Field Trip Friday, November 14 - Valley Pool & Library for research on a native tribe in the U.S.
Please remind your student to bring their purple folder back to class.
Check out what is going on in counseling!
Volunteers are welcome on hikes every Wednesday from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Volunteers are welcome in the classroom to help with math, science/social studies, or reading/writing - see below for times.
Volunteer Sign Up Link: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/64833852033/false#/invitation
Nutcracker Field Trip December 5th!
Artist in Residency with SEAlaska Heritage - Abel will be teaching the students how to make their own drum December 1st through 19th.
December 12th - drum making - we will need parent volunteers!
Science: We learned about how to tell if their is salt in the water - students are welcome to bring in water from different areas in Juneau, we'll see what is left behind after it evaporates. Later this month and early December, we will be learning about the water cycle and water related disasters.
Reading: We are continuing shared reading unit with 2/3 this week. Students should have finished Who Was Milton Hershey?
We are also reading about traditions and different native tribes this month. If you have any favorite picture books or stories on traditions you would like to share with the class; please let me know.
We started the novel, No Talking by Andrew Clements. Students have a copy of the book and should finish chapter 12. Each student has a job to do so we can have a class discussion (instead of writing summaries/doing a book report). The jobs are included at the end of this page.
Writing: Focusing on writing notes to community members and peers in preparation for Tea of Thanks.
Math: Returning our focus to i-Ready's scope and sequence this week. We have a wide array of math skills in our classroom; volunteers are very welcome as many students seem to learn better in smaller groups.
Social Studies: We are starting our 2nd unit in Studies Weekly, which focuses on the first people in North America. Students will be choosing a United States tribe to research and share what they learned with the class. Presentations are due on Tuesday.
Students can read their studies weekly at home at https://online.studiesweekly.com/login. I can send you their username and password if you need it. The online version gives students the option to have the newspaper read to them, which can be very helpful to allow students to process the information being shared.
Forest School: We picked tea leaves this week with middle school. We will return to our biodiversity unit this week.
Please remind your student to bring their purple folder back to class.
Check out what is going on in counseling!
Volunteers are welcome on hikes every Wednesday from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Volunteers are welcome in the classroom to help with math, science/social studies, or reading/writing - see below for times.
Volunteer Sign Up Link: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/64833852033/false#/invitation
Science: We have moved on to learning about water and that only about 3% of Earth's water is fresh water; however most of it is frozen.
Reading: We are continuing shared reading unit with 2/3 this week. Students should be on chapter 4 or 5 of Who Was Milton Hershey?
Ms. Harmony & I would like to end the candy unit with a baking event, preferably making candy. We would love if the fudge company could talk with our class about candy making. I am hopeful the Alaska Fudge Shop may be able to talk with us about candy making in November or January. If anyone enjoys making candy, we would love to hear from you and have your experience in the kitchen! I have a recipe for fudge, chocolate sauce, and caramel that we can cook.
Writing: We will resume work on our opinion essays next week. I could use some additional help working one-on-one with students. There are some students who need help getting their ideas on paper, and others need help organizing their thoughts so they can get their ideas on paper. If you are free during those times, please let me know; we would love to have your assistance. ** Remember, if you are volunteering more than 2 hours, the Juneau School District requires you to fill out the volunteer form for a background check.
Math: Adding in our heads, finding friendly 10s, perimeter, area, and multiplication fluency
7 + 3 = 10
7 + 5 + 3 = 15 (recognize that even though 7 and 3 aren't next to each other, you have a quick fact that can make a 10, so you're not sitting there thinking, 7 and 5 is 12, then counting 13, 14, 15)
Graphing - tomorrow is candy math part 1! We will be graphing M&Ms.
Social Studies: We are starting our 2nd unit in Studies Weekly, which focuses on the first people in North America.
Students can read their studies weekly at home at https://online.studiesweekly.com/login. I can send you their username and password if you need it. The online version gives students the option to have the newspaper read to them, which can be very helpful to allow students to process the information being shared.
October 24, 2025
Next week is Spirit Week!
Please remind your student to bring their purple folder back to class so I can send home the Spirit Week Flyer.
We have started a Marmot Gear Fundraiser - zip-up hoodies, sweatshirts, t-shirts, winter hats, duffle bags, tote bags, and water bottles are all available!
Check out what is going on in counseling!
Volunteers are welcome on hikes every Wednesday from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Volunteers are welcome in the classroom to help with math, science/social studies, or reading/writing - see below for times.
We learned that Milton Hershey sold his caramel business for $1 million in 1900. If you are out grocery shopping this weekend, please take your student with you and have them fill out the assignment in Google Classroom so they can compare prices. I will send a hard copy home if they have their purple folders and attach one in an email.
We are working on a timeline for candy making - starting with Milton Hershey's timeline. To give them another perspective on a timeline, I am going to ask students to create their own timeline in school or at home with their family. This can be a student project or a family project. I will send students home with paper if it is something you'd like to do as a family. Otherwise, please help your student with dates that are important to them so they can work on their timeline in class. We will share our timelines in class next week and display them in the classroom.
Science: Wrapping up our unit on the Ecosystem with a review this week and the beginning of Forest School - Biodiversity!
We will also start making compost in the next week or two. If anyone keeps a compost pile and would like some compost to add to it, please let me know; otherwise, I will add it to our soil pots at home and can use them to plant something in the spring. I do not have a green thumb; your expertise is welcome here :)
Reading: We started our shared reading unit with 2/3 this week.
Our students watched a short video about Milton Hershey, and then we did a photo walk around our classroom with 15 different photos from Milton Hershey's life. Today, students walked their 2/3 reader buddy through the photo walk.
Our next reading unit will be pairing with Ms. Harmony's 2/3 class to work on paired reading for the book Who Was Milton Hershey. We will also read about William Wrigley Jr. and do candy math in honor of Halloween. Ms. Harmony & I would like to end the candy unit with a baking event, preferably making candy. We would love if the fudge company could talk with our class about candy making. I am hopeful the Alaska Fudge Shop may be able to talk with us about candy making in November or January. If anyone enjoys making candy, we would love to hear from you and have your experience in the kitchen! I have a recipe for fudge, chocolate sauce, and caramel that we can cook.
Writing: We will resume work on our opinion essays next week. I could use some additional help working one-on-one with students. There are some students who need help getting their ideas on paper, and others need help organizing their thoughts so they can get their ideas on paper. If you are free during those times, please let me know; we would love to have your assistance. ** Remember, if you are volunteering more than 2 hours, the Juneau School District requires you to fill out the volunteer form for a background check.
Math: Adding in our heads, finding friendly 10s, perimeter, area, and multiplication fluency
7 + 3 = 10
7 + 5 + 3 = 15 (recognize that even though 7 and 3 aren't next to each other, you have a quick fact that can make a 10, so you're not sitting there thinking, 7 and 5 is 12, then counting 13, 14, 15)
Graphing - tomorrow is candy math part 1! We will be graphing M&Ms.
Social Studies: We are starting our first unit in Studies Weekly, which focuses on inquiry - asking questions is one of the biggest keys to learning. This week, we asked questions about pictures from Milton Hershey's life, and briefly talked about the questions a historian may ask versus a geographer.
Students can read their studies weekly at home at https://online.studiesweekly.com/login. I can send you their username and password if you need it. They can have the newspaper read to them, which can be very helpful to allow students to process the information being shared.
October 9, 2025
REMINDERS:
Swimming lessons are still going strong, and as I mentioned, they will continue next week on Tuesday and Wednesday. The students get a lot of compliments for how well they listen and how diligently they practice. However, the last couple of days there has been a little more squirrely behavior from one group.
Please remind your student to bring their purple folder back to class so I can send home their permission slips.
We have started a Marmot Gear Fundraiser - zip up hoodies, sweatshirt, t-shirt, winter hat, duffle bag, tote bag, and water bottle are all available!
Check out what is going on in counseling!
Movie night tonight! Minecraft Movie; I can't wait to hear chicken jockey blurted out all day Monday :) Hot dogs and pizza is available for donation, and popcorn and hot chocolate will be served.
Next week is parent teacher conferences. Please sign up for a time using this link.
What are we working on?
Science: Over the next couple weeks we will finish our unit on food chain. This weeks question involves Algae blooms, and what can be done when there is too much algae in a pond. Next week involves the dinosaurs, their food chain, and extinction; showing how removing one item of the food chain can affect the other animals. Throughout this unit we have talked about cause and effect of removing elements or adding too many of something else.
We will also start making compost next week. If anyone keeps a compost pile and would like some compost to add to it, please let me know, otherwise I will add it to our soil pots at home, and can use them to plant something in the spring. I do not have a green thumb, your expertise is welcome here :)
Reading: We are finishing Blood on the River. The majority of students turned in and presented their comic strips to the class this week. They did a nice job looking through the chapter their comic came from and pulling out important scenes and using important dialogue from the book. Many groups have presented their dioramas or comic strips for the reading group books as well. Students did a nice job working on their diorama and were able to answer questions on their books. Moving forward, we will work on offering a clear summary of their book.
Our next reading unit will be pairing with Ms. Harmony's 2/3 class to work on paired reading for the book Who Was Milton Hershey. We will also read about William Wrigley Jr. and do candy math in honor of Halloween. Ms. Harmony & I would like to end the candy unit with a baking event, preferably making candy. We would love if the fudge company could talk with our class about candy making. I tried to reach out to them, but have not been successful. If anyone has any connections, or enjoys making candy, we would love to hear from you and have your experience in the kitchen! I have a recipe for fudge, chocolate sauce, and caramel, that we could cook.
We had a number of students read out loud today, reading the book Leaf Thief. They impressed me with their excitement and willingness to read. I chose this book, because a few weeks back, in science, we discovered what happens to the leaves as they fall on the ground. Even though this age group feels like they should be moving into chapter books, there is still so much value and fun in a good picture book.
Writing: We are working on our opinion essays, and I could use some additional help working one on one with students. There are some students that need help getting their ideas on paper, and others need help organizing their thoughts so they can get their ideas on paper. We can work on writing from 12 - 12:30 this Friday, Tuesday & Wednesday (Monday would be a half hour between 12:20 and 1:15). If you are free during those times, please let me know, we would love to have your assistance. ** Remember if you are volunteering more than 2 hours Juneau School District requires you to fill out the volunteer form for a background check.
Math: Adding in our heads finding friendly 10s, perimeter, area, and multiplication fluency
7 + 3 = 10
7 + 5 + 3 = 15 (recognize that even though 7 and 3 aren't next to each other; you have a quick fact that can make a 10, so you're not sitting there thinking, 7 and 5 is 12, then counting 13, 14, 15)
Social Studies: While we finish Blood on the River, and wrap up the year 1608, we will first do a quick unit on asking questions, as that is the basis for so much learning. Then we will start learning about other native communities in America and the early years of colonial America. I wish we had a living museum here to help the students better experience/see life in the 1600 and 1700s. If anyone ever has a chance to take a vacation out to Virginia, there are a number of excellent living history museums, I highly encourage checking them out.
Volunteers - Our school is a community school; and we count on volunteers to help make our school feel like a community. We love seeing parents in our schools helping out at fun events and in the classroom. Students love seeing their family members at school, and I think it helps drive home the importance of school when you are involved.
Thank you Patsy, Denny & Robbie for helping in the locker rooms during swimming lessons!
We are looking for volunteers during our writing unit from 12 to 12:30 Friday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and a half hour between 12:20 and 1:15 on Monday
Making candy at the end of October/early November (this date is TBD; I am checking on kitchen availability)
Making goods for the bake sale at movie night tonight or in the future
All School Centers - every other Friday
The class would like a class pet - as you will get to see from their opinion papers. There is a lot of value to having a class pet; however, I'd like to know if anyone is willing to keep the pet on weekends (rotationally) and/or over winter and summer break.
Additionally; we will probably need to fundraise for the pet (place to live, food, supplies, vet care/pet insurance?); if you see or hear of any opportunities for fundraisers or pets looking for new homes, please let me know.
May 8, 2023
Only three weeks left to go! With the end of the year quickly approaching, it is important to remember that we are still at school and we still need to be respectful and kind to each other. Please take some time to check in with your learner about end of the year behavior and remind them to make good choices.
Coming Up
This week in math we have bear and eagle working on lines, angles, and polygons, with a focus on area and perimeter. Orca is working on measurement.
In language arts, we are learning about suffixes, with our spelling words this week all using the suffix -ly, -less, or -ful. We will also be reviewing theme and main idea as we read our small group novels.
During WIN time, students chose a well known story to rewrite from the villain's perspective. We are finishing up our rough drafts and will begin editing and revising them.
Wednesday is our school wide beach day. We will be taking the bus to Outer Point at 9:00, and returning in the afternoon. Please see the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet to sign up to chaperone or bring food donations. Food donations can be dropped off at the school anytime before Wednesday.
On Thursday, we will be going to UAS for a campus visit. We will leave JCCS at 9:00 and return to the school by 1:30.
This Friday we have All School Centers from 9:00 to 10:00. If you are able to help out, please see the School Wide volunteer sign up sheet.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
May 1, 2023
We are down to the last four weeks of school for this year! That is absolutely crazy to me, I can't believe how fast this year has flown by.
Huge thank you to everyone who helped out while I was out last week! I am feeling better and back at school this week.
Coming Up
This week in math we have bear and eagle working on lines, angles, and polygons. Orca is working with 3D shapes, and learning how to solve volume and surface area.
In language arts, we are learning about prefixes, with our spelling words this week all using the prefix re- or un-. We will also be reviewing theme and main idea as we read our small group novels.
In science, we are finishing up our unit on Energy.
During WIN time, students chose a well known story to rewrite from the villain's perspective. We are finishing up our rough drafts and will begin editing and revising them.
We have two field trips next week - Beach Day on Wednesday, May 10th, and UAS on Thursday, May 11th.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
April 10, 2023
Coming Up
This week is our AK STAR state testing! We will be doing the language arts test on Tuesday, 5th graders will take the science test on Wednesday, and everyone will take the math test on Thursday.
Wednesday is our Open House for current families, and for new families who might be interested in joining our community. We'll be hosting some All School Centers activities and showing off some student work. Please join us between 5:00 and 6:00.
Friday is our Sea Week outing to the wetlands. We'll be taking a bus at 11:45, and then leaving the wetlands at 2:00.
We have a lot of upcoming field trips, so please be on the lookout for the permission forms heading your way. Check the "Upcoming Events" below for a list of all our outings.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
March 27, 2023
Welcome back from spring break! I hope you all had a wonderful, restful break and are ready for the final part of the school year!
Coming Up
This week in math, Bear will begin their unit on fractions. Eagle will continue working on decimals, moving on to multiplication. And Orca will begin working on area and perimeter.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. This week our focus will be on problem and solution. Our spelling words this week are words with vowel patterns oo, ew, au, aw, al, all
In social studies, partners will finish working on their Alaskan region slides/brochure.
In WIN we will begin working on a writing project.
Eaglecrest - This Friday!
This Friday, we are heading up to Eaglecrest! We will be leaving the school at 8:45, and leaving Eaglecrest at 2:30. Everyone will have a small group lesson in the morning, followed by some time for free skiing/boarding.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
March 13, 2023
Coming Up
This week in math, Bear and Eagle are going to work on adding and subtracting decimals. Orca will begin working with lines, angles, and shapes.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. This week our focus will be on cause and effect. Our spelling words this week are words with vowel digraphs oi, oy, ou, and ow.
In social studies, partners will wrap up researching their region of Alaska and begin working together on creating brochures.
In WIN we will continue working on word problems and problem solving strategies.
On Friday, we will be swimming at Augustus Brown Pool from 2:00 to 3:00. We will dismiss from the pool. This will be our last Friday swimming for this year!
Spring Break is March 20-24. We will be doing another reading challenge for any student who is interested in trying to read more than me.
Fundraiser
Friday is the last day of the fundraiser! If you haven't already, please get online and register your student. We are getting pretty close to reaching our goal. Thank you for all your help with this!
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
March 6, 2023
Coming Up
This week in math, Bear and Eagle will work on place value, comparing, and rounding decimals. Orca will continue working on coordinate planes.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. This week our focus will be on compare and contrast. Our spelling words this week are words with y.
In social studies, we will continue learning about Alaska geography.
In WIN we will continue working on word problems and problem solving strategies.
On Thursday, we'll be cross country skiing with Dirk. Students will get their boots fitted before getting on to the bus. We'll catch the bus to Mendenhall campground at 9:15, and then ski from 9:45 to 10:45, and catch the bus back to school at 10:45. Lunch will be at the normal time, but recess will be at the end of the day (from 2:30 to 3:00).
On Friday, we will be walking to the library. We will leave the classroom around 12:30 and be back by the end of the day.
Spring Break is March 20-24. We will be doing another reading challenge for any student who is interested in trying to read more than me.
Fundraiser
Last Friday, I sent home a fundraising packet with each student. Each packet has a Parent Letter with directions, and Jessica sent out an email last Friday with directions as well. We are trying to raise $2,500. Students can earn some pretty cool prizes for selling more stuff!
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
February 27, 2023
Coming Up
This week in math, bear will begin working on decimals, and orca will begin working on graphing. Eagle will wrap up their fractions unit.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. This week our focus will be on theme. Our spelling words this week will have r controlled vowel sounds.
In social studies, we will begin our unit on geography.
In WIN we will continue working on word problems and problem solving strategies.
On March 9th, we will be cross country skiing with Dirk at the Mendenhall Campground. Permission slips went home last Friday, please get those signed and returned ASAP.
Spring Break is March 20-24. We will be doing another reading challenge for any student who is interested in trying to read more than me.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
February 13, 2023
Coming Up
This week in math, bear will begin working on fractions, and orca will begin working on graphing. Eagle will continue working on multiplying fractions.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. This week our focus will be on theme. There will not be as pelling test this week.
In WIN we have started working on word problems.
Tomorrow is our Kindness Celebration! Hopefully by the end of today, we will have our 100 acts of kindness collected. Please feel free to send in valentines if you wish. We will begin our celebration with a STEAM challenge, then we'll pass out valentines and make compli-mats, and we'll end the day with games.
On Wednesday, we will be walking to the Elizabeth Peratrovich mural (downtown library) and checking out the Story Path at the Overstreet Park sea walk. We will leave after lunch, and be back by the end of the day. We would love to have families join us!
Thursday and Friday we will be having conferences, so there is no school for students. If you haven't already, please use this link to sign up for your conference time, and let me know if you'd prefer to meet in person or on zoom. I am looking forward to meeting with you all!
There is no school next Monday, February 20th.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
As I said above, students will also be expected to catch up on assigned reading chapters in the group books if they fall behind in class.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
February 6, 2023
Coming Up
This week in math, bear will wrap up their unit on division, and orca will wrap up their unit on decimals. Eagle will be moving on to multiplying and dividing fractions.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. This week our focus will be on main idea and details. Our spelling pattern this week is words ending in -ing.
We are continuing our Acts of Kindness Challenge - this week students can submit acts of kindness from school and from home. Right now, we only have 14 acts of kindness - we figured out that if every student collects one act of kindness per day, we'll still make it to over 100 by our Kindness Celebration. Please encourage your students to keep track of their acts of kindness. On February 14th we will have a Kindness Celebration/Valentine's Day Party. If students would like to bring valentines for each of their classmates, they are more than welcome to do so, but not required.
Friday, we will be walking to the library. We will leave the school around 12:30, and plan on being back at the school by the end of the day.
Next week is a short week. I will be out Monday morning. We will have our Kindness Celebration on Tuesday. Then we will walk to the Elizabeth Peratrovich mural Wednesday afternoon. Thursday and Friday are Parent/Teacher conference days, so there will not be school.
Conferences
Speaking of conferences... Conferences will be 20 minutes long and held on Thursday from 8:20am to 6:00 pm, and on Friday from 8:20am to 11:00am. Please use this link to sign up for your conference time, and let me know if you'd prefer to meet in person or on zoom.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
As I said above, students will also be expected to catch up on assigned reading chapters in the group books if they fall behind in class.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
January 30, 2023
Coming Up
This week in math, bear will continue working on long division. Eagle will continue working on adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. Orca has been adding and subtracting with decimals, and will begin working on multiplying and dividing decimals.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. This week our focus will be on author's point of view. Our spelling pattern will be words ending with -ed.
This week we are beginning our 100 Acts of Kindness challenge. We will be collecting acts of kindness as a class with the goal of getting to 100 by February 14th. On February 14th we will have a Kindness Celebration/Valentine's Day Party. If students would like to bring valentines for each of their classmates, they are more than welcome to do so, but not required.
This Tuesday, we have a field trip to the planetarium from 12:00 to 1:00. We will leave from the cafeteria, right after lunch to walk over to the Marie Drake building.
Thursday is the 100th day of school. Students are invited to come to school dressed up as their 100 year old self. We will have a couple of 100s day activities including writing a short story.
Friday is our swimming day, so we will be at the pool from 2:00 to 3:00.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
As I said above, students will also be expected to catch up on assigned reading chapters in the group books if they fall behind in class.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
January 23, 2023
Coming Up
This week in math, bear will continue working on long division, and will be introduced to the standard algorithm. Eagle will work on converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers, and will begin adding and subtracting fractions at the end of the week. Orca will begin working on decimals.
In LA, we'll continue reading in small groups. Our spelling pattern this week is long e and long o.
During WIN, we will wrap up memorizing multiplication facts and celebrate with our Math Movie party on Friday.
Also on Friday, we will be attending the Juneau Symphony link-up program at theJDHS auditorium from 10:00 to 11:00.
Next Tuesday, January 31, we have a field trip to the planetarium from 12:00 to 1:00. We will leave from the cafeteria, right after lunch to walk over to the Marie Drake building.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
As I said above, students will also be expected to catch up on assigned reading chapters in the group books if they fall behind in class.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
January 16, 2023
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
It feels good to be back from break. Don't get me wrong, I am missing vacation. But, I like being in a routine and knowing what to expect day to day. It was also great getting to see my class again and to catch up with each of the students.
We are in need of snacks in the classroom! Thank you so much for your continued donations of snacks to the students, they get awfully hungry throughout the day.
Coming Up
This week in math, bear will resume working on long division. They are learning a couple of different strategies for solving long division problems. Eagle has begun working on fractions, with our focus this week being on finding equivalent fractions and comparing fractions. Orca is working on dividing fractions.
We are changing our LA rotations a little bit in order to put more focus on our reading group books. Groups will meet with me twice a week for direct instruction and discussion, and will meet twice a week as a group to do some partner or independent reading. If readers are falling behind on their assigned chapters, they will need to do some reading at home. They will still have a technology group, and an assignment group. Reading rotations are in the afternoon, from 12:30 to 1:15, and is a great time to volunteer.
During WIN, we are going to buckle down on our multiplication facts, and aim to have our multiplication movie party by the first week of February.
This Friday, we have swimming at Augustus Brown Pool from 2:00 to 3:00. Students will dismiss right from the pool.
On Tuesday, January 31, we have a field trip to the planetarium from 12:00 to 1:00. We will leave from the cafeteria, right after lunch to walk over to the Marie Drake building.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
As I said above, students will also be expected to catch up on assigned reading chapters in the group books if they fall behind in class.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
December 19, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
We had such an amazing turn out for our showcase on Friday. Thank you to everyone who came out, even at a weird time, to check out all of our art. The drums were sent home on Friday, and I overheard many students discussing their plans to use them as alarm clocks on Christmas. You have been warned!
Remember, this is a short week, only Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Winter vacation begins on Thursday!
Coming Up
For the next two days, we'll be working as a whole group in math on mean, median, mode, and range.
In language arts, we'll be reading some short stories and working on plot maps.
We will use mystery science to learn about volcanoes and lava viscosity.
During WIN, we will continute memorizing multiplication facts. Many students have already passed their 0, 1, 5, and 10 group, and are working at learning their 2, 3, and 4.
Our class holiday party will be on Wednesday, December 21 (more information below!)
I will be sending home a reading log for winter vacation. This is optional, but any student who reads more than me during the break will be invited to join me for an ice cream or pizza party during lunch.
Holiday Party
Our class holiday party will be this Wednesday, starting at 12:30. We will begin with a white elephant gift exchange, and then watch a Christmas movie. For the white elephant, each student should bring in a wrapped gift from home (anything in the donation pile you're planning on taking to the thrift store?? Wrap it up!). Please do not spend money on the white elephant gift! I will have extra gifts and wrapping paper at school for anyone who needs it. Students are also welcome to bring in snacks/treats to share during the movie (but not required to).
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
December 12, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
We will be showcasing our drums and Formline art THIS FRIDAY from 10:00 to 10:50.
Here is a media release form from SHI for the residency. Please fill it out as soon as you can.
Also, last week, we did winter MAP testing, and as a class we went up a total of 223 points across all three tests!
Coming Up
In math for the next two weeks, we are reviewing concepts we've learned so far, and working on some statistics before heading in to break.
In language arts, we will work on writing our artist statements to go along with our residency.
During WIN, we have started working on learning and memorizing our multiplication facts. This is a crucial skill that will be built on for the rest of their learning. If you have some time at home, please help your learner practice their multiplication tables.
On Friday, we will have our last session with Abel Ryan from 9:00 to 10:00. Then, he'll be joining us for our Artist Showcase from 10:00 to 10:50.
We will be swimming this Friday from 2:00 to 3:00. Anyone who would like to join us is welcome to meet us at the pool at 2:00. We will be dismissing straight from the pool.
I will be sending home a reading log for winter vacation. This is optional, but any student who reads more than me during the break will be invited to join me for an ice cream or pizza party during lunch.
Holiday Party
We are planning to have a classroom holiday party on December 21. The class is hoping to do a white elephant gift exchange. Each student would bring in a wrapped gift from home (anything in the donation pile you're planning on taking to the thrift store?? Wrap it up!). Please do not spend money on the white elephant gift! I will have extra gifts and wrapping paper at school for anyone who needs it. This will just be a fun and silly game for us to play during our party.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
December 5, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
We started our artist residency with Abel Ryan last week. He has been teaching us all about Formline drawing. So far we have drawn a Raven, an Eagle, a Salmon, and a Wolf. We are also working on writing our own artist statements. It has been such a wonderful experience so far, and we are looking forward to another two weeks with him.
Here is a media release form from SHI for the residency. Please fill it out as soon as you can.
Also, we need some volunteers on Friday from 9:00 to 10:00 for drum making. I've added the slots to the volunteer sign up sheet.
Coming Up
This week we will be doing a round of winter MAP tests. This is a great way for students to see the progress they've made so far, and a great way for me to see what we should be working on for the next half of the year.
In math, bear is working on division, eagle will begin working on line plots, and orca will work on multiplying fractions.
In language arts, we will work on writing our artist statements to go along with our residency.
During WIN, we have started working on learning and memorizing our multiplication facts. This is a crucial skill that will be built on for the rest of their learning. If you have some time at home, please help your learner practice their multiplication tables.
On Friday, we will be walking to the downtown library. We will leave the school around 12:30, and return to school by the end of the day. If you would like to walk with us, please sign up on the volunteer sign up sheet.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
November 14, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
Last week was a short and jam packed week with our walk to the library, ice skating, and picnic at Sandy Beach. We have a full, regular week this week, then next week we'll have Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving, and the following week will be our SHI Artist Residency! Before you know it, winter vacation will be here!
Coming Up
In math, bear will wrap up their work on multiplication and begin division, will keep going with division, and orca will begin adding and subtracting fractions.
In language arts, we will work on writing thank you cards for each classmate to be handed out during the Tea of Thanks.
Science was put on pause last week so we could dive into creating a class role playing game. We will use the characters we built in various ways in the classroom, starting with a scavenger hunt at the library on Tuesday. We are looking forward to tying it into the curriculum throughout the rest of the year.
We will resume studying earth science this week, and look at how plate movement causes earthquakes and volcanoes.
During WIN, we have started working on learning and memorizing our multiplication facts. This is a crucial skill that will be built on for the rest of their learning. If you have some time at home, please help your learner practice their multiplication tables.
Tea of Thanks
We will have a Tea of Thanks on Wednesday, November 23 at 12:30. We will begin with a story, then share the Thank You notes we wrote each other, and finish up by having some tea and treats, and a relaxing afternoon. We are looking for some donations of electric kettles, paper plates, napkins, finger foods, tea, and table cloths. I'll also be asking each student to bring in a mug for them to use.
SHI Artist Residency
We will have an artist joining us in the classroom for an hour every day for three weeks, beginning November 28th and ending on December 16th. This year we will be working with Abel Ryan. Abel will teach the students the elements of Northwest Coast Formline Design and spend the last week with drum making. We will have class with him MWF from 9:00 to 10:00, and TTh from 1:30 to 2:30.
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
Fundraisers
Sees Candy - Order forms and money are due November 15.
October 31, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
Thank you for all the delicious snacks that got sent in for our party today! We had a great time playing minute to win it games and eating yummy snacks. I hope those of you going trick or treating this evening have a safe and fun Halloween.
Coming Up
In math, bear will continue working on multiplication, eagle has started working on division, and orca is moving on to fractions.
In language arts, each group began a novel study, and we will continue reading those books. We will also work on spelling with long vowels, and writing narratives.
In science, we will continue studying earth science.
On Friday, we will be swimming at the AGB Pool from 2:00 to 3:00. We will be dismissing straight from the pool, so feel free to pick up your student there.
Next week, we will be walking to the library on Tuesday, November 8th, from 12:15 to 3:00.
Next Wednesday, we will be ice skating at the Treadwell Arena from 11:00 to 12:00. Then we'll have a picnic lunch at Sandy Beach Shelter #2. I've added "build a fire" to the volunteer sign up sheet for that day.
Next Friday, November 11, there will be no school
Homework
Students have the opportunity to bring home any completed classwork, correct any errors, and return it to me. I will give them class money for every corrected assignment they turn in. I know some of you have asked about homework, so if you're interested check with your learner about bringing their finished assignments home.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
Fundraisers
Sees Candy - Order forms were sent home, you can also use this website: Sees Candy Fundraiser. Order forms and money are due November 15.
Fall Festival - November 19th, we need lots of helpers to get this going! Please check out the available volunteer opportunities on the sign up sheet.
October 24, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
We had our first spelling test last week and it went really well. I could tell that a lot of practice happened at home. Thank you! I will send this weeks list this afternoon after we have taken our pre-test.
Coming Up
In math, bear will begin working on multiplication, eagle will continue 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication, and orca will learn the order of operations.
In language arts, each group will begin a novel study. We will also work on spelling with consonant blends, and using context clues to learn new words.
In science, we will begin typing the whale reports, and learning about the geological processes that shape the earth.
Next Monday (Halloween), students may wear their costume to school. We will have a school wide costume parade at 12:45. They may wear their costume all day, or bring it to change into after lunch. After the costume parade, we will have a class party. Please remember, no masks and no weapons.
Next month...
We will be walking to the library on Tuesday, November 8th, from 12:15 to 3:00.
On November 9th, we will be ice skating at the Treadwell Arena from 11:00 to 12:00. Then we'll have a picnic lunch at Sandy Beach Shelter #2. I've added "build a fire" to the volunteer sign up sheet for that day.
Office Update
Bel Liberty is our new admin assistant! Please include her anytime you email me about your learner being absent. Here is her email: rubylle.liberty@juneauschools.org
Also, this is just a reminder that all adults must check in at the office. Whether you are volunteering, dropping off stuff, or picking up your learner, please go to the office first. It is really important for everyone's safety that we know who is in the building.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess and the bus room. It looks like we could use some help with recess this week!
Fundraisers
Sees Candy - Order forms were sent home, you can also use this website: Sees Candy Fundraiser. Order forms and money are due November 15.
Fall Festival - November 19th, we need lots of helpers to get this going! Please check out the available volunteer opportunities on the sign up sheet.
October 10, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
Our walk to the whale statue was a huge success! Everyone got some good sketching done, and we saw an actual humpback whale swimming in the channel!! Even though a bit of fog on the water made the whale hard to follow, It was pretty cool.
We also wrapped up our learn to swim program on Friday. This is such a cool program, and I had so much fun getting to swim with the class and watch them improve in skill and confidence. Now, we get to look forward to our free swim on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month.
Coming Up
This is a short week! There is no school on Thursday or Friday while the staff is at in-service. There is also no school next Monday or Tuesday for conferences. If you haven't already, please sign up for a conference time here. Each slot is 20 minutes long and you can choose if you want to meet in person or over Zoom.
In math, bear will be wrapping up addition and subtraction, eagle is beginning 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication, and orca is beginning long division.
In language arts, we will finish our humpback whale research paper rough draft.
Picture retakes are on October 11th (Tuesday).
We are walking to the library on Tuesday, October 11th. We will be leaving from the school around 12:00, and returning by the end of the day. Please let me know if you would like to join us for that walk, or you can sign up on the volunteer sheet.
Office Update
Bel Liberty is our new admin assistant! Please include her anytime you email me about your learner being absent. Here is her email: rubylle.liberty@juneauschools.org
Also, this is just a reminder that all adults must check in at the office. Whether you are volunteering, dropping off stuff, or picking up your learner, please go to the office first. It is really important for everyone's safety that we know who is in the building.
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 to 1:15) to work with a small group. Recess sign ups are moving to the school wide volunteer sheet, so please make sure to check that out as well.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for recess, bus room and for volleyball concessions. Bus room and recess sign ups are in separate tabs.
Fundraisers
Sees Candy - Order forms were sent home, you can also use this website: Sees Candy Fundraiser. Order forms and money are due November 15.
Fall Festival - Please watch for a flyer coming home with more information!
Volleyball Games - JCCS will be selling concessions at the HS volleyball games. Please see the school wide volunteer sign up sheet to see the times we need help!
October 3, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
Happy October! I had so much fun swimming with the class during Learn to Swim this week. In just five days, there's been some awesome improvement in skill and confidence! I am looking forward to swimming with them again this week.
Coming Up
In math this week, we will continue working with whole numbers. Bear group is focusing on regrouping in subtraction, Eagle group has begun working on multiplication, and will work on multiplying by one-digit numbers, and Orca group will start multiplying two-digit numbers by much larger numbers.
In language arts, we will continue writing our humpback whale research paper.
This week is our second week of Learn to Swim. We will be going to the pool everyday for swim lessons from 1:15 to 1:55. We'll head over around 1:00 and return to school by about 2:30. Please remember to bring a swimsuit, towel, and any personal hygiene items (like shampoo and conditioner) you may wish to have. We will have a place to hang swimsuits to dry overnight so that swimmers can choose to leave their stuff at the school instead of bringing it back and forth each day.
Picture retakes will be on October 10th!
Since there will be no school on our regularly scheduled Library Friday, we've rescheduled our October library visit to be on Tuesday, October 11th. We'll leave the school right after lunch. I'll add this to the classroom volunteer sheet, if you're able to join, we'd love to have you come with us!
Fundraisers
Sees Candy - Order forms were sent home, you can also use this website: Sees Candy Fundraiser. Order forms and money are due November 15.
Fall Festival - An email was sent on September 21 outlining the Fall Festival and asking for helpers. More information will be emailed soon!
Volleyball Games - JCCS will be selling concessions at the HS volleyball games. Please see the school wide volunteer sign up sheet to see the times we need help!
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (this week and next week it is 12:05 - 12:50) to work with a small group.
Here is the School Wide Family Jobs sign up sheet. Right now there are volunteer slots for the bus room and for volleyball concessions. Bus room sign ups are in separate tabs.
September 26, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
Well, we got rained out of our walk to the whale statue last week. We'll be watching the weather over the next few weeks, and if it looks like it's going to be a good day for sketching, we'll try to get to the whale when we can.
Last week we had a couple circle discussions about community. We're really working hard on building a strong, supportive classroom community. Each learner was challenged to come up with ways they can help strengthen the community. One area we could all work on is being respectful and attentive during learning times. Please continue this conversation at home and help by encouraging your learner to be engaged in building a strong community (you could also ask them about "classroom toilets" if you want!).
Coming Up
In math this week, we will continue working with whole numbers. Bear group will move on to addition and subtraction, Eagle group is going to wrap up their unit on adding and subtracting larger numbers, and Orca group will continue with two digit multiplication.
In language arts, we will begin writing our humpback whale research paper.
This week we are starting Learn to Swim. We will be going to the pool everyday for the next two weeks for swim lessons from 1:15 to 1:55. We'll head over around 1:00 and return to school by about 2:30. Please remember to bring a swimsuit, towel, and any personal hygiene items (like shampoo and conditioner) you may wish to have. We will have a place to hang swimsuits to dry overnight so that swimmers can choose to leave their stuff at the school instead of bringing it back and forth each day.
Picture retakes will be on October 10th!
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (this week and next week it is 12:05 - 12:50) to work with a small group.
If you have any hobby that you'd be willing to share, I'm also looking for helpers during all school centers on Friday from 9:30 to 10:30. So far this year, we've hosted board games, legos, building blocks, perler beads, and YouTube drawing in our classroom. Let me know if you'd be willing to host an activity!
September 19, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
I really enjoy the Fridays we get to go swimming! It is such a great way to finish off a week. This week we will have an outing on Friday, and we'll walk to the whale. Next week we'll be doing our learn to swim program in the afternoons.
Coming Up
In math this week, we will continue working with whole numbers. Bear group is working on rounding whole numbers, Eagle group is working on adding and subtracting larger numbers, and Orca group has started two digit multiplication.
In language arts, we'll work on main idea and dependent clauses. We will also begin researching humpback whales for our 1 page reports.
This Friday we have been invited to attend a Simply Three concert at JDHS. The concert starts at 10:15 am, so we'll be attending that instead of All School Centers this week. After lunch on Friday, we'll be walking down to the whale statue. We will leave the school around 1:30.
Learn to Swim is starting September 26. We will go to the pool everyday for two weeks for swim lessons from 1:15 to 1:55.
Picture retakes will be on October 10th!
Volunteers
Here is the 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 - 1:15) to work with a small group.
If you have any hobby that you'd be willing to share, I'm also looking for helpers during all school centers on Friday from 9:30 to 10:30. So far this year, we've hosted board games, legos, building blocks, perler beads, and YouTube drawing in our classroom. Let me know if you'd be willing to host an activity!
September 12, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
We had an awesome walk to the library on Friday. The weather stayed nice for our walk, and we enjoyed some quality reading time.
Coming Up
Students are now working in their small groups. In math this week, we will be working with whole numbers. We'll be doing some comparison, rounding, adding, and subtracting.
In language arts, we'll work on identifying character traits and subject-verb agreement.
This Friday we are going swimming at the Augustus Brown Pool from 2:00 to 2:45. We will walk over to the pool around 1:45. We will dismiss from the pool.
Learn to Swim is starting September 26. We will go to the pool everyday for two weeks for swim lessons from 1:15 to 1:55. I will send home a letter with more information this week.
Volunteers
The 4/5 Volunteer Sign Up Sheet has been updated. There are tabs for each week from now until the end of the trimester. I am looking for a helper during math (8:50 to 9:50) and during Language Arts (12:30 - 1:15) to work with a small group.
If you have any hobby that you'd be willing to share, I'm also looking for helpers during all school centers on Friday from 9:30 to 10:30. So far this year, we've hosted board games, legos, building blocks, perler beads, and YouTube drawing in our classroom. Let me know if you'd be willing to host an activity!
Checking In Reminder!
If you come to the school for any reason, please make sure you check in at the office first. For everyone's safety, it is really important that we know what adults are in the building. Whether you're volunteering in a classroom, or checking out your student early -- please go to the office first!
September 5, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
Thank you to all the helpers we had at recess and at the pool! I had so much fun swimming on Friday! I am excited this will be a regular thing for us this year. This week, our Friday outing will be to the library.
Coming Up
Now that MAP Testing is complete, students will be divided into different groups this week in Math and in Language Arts. These groups will move through the learning rotations together. We will practice rotating through centers with our groups this week, and starting next week we will be looking for center helpers! I will update the volunteer sign up to reflect those needs.
This Friday we are walking to the Downtown Juneau Public Library. We will leave the school around 12:15, and plan on being at the library for about an hour. I'm not sure how long it'll take us to walk to the library and back, so I'm giving us a bit of extra time. If you're learner has a library card, they are welcome to check out books! Since students will need their grown up's signature to get a library card, they will not be able to do that during our library time unless you're there with us.
Checking In Reminder!
If you come to the school for any reason, please make sure you check in at the office first. For everyone's safety, it is really important that we know what adults are in the building. Whether you're volunteering in a classroom, or checking out your student early -- please go to the office first!
August 29, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
Last week was filled with lots of community building! We successfully completed a different challenge each day. It was amazing to watch this group work together, support each other, and work through some conflicts to achieve their goal.
Coming Up
We will be wrapping up MAP testing this week. We organized our data binders last week and your learners graphed their beginning scores. They'll be able to track their improvement throughout the year. We will also begin DIBELS this week, which is where I get to listen to each learner read out loud to me for one minute.
We will start moving through small groups and rotations this week, and learning what to do at the different centers. Soon, we will have small group times available on the volunteer schedule.
This Friday we are going swimming at the Augustus Brown Pool from 2:00 to 2:45. We will walk over to the pool around 1:45. My plan right now is to dismiss straight from the pool, we'll see if that works out! Thank you for your patience while we get a swimming routine figured out. Please get the swimming permission forms turned in ASAP.
In Case You Missed It (Forms)
I've posted a Volunteer Sign Up Sheet! Right now, it has recess slots and Friday outings. I'll send an email as more opportunities are added. Each tab is a new week, so please check the date and time you are signing up for!
Here is the online version of the Grown Up Homework.
Also, If you have not filled out the PG Movie permission slip yet, please do!
Here is the Contact Info Form. I had a couple families ask if we could add an "address" section to the contact form so they could know which friends are nearby. If you wish to add an address, or even a neighborhood, feel free to do so!
The Links & Forms page has been updated. All links should be working!
Checking In Reminder!
If you come to the school for any reason, please make sure you check in at the office first. For everyone's safety, it is really important that we know what adults are in the building. Whether you're volunteering in a classroom, or checking out your student early -- please go to the office first!
August 22, 2022
Hello 4th & 5th grade families,
We had an awesome first week of school and are excited to roll into week two! The fifth graders who were here last year did a great job last week leading the fourth graders and new students and showing them what 4/5 is all about. I'll be looking to them to be leaders in the classroom this year. We played some games, practiced some routines, and we finished the week off with some getting to know each other through our museum exhibits!
Please keep reading for some important information...
Coming Up
We will be doing some MAP testing this week. This is a great tool for me to see where everyone is at. It gives me a good starting point for teaching and helps me plan small group work. We'll also do another round of MAP testing later on in the year, and learners get to track their progress and see how much they've improved!
Checking In
If you come to the school for any reason, please make sure you check in at the office first. It is really important that adults sign in at the office. Whether you're volunteering in a classroom, or checking out your student early -- please go to the office first!
Friday Outings
We will be going to the Augustus Brown swimming pool on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month (through February). As of right now, we're planning on going to the Juneau Public Library on the 2nd Friday of each month. That means our first pool day will be September 2, and our first library visit will be September 9.
A permission form went home on Friday for swimming - I have extras in the classroom, so if it didn't make it all the way home, don't worry! I'll send another one.
Grown Up Homework
Some homework was sent home this week for the grown ups to complete! Please take a few minutes to complete this as it is super great information for me. There is an online version (available here) and a paper version, feel free to complete whichever version is best for you. Let me know if you need another copy of the paper version.
Movie Permission Slip
Throughout the year, we may have the chance to watch a movie in class. Please take a second to fill out the PG Movie permission slip.
Contact Form
If you would like to leave your contact information for other 4/5 families to be able to connect with you, please add it to this document.
Don't forget, Open House is on Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30. I look forward to seeing you there!
August 12, 2022
Can you believe the first day of school is almost here? I cannot wait to get to see some of you again and meet some of you for the first time! I am looking forward to spending a wonderful school year together. School starts on Tuesday, August 16th. I will meet you in the commons at 8:25 and we'll walk down to the classroom together.
After stopping by the classroom, we will gather all together on the turf field for our JCCS Opening Ceremony from 9:00 to 9:30. All are invited to attend. Please remember to bring a flower to add to our class bouquet during the ceremony.
During the first week of school we will be getting to know each other and the classroom. We'll be establishing our classroom cornerstones, which are four values we select as a class. These cornerstones lay the foundation for our classroom community and we will continue to build off of them for the entire year.
For one getting to know you activity, I'm inviting the fourth and fifth graders to bring in 3-5 small items from home (should be able to fit in their locker) to share with the class on Friday. We'll go over more details in class, but these 3-5 items should represent the learner in some way. Please do not send the items in for the first day of school!
I will also be sending home some homework for the grown ups to complete! There is an online version (available here) and a paper version that I'll send home on Tuesday. Feel free to complete whichever version is best for you. I really appreciate you taking the time to fill it out.
Lastly, please remember to pack a snack for snack time. Any classroom snack donations would be greatly appreciated!
You can check the Class Wishlist section below for the rest of the supply list.
I am really looking forward to seeing you all next Tuesday! Have a great weekend!
Love,
Sam