The focus for the next nine weeks in Reading and Language Arts is an Author Study and Persuasive Writing.
Persuasive Essay
Essential Question
How do I convince you?
Author Study
Essential Question
How do I read and understand the work of a particular author?
Use the information you gathered about this author and your knowledge of persuasive essay to convince the committee to award this author.
Dear Parents:
The objectives listed below will be used to lead your child to mastery of the concepts covered in the 4th Nine Weeks Unit of study.
Decimals (through hundredths)
Algebra
Data
Geometry: 3-D figures and the Coordinate System
Here are some suggestions as to what you can do at home to help your child:
Multiplication and division of decimals by whole numbers can be practiced using money story problems:
If Jim works 8 hours at $5.56 per hour, how much will he earn?
Lee was paid $240 for 5 days of work. He worked 8 hours each day. How much does he earn per hour?
To practice problem solving skills, use a map with a distance key to plan a simple route to an interesting location or vacation site. Estimate the distance to the destination using the map. Estimate how long it will take to travel each way at an average speed of 50 miles per hour. Plan a travel budget including the cost of a motel, meals, admissions and souvenirs.
Help your child investigate mean, mode, median, and range using quiz grades.
Jules has taken 5 quizzes in math. Her scores are 98%, 89%, 79%, 86%, and 90%. Find the median (the number in the middle if you list the scores least to greatest) and range (the distance between the lowest and the highest score) of her quizzes. What is the mean (average) score?
Do the same with Tim’s scores: 89%, 83%, 59%, 79% and 82%. And Amy’s scores: 78% 99%, 89%, 79% and 93%.
What is the mode (the number that occurs most often) of these test scores?
Plan a party together for a family of 4. Using the following information estimate and then calculate the cost of the party supplies. Then calculate the cost per guest.
|
Paper plates |
12 for $1.98 |
|
Paper cups |
8 for $1.50 |
|
Lg. Pizza serves 8 |
$ 7.99 |
|
2 liters of soda serves 6 |
$ .99 |
|
½ gallon of ice cream – serves 4 |
$ 3.50 |
Now, plan a party for a class of 20 using the same information.
To help your child continue understanding of the coordinate system, play the following game together.
Grid Search
Materials: Grid paper
2 red pens and 2 blue or black pens
Each player draws two grids, label the vertical axis and the horizontal axis on both grids (see example).
Step 1 Players sit so that neither player can see what the other player is doing.
Each player secretly marks one point in red on grid 1. These are the “hidden”
points.
Step 2 Player 1 guesses the location of Player 2’s hidden point by naming an
ordered pair. For example, to name (1,3), a player would say, “1 comma 3”.
Step 3 If Player 2’s hidden point is at that location, Player 2 wins.
Step 4 Repeat steps with Player 2 guessing and Player 1
answering.
Step 5 The first player to identify the other player’s hidden
point wins.
Alternative version: “Battleship” ©
The K-8 English/Language Arts textbooks and materials will be available for public review from March 9th through March 27th, 2009. Review of materials will take place at the Central Administrative building, 514 Glover Street in Marietta during regular office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dowell Health and Fitness Night Do you want to become healthier and fit? Well, now is your chance. Dowell is having its first ever Health and Fitness Night on March 20th. Many businesses will be providing important information on health and fitness. Gold's Gym, the Kennesaw State University Physical Education Department and Dowell students will be here providing several fun activities. Healthy snacks and water will be available for purchase to support our Relay for Life team. So bring the family for a night full of fun and fitness!
Cobb Public Library hosts African American authors 'read-in'
In celebration of Black History Month and African American authors, the Cobb Public Library System will participate in the 20th National African American Read-In. Main activities will be held 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, at South Cobb Regional Library. The event will open with a family storytime, including special activities for children 5 and older such as singing songs and enjoying literature written by Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni. Deane Bonner, president of the Cobb County chapter of the NAACP, will be the keynote speaker at 3 p.m. Following her presentation, attendees are invited to stay for refreshments and join the read-in at 4 p.m. The read-in provides a chance for community members to support literacy and recognize contributions made by African American authors.
Stratton Library in Marietta hosts an African American authors book club that meets every second Monday at 7 p.m. while the Powder Springs book club is held every Monday at 7 p.m. Stratton Library will host a special book discussion led by award-winning local author Margaret Johnson-Hodge 7 p.m., Monday,
Feb. 9. She will discuss her newest book, "Red Light, Green Light." No registration is required for this free program. For more information, visit www.cobbcounty.org/Library.
It's hard to believe that we are in the second half of the school year! With the second half of the year brings the CRCT, and we will be working hard for the next three and a half months to prepare for it! Below is the link to the student CRCT study guide from the Georgia Department of Education. Please review this with your child as the questions are a great review and will help your child tremendously. Please be aware that it is 80 pages if you are going to print it!
These 9 weeks we will work with decimals, fractions, and weight in Math. In Language Arts, we will study informational texts and informational writing.
Below are some great ways to help your child at home!
Read with your child each night and discuss what was read.
Check your child's agenda each night and go over any homework that was assigned.
Go over work that is sent home.
Practice double-digit multiplication problems and long division problems as these are two of the most important and most difficult skills learned this year.
Practice math word problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Study multiplication facts. ALL students need to know all of the multiplication facts 0-12.
Here is a website for a game that practices multiplication:
http://www.bigbrainz.com/index.php
Remember, we welcome donations of healthy snacks and tissue at all times. Thank you for your participation in PTA. If you have not joined PTA, there is still time to join.
~Thank you for your continued support! Please contact us should you have any questions!
End of One Period
The first nine weeks are over and we're into the second nine weeks. Report cards went home on Friday.
We began the 2nd nine weeks period with an exciting field trip to Red Top Mountian. Students, as a preview to the unit on the colonists, saw how the pioneers lived and played.
Topics of Study
Continue to practice multiplication facts and to read 30 minutes every night.
Upcoming Events
Check out Our Classroom Calendar on the left side of the page for upcoming events.
Student Holiday -- November 4
High-Touch High Tech, an in-house field trip is scheduled for 11/6-7. The cost is $8 for an exciting hands on experience with an upcoming science topic, light.
Please Help!
Our class is in need of healthy snacks. Please send in a box of Cheerios, Kix, or other healthy cereals. Other healthy snacks we would greatly appreciate are crackers (Ritz, Saltines, Club), Goldfish, pretzels, or Chex Mix.
September has been a busy month. We have had Cobb County Firefighters presenting Fire Safety. 
Next week is our last week of Fire Safety. Be sure that all assignments have been completed in the workbook in order to participate when the fire trucks visit.
Mrs. Gobbi has been with our class this week for guided reading. We really enjoyed it! She worked with us on how to summarize. We will continue narrative reading and comprehension.
Fall Festival is Friday, September 26. PTA will host our annual Fall 
Festival here at the school. There will be all kinds of fun, and food. Also, we will have a fitness night along with the fall festival. There will be PE student teachers from Kennesaw State University who will do fun activities with the students. Gold's Gym and Wellstar will have representatives in attendance. It is going to be an exciting evening for everyone!
Please consider joining PTA. It is only $5.00 and the PTA has wonderful benefits for you and our school.
Why Join PTA:
--Get Connected: Know what’s happening in your school.
--Discover Great Resources: PTA offers various programs designed for both parents and students.
--Tap into a Network: Great way to share ideas, concerns and experiences with other parents and teachers.
--Watch Yourself Grow: you gain valuable experiences and put your skills and hobbies to good use by volunteering.
--Witness Improvement: Be part of the solution and help make positive changes in your school and community.
--Be a Role Model: You’ll be demonstrating to your child the importance you place on education.
PTA Membership Benefits:
--Alliance Theatre: 20% Discount
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--Chattahoochee Nature Center: 10% off Family Membership
--Fernbank: 10% Discount on Membership
--Georgia Force: Promotes Family involvement
--HoneyBaked Ham: 10% Discount
--Zoo Atlanta: $10 off Memberships
--Barnesandnoble.com: 5% off online Purchases
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--Sharp Electronics Corporation: Special Purchse Opportunities
--Southwest Airlines Vacations: 5% Savings of Vacation Packages
--T-Mobile: Special Discounts on Selected Promotional devices& Monthly discounts
Hats off to those who donated playground balls and healthy snacks. Donation of any items are appreciated. Thank you to our volunteers who have been busy copying and helping out in the school.
Topics of Study
Upcoming Events
Check out Our Classroom Calendar on the left side of the page for upcoming events.
Fall Festival is Friday, 9/26.
Math Night at Publix on Dallas Highway is October 9th.
Please check and sign the agenda everyday.
It has been a "testing" two weeks! We have completed assessments for reading, language arts, and math. The students put forth their best efforts. The assessments are used to guide instruction.
The children were excited about our first writing activity--a friendly letter. They read USA Olympic wrestler Ben Askren's blog and wrote a letter to him. Unfortunately, Ben did not earn a medal.
The classroom rules and rountines are in place. We have spent the first weeks on learning the classroom and school expectations. The students have done well. This week, we will begin using the check registers to track earning/deductions. Money may be spent on Market Day at the end of the nine weeks. If you have any extra check registers that you can donate to the class, it would be helpful.
A huge thank you to all for providing needed school supplies. Also, the donations of snacks and playground equipment are greatly appreciated.
Topics of Study
Upcoming Events
Please check and sign the agenda everyday.
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