entire homeroom class (see list on back).  That way, no one feels left out. Students will receive a paper bag in class prior to the 14^th to decorate and collect their treats.

On Thursday, February 14^th, the fourth-graders will have the chance to participate in a very special service project. They will be decorating bags & making cards. The bags will be filled with needed items for the women and children at the Salvation Army on Person Street. This is a good chance for the children to give back to the community and have fun while doing it.

We will need help with this project. Please collect and send in the following items by Thursday, February 14^th.  We need things such as:  toiletries, baby items, bedding, paper grocery bags with handles, Valentine’s stickers & doilies.  Please go to www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0E4BAFAD2AA02-valentines in order to see a complete list of our needs and to sign up to make donations.  

Historical fiction project

Students are beginning a historical fiction project which will be their homework for the month of February.  Students must bring a historical fiction book to school for approval on or before Wednesday, January 30th.  They will read this one book and use it for their homework for the month - all 3 projects & diary entry will be based on the same novel.

Elements of Historical Fiction

form of fiction (not true)

based on historical events

authentic settings

characters portrayed in realistic manner

some characters may be actual people form history, but story is fictional

artistic mix of fiction and historical fact


for a list partial list of historical fiction books click here