Quarter 3 closes this week! I really do wish I could slow down the time with this class, they are such a blessing. Please encourage your student to stay up to date on their assignments and be checking their grades. As always, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions regarding grades or assignments.

For our Easter service project, HCS will be collecting money to donate to World Renew. “World Renew partners with local churches and organizations around the world to bring holistic programs that transform communities in every area of need. Our goal is systemic, generational change in five key areas: Peace and Justice, Community Health, Food Security, Economic Opportunity and Disaster Response.” From the About Us section of the World Renew website.

How can you participate? As a family, discuss what your goal is for donation. Encourage your children to participate in earning and the giving of their own money. Provide ways for them to earn money and talk about tithing part of it. Have them look for change around the house to donate. If you as parents would like to make a donation, also include your children in the discussion of what you will be donating and why. Teachers will be sharing this project and information about World Renew and the gift catalog on Monday and over the next three weeks. Donations (cash or check made out to HCS - you can get a donation receipt) will be accepted starting March 9 until March 20. You may send them in an envelope that is clearly marked “World Renew Donation” with your child to give to their teacher. The classroom teachers will be keeping track of donations and assisting the students in picking out what the class would like to “purchase” from the gift catalog. What each grade level purchased will be shared at Easter Chapel on March 25. Donations are due this week! 

In Reading, we will be continuing our read aloud unit, 'Streams to the River, Rivers to the Sea'. We are also working through our second Book Clubs of the year! In Math, we are continuing our Fractions Unit, focusing on more operations with fractions.  For Social Studies this week, we will be working through Chapter 6, which focuses on California during the Great Depression through World War II. In Science, students will begin studying plant systems this week. In Bible, we will be continuing Unit 11, where students will finish learning about the Divided Kingdom. They will be tested on Friday, March 20th. A study guide will be sent home Tuesday.

Mark your calendars! On April 13th, 4th grade will be going to the SugarPine Railroad. This is my favorite field trip of the year! Students will be gold panning, touring a museum about the history of logging, and taking a steam engine ride through the Sierra National Forest. We will be utilizing parent drivers again for this trip. If you are interested in helping out with this and chaperoning our trip, please let me know via email.

*Wear tennis shoes on Monday and Friday for PE 

*Bring binders to and from school each day

*March 19, End of Quarter 3, 11:30 AM release

We are working on our 2 week spelling/roots units. This is not a test week, here is a link to the Quizlet that your students can use to study definitions. 

This year, we are really focusing on making sure that students know their math facts well, so we will be taking a timed test each day in class. Each day will focus on a different operation. Each quarter, the kids have a goal of how many facts they should be able to complete in 1 minute. For quarter 3, that goal is 35 problems in a minute, in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Students who feel they could improve their score may also retest these days to improve their grade. After a student retests, their grade will be updated in FACTS.

If you notice a low grade in one of their time tests, please practice with your child at home! If requested, I can send home extra tests and you can time them. We also made flash cards in class. Multiplication.com is also a great resource that has timed tests in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division that are easy to practice with. Please let me know if you have any questions about this grading system.