Important Information Regarding Spring Break, and The Georgia Milestone

Learning Targets

ELA:

In reading, we are starting to review for the milestone.  This week we looked at the 5 story elements (main character, setting, plot, problem and solution; theme is also sometimes included in these elements which ties in great to the past few weeks and our literary essays).

In writing, we are continuing to work on literary essays.  We have also started to look at writing prompts and analyzing them so that we know what we are supposed to write for them in order to earn full credit.

Math: 

It's Geometry time!  two weeks ago we began working on geometry.  We will have a test on all of the geometry we have learned on Thursday 3/31/2016. In fourth grade we focus on lines, angles, classifying triangles by angles and sides, lines of symmetry, and classifying other shapes by their properties.  Please view these videos to get more information.  Our next topic, is measurement  conversions.  It is important that students get familiar with measurement conversions for the milestone, so please review the charts below with your child in the next few weeks.

Measurement Conversions

Spring Break

Over Spring break, students will have homework.  Students will need to study for the Georgia Milestones that begin the Wednesday we get back from break.  Students will also have two take home tests.  For both of these tests, students may use all of their resources.  Students may use textbooks, or online resources from my blog.  

These Tests will be DUE ON MONDAY APRIL 11.  

(If students do not complete the test at home over the break using their resources, they will take the test on that Monday using no resource except for their brain)

• The first test is on Chapter 8 in Science.  This chapter is an extension of ecosystems which we have been learning about in class for the past few weeks.  
• The second test is on Chapter 10 in Social Studies.  This is an extension of our most recent Social Studies Unit on New Nation.  Chapter 10 discussed the new republic in the United States after the Declaration of Independence was formed and signed.  

What is the Georgia Milestones test?

I'm glad you asked! this test has now replaced the CRCT a "Criterion-References Competency Test"  Which is fancy language for a test the measures how competent you child is in certain standards (or criteria, hence "criterion-referenced")

Please see the link below for additional information from the Georgia Department of Education.

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Documents/Introducing%20Georgia%20Milestones%206914.pdf

Georgia Milestones Tips:

1. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier than you normally do so that you will be rested for the test.
2. Eat breakfast before coming to school and if you do not have time, get breakfast at school.
3. Bring a healthy snack and water to have at our snack time between testing periods.
4. wear comfortable clothes and shoes while taking the test.
5. Relax and show your best work.  You are ready for the test
6. Use your time wisely during the test--you are allowed to go back and check your answers

To get your "PUMPED"

Please go ahead and clear your calendar for the following days.  Vacations, doctors appointments, and other appointment's should NOT be planned for Georgia Milestones Dates.

Wednesday April 13 -ELA
Thursday April 14 - ELA
Friday April 15 - Math
Monday April 18 - Science
Tuesday April 19 - Social Studies
Wednesday April 20 to Friday April 23 - Test Makeups (All Areas)

Take a look at this awesome free GA Milestones practice test.  The Georgia Milestones tests measure what students in grades 3 through high school have learned.  Students will take the GA Milestones tests online.  Here is a way to practice before the test:

http://www.gaexperienceonline.com/

1. Click on "Test Practice"
2. Under End-of-Grade (EOG) Click on "Online Tools Training"
3. Click on "EOG Test Practice"
4. Click on "Standard Online Tools"
5. Click on "Grade 3-5"
6. Sign In using the information provided

Practice Sites
***Please be practicing for test on the Online Assessment System
http://mrnussbaum.com/readingpassageindex/#4
http://www.rockdale.k12.ga.us/schools/les/Pages/CRCT-Practice.aspx
http://fcit.usf.edu/FCAT/tests/default.htm
http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/wle/home/crct/fourth%20grade/fourth_grade_practice_tests.htm
http://blog.tabtor.com/blog/prepare-your-students-for-fourth-grade-common-core-math-tests

Do your best and the will be great!  Show how smart you are and how much you have learned in 4th grade!

Flipped Classroom - Lined Symmetry

Lines of Symmetry

Take notes on the following videos regarding lines of symmetry.  How could you find the lines of symmetries for letters, shapes, triangles, quadrilaterals?

https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/5842-identify-line-symmetry-in-a-geometric-figure

https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/7275-identify-line-symmetry-in-regular-polygons

Flipped Classroom Video

Tonight, you will be taking part in a flipped classroom.  So, you're probably wondering what is a flipped classroom?  Well let me be the first to tell you that it will help us save time in class, and will allow us to practice our skills more.

In a flipped classroom, you will watch short videos at home, and take notes.  Tomorrow, you will come to class already having gone through a portion of our mini lesson.  You will be responsible for the information in the videos, and we will simply review the information together as a class.  Here is a link that will give you and your parents more information on a  Flipped Classroom .

Tonight, you will learn about the properties of different quadrilaterals.  Watch at least 2 of the videos below, and write down notes, describing the different properties of quadrilaterals (Square, rectangle, trapezoid, parallelogram, rhombus, kite).

Quadrilateral Song

Properties of Quadrialteral

https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/8855-identify-quadrilaterals-based-on-attributes

https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/6752-classify-various-quadrilaterals-by-describing-their-properties

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/basic-geo/basic-geo-shapes/basic-geo-classifying-shapes/v/quadrilateral-properties

Homework 3/21/16

Writing: Complete your literary graphic organizer for your short story.  Here is an example to guide you!

(Click to Enlarge)

Literary Essay Example Graphic Organizer for The Other Side

Math: Measuring Angles.  Try out these awesome sites, and see if you can measure the angle on the protractor!

Class Measuring Angles Activitiy

Information and an Activity

ABCYa-Measuring Angles

Learning Targets and Ecosystems Resources

Learning Targets For Next Week

Milestones are only 12 instructional days away!  Please begin reviewing with your child at home, to help better prepare them for the test.  There is a GA Milestone 4th grade study guide located on the right hand side of my blog.  I also posted a "helpful testing strategies" blog post a few days ago, so please scroll down to learn some awesome strategies for your child!

Reading

Next week, we will continue to analyze our short stories using theme and the 5 story elements.  We will also begin reviewing for the upcoming milestone tests which includes building stamina.  Students will begin to do a lot of independent reading at their seat to help prepare them for the long tests.

Math

In math, we have started working on geometry.  More specifically, we are looking at lines, points, rays, line segments, types of lines (perpendicular, intersecting, parallel), and angles.  Next week, we will begin using protractors to measure angles.  This is a HARD task for students.  It is important that students get a lot of practice measuring angles with a protractor and reading the protractor.  If you can, please purchase a protractor for your child, and help them to better understand measuring angles at home as we also work on it here in school.

Here is a link to the Elementary Math Fest Registration Reservation Form.  

Writing

Similarly to reading, writing will not change this week.  We are working on a literary essay unit, and students are having a hard time with this.  The hardest part for most students is figuring our what the message is from the story.  We have talking about theme and symbolism in-order to help them with this area of their thesis.  By Tuesday, all students will have their graphic organizers finished, and they will begin a fun literary essay project using their short stories and graphic organizers.  More updates to come.

Science

We have finished up our unit on solar systems, and we are no moving into ecosystems.  Students have done some reading from the textbook this week, and we will continue to work on this topic over the next few weeks.  Test date is still to be determined.

Life Science
S4L1. Students will describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem.
a. Identify the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in a community.
b. Demonstrate the flow of energy through a food web/food chain beginning with sunlight and including producers, consumers, and decomposers.
c. Predict how changes in the environment would affect a community (ecosystem) of organisms.
d. Predict effects on a population if some of the plants or animals in the community are scarce or if there are too many.

S4L2. Students will identify factors that affect the survival or extinction of organisms such as adaptation, variation of behaviors (hibernation), and external features (camouflage and protection).
a. Identify external features of organisms that allow them to survive or reproduce better than organisms that do not have these features (for example: camouflage, use of hibernation, protection, etc.).
b. Identify factors that may have led to the extinction of some organisms.

Here is the webquest we completed in class

Adventures in Ecosystems

Ecosystem Song

Ecosystem Links

Analyzing an Ecosystem

Nature Works

Study Jams Videos

Ecosystem Links
Virtual Field Trips

Biomes

Taiga

Taiga Forest-Ducksters

Taiga

Taiga Forest

Tundra

Tundra-Kids Do Ecology

Tundra-Ducksters

Tundra

Deciduous Forest

Deciduous Forest-Kids Do Ecology

Facts About Deciduous Forests

KidsGeo-Deciduous Forest

Deciduous Forest

Tropical Rain forest
Rainforest-Kids Do Ecology
Rainforest-ducksters
15 Facts About Rain forests

Desert
Desert-Kids Do Ecology
Facts About Deserts
Desert-KidsKonnect
Desert-Ducksters

Grassland
Grasslands-Kids Do Ecology
Grasslands-Ducksters
Grasslands

Marine/Coastal
Marine-Kids Do Ecology
Marine-Ducksters
Ocean and Marine Life

Food Chain

Food Chain Game
Parts of the Food Chain
Another Link in the Food Chain

Adaptations

The Truth About Adaptations
Fun Interactive Adaptation Site With Games

A Note From PTA

Parents,

The week of March 28th is Teacher Appreciation Week at Teasley Elementary. PTA is working to plan a special week of events for the teachers and staff at Teasley. In order to make this week a success, we need your help! 

- We are asking that you let your child's teachers, including specialists and staff, know how much you appreciate them by sending in special notes or cards on Tuesday, March 29th.*  In addition, this year we are assigning each class a specialist and ask that all students in the class make or bring a card for that specialist. Please see the list below for your specialist.

- We are also planning to hold a raffle with various prizes for the teachers and staff and we are asking for the help of families and local businesses. If you, your employer or a local business that you frequent is willing to donate a gift card ($25 suggested, but any amount is appreciated), please send it in an envelope addressed to PTA by next Friday, March 25th. All of the donated gift cards will be raffled to teachers and staff during Teacher Appreciation Week.

- Finally, we'll be looking for donations of tea, lemonade, cookies etc. for the Teacher's luncheon. Please use this link to sign-up- www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0D4EABA72EA0F58-teacher

Thanks for your support!

Teasley PTA Hospitality Committee

*Cards for Specialists on Tuesday, March 29th

Ms. Brooks (Art)- Bates, Cook, Fore, Gooden

Ms. Crosby (Media Specialist)- Alongi, Bunch, Davis (1st), Wager

Ms. Harris (Counselor)- Fincham, Forrest, Moore, Schuetze

Ms. Hogan (Media Clerk)-, Gresham, Hall, Nichols, Rabinovich

Ms. Knight (Math)- Davis (K), Hiles, Nash, Washington

Mr. Mainor (PE) - Geiger, Thomson, Hillsman, Bixler

Ms. Mungin (Music)- Couvillion, Killimett, Kraftschik, Qualls

Ms. Oliver (Counselor)- Beason, Boeck, Braswell, King

Ms. Smith (Nurse)- Burley, Stewart

Ms. Sumners (Science)- Kim, Lubniewski, Moloney, Padron

Ms. Tepp/Ms. Young (PE paraprofessionals)- Rice, Sellers

Story Elements Organizer

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/lit-elements/

Perfect Attendance and Art Show News!!!

Perfect Attendance

The student connection team would like to congratulate the following students who have had perfect attendance and NO tardies for the third 9 weeks of school.  These students will be allowed to dress down on Friday March 18^th, 2016.  Each student will receive a dress down sticker to wear for the day when they arrive in their classroom on Friday morning.  Children will be recognized every 9 weeks.  We so appreciate you parents, for getting your children to school on time, every day!! Way to go!!

Hines Harmon

Tristen Hill

Hannah Hoeh

Jacob Scheuerman

Aaron Tavares

Art Show
(please click to enlarge)