Droms

March 16 - 27

  We are officially in the 4th nine weeks of the school year.  It's hard to believe how fast the year has gone by.  We still have a lot to do so please make sure that your child is here every day and on time.  There are three weeks left before spring break and we have a lot of material to cover.  In math we will be working on multiplying and dividing decimals.  Keep working on those multiplication facts at home.  Mastering those will definitely help with these concepts.  In language arts we will be completing an author study and working on persuasive writing.  In social studies we are learning about the Revolutionary War. 

 Picture day is this coming Thursday.  If you wish to purchase individual pictures, please make sure that you return the money envelope.  Our last fundraiser for the year is the Dowell Dash Fun Run.  The information for this is in the Friday Folder.

 Do you want to become healthier and fit? Well, now is your chance. Dowell is having its first ever Health and Fitness Night! 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!

Specials:  3/16 - Music   3/17 - PE  3/18- Science Lab  3/19 - PE   3/20 - Computer Lab

                 3/23 - PE   3/24 - Art 3/25- PE   3/26 - Music  3/27- PE

 

February 9 - 20

  Thanks to all of you who came to your conferences these past two weeks.  I enjoyed meeting with you all.  Thank you also to those of you who came to Cosmic Bowling.  It was a great success and our Relay for Life team really appreciates your support. 

  Our explorer research papers and really coming along.  Be on the look out for them to come home in the next week or so for you to revise with your student. 

  We have a new math game that we play on the computer to work on our facts.  I sent home a letter about First in Math with your child's username and password.   This is a wonderful web site for increasing math fact skills.  For an added bonus, the class with the most stickers at the end of the month will get a pizza party.   The website is www.firstinmath.com     

  Valentine's Day is coming up this week.  We will be exchanging Valentines on Friday afternoon.  You don't have to bring anything in but I do ask that you send one for each student if you do with to participate.  We have 24 students in our class.  

Specials

2/9        PE                                                                2/16   Art

2/10    Science Lab                                             2/17   PE

2/11     PE                                                                2/18   Music

2/12      Computer Lab                                       2/19  PE

2/13       PE                                                               2/20   Science Lab

January 19 - 30

  We've had a great start to 2009 so far.  Thanks so much for having your students here on time every day!  Remember that Monday, January 19th is a holiday.  There will be no school as we will observe MLK Day.  Enjoy the long weekend!

  In language arts right now we are working on informational reading and writing.  We have just completed a 'how to' writing and will soon be moving on to writing biographies. 

 In math, we are learning about equivalent fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals.  We still need to keep working on our multiplication skills though and there is a great game available for you to download for free on your home computer.  Go to www.bigbrainz.comand download the base version of Timez Attack.  We've been using it in the classroom and the students love it!

  In social studies we will be moving from early explorers to colonization.  In science they are working on light and sound.  Ask your child to explain translucent, transparent, and opaque. 

  Conference week will be January 26 - 30.  I have sent home conference schedule forms to everybody so I hope to see you all at your appointed times. 

Specials

1/20 Computer Lab                        1/26 Music

1/21 PE                                                1/27  PE

1/22 Art                                              1/28  Science Lab

1/23 PE                                                1/29 PE

                                                                1/30 Computer Lab

December 8 - 19

  Only two weeks today until Winter Break!  We have a lot to cover in the next two weeks so it is important that your child comes to school each day on time. 

In math, we are finishing up our geometry unit and spending some time reviewing multiplication and division.  In social studies we are working on a unit on early explorers.  Ask your students about the European race to claim land in the New World.  In language arts we are finishing up our book reviews and working on reading text to get information. 

  I hope everyone attended Supper with Santa at the school Friday, December 5th.  There was a mistake on the flyer as the supper lasts from 5-8 and not 9. 

  If you would like to help out with our holiday party December 19th, please let me know so I can get you in touch with Mrs. Wheeler, our room mom. 

As we are now halfway through the school year, we are in need of a few more supplies.  If you would like to donate to our classroom, it would be greatly appreciated!  Some things we need are dry erase markers (our current ones have been used a lot and are definitely showing the wear), a digital timer for 6 minute solution, and board games for indoor recess.  Thanks so much!

A look ahead....  Conferences will be coming in January.  I will be sending home letters around the first of the year to schedule your conference. 

Specials

Dec. 8 - PE                                           Dec. 15 - Art

Dec. 9 - Science Lab                            Dec. 16 - PE

Dec. 10 - PE                                        Dec. 17 - Music

Dec. 11 - Computer Lab                         Dec. 18 - PE

Dec. 12 - PE

November 10 - 14

  We're already halfway through this nine weeks!  As Thanksgiving approaches, we are all thinking of those that are in need.  PTA is conducting our annual food drive and fourth grade is in charge of bringing in dried beans or rice.   They will also be doing a Quarters for Turkeys drive this week.  Bring in your quarters to help the fourth grade win the contest!

  For the rest of this nine weeks in math we will be working on geometry.  This is a nice break from our multiplication and division but please keep working on those facts at home so we don't forget!

We had a crazy day on Friday with our in house field trip so we did not get to our social studies test.  We will take it Monday November 10th.  We will also start our next science unit Monday and continue with it until Thanksgiving. 

This Week's Specials

Monday-Science Lab

Tuesday-PE

Wednesday - Computer Lab

Thursday - PE

Friday - Art

Nez Perce

  Today we are going to be learning about the Nez Perce Native Americans.  With a partner, you will visit the following sites to find out how they utilized animals, plants, and their climate for survival.   You can also use page 47 in your text book for help if you nee to.  You need to have at least four facts in each column.  Have fun!

http://www.nezperce.org/content/history/FrequentlyAskedQ.htm

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/native/nez.html

http://www.scsc.k12.ar.us/2002Outwest/NaturalHistory/Projects/LachowskyR/Nez_Perce.htm

October 20 - 24

We had a great field trip this past week!  The students were really well behaved and hopefully learned a lot about pioneer living. 

We have started long division in math.  This will be a bit like the double digit multiplication in that we will learn several ways to go about solving the problems.  I know some of them may be confusing so please let me know if you have any questions about this. 

We will be starting our social studies unit on early Native Americans so be sure to ask your students which tribes they are learning about.

This Week's Specials

Monday - Computer Lab

Tuesday - PE

Wednesday - Art

Thursday - Pe

Friday - Music

October 13 - 17

This is the beginning of the new 9 week grading period.  Something I'm changing for this 9 weeks is our AR requirements.  Everybody will need to take and pass (80% or better) at least one AR test a week.  Exceptions will be made for longer chapter books.  I will be sending home periodic AR updates for you to see their progress.  Please encourage them to keep reading at home.

Our field trip to Red Top Mountain is this Thursday.  Please make sure your child is on time to school this day.  If they are not buying a sack lunch from school, they need to be sure to bring a lunch from home in a disposable bag.  If you have not sent in the permission form please do so ASAP. 

Report cards will be sent home this Friday.  Make sure you sign the card and send it back in the envelope.  You can keep the copy of the report card.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

We will be starting our new topics in all of our subjects this week.  We are finally done with double digit multiplication!  I know we can all share a sigh of relief with that one.  Please make sure to keep practicing math facts at home though as we will continue using the skill.  We will begin reviewing division this week.  We finished our narrative writing and will begin working on responding to literature in the next few weeks. 

It was great to see so many of you at Publix for math night.  Thanks for supporting the PTA!

This Week's Specials

Monday - Music

Tuesday - PE

Wednesday - Science Lab

Thursday - PE

Friday - Computer Lab

October 6 - 10

Can you believe that this is the end of the first 9 weeks?  Time really has flown by.  Report cards for this grading period will go home next Friday.  We have a field trip to Red Top mountain on the 16th of this month so please send in your permission form and money if you haven't already.  If your child is applying for student council, they need to turn in their applications by Friday. 

I am still in need of a Room Parent to go on the school contact list.  If you are interested in the job, please let me know.   

Several of you have asked about logging in to see the math book online.  I will send home a paper copy of the blog to everybody this week with your child's username and password attached.  Go to www.eharcourtschool.com and enter the username and password to access the online text book. 

We have a new timed test format for math that we are working on.  Each test is now only 24 questions long and will cover two 2 numbers worth of multiplication tables. For example, this week we took a test on 2s and 3s.  If your child got all of them correct or just missed one, they passed this test and will move on to the 4s and 5s next week.  If they did not pass, they will keep trying the 2s and 3s until they pass it.  We've been working on double digit multiplication in class and knowing these multiplication facts is essential!

Math Night is this Thursday at Publix on Dallas Highway.  Last names N-Z can come from 6:00 - 6:45.  Our PTA meeting will be from 6:45 - 7:00 for everybody and last names A-M can come from 7:00 - 7:30.  There will be hotdogs, drinks, and treats for sale.  If students wear their Dowell t-shirt, they might win a prize!  Please make sure you are with your child as they cannot participate without an adult.  I hope to see all of you there!

This week's Specials

Monday - PE

Tuesday - Computer lab

Wednesday - PE

Thursday - Art

Friday - PE

Student Activity

Good job for getting this far on your own!  Now for the activity...

You are going to be playing with an interactive funtion machine.  When you go the the site, you are going to first click 'Start'.  Then choose 'Find the Funtion!'.  After you complete 6 function tables, you may try the 'Find the Input' and 'Find the Output' options.  Write down two of the function tables you solved (include the input and output) on a piece of notebook paper.  Please continue to practice with the function machine until I call you back to meet with me. 

*Remember...if you are on any other site besides this one or the function machine, you will lose ALL of your cards*

Click on the following link to go to the function machine website.

http://teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/amy/algebra/3-4/activities/functionmachine/functionmachine3_4.html

Have fun!