One week down... 35 more to go!

What a week!  We worked hard to learn new rules, names, and schedules.  We even managed to squeeze in some learning. :)  The kids are troopers, that's a lot to take in, and I'm very proud of them!

In writing class, this past week we concentrated on learning common editing symbols, and worked to utilize these symbols in various stories riddled with convention (spelling, punctuation, and capitalization) mistakes.  On Friday, I gave the kids a matching quiz to see if they were memorizing the symbols and their meanings, and I'm proud to say that they all did a fantastic job, for the first grade of the new year. 

Looking Ahead:

As a mom of an active 7th grader, I understand that many of your children are in various activities outside of school.  To lessen the burden on you and your child I give out the Spelling list for the coming week, the Friday before.  On Mondays we will take a Spelling pretest.  If your child makes a 100 on the pretest, that grade is recorded into the grade book and they do not have to worry about studying for the "real" test that Friday, which can alleviate a lot of stress for both you and your child.  This is only an option, and studying over the week-end is NOT a requirement. 
          *NOTE*  Spelling lists are uploaded to www.SpellingCity.com .  This is a fantastic online resource for your child.  It is loaded with games and practice sheets to help with the memorization process.  (For login directions, go to the "Parent Resources" section, and click on "Intro. to 4th grade power point".)

This coming week, we will continue to practice using our editing symbols, as we look at the use of commas before a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so - FANBOYS).  We will look deeper into the Writing Process, by understanding what exactly takes place in each step.  The students will be quizzed over the Writing Process at the end of the week.  Be on the lookout for the "Writing Process Review" ws. this will help with studying and is similar to the quiz itself.

I'm looking forward to another great week!  Don't forget to mark your calendar for our 4th Grade Parent Meeting on Thursday, September 1st.  We will meet in the library at 7 p.m.  Come meet all of the 4th grade teachers, learn about what is expected out of your 4th grader, and ask questions. 

See you soon!