Back from the conference

Mrs. Putnam and I are back from our science teacher's conference and brought back lots of great ideas we will be using in the classroom.

In science we will continue our unit on physical and chemical changes. We will start a learning contract this week. There are links to the right that go with our unit that will be part of the contract.

In reading, we will finish The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and complete the activities that go with the story.

December already?

We made some minor changes to the reading classes this week to better accommodate students. Our December reading will focus on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. We will read the first 5 chapters this week. My reading class will be completing a learning contract to go along with the book.

Online Questions and Activities Click here

FYI: We will have a substitute teacher in our classroom Wednesday-Friday as I will be attending a science conference. Please encourage your children to be on their best behavior.

Conference Week

This week, all students in my reading class will be reading The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg. We spent the first day reading the story and writing a persuasive paragraph about who we think the stranger in the story is. Here are some links about the author.

Chris Van Allsburg

Vocabulary Game
The Stranger Powerpoint
Another Powerpoint
Author Study

In science, it is all about matter. We will be learning about the properties and 3 states of matter. We will spend a few days talking about matter and our state indicators before we get into a matter webquest.
Ohio Indicators
Describe objects by the properties of the materials from which they are made and that these properties can be used to separate or sort a group of objects (e.g., paper, glass, plastic and metal).
Explain that matter has different states (e.g., solid, liquid and gas) and that each state has distinct physical properties.

Conferences are Tuesday and Wednesday this week. If you need to schedule or change a conference, please contact me ASAP.

Election week

This week's reading selection is So You Want to Be President by Judith St. George.
So You Want to Be President powerpoint
WebQuest

We are beginning our unit on multiplication and division in math. According to the Ohio benchmarks and indicators in math, third grade students are expected to be fluent in knowing the single digit multiplication facts. This means that we will not spend much time on memorizing these facts as the students should already know them. If you find that your child does not have the facts memorized, please spend some time practicing the facts each day. I have listed various math links on the right side of this page.

Our focus in science will be matter.
Some sites to visit:
What is matter?
What is Matter?
States of Matter

2nd Quarter Already!

Tomorrow begins the 2nd quarter. It is hard to believe we already have completed the 1st quarter!

If you were unable to attend the meeting this evening about our Washington D.C. trip, don't worry! You can send in a note, or contact Mrs. Bower for more information. Email her at bower_b@cneschools.org, or call her at 732-0661 ext. 425. She is our expert coordinator for this trip. If your child is unable to attend the Washington D.C. trip, another choice could be the extended day trip to Camp Campbell Gard. We are planning to go on the Wednesday of the D.C. trip.

This week we will be back to the reading book and reading What Jo Did. Here are some resources we found to go with the story.

• Vocabulary Practice
• Vocabulary Review
• Powerpoint

In science we will continue to learn about measurement. We will focus on weight and capacity this week. Here are some links to some fun activities to help with capacity:

• Which Holds More
• Can You Fill It?
• Weigh It Up
• Your Weight on Other Planets
• Weight and Capacity Video

Remember there is an early release day on Wednesday. Students will be released 2 hours early.

Also, don't forget to order Market Day. This month all the profits go directly to 4th grade! To place your order online, click here. You can pick up the orders at the elementary school on November 6th.

2,000 Steps

On Friday we went to Gauche Park and did some math lessons on estimating. We then got some great exercise and walked 2,000 steps around Gauche Park. It was a great activity and we took the chance to take a great class picture in front of the cabin.

Soggy, but great field trip!

We had a great field trip today to Sycamore Park in Batavia. We reviewed soil and rock formation from 3rd grade. We spent a lot of time talking about erosion and weathering of rock, which we will learn more about later this year in science. We spent time looking for fossils in the creek and many of us found great bryozoans, brachiopods, and crinoids. Although we were a little muddy and soggy, we had a great time!

Meet Flo and Rio

Mrs. Thompson was sucked in at the turtle booth at the Pumpkin Run and bought 2 of the small turtles they were selling. Rio is the lighter green turtle. It is a Rio Grande Red Eared Slider. Flo is darker and is a Florida Red Bellied turtle. The students will be tracking their weight and length changes this year as well as making observations on their changes in appearance.

Although students begin writing paragraphs in second grade, our class needs much work on this skill. In order to write a good paragraph, students must first be able to write in complete sentences. Please encourage your child to always write and speak in complete sentences. Answering a question with, "No, because..." is not a complete sentence.

For more help on paragraph writing, check out the following sites:
Paragraphs: This site has all of the rules in paragraph writing, including grammar skills like punctuation and capitalization.
Paragraph Punch: This site offers one free tutorial that is very helpful.
Descriptive Paragraph: This site tells how to begin each sentence.
Sandwich Chart: This is a graphic organizer to use when writing a paragraph.
How to Write an Apple: This site goes through the writing process step by step.
Writer's Window: This is a fun way to get writing ideas.

In reading this week, we are finishing our unit on Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Students will be tested on Chapters 6-10 this week.

In science, we will continue working on measurement. We will review measuring length in English units (inches, feet, miles, etc.).

October 1st?!?!?

How is it October already!! It seems like we just started school yesterday! Thankfully, we are all enjoying the cooler weather in class.

We are beginning a measurement unit in science. Today in class we broke down the Ohio 4th grade standard on measurement for science. According to the standard, students should be able to select the appropriate tools and use relevant safety procedures to measure length, weight, volume, temperature and area in metric and English units. This week we began length. Here are some helpful link for our unit:

• The Ruler Game


• Fun Brain Ruler Game


• Measuring Pencils (they use the British spelling of centimetres)


• Interactive Measurement Games


• Measurement Powerpoints

We will finish our measurement unit by estimating and measuring pumpkins. Each student will need to bring in a pumpkin by October 27 for these activities. (The pumpkin should not be bigger or heavier than a fourth grader can carry on the bus.) Our pumpkin science study will coincide with the reading aloud of the book Me and the Pumpkin Queen by Marlane Kennedy who visited our school yesterday.

We are extending our study of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing for another week or so due to our very interrupted October schedule. For a list of upcoming events, visit the 4th grade calendar.

Remember that we have our first field trip on Wednesday to Sycamore Park. Students need to dress for outdoor weather and wear appropriate walking shoes.

We have POWER!!

The Thompson family got their power back this evening after 8 days! I know some of you are still waiting. It is hard to believe what an impact that storm had on all of us. I know it was a rough week for everyone and I am glad that we are back on schedule.

We started reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing today. We will be working on this novel for the next few weeks. Students will be completing a variety of activities for this novel.

We will use the same spelling words as listed on the last Friday folder. We will have out test as scheduled on Friday.

Literature projects are due this week. Students were given the windsock directions and 2nd time in their last Friday folder. Students who were prepared today will receive extra credit. All projects need to be turned in by Friday.

In science, we will continue to learn about the scientific method. We took a quiz last week and I felt that after grading them we needed to review another week. So I am not counting the quiz score. If students chose to redo them, I will give them extra credit.

Homework:
Reading: Literature projects
Social Studies: State dailies
Spelling: Test Friday

Big Blackout of 2008

I hope that this finds all of you with electric. We are still waiting for the power gods to restore our service! I am hoping to see everyone on Wednesday! Don't forget it is an early release day. We will be dismissing 2 hours early.

This week in science, we will be continuing to focus on the scientific method. We will do an experiment. Last week we had a quiz on the scientific method.

In reading we will begin a novel unit on Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. To the right you can find links to some of the projects we will do in class. Students in my reading class will be working to complete a reading contract which will allow them to chose the activities they would like to finish.

Week 3

This week in science we will begin our first investigation. We will try and answer the question what will make bread mold grow the fastest. We will also continue our discussions on science safety.

In spelling this week, we will write the words in cursive on Tuesday, use them in complete sentences (interrogative, imperative, declarative, and exclamatory) on Wednesday, edit on Thursday, and take an editing test on Friday.

Our reading this week will focus on the text selection The Horned Toad Prince. Students should also have chosen their realistic fiction book for the Sept. 19 literature project and have an AR book for our daily silent reading.

The language focus for the week will continue to be the four types of sentences.
Create your own worksheet by clicking here or take the Quia Quiz by clicking here Quia Quiz on sentences.

This week may be difficult, especially for those students who had Mrs. Spahr. Please let us know if you have any concerns.

Week 2: Back to work!

Thanks to everyone who attended Parent Information Night!!

After easing into 4th grade last week, we started with our regular academic schedule. Students were grouped for instruction this week. They are in grouped for reading and math in order to best meet their needs. If you have any questions about how we grouped or which group they are in, please let me know.

Make sure you are reading every night and practicing your multiplication facts.

Homework: My group has a paper that is due Friday.

Happy 1st Day!

We had a great 1st day today. Everyone was here and showed up on time and brought a great attitude! We enjoyed music class today and even had a little bit of classwork on the Ancient Olympics. Students work on this in class, but may need to finish it at home tonight. They only need to answer 5 of the questions. They can choose which 5 they want to finish.

Lots of important papers came home in folders today. The most important is the emergency form. Please fill those out and return them to school tomorrow.

Open House!

We have been hard a work getting everything ready for school to start this week! We hope to see everyone at Open House on Tuesday August 19th from 5-6p.m. This will be a chance for us to meet and say hello before school starts on Wednesday. You can also bring your school supplies if you don't want to carry them on the bus.

We will have a Parent Information Night on Monday, August 25th from 6-7 p.m.. This will be a more detailed meeting about all things 4th grade!

Just to give you a heads up, we will be decorating our writing journals with stickers and pictures from home. You will be cutting up and gluing these onto your journal, so make sure you clear which pictures you bring with mom.

Looking forward to seeing everyone this week!!

Race for the Cure

A much beloved teacher at CNE was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Although we can't help her fight her battle, we at CNE Elementary would like to support her by helping to fund cancer research. If you are interested in joining our team on September 14 or would like to contribute to our fundraising efforts, please click here.

Getting ready...

Well, I am back from vacation and getting ready for the start of school next week. My family and I just returned from a cruise that went to Key West, Cozumel, and Belize. Above is a picture of a crocodile that popped up to say hello in Belize. It was un-BELIZE-able! The 2nd picture is a picture of Cincinnati from my seat on the plane. You can see the Ohio River and the 2 stadiums.
I want to welcome the 3 new young men to our class. I am sure you will find CNE a great place to be!

We will have a Meet the Teacher night on Tuesday the 19th from 5-6p.m. This will be a chance to come in and find our room and a quick hello. We will have a Parent Information night on August the 25th. This is when we will give more information about what to expect from 4th grade.

Have a great summer

To my old 4th graders, thanks for the great year! To the new 4th graders, you'll be hearing from me soon!

Have a great summer!!!!

Back from DC

We all got back safely from DC last night (actually early this morning). We had such a great trip. Our students were complimented everywhere we went. They made CNE very proud.

Hard to believe we have reached the last week of school. I will be busy entering report card grades this weekend. This week we will be getting things ready for the summer (and maybe sneak in a little fun). I have so enjoyed having your children in class this year. It has been my pleasure to have each and every one of them. I will miss them next year. I am so glad that I have a child in this group of kids so that I can keep in touch with them!

Only 4 weeks left!

It is SO hard to believe we have only 4 weeks left of school. We have so much to do!

This week we will have our Health Talks. Permission slips went home last week. Please return them to school ASAP.

Our trip to the middle school is next week. Permission slips also went home for these last week. Please return those ASAP.

We began our unit on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We will be working on this til the end of the year. Check out the learning contract on the 4th grade website to see what activities students can complete.

We also began our plant unit this week. We will be working on plant until the end of the year. Our plant activities will be due by May 20th due the the Washington D.C. trip and report card deadlines.

There will be no more spelling homework for the rest of the year. Students will still have weekly spelling tests. Homework packets will still be due as well.

What's up next?

With our last OAT test tomorrow, we are busy planning our lessons for the end of the year.

In Science, we will begin our final unit. We we be learning about plants. Students will work towards completion of a contract which will require each student to do the following: 1 plant brochure, 5 inquiry stations (aka experiments), 5 information stations, 3 versatiles, and 2 AR books by May 23. The Ohio 4th grade indicators are:
1. Compare the life cycles of different plants including germination, maturity, reproduction and death. (ORC Resources)
2. Relate plant structures to their specific functions (e.g., growth, survival and reproduction). (ORC Resources)
3. Classify common plants according to their characteristics (e.g., tree leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, stems). (ORC Resources)
4. Observe and explore that fossils provide evidence about plants that lived long ago and the nature of the environment at that time. (ORC Resources)
5. Describe how organisms interact with one another in various ways (e.g., many plants depend on animals for carrying pollen or dispersing seeds). (ORC Resources)

In reading, we will begin a novel unit on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Students will work towards completing a contract for that as well. You can find the contract by clicking here. Check out the fun chocolate links found to the right.

Don't forget literature projects are due Friday. Students were given their presentation books this week.

Testing Week

This week is testing week. We will be testing on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday this week. Attendance is SO important! There will be no homework this week!

We could use some snacks to help us get through the week. Please let me know if you can send anything in.

April 14th

We are currently deciding when to go to see Nim's Island this weekend. It looks like Friday afternoon is when we will be going. Check back later this week for further details.

We will be extending the due date for the erosion contract to next week. We want to give the students a few more days to work on their projects and present them.

Washington D.C. t shirt orders are due Friday. The order forms went home last week. Please let me know if you still need to order.

Carnival is Saturday. You still have time to turn in items for our Candy, Crafts, and C.N.E Basket.

2 weeks and counting!

We have 2 weeks left to prepare for the OAT. Attendance is VERY important these next few weeks. We will be reviewing lots of valuable information to help us do well on the state tests.

I have moved my date for literature projects to May 2nd. Students are making flip books and received their directions this week. They are more than welcome to complete an additional project to go with their flip book for extra credit.

We have started learning about erosion and weathering in science class. Students just finished making presentations to the class about a different erosion topic. Students are now working on completing a contract which includes a webquest activity. You can find a link to the webquest on the right.

Make sure and vote for when you would like to see Nim's Island next weekend!

Welcome back!

Sorry for the delayed post. I am still recovering from my trip the the National Science Teachers Conference over spring break. I learned so many great things to use in class that my brain hurts. And I got to meet Bill Nye, which is WAY COOL!

We are working a little harder on preparing for the OAT tests coming at the end of the month. Good attendance is very important during this time.

We are began our weathering and erosion unit in science this week. We took time yesterday to break down the standards so we could see what we need to know when we are done. The standards are:

Earth Science B8: Describe how wind, water and ice shape and reshape Earth's land surface by eroding rock and soil in some areas and depositing them in other areas producing characteristic landforms (e.g., dunes, deltas and glacial moraines).

Earth Science B9: Identify and describe how freezing, thawing and plant growth reshape the land surface by causing the weathering of rock.

Earth Science B10: Describe evidence of changes on Earth's surface in terms of slow processes (e.g., erosion, weathering, mountain building and deposition) and rapid processes (e.g. volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides).

Since our trip to the movies to see The Spiderwick Chronicles was so well attended and everyone seemed to have a good time, our class thought that we would like to see another movie together. We are reading Nim's Island as a class right now, and it comes to movie theaters soon. If you like the idea, please vote in the survey on the right of this page.

Walk A Thon kicked off yesterday. All students are working to raise at least $25 to meet our goal. Money earned in the Walk A Thon will be used for technology upgrades in the classrooms. Our class wants to be #1 in the grade level so Mrs. Thompson can throw a pie in Mr. Smith's face! :)

Have a great spring break!!

Short Week

We have a short, very busy week. Tomorrow we will record our commercials for our cereal box reports. I will try and figure out how to make them into a DVD for everyone.

After Thursday everyone will need a break. Students will have a science test on weather. Students will also have a social studies and spelling test. I am not having a reading test this week, but we will still read the story.

Don't forget the date to pay your Washington D.C. balance is approaching. Contact Mrs. Bower for questions.

Back to business

I hope that everyone made the most of the winter storm this weekend. That was one to remember and looks like it will be gone soon. Here is the snowman my kids made this weekend. We should be back to business this week without interruptions.

Don't forget fantasy/fairy tale literature projects are due this week. We are all doing the same cereal box reports that I read about on another teacher's website. For a link to her site to download the forms, click here, scroll down, and click on 2007-2008 Classroom Happenings, and click cereal reports. We will be filming commercials next week.

Homework packets are due Friday as well.

Maple Syrup!!!

We had a great time yesterday at Pattison Park tapping trees for maple syrup. We got to taste sap straight from the tree and fresh maple syrup and maple sugar. The weather was incredible (even though my allergies are suffering).

Don't forget tomorrow is early release. Students will be coming home 2 hours early.

Spring pictures are Thursday.

Yearbook order are due. They are $11.

Homework packets are due Friday.

Important dates

Watch the Friday Folder for lots of important information. There is lots of things going ton next week.

Monday: We will be going on a field trip to Pattision Park. Students will learn about trees and maybe get to tap a tree for maple syrup. Please DRESS for the weather!!

Wednesday: Early Release day rescheduled

Thursday: Family Fun Night rescheduled

All students will have a spelling test tomorrow. My reading group will have a test on The Houdini Box. Students should be working on their literature project cereal boxes. Homework packets are due tomorrow.

We ALL learn about snow

Well, we are enjoying our 2nd blast of winter weather this week. Here are a few updates.

Homework packets are due tomorrow. Students also have a spelling test tomorrow. If there is no school tomorrow, these will be due on Monday. Friday Folders will come home on Monday as well.

Conferences are rescheduled for next Wednesday. They will be held at the same times. Please let me know if you had a conference scheduled and you can not attend.

Jesse learns about hurricanes

Today we had a visit from our favorite meteorologist, John Gumm from Local 12 News. Mr. Gumm does a great job helping us understand very complicated weather concepts. Here you can see him showing Jesse how hard it would be to read a forecast during a hurricane (Mr. Gumm looks like he is having lots of fun with his leaf blower). Be sure to ask your child to help to demonstrate for you what happens when a cloud can no longer hold its water!

Tomorrow is our Valentine's party. Thanks to all those who are sending in snacks and treats. We will be watching Hairspray since its story goes along with our recent novel unit. Please be sure to return the note giving permission to watch the movie since it is rated PG. Call if you have any questions!!

For those who are interested, we are going to meet at the movie theater on Friday afternoon at 4:50 to see the Spiderwick Chronicles. The movie is about an hour and a half long. The price of the movie is $7.00. Feel free to meet us there for the show.

Conferences are next Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow I will send home the confirmation notes for those students who turned in their notes this week. Please call if you have not received a confirmation.

Enjoy the 4 day weekend. Mr. Gumm is calling for the possibility of snow on Sunday! Go out make Presidential Snowmen on Monday!

Good ole Punxsutawney Phil...

Well, it looks like Punxsutawney Phil might have been right. Weather forecasters are calling for quite the storm tonight! We'll just have to wait and see what happens. Ask the kids about what kind of air masses are moving in!

There is no spelling this week. There is a homework packet that is due Thursday. Also, Valentine parties are Thursday. We will be watching Hairpsray. It's content goes right along with the novel unit. The movie is PG so students need to return the permission slips even if they are not bringing in snacks for the party. My 5 year old has seen the movie several times, I think our 4th graders should be fine to watch it.

Remember to vote on the right hand side of the screen for which time you would like to meet at the movie theater to see The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Is it humid enough for ya?

What a great time to be learning about weather!! What a lot of unusual weather we have had over the past few weeks to observe! The water cycle and clouds are this week's focus.

My reading class is continuing to work on Watson's Go to Birmingham-1963. This has been the most fun I have had teaching this book! The book will take a very serious turn next week.

Tomorrow is our field trip to the hockey game. Don't forget to pack your lunch. Concession stands will be open, but you know sporting concessions-the items are usually pretty expensive!

This week is count week, so be here to be counted! Students who have perfect attendance this week will earn some sort of treat from Ms. Davis on Friday. If your child must be absent, be sure to send in a note explaining the absence.

Due this week: spelling homework, homework packet

Next Literature Project: FANTASY (We will all be doing Cereal Box reports and commercials. More to follow about this.)
Due: March 14

Valentine's Party is next Thursday. I will be sending home a letter soon. Please let me know if you can bring anything in. I would like to watch the movie Hairspray, which is set in the time of Watson's Go To Birmingham-1963. I think it will be a very fun way to close a great story!

Upcoming Events:
2/6: Hockey game
2/8: Interims
214: Valentine's Day Party 2:30
2/15: No School
2/18: No School
2/19: Conferences 3:30-6:30
2/20: Conferences 3:30-6:30
2/20: 2 Hour Early Release
2/29: End of Grading Period
3/7: Report Cards
3/14: Literature Projects due
3/21: Good Friday-No School
3/21-3/30: Spring Break-No School

Spirit Week

This week we will have Spirit Week. Each day student can show their school spirit. The schedule is:

Monday: Twin Day

Tuesday: Hat Day

Wednesday: Profession Day

Thursday: Mismatch Day

Friday: Blue & Gold Day

Happy February!

Well, we didn't get our snow day today! We didn't even get a delay!!

Today the students who were prepared presented their literature projects. Everyone did a great job! I am eager to see the remaining projects.

Conference forms went home today. They will be scheduled 1st come, 1st serve. If you would like a conference with Mrs. Humble or Mrs. Bower, please mark it on the form.

Remember the Cyclones trip on Wednesday. Students need to pack a sack lunch. Concessions are available and students can bring money to purchase snacks.

Washington D.C. Trip

Final payment for the Washington D.C. trip is due April 6, 2008. The tour total is $369.oo per person with a $50.00 deposit which has already been collected. The amount due by April is $319 per person. Checks should be made payable to and mailed to Croswell Tours.

If you have any questions, please contact me or Croswell at 724-2206.

Those students not attending the Washington D.C. trip will have the opportunity to take an extended day trip to Columbus to visit the state capitol building and COSI Science Center. Information will be coming home closer to the date.

January 28th

Homework packets and spelling homework are due Friday. Don't forget those literature projects as well!

In reading we are still working on Watson's Go To Birmingham-1963. Tomorrow we will answer comprehension questions on the first 5 chapters.

Our field trip to US Bank Arena to see the Cincinnati Cyclones is coming up on February 6. If you have not already sent in your child's permission slip and fee ($10.00), please do so before next Friday, February 2. It is a fun and EDUCATIONAL opportunity.

Congratulations to Robby and Ciera who made their A.R. goals this 6 weeks!

No spelling this week

We are canceling spelling this week. We realized after the Friday Folders were typed that we had already studied this list.

Homework packets are due Friday. Students should also be working on their biography literature projects that are due next week.

Please return the Cyclones permission slips. The cost per person is $10. It is a great field trip!

Report cards came home today

Students brought home report cards today. Please be sure to review them and sign and return the envelope. Students are also bringing home a permission slip for the Cyclones field trip. Chaperones are welcome!!

In reading we will be working from one of my favorite novels, Watsons Go To Birmingham, 1963. This is a great story that I think the students will love!

Friday Folder reports will come home today with next week's homework packet.

I thought I would include this picture of the little newborn polar bear in Germany. How fun does this job look?!?

Be true to your school!!

FOX19 is looking for some Cool Schools. Click here to visit the link to vote for CNE.


Tomorrow:
Spelling test
Turn in spelling homework and homework packet

Remember, biography literature projects are due on February 1st.

How about this week?!?!

We have had quite the interesting schedule this week! Looks like more snow and cold weather ahead.

We have really started working on preparing for the state tests. Letters will be coming home to some students who are eligible to receive before school tutoring as additional test prep.

Homework packets are due Friday. There will be a reading test on Eye of the Storm for my reading group tomorrow.

End of the 3rd Grading Period

Yesterday was the end of the 3rd grading period. Students will be bringing home report cards next Friday.

We finished our practice tests on Friday. We know what things we need to be working on. Look for lots of writing activities over the next few weeks.

Our next field trip is approaching. Look for permission slips to be coming home soon for the Cyclones hockey game.

Way to go girls!!!

I was very proud of my spelling bee girls today! They handled the pressure very well!

Make sure you are well rested and ready for the practice OAT writing test tomorrow. This will be our last practice test. Graded tests will be coming home in Friday Folders. Look for information about before school tutoring to come home to students who could use a little extra prep time.

Don't forget homework and spelling packets are due tomorrow. There will be a spelling test and an AR test on Adelina's Whales.

Remember, early release on Wednesday.

Practice Test Week

Congratulations Room 222 Spelling Bee participants! Hannah, Josie, and Ciera will be representing our class on Thursday in the CNE Elementary Spelling Bee!

We will be giving the practice Ohio Achievement Tests (OAT) this week so it is especially important that students be present and on time each day. We give the practice test for three reasons: to familiarize the students with the format and feel of the test, to identify specific academic indicators that need to be covered more thoroughly, and to identify students who would benefit from before-school tutoring. The test that the students take is an actual OAT test given in a previous year. Today students took the reading OAT given in March 2005. Students can access, take, and print this test by visiting Ohio's portal to Ohio Statewide Testing. Each student has been given a userID (first initial, last name followed by 046326, example- Suzi Smith ssmith046326) and so is able to create a new account, log in, and see the assignments that I have chosen for my class to take. I will give extra credit for each test taken. The tests are long, but they are the exact OATs that have been given in the past, the answers are given immediately after the student posts a response, AND they do NOT have to be taken all at one time. Students may begin a test, do a few questions, and then, as long as they do not SUBMIT the test, come back to work on that test at a later date.

Later this week:
Wednesday: Math OAT
Thursday: Reading Quiz "Adelina's Whales; Spelling Bee 1:30
Friday: Writing OAT; Spelling test; Spelling homework due; Homework packet due

End of the grading period is approaching...

Today we got back into the swing of things. Homework packets went home today along with a stack of graded papers. Students have one week to complete all missing assignments and turn in any corrected work.

Don't forget the very important practice OAT next week!

Welcome Back!

Welcome to 2008! We used our shortened day today to get back into the swing of things. I hope everyone had a great break.

Today we began to work on our Buckle Down books. These books help us prepare for the upcoming Ohio Achievement Tests. Next week we will be doing our practice test. Please try and be present all week.

Tomorrow we will have our homeroom spelling bee. Words will be chosen from the official spelling bee website. Click here to access those words. Three students will be selected from each third and fourth grade homeroom to represent their classes in the CNE Elementary spelling bee next Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Guests are welcome to attend the bee. The winner of the bee will participate in the Greater Cincinnati Scripps Howard Spelling Bee.

*Students are not required to participate in the bee; however, once a student accepts a bid as one of the top three representatives in the class I expect that student to fulfill that responsibility and participate in the school bee.