Dear Parents,
A few updates:
1) I am extending the deadline for TimeForKids magazine donations until Wednesday, September 19th. I have $5.50 from about half of the class. Remember that you do not have to participate, but if you choose to your child will receive a weekly magazine to keep and take home (after we have used it in class), and a monthly Around the World issue. If you do not participate your child will still be included in all learning opportunities. I will order after Wednesday.
2) I am extending the deadline for scholastic orders until Wednesday, September 19th as well. You can order at scholastic.com and use the code: GX927 and I will receive points to order books for the classroom! I huge portion of the books in my library have been ordered for FREE by me using scholastic teacher points. If you would like to turn in a paper copy of the order with a check to Scholastic, or cash I will be happy to put those orders in. Again, this is completely optional.
3) Update on field trips. The school is going to go back to the system of charging for each field trip individually. Every student will go on each field trip regardless of their ability to pay. If you have already given me a field trip check for $65, or would like to pay $65 up front that is fine as well. I will turn in the money to the office and you will just have to sign the field trip slips when they come, and will not have to send any money. Please do whatever works best for you. If there is any money left in the 4th grade field trip fund at the end of the year it will become 5th grade field trip money for next year.
4) Thank you for all of the wonderful extra supplies you have sent my way! They will be put to good use!! I appreciate your generosity. I will leave a wish list outside of my room as items come up, but I am thinking there may be a place for a list on the website as soon as I get all of that figured out!
5) When you receive the Tuesday folders please sign all graded work and return it in the Tuesday folders so I can keep a folder of graded work for each student. This will help me to have a reference to pull from when we have a conference, and to pull items from for their portfolios.
It has been a wonderful start to the year!!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Zirczy
Monday, September 17, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
Spelling Words and Millions Day!
Dear Parents,
What an exciting week it has been! I am so proud of the student's hard work and the way they are already working together as a team! This is going to be a wonderful year! I am including this week's spelling words because this will be a four day week. Normally the spelling words will only be on the student's homework packet that they bring home on Mondays.We will have a spelling test this Friday.
I am also including some pictures from "Millions Day" which we had on Friday. We spent several days making thousands cubes and "super flats" that were equal to 100,00 cubes a piece. On Friday the classes combined all of their "super flats" in the hallway and made a representation of a million. You can see it in the fourth grade rotunda. We also calculated how long it would take to tap a pencil one million times, and read the wonderful book, How Much is a Million? It was a fun-filled day and the students showed a great deal of enthusiasm for these activities. Enjoy the pictures!
James making fortune tellers! He showed the class how to make one for math!
What an exciting week it has been! I am so proud of the student's hard work and the way they are already working together as a team! This is going to be a wonderful year! I am including this week's spelling words because this will be a four day week. Normally the spelling words will only be on the student's homework packet that they bring home on Mondays.We will have a spelling test this Friday.
I am also including some pictures from "Millions Day" which we had on Friday. We spent several days making thousands cubes and "super flats" that were equal to 100,00 cubes a piece. On Friday the classes combined all of their "super flats" in the hallway and made a representation of a million. You can see it in the fourth grade rotunda. We also calculated how long it would take to tap a pencil one million times, and read the wonderful book, How Much is a Million? It was a fun-filled day and the students showed a great deal of enthusiasm for these activities. Enjoy the pictures!
Spelling Words:
admire, magnet, contest, method, custom, rally, soccer, engine, sudden, finger, accident, mitten, intend, fabric, flatten, rascal, gutter, mammal, happen, cannon
Challenge Words:
dungeon, magnify, festival, thunderstorm, injury
Master Cube Makers!
Transporting the "super flat" to the hallway
A challenging task.
Super Flat number two!
Almost there!
Victory!!
Excited!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Schedule and Reading Log
Parents,
I am including our daily schedule and the instructions for the daily reading log that students will be using for their reading homework. The reading log has been passed out and discussed in class, and all items on the reading log will be practiced as a group in class before the coordinating item is due. For the reading log students may read any book of their choice for 30 minutes and then do the activity that corresponds with the type of book they are reading and the day of the week. Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations for the reading log.
Thank you for your continued support!
Rebecca Zirczy
Mrs. Zirczy’s Daily PYP Schedule 2012 - 2013
8:00 – 8:15 Announcements
8:15 – 8:30 Morning Work
8:15 – 9:45 Reading/Writing/Language Arts
9:45 – 10:35 Ancillary
10:35 – 10:50 Restroom Break and Snack Time
10:55 – 12:15 Math
12:32 – 1:03 Lunch
1:03 – 1:33* Recess/ Restroom Break
1:33 – 2:50 Science and Social Studies
2:50 – 3:00 Pack Up
3:00 – 3:10 Class Meeting
3:10 – 3:15 Dismissal
*Recess will be from 11:55 – 12:25 for the first few weeks of school*
• LDC will be from 8:00 – 9:00 on designated weeks
• Mrs. Blakeslee’s students will be in her classroom on Thursday from 1:30 – 12:30 and 1:30 – 2:55
Reading Log
Monday: Fiction: Make a character web about any character in your book. Put the name of the character in a circle in the middle of the page. Write at least 6 things about the character in circles coming away from the middle circle. This should be done in complete sentences.
Non-fiction: Make a fact web about the subject of your book. Write the subject of your book in a circle in the middle of the page. Write four facts you learned about the subject in circles coming away from the middle circle. This should be done in complete sentences.
Tuesday: Fiction: Compare and Contrast. Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting two characters in your book. If there is only one main character use one character from a different book you have read. You can always compare and contrast a character with yourself!
Non-fiction: Compare and Contrast. Compare and contrast two different items discussed in your book using a Venn diagram. (For example: If your book is about dogs, create a diagram comparing and contrasting two different types of dogs.)
Wednesday: Fiction: Create a Cause/Effect Chart about events that have taken place in your book. There should be at least 3 causes and 3 effects. Every action causes something else (effect) to happen. ____happened because of _____/or ____caused_____ to happen.
Non-fiction: Describe why you are interested in this topic and what you have learned from your text so far. You should write at least six complete sentences.
Thursday: Fiction/Non-Fiction: Give a brief summary of the text that you are reading. If you have not finished your book just give a summary of what you have read so far. You should write at least six complete sentences. Write about information from the beginning/middle/end of the text.
I am including our daily schedule and the instructions for the daily reading log that students will be using for their reading homework. The reading log has been passed out and discussed in class, and all items on the reading log will be practiced as a group in class before the coordinating item is due. For the reading log students may read any book of their choice for 30 minutes and then do the activity that corresponds with the type of book they are reading and the day of the week. Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations for the reading log.
Thank you for your continued support!
Rebecca Zirczy
Mrs. Zirczy’s Daily PYP Schedule 2012 - 2013
8:00 – 8:15 Announcements
8:15 – 8:30 Morning Work
8:15 – 9:45 Reading/Writing/Language Arts
9:45 – 10:35 Ancillary
10:35 – 10:50 Restroom Break and Snack Time
10:55 – 12:15 Math
12:32 – 1:03 Lunch
1:03 – 1:33* Recess/ Restroom Break
1:33 – 2:50 Science and Social Studies
2:50 – 3:00 Pack Up
3:00 – 3:10 Class Meeting
3:10 – 3:15 Dismissal
*Recess will be from 11:55 – 12:25 for the first few weeks of school*
• LDC will be from 8:00 – 9:00 on designated weeks
• Mrs. Blakeslee’s students will be in her classroom on Thursday from 1:30 – 12:30 and 1:30 – 2:55
Reading Log
Monday: Fiction: Make a character web about any character in your book. Put the name of the character in a circle in the middle of the page. Write at least 6 things about the character in circles coming away from the middle circle. This should be done in complete sentences.
Non-fiction: Make a fact web about the subject of your book. Write the subject of your book in a circle in the middle of the page. Write four facts you learned about the subject in circles coming away from the middle circle. This should be done in complete sentences.
Tuesday: Fiction: Compare and Contrast. Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting two characters in your book. If there is only one main character use one character from a different book you have read. You can always compare and contrast a character with yourself!
Non-fiction: Compare and Contrast. Compare and contrast two different items discussed in your book using a Venn diagram. (For example: If your book is about dogs, create a diagram comparing and contrasting two different types of dogs.)
Wednesday: Fiction: Create a Cause/Effect Chart about events that have taken place in your book. There should be at least 3 causes and 3 effects. Every action causes something else (effect) to happen. ____happened because of _____/or ____caused_____ to happen.
Non-fiction: Describe why you are interested in this topic and what you have learned from your text so far. You should write at least six complete sentences.
Thursday: Fiction/Non-Fiction: Give a brief summary of the text that you are reading. If you have not finished your book just give a summary of what you have read so far. You should write at least six complete sentences. Write about information from the beginning/middle/end of the text.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
First Week Fun
A few pictures from the first few days of school!
Committed Learners
Working Hard!
Creating Table Mascots
Day One: The Question Web
Welcome Back to School!
Dear Parents,
We have had a wonderful week so far! The students are enthusiastic and already working hard. I am very impressed with the cooperation and respect they have been emulating each day. We have been doing lots of activities to get to know each other as well as starting our first novel and working on some problem solving strategies. Next week will bring the first week of homework, spelling words, and conduct charts! Even though next week is a short week we have a lot going on with Open House on Thursday, September 6th. I believe that the 4th grade portion begins at 7:00, but there will be more information coming soon.
Thank you for all of the smiles, support, and extra supplies that you have provided this first week of school. I have really enjoyed getting to know your children. I am looking forward to a wonderful year. Here are few important upcoming dates:
We have had a wonderful week so far! The students are enthusiastic and already working hard. I am very impressed with the cooperation and respect they have been emulating each day. We have been doing lots of activities to get to know each other as well as starting our first novel and working on some problem solving strategies. Next week will bring the first week of homework, spelling words, and conduct charts! Even though next week is a short week we have a lot going on with Open House on Thursday, September 6th. I believe that the 4th grade portion begins at 7:00, but there will be more information coming soon.
Thank you for all of the smiles, support, and extra supplies that you have provided this first week of school. I have really enjoyed getting to know your children. I am looking forward to a wonderful year. Here are few important upcoming dates:
- Monday, September 3rd: Labor Day - School Holiday
- Thursday, September 6th: Open House
- Wednesday, September 12th: PTO Meeting, 6:30
- Monday, September 17th: Fall Holiday - School Holiday
- Monday, September 24th: International Pot Luck, 5:30
- Monday, October 1st: First Day of LDC
- Wednesday, October 3rd: PTO Meeting, 6:00 - All Parents Meeting, 6:30
- Saturday, October 13th: Mark Twain Night with the Aeros
- Saturday, October 20th: Spooky Spaghetti
- Monday, October 22nd: Square One Art Fundraiser Begins
- Monday, October 29th: Math Night, 5:30 - 7:30
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Welcome November!
Dear Parents,
October has flown by and we are already headed toward Thanksgiving! Our November calendar is already filled with field trips and fun activities. Here are some important upcoming dates:
November 4th: Mr. Leech will be coming to show us some props and give us an overview of The Barber of Seville at 8:10 in the cafeteria.
November 4th: Dad's Camp out
November 8th: Field Trip to see the Opera, The Barber of Seville - Students should dress to impress!
November 9th: Early Dismissal - The students will be rehearsing for Annie from 8:30 - 10:00. I will be available for parent conferences this day starting at 1:00.
November 10th: Field Trip to the MFA Sculpture Garden and Glassell 10:30 am - 2:30 pm We will eat lunch at the site, so please send a lunch with your child. If you would like to attend this field trip please let me know. I need at least 2 parents to come with us, but more are welcome!
November 14th- The Mark Twain Book Fair Begins
November 15th - We will have a school wide Story Book Character Parade. Please encourage your students to dress as their favorite story book character. They may make posters or signs as well. We will be parading around the school at 9am that day. They may want to bring a change of clothes for the rest of the day so that they will be more comfortable.
November 16th: Student Led Conferences: This is an opportunity for students to share with you their goals, their portfolios, and other work that they have completed in class. You can come at 3:00pm. 3:30pm, or 4:00pm. Conferences usually last between 20 and 30 minutes. If you cannot come on this day, or at one of these times please e-mail me or send me a note and we can work out another time for you to conference with your child.
November 19th: Twain Soccer Tournament 1-5pm
November 23rd - 25th: Thanksgiving Holiday
Please put on your calendars the 4th Grade Holiday Musical: Annie! It will be on December 8th! I am a little bit excited :)
The Square One Art Fundraiser went home today. The student's really created some beautiful artwork! The stickers are for the students to keep. You can send orders to me and I will turn them in for you.
We will be doing some longer assessments in the next few weeks. We will take a reading, math, and writing test. I will use the information from these assessments to highlight areas in which we need to focus on in order to prepare for the upcoming STAAR tests.
We are working on our matter unit in science. We are doing lots of fun experiments and using lots of scientific vocabulary. Please ask your children about the experiments and what conclusions they drew from these activities.
In math we are working on fractions. We are currently focusing on equivalent fractions and adding and subtracting fractions. This is a big concept for fourth grade, but so far the children are doing a wonderful job! We are also working on probability as it goes hand in hand with fractions.
In social studies we continue to work on map skills and are learning so much about different areas of the world. We have also started getting our Time For Kids magazines. The students are really enjoying reading about current events and learning about life in various areas of the world.
We are finishing up "Small Steps" this week. I am so excited that the students have shown so much interest in this book! They beg me to read it each day. We will be going to LDC starting next week and reading "Call it Courage". It is a wonderful adventure tale about a young boy who lives on an island, but is afraid of the sea. I anticipate the children really enjoying this novel as well. As we read our novels we continue to work on reading skills, editing, and of course our writing!
Scarlet! We have received the bearded dragon, Scarlet for the next 9 weeks! The students love her and she seems to be enjoying the classroom as well. They are eager to pet and hold her but we are moving slowly so that she has time to get used to us. There is a sign up sheet outside the door if you would like to sign up to bring Scarlet food for the week. She eats collar greens, mustard greens, blueberries, carrots, mangoes, and super worms. Other fruits are welcome as well. Someone told me bearded dragons also like zuchini! (Thanks Noah!) If you would like to send food and are unable to stop by the room please feel free to e-mail me and I will let you know what to bring and which weeks I still need help.
Thank you for all of your continued support! The students are working together very well and it is really starting to feel like home.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Zirczy
October has flown by and we are already headed toward Thanksgiving! Our November calendar is already filled with field trips and fun activities. Here are some important upcoming dates:
November 4th: Mr. Leech will be coming to show us some props and give us an overview of The Barber of Seville at 8:10 in the cafeteria.
November 4th: Dad's Camp out
November 8th: Field Trip to see the Opera, The Barber of Seville - Students should dress to impress!
November 9th: Early Dismissal - The students will be rehearsing for Annie from 8:30 - 10:00. I will be available for parent conferences this day starting at 1:00.
November 10th: Field Trip to the MFA Sculpture Garden and Glassell 10:30 am - 2:30 pm We will eat lunch at the site, so please send a lunch with your child. If you would like to attend this field trip please let me know. I need at least 2 parents to come with us, but more are welcome!
November 14th- The Mark Twain Book Fair Begins
November 15th - We will have a school wide Story Book Character Parade. Please encourage your students to dress as their favorite story book character. They may make posters or signs as well. We will be parading around the school at 9am that day. They may want to bring a change of clothes for the rest of the day so that they will be more comfortable.
November 16th: Student Led Conferences: This is an opportunity for students to share with you their goals, their portfolios, and other work that they have completed in class. You can come at 3:00pm. 3:30pm, or 4:00pm. Conferences usually last between 20 and 30 minutes. If you cannot come on this day, or at one of these times please e-mail me or send me a note and we can work out another time for you to conference with your child.
November 19th: Twain Soccer Tournament 1-5pm
November 23rd - 25th: Thanksgiving Holiday
Please put on your calendars the 4th Grade Holiday Musical: Annie! It will be on December 8th! I am a little bit excited :)
The Square One Art Fundraiser went home today. The student's really created some beautiful artwork! The stickers are for the students to keep. You can send orders to me and I will turn them in for you.
We will be doing some longer assessments in the next few weeks. We will take a reading, math, and writing test. I will use the information from these assessments to highlight areas in which we need to focus on in order to prepare for the upcoming STAAR tests.
We are working on our matter unit in science. We are doing lots of fun experiments and using lots of scientific vocabulary. Please ask your children about the experiments and what conclusions they drew from these activities.
In math we are working on fractions. We are currently focusing on equivalent fractions and adding and subtracting fractions. This is a big concept for fourth grade, but so far the children are doing a wonderful job! We are also working on probability as it goes hand in hand with fractions.
In social studies we continue to work on map skills and are learning so much about different areas of the world. We have also started getting our Time For Kids magazines. The students are really enjoying reading about current events and learning about life in various areas of the world.
We are finishing up "Small Steps" this week. I am so excited that the students have shown so much interest in this book! They beg me to read it each day. We will be going to LDC starting next week and reading "Call it Courage". It is a wonderful adventure tale about a young boy who lives on an island, but is afraid of the sea. I anticipate the children really enjoying this novel as well. As we read our novels we continue to work on reading skills, editing, and of course our writing!
Scarlet! We have received the bearded dragon, Scarlet for the next 9 weeks! The students love her and she seems to be enjoying the classroom as well. They are eager to pet and hold her but we are moving slowly so that she has time to get used to us. There is a sign up sheet outside the door if you would like to sign up to bring Scarlet food for the week. She eats collar greens, mustard greens, blueberries, carrots, mangoes, and super worms. Other fruits are welcome as well. Someone told me bearded dragons also like zuchini! (Thanks Noah!) If you would like to send food and are unable to stop by the room please feel free to e-mail me and I will let you know what to bring and which weeks I still need help.
Thank you for all of your continued support! The students are working together very well and it is really starting to feel like home.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Zirczy
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Busy, Busy, Busy
Dear Parents,
We have had a very busy few weeks. The students are working very hard and we are beginning to get in to some more difficult objectives. Here is a run-down of what we will be doing in the next few weeks.
Math: We will start working on decimals this week. This is the year that we introduce decimals, so students will be focusing on place value, comparing and ordering, and adding and subtracting decimals to begin with.
Social Studies: We are focusing on learning the steps for research based on the IIM method that our school adopted last year. The students are researching one of their favorite authors. They are working alone or with a partner, the choice was theirs. They are then choosing a method for presenting their information to the class. They can do a power point presentation, an interview, a song, a report, or a poster board. The due date will be set based on how much class time students have this week to research.
Reading/Writing: This week students will go to LDC. We will be focusing on Writer’s Workshop. Students will be learning the steps of the writing process as well as many tools that will help them become powerful writers. In class we will continue to work on poetry for the next week or so along with hitting various reading skills.
Science: Next week we will start our planner that focuses primarily on matter and the scientific process. There will be many exciting experiments as we study the states of matter, volume, density, buoyancy, etc.
Reading Buddies:
Each week we go to Mrs. Jackson’s first grade classroom. We read to her students, listen to them read, help them with projects, and teach them new skills. So far the students seem to really be enjoying their time with their first grade buddies.
Time for Kids:
I will be placing the order this week for Time for Kids magazine. Thank you so much for making a donation for your child’s magazine. I hope that you will find that the student’s learn a great deal and really enjoy the current events found in this magazine.
Supplies:
I cannot thank you all enough for all of the extra supplies that you have donated to the classroom. Those things really help me to plan some exciting and creative activities that the students always seem to enjoy. I know there are many demands on parents and I truly appreciate your generosity.
Progress Reports:
Progress Reports went home September 20th. Thank you to everyone that signed the progress report and returned them to me. If you still have your child’s progress report please sign it and send it back to school. I am required to turn these into the office and it helps me to know that everyone received their child’s progress report. If you would like me to send home a copy please make a note or send me and e-mail and I would be happy to do that for you. On the progress reports that handwriting grade was listed as a numerical grade. To clarify I entered all grades as letter grades. An E = 95, S=85, N=75, and U=65. On the report card the grades will be letter grades and do not affect a student having all A’s or B’s.
Student Led Conferences:
Please put November 16th on your calendar. That is the date for Student Led Conferences in which students have the opportunity to show you some of the work they have been doing in class. They will walk you through their portfolio as well as show you their Writer’s Notebooks and any other work they would like to share with you. These conferences can be scheduled at 3:00, 3:30, or 4:00.
Important Upcoming Dates:
September 26th: LDC begins 8am-9am: Students will meet in LDC in the morning
September 29th: School Holiday
October 4: PTO Meeting
October 11th: Class Party
October 12th: Early Dismissal, 12:30
October 22nd: Spooky Spaghetti 4-8pm
November 1st: PTO Meeting 6:30
November 4th: Dad’s Club Campout
November 9th: Early Dismissal, 12:30
November 10th: Tentative Date for Field Trip to Glassel/Sculpture Garden
November 16th: Student Led Conferences 3:00 – 4:30pm
November 19th: Twain Soccer Tournament 1-5pm
November 23-25: Thanksgiving Holiday
As always, thank you for your continued support!
Rebecca Zirczy
We have had a very busy few weeks. The students are working very hard and we are beginning to get in to some more difficult objectives. Here is a run-down of what we will be doing in the next few weeks.
Math: We will start working on decimals this week. This is the year that we introduce decimals, so students will be focusing on place value, comparing and ordering, and adding and subtracting decimals to begin with.
Social Studies: We are focusing on learning the steps for research based on the IIM method that our school adopted last year. The students are researching one of their favorite authors. They are working alone or with a partner, the choice was theirs. They are then choosing a method for presenting their information to the class. They can do a power point presentation, an interview, a song, a report, or a poster board. The due date will be set based on how much class time students have this week to research.
Reading/Writing: This week students will go to LDC. We will be focusing on Writer’s Workshop. Students will be learning the steps of the writing process as well as many tools that will help them become powerful writers. In class we will continue to work on poetry for the next week or so along with hitting various reading skills.
Science: Next week we will start our planner that focuses primarily on matter and the scientific process. There will be many exciting experiments as we study the states of matter, volume, density, buoyancy, etc.
Reading Buddies:
Each week we go to Mrs. Jackson’s first grade classroom. We read to her students, listen to them read, help them with projects, and teach them new skills. So far the students seem to really be enjoying their time with their first grade buddies.
Time for Kids:
I will be placing the order this week for Time for Kids magazine. Thank you so much for making a donation for your child’s magazine. I hope that you will find that the student’s learn a great deal and really enjoy the current events found in this magazine.
Supplies:
I cannot thank you all enough for all of the extra supplies that you have donated to the classroom. Those things really help me to plan some exciting and creative activities that the students always seem to enjoy. I know there are many demands on parents and I truly appreciate your generosity.
Progress Reports:
Progress Reports went home September 20th. Thank you to everyone that signed the progress report and returned them to me. If you still have your child’s progress report please sign it and send it back to school. I am required to turn these into the office and it helps me to know that everyone received their child’s progress report. If you would like me to send home a copy please make a note or send me and e-mail and I would be happy to do that for you. On the progress reports that handwriting grade was listed as a numerical grade. To clarify I entered all grades as letter grades. An E = 95, S=85, N=75, and U=65. On the report card the grades will be letter grades and do not affect a student having all A’s or B’s.
Student Led Conferences:
Please put November 16th on your calendar. That is the date for Student Led Conferences in which students have the opportunity to show you some of the work they have been doing in class. They will walk you through their portfolio as well as show you their Writer’s Notebooks and any other work they would like to share with you. These conferences can be scheduled at 3:00, 3:30, or 4:00.
Important Upcoming Dates:
September 26th: LDC begins 8am-9am: Students will meet in LDC in the morning
September 29th: School Holiday
October 4: PTO Meeting
October 11th: Class Party
October 12th: Early Dismissal, 12:30
October 22nd: Spooky Spaghetti 4-8pm
November 1st: PTO Meeting 6:30
November 4th: Dad’s Club Campout
November 9th: Early Dismissal, 12:30
November 10th: Tentative Date for Field Trip to Glassel/Sculpture Garden
November 16th: Student Led Conferences 3:00 – 4:30pm
November 19th: Twain Soccer Tournament 1-5pm
November 23-25: Thanksgiving Holiday
As always, thank you for your continued support!
Rebecca Zirczy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)