Monday Message

Hi Parents,

Any good language arts program has the kids reading, writing, speaking and listening. Those are the four components of communication.

Last week the kids worked on their oral reading fluency and presented plays to the class. They got experience standing in front of an audience and performing.

The students worked on projecting their voices, reading with intonation and punctuation, as well as proper pacing.

Some students really know how to perform! I think we have some stars in the 4th Grade.

Take a look at the pictures to the left. These kids are ready for the big stage!

Hi Parents,

This week we have DoDEA standardized testing. The testing runs Monday through Friday and all tests start right after arrival. Each session lasts 60 minutes, but on Thursday it is 90 minutes.

We have a late lunch at 12:05, so make sure you send a snack with your child daily.

If your child arrives late, then he or she will have to sit out and make up the test the following week. Please make sure everyone arrives on time.

The test results will arrive around mid-May. We have all worked as hard as we could, but given the situation everyone is a bit behind and we expect scores to reflect this. This is okay.

Encourage your child to do his or her best. We will do the same!

Hi Parents,

During April we have been celebrating the "Month of the Military Child". Every Friday the PTSA has done something special for the kids. Last Friday they hired a DJ on the playground. It was a dance party!

Here are what some kids say about being a military child:

• Addison - Being a military child is awesome, exciting, cool, and strong.

• Lily - It is good because your family takes care of you.

• Jaydin - Sometimes depressing because your parents get deployed .

• Noah - It's amazing because I get to go to the best schools .

• Dresdan - It's fun because we get to go from place to place.

• Abigail - It's wonderful amazing and cool.

• Felix - It's very fun, but you need to move a lot.

Hi Parents,

The kids have been outside all week working on their kinetic energy marble runs. They were able to test, measure, and modify their devices while trying to maximize the distance they could get their marbles to roll.

So much of science is about exploration. What happens if I do this ? How does this affect that? What variables can we change? What forces impact our results? The only way these questions can be answered is through experimentation. You have to try it!

You should have heard the kids talking. They were really thinking things through.

We will continue to work on kinetic energy this week.

Hi Parents,

Before break students were working on marble runs in science. They are gauging the speed and distance of the marble ramps they designed.

The current unit is about energy and force. Students are learning about kinetic and potential energy. We incorporate math as the students learn measuring both in customary and metric units.

We will send more pictures next week so you can see the final results. The kids are on a roll!

Hi Parents,

Well the kids have been getting dressed up a lot this year. Why not? It's fun!

Last week they dressed up as their favorite book characters. We had Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, a few Dr. Seuss characters. Someone from Star Wars and a bunch of others.

You might remember that last year we had the Reading Counts program. Students read books and then took quizzes to earn points. That all was discontinued this year.

In place of that kids are doing book reviews. Ms. Mac has directions on her Google Classroom page regarding that.

The important thing is that your child continues to read nightly. Build the habit now.

Try to find a series to get hooked on. Once a child likes one book they are often eager to find more of the same kind.

We have found over the years that the number one determinate in getting your child to read is to have a reading lamp next to his or her bed.

Send your child to bed early. They won't mind at all. Tell them they can stay up a few minutes late if they are reading. It works!

Hi Parents,

After "Remote Learning" we did a sweep through the 4th Grade to see who was on target. Only 24 students scored above 80%. More than half of all 4th grade students are behind. What can you as a parent do? Here are three things successful parents do:

1) Practice the Friday Quiz with your child nightly. Nothing is more powerful than one-on-one contact with an adult. Watch your child work and use the parent key to check.

2) Discuss errors with your child. Review the corrected Friday Quizzes we send home on Tuesdays and analyze errors. There is evidence on the paper of mistaken thinking.

3) Have high expectations. Everything we do is made for 4th graders. It is all designed for this age group. This test was where students should be now, and everyone can get there. It may take effort, but it can be done. Expect it. Your child can do it.

Hi parents,

What a great week to come back to school. The kids were out there daily with their friends soaking up the sun and getting that needed vitamin D.

When the weather is good we get the kids out as much as possible. We run in the morning. We take recess after lunch, and we run again in the afternoon. We also sneaked out on the playground for some bonus time in the afternoon when nobody was looking.

I am sure you have heard by now of the mental affects of the lock-down, especially on children and teens. They need that social interaction for normal development. We are keenly aware of this.

In past years students would work together in cooperative groups and do team projects. This year everyone is working more on their own. There is less collaboration.

So, we will continue to get the kids out and together when we can. Let's keep our fingers crossed for more sunny days.

Hi Parents,

What are the kids doing in science? Well, last week they were just hanging around. Mr. Swiger brought in some powerful magnets and some electrical circuits. The kids explored the connection between magnetism and electricity.

The kids have worked with magnetic poles. They used iron filings to investigate magnetic fields. They have learned how the Earth is a giant magnet and how it can be detected with a compass.

In regards to electricity the students have seen how an electric current can affect a compass and how electricity can be made by spinning a magnet. They have also looked at electromagnets and how magnets are used in motors and turbines.

We talked about all of this during remote learning, but getting back in the classroom and seeing it first hand provides much better understanding.

There is more science coming up this week. Stay tuned!

-Mr. Swiger, Mr. Mercen & Ms. Mac

Hi Parents,

What target are we trying to hit? Well, the big target is to get these kids ready for 5th Grade. We do this by hitting smaller targets.

The weekly quizzes are the smaller targets, and we do our best to make those visible and attainable. Some kids get 100% every week, and some don't. What's the difference?

Well, there is no surprise. Some kids practice nightly. They watch in class. They watch the videos. They ask questions when confused. It all takes a little effort. However, with a little effort everyone can score a bullseye. This work is made for kids of this age.

Let's remind kids that effort matters, and it takes time. Hard work pays off because the more you do, the easier it becomes. Right? Let's see who can hit the target this week.

Hey Kids,

Let's keep working on becoming more fluent with our numbers.

The first quarter you mastered your multiplication facts.

The second quarter you worked on your division facts.

This quarter we work on fraction fluency. We have been learning this during our Live Meet.

There is a slide show to explain each portion of the test. You will remember a lot of this from class. Take a look!

Add Fractions

Subtract Fractions

Multiply Fractions

Mixed Numbers

Practice makes perfect.

You can do this!

Hey Kids,

In science you have been talking a lot about magnets and electricity.

You have learned that magnets are used to create electricity, but did you know that electricity can be used to create magnets?

This week in science you will be learning about electromagnets.

With your parents help, you could make your own electromagnet, but be careful. If you use the wrong type of battery you could get a shock, or burn yourself. Ask your parents to help you.

Take a look around your house. You will surprised how many devices have electromagnets in them. More to come soon.

Hey Kids,

This is Spirit Week!

We've got a great school. Let's celebrate it!

Take a look at the schedule on the left.

Monday: What will you dress up as? We know what we'll be!

Tuesday: Get dressed up all fancy like.

Wednesday: Bring your dog to school... or your hamster.

Thursday: Where is your Landstuhl hoodie?

Friday: Anything red! Anything.

Let's have some fun.

See you daily at 8:00 or earlier. We are usually online at 7:45

Hey Parents,

You are doing an excellent job. We see all of your hard work and we understand the challenges. You are doing the right things for sure! Here is what we see:

1. You set up a structured time & place to get work done.

2. You are following up on assignments and checking grades.

3. You are staying in close contact and asking us good questions.

4. You are encouraging your child to do his or her best.

We all know that this is not as good as attending school in person. However, we know that with your help your child is moving forward. Keep it up!! You are doing an outstanding job.

Hi Parents,

Today is the start of the third quarter.

Last week we made report cards. They will be sent home electronically on Wednesday.

Your child can still get an A+ in math! When we go back to the classroom we will give your child a chance to take the Semester Target Test in person with paper and pencil. If your child can score an "A" on that test, then we will go back and adjust his or her second quarter grade.

Let's keep working these kids. Don't let your child fall behind. Remote learning does not have the same impact as in-person learning. It will take effort and time to stay on track.

Remember: Students should spend about three hours a day on classwork.

Hey Kids,

You have a science activity this week! You have to complete it at home.

How many different kinds of light-bulbs do you have in your house? Why don't you go find out.

Go to Mr. Swiger's Google Science Classroom. It shows you exactly what to do.

You are bright as a light-bulb. Really!

Make it just like the picture...

https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do

1) Choose Country: United States

2) Choose State: DoDEA

3) Choose District: Europe East

4) Choose School: Landstuhl

5) Click "Remember my school"

6) From the second page of your agenda enter your user name and password.

7) Use the first 5 letters of your name to create your new password.

8) Then, click on "Things to Do"

We have a live meeting daily from 8:00 - 8:30. Everyone must be there. We explain things. We make it Simple!

Live Meet Link for daily meetings from 8:00 - 8:30

Need more help? Email us. We will make an appointment with you for live help between 8:30-10:00.

Mr. Mercen's Office

Mr. Swiger's Office

Ms. Mac's Office

Hi Parents,

Winter break is right around the corner. What will you do for two weeks? How about sitting in front of a roaring fire in your pajamas? That's what the kids did on Friday. It was great! Take a look.

This coming Friday we will have a holiday movie afternoon. Each class will show a G-Rated film, such as the Muppets Christmas Carol or something similar.

Students may bring in movie munchies. They can bring snacks to share, but they must be pre-packaged and not homemade. For example, individual packages of chips, Twinkies, and juice boxes are acceptable.

We hope you have a wonderful break and a happy new year!

Hi Parents,

We finally got a new playground... and the kids love it! They placed it right behind our building. Check out the pics from a frosty day last week. To the kids it was like opening up a Christmas present. They were thrilled.

Later this year they will begin to tear down the former kindergarten building and then remove the lower playground. The new school will be built there at a cost of $65 million. It will be fantastic. Your children will be in high school by the time it is complete as they predict it will take five to six years.

One wing of the red brick building will be torn down also. The last to go will be the middle school building and our building. Things will get interesting along the way. Someday some kids will have a very nice 21st century school. Good things are coming!

Hi Parents,

In social studies the kids have been working on map skills. Each child made his or her own map with a compass rose, key, and legend.

Students had to include various land-forms such as rivers, peninsulas, mountains, valleys, bays, and others. Some kids got quite creative!

Take a look at the photo gallery to the right. We could not post them all, but you'll get a good idea. They are all hanging in our hallway right now, but we will send them home in a few weeks.

Hi Parents,

For Veterans' Day the kids made slides of someone who was in the military. We learned a lot! The kids in 4th grade have been all around the world. Some have many generations who have served in the military from many different branches.

The students were very proud of their slides. They are now all hanging in the hallway outside our rooms. Often we see the kids reading and re-reading their poster and telling other's about what they learned. It was a good experience for them.

We, as teachers, also learned a lot. We see how hard everyone is working, and yet somehow you all find time for your children. Nothing has more educational impact than parent participation. Super job parents!

Hi Parents,

In 4th Grade you will often see math problems that ask the children to draw "tape diagrams". I am sure this is new to you.

With the Common Core math students are asked to make visual representations of the problems. Tape diagrams are a great way to do this. The problems are rather simple, but students will have a hard time drawing out the concepts. We will continue to work on this.

​In the earlier grades students used objects, called manipulatives, to solve problems. As the problems become more complex, using manipulatives is no longer possible. Drawing tape diagrams helps bridge that gap from the concrete to the abstract. It allows children to visualize the concepts.

​Below are some examples of word problems and how the tape diagrams should look. With practice students begin to visualize the problems. This leads to much better understanding.

Hi Parents,

To the right are directions to sign up for Gradespeed. Click in the upper right hand corner to see the full document.

Every week we enter your child's scores into Gradespeed. This program computes your child's grade based on a percentage of possible points. For example if by the end of the quarter your child has earned 400 of 500 possible points in a subject, he or she will have scored an 80%, or a B-.

At the start of a quarter the grades fluctuate widely as there are not many assignments yet. As more assignments are scored the grade becomes more accurate. We suggest you do not sign up for grade alerts. We will let you know if your child is struggling and then make a plan with you.

Hi Parents,

Who does your child play with on the playground?

As teachers we are always watching this. We want to make sure everyone is included and that everyone is having a good time. Friendships change quickly in 4th grade, but the nice thing is that almost everyone gets along with everyone!

At recess time the counselor and the principal monitor the situation. Students have time daily to talk with both of them. These adults are there to sort out the minor conflicts that naturally arise when sixty kids are running around chasing each other.

As the weather turns colder, please make sure your child is dressed correctly ready for the weather of the day. Our goal is to get the kids outside as much as possible. Nothing is better for them than to get regular daily exercise.

This week we had some special visitors on the playground! Take a look at the photo gallery to the left. Not everyone wanted their picture taken... and some wanted it taken more than once!

-Mr. Swiger
-Ms. Mac
-Mr. Mercen

Dear Parents,

As Veterans Day approaches, we have an additional homework project for the students called "Hall of Heroes". Each child in the 4th grade will be making a single Power Point or Google slide about someone who has served our country in the military. This project is due November 10th.

"Hall of Heroes" Homework Requirements:

1) Choose anyone who has ever served in the military. It could be a family member, a neighbor, or even someone from history.

2) Interview or research that person. Find out where they have served, when they served, what they did, who they met, what they saw, etc. Get the details. Ask for a good story.

3) Create a single PowerPoint or Google slide. Include pictures, maps, timelines, and any other information that helps explain the military experience.

4) E-mail your single PowerPoint or Google slide to your teacher. He or she will print it out in color and hang it in the 4th grade hallway.

​​So, have your child start thinking about who he or she might like to focus on for this project. Remember, it is just a single slide. No stress. It is simple!

We have explained this to the students. Let us know if you have questions. Due 11/10

This week, we took a skill used in language arts, compare/contrast, and used it in science. I asked the students to spend 10 minutes observing their fish. Then, I asked them to concentrate their art on showing me how the fish are the same; except for, accentuating one difference they could use to tell them apart. Then, once they could be told apart, they were allowed to name them. For the kids, this was fun and exciting. For me, I know this is going to aid them in being able to do further observations and make hypotheses. By identifying the fish, their data will be more accurate. Most importantly, their science will be easy for their peers to reproduce. - Mr. Swiger

Thank you for signing your child's agenda every Sunday night. The agenda is an important tool for parent / teacher communication.

In the agenda we like to write comments, both positive and corrective. We, as adults, can shape a child's behavior by the comments we make. You can define your child. Tell children how polite they are, and they become polite! Tell them that they are hard workers, and they become hard workers! They live up to our expectations.

When you see the comments, you can tell who wrote them by the color of the pen. Mr. Mercen always writes in green. Mr. Swiger writes in red, and Ms. Mac writes in purple.

Our goal is to write more positive things than corrective. In some cases all comments are positive. If there is a serious issue in class we would contact you by phone or email.

Please go over agenda comments with your child. What we as adults say to children determines how they view themselves and who they become. We have a big influence!

Hi Parents,

Your child can get an A+ in math this quarter no matter what his or her grade is now. To the left is the First Quarter Target Quiz. It will be given on October 21st. All students should be able to do these problems at this point in the year. The problems come directly from previous Friday Quizzes. The students have seen these exact problems before.

No matter what your child's current grade is now, he or she can still get an A+ this quarter. If the score on this test is higher than the current average grade, then this score becomes the new score. It is a chance to fix everything!

Start practicing now. There are videos for each section. Answers can be found on previous parent keys. Let's get these kids on target!

Hi Parents,

This year we have "Art on a Cart". The art teacher comes into the classroom rather than the students going to her. We also have Music on a cart, and Host Nation on a cart. For Physical Education the students go outside.

What have the students been doing? Well, in art they made a mural, then made masks, then made pop art. Check out the pictures to the right. In music they have been working on rhythm and keeping beats. In host nation they learned German words from menus. In PE they have been moving around playing games, but keeping their distance.

So, rest assured the children are getting their full education, but it is just happening in a different location.

This coming week Mr. Mercen's class has PE, Mr. Swiger's class has Music, and Ms. Mac's class has Art. Good times!

Each student will read four books per quarter.

Books must be first approved by Ms. Mac

Students will read a mix of fiction, non-fiction, and biographies.

As students finish a book, they will fill out a Google book report form.

About every two weeks students should finish one book.

Students can click the image to the left to get to the forms on Google Classrooms. (must be logged into school G-Mail)

Hi Parents,

To the left is a gallery of photos from the first day. It was fantastic. All the kids came and left happy. We are enjoying getting to know them.

In the first week we worked on reinforcing safety precautions. We talked about the need to keep your mask on when you are within six feet of other people. The school rule is that "when your feet are moving, your mask is on".

We understand the need to keep the kids active. We have two running breaks built into the schedule along with recess time. Kids need movement!

We are super happy with how things are going. We are proud of the kids!

Think Central is great!

It gives immediate feedback and let's students know right away if they are right or wrong.

When students log in they can see all assignments for the week.

There are usually about ten problems per day.

If you don't understand, you can get step-by-step help.

Students can also access the same textbook we use in class.

We will teach your child how to do this in class.

Open house this year will be virtual.

We will answer your questions and let you know how the first day went.

Send all general questions to Mr. Mercen by 3:30 on Monday 8/24. Many questions will be similar, so we will group them together.

If you have a specific private question regarding your child, please contact your child's teacher. We cannot discuss individual students on a public forum.

Mr. Mercen: david.mercen@student.dodea.edu

Ms. Mac: jennifer.mcphailhastings@student.dodea.edu

Mr. Swiger: steven.swiger@student.dodea.edu

Lunch! Everyone's favorite!!

1) Students will wash their hands before entering the cafeteria.

2) Students will distance in line and have on their masks.

3) Students will get their lunch and go to their seat (as shown by the red papers in the picture).

4) No masks required while eating.

5) Students will wash hands and go to outside recess to play on equipment. No balls, hoops, or playthings will be available. No masks.

6) Students will wash their hands upon entering the class.

1) Students must wear face masks and distance themselves at the bus-stop.

2) On the bus students may sit with siblings. Everyone must wear masks.

3) Students will line up by class and enter through specific doors.

4) Students will have individual lockers (no locks)

5) Students will wash hands before entering the classroom.

6) When seated six feet apart students may remove masks.

7) While in the hallway "Masks on while feet are moving"

Every student needs a water bottle every day.

Students may not use the water fountains.

We have a filling station attached to the fountain.

At the end of the day all students will take home their bottles.

Clean and fill them nightly!

Please label your bottle!