Hello everyone!
We are off to a great start this year! We have been busy getting back into routines, meeting new friends, and getting to know each other. I just wanted to give you all some updates.
FACEBOOK PAGE: Looks like my Facebook page is having some problems. I will let you know when you can start looking for it to join!
FUN RUN: This Friday, 4th graders in the entire district will be meeting at North Ponds Park for our annual Fun Run! It looks like it is going to be a beautiful day! Please be sure your child is dressed appropriately with sneakers. They may also bring a water bottle, but be sure their name is on it. We will be leaving at 9:15 from Klem South, and will be back around 11.
CURRICULUM NIGHT and CONFERENCES: Thank you all who was able to attend last week! We went over a lot of information! If you were not able to come, your child should have brought home a packet of information. If you have any questions, please let me know! As for parent/teacher conferences, I will be sending you information about the times within the next week.
AGENDAS: Thank you all so much for signing your child's agenda each day! We will continue to have you sign for a few more weeks. I have your child do this so that they can get in the habit of completing their homework, as well as letting you know what they have for homework!
That's it for now! Please let me know if you have any questions!! Have a great week!!
Mrs. Burns :)
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Hey everyone!
I hope everyone is enjoying the last few days of summer! Hopefully the rain will stay away and we will have good weather!
One of the ways I wanted to keep in touch with parents is with this blog. It is a quick and easy way for me to let you know what is going on, but it won't waste a ton of paper (or get lost in a backpack!). I also wanted to try something a little different this year.
That is where Facebook comes in.
Many people have a Facebook account. You can find businesses, services, celebrities, TV shows and more on Facebook. Klem South Elementary and our PTSA has a Facebook account that anyone can "like" and get updates. I thought if they can have one, why not a classroom? So I made a Facebook page for the parents in our classroom. It is called, Fourth Grade with Mrs. Burns. It is a private page and you have to ask to be invited to the page. If you have a Facebook account, I would encourage you to like Fourth Grade with Mrs. Burns. I will then accept you into the group.
I hope this will be a useful tool for us to use this year! Please let me know if you have any questions! I hope you can make it to our summer open house this Tuesday! It is a great opportunity to drop off those supplies! Come by anytime between 10-12.
See you soon!
I hope everyone is enjoying the last few days of summer! Hopefully the rain will stay away and we will have good weather!
One of the ways I wanted to keep in touch with parents is with this blog. It is a quick and easy way for me to let you know what is going on, but it won't waste a ton of paper (or get lost in a backpack!). I also wanted to try something a little different this year.
That is where Facebook comes in.
Many people have a Facebook account. You can find businesses, services, celebrities, TV shows and more on Facebook. Klem South Elementary and our PTSA has a Facebook account that anyone can "like" and get updates. I thought if they can have one, why not a classroom? So I made a Facebook page for the parents in our classroom. It is called, Fourth Grade with Mrs. Burns. It is a private page and you have to ask to be invited to the page. If you have a Facebook account, I would encourage you to like Fourth Grade with Mrs. Burns. I will then accept you into the group.
I hope this will be a useful tool for us to use this year! Please let me know if you have any questions! I hope you can make it to our summer open house this Tuesday! It is a great opportunity to drop off those supplies! Come by anytime between 10-12.
See you soon!
Monday, August 18, 2014
It's Almost Time!
School is just about ready to begin as we enjoy the last few weeks of summer! I am not sure about you, but my summer has been so busy! We took a family trip to Hershey Park, my son and I went to Cub Scout Camp, we have been visiting family, having campfires, and lots of other stuff!
And now, summer is almost over! It seems like yesterday we were meeting for the first time on the last day of school! Next week, we will be having a Summer Open House. You can stop by to see our classroom, and drop off any school supplies you have. This way, you don't have to bring a ton of stuff on the first day of school! I will be in out classroom from 10am to 12pm. If you can come by, I would love to see you! If you are unable to come, that is ok! Just bring what you can on the first day of school.
For parents.....I will be using our classroom blog this year as a means of communication with you about classroom happenings. I didn't use the blog last year, and found that I missed using it (parents too!). So, we are back to our classroom blog! I will also be starting a private Facebook page for you as well. The Facebook page will just give brief updates, reminders, blog updates, etc. It will be private, so you will have to ask to join. I will be sending more information about it shortly. In the mean time, you can follow the blog with email. Each time I update the blog, you will receive an email, telling you it was updated. This way, you won't miss a post!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask! I am looking forward to working with you and your child! We are going to have a super year!!
And now, summer is almost over! It seems like yesterday we were meeting for the first time on the last day of school! Next week, we will be having a Summer Open House. You can stop by to see our classroom, and drop off any school supplies you have. This way, you don't have to bring a ton of stuff on the first day of school! I will be in out classroom from 10am to 12pm. If you can come by, I would love to see you! If you are unable to come, that is ok! Just bring what you can on the first day of school.
For parents.....I will be using our classroom blog this year as a means of communication with you about classroom happenings. I didn't use the blog last year, and found that I missed using it (parents too!). So, we are back to our classroom blog! I will also be starting a private Facebook page for you as well. The Facebook page will just give brief updates, reminders, blog updates, etc. It will be private, so you will have to ask to join. I will be sending more information about it shortly. In the mean time, you can follow the blog with email. Each time I update the blog, you will receive an email, telling you it was updated. This way, you won't miss a post!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask! I am looking forward to working with you and your child! We are going to have a super year!!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Summer!!!
I can't believe our year together has come to an end. We have done so many great things this year! We had a number of activities scheduled this month, but Mother Nature did not cooperate. Instead of a full day of field day, our special area teachers did a modified version on our rain date, and the kids had a chance to rotate through four of the games we had planned for outside (including the bouncy house!). We were also rained our for our last Stream Visit, but we were able to watch the movie, Big Miracle. This movie told the story of three whales that were stuck in the ice up in Alaska, and many different people worked together to help them. But some activities went on as scheduled! Our pizza party was a huge success! We ate lunch outside, had Popsicles and enjoyed our time together. We signed yearbooks, played a game of kick ball against Mrs. Coene's class, and wrote letters to our fifth grade teachers!
For the first time ever, Klem South had a moving up day. Students were able to go to their classroom for next year, meet the teacher, see who will be in their class, and ask questions about next year! It was so exciting to do this, and I hope it helped to ease some anxiety about next year!
As you all make plans for summer, be sure to include some reading and practicing of math facts! Go to the public library and stock up on books! It has been a great year, and a pleasure working with you and your child! Have a safe, happy and fun summer!
Enjoy!
Mrs. Burns :)
For the first time ever, Klem South had a moving up day. Students were able to go to their classroom for next year, meet the teacher, see who will be in their class, and ask questions about next year! It was so exciting to do this, and I hope it helped to ease some anxiety about next year!
As you all make plans for summer, be sure to include some reading and practicing of math facts! Go to the public library and stock up on books! It has been a great year, and a pleasure working with you and your child! Have a safe, happy and fun summer!
Enjoy!
Mrs. Burns :)
Monday, April 29, 2013
Tests, Tests and More Tests
As you know, the last two weeks were filled with testing for NYS ELA and Math. We had three days for each, and about 70 minutes per day. It was interesting to hear what the kids were saying about the tests. Some said it was hard, some said it was easy, but overall, they were tricky!
Everyone worked hard this year, learning a new way to look at math, reading for meaning and looking for evidence from the text. There was not one thing we could have done differently this year. Do I think these tests showed what you child really knows and can do? I would have to say no. I am not allowed to discuss specifics of the test, however, I can talk about some things.
First of all, this is the first year of implementing the Common Core State Standards. Whenever you implement a new curriculum, program, etc. there is something called an "implementation dip". That means that when students are given a new assessment for the new program, the scores usually go down. That is not because the program or curriculum or student or teacher was bad, it is just something that happens when something new is implemented. Since we implemented both the ELA and Math, everyone is expecting to see all the scores drop. That is not just here at Klem South, or even just Webster. It is all of the schools across New York State.
Secondly, in July/August, you will receive a letter from the state telling you what your child scored on these tests. Please remember that the scores will be different from last year. If your child received a 4 or 3, they may get a 3 or 2 this year. That is not because your child is not successful in 4th grade. It is because it is new testing.
So, what can you do? Look at what your child is bringing home from school. Look at their report card grades, grades on projects and tests from school. Have your child read to you and discuss the books they are reading. These will show you more about how your child is learning that just one test in one moment in time. We take into consideration your child's daily work, their participation in class, their homework, and numerous tests throughout the year. And as always, if you are concerned, I would be more than happy to talk to you about the other testing we do!
The year is winding down, but we still have work to do....but we also have some other fun things planed as well! One of the things we wanted to do is for this week. Thursday afternoon, we wanted to have a celebration of all the hard work students did for the NYS testing with a sundae bar and movie afternoon! If you would be willing to help out by sending in some toppings/spoons/bowls/whipped cream, please drop me an email. This will be for this Thursday afternoon. Thanks in advance for helping out!
I hope everyone has a great week!
Everyone worked hard this year, learning a new way to look at math, reading for meaning and looking for evidence from the text. There was not one thing we could have done differently this year. Do I think these tests showed what you child really knows and can do? I would have to say no. I am not allowed to discuss specifics of the test, however, I can talk about some things.
First of all, this is the first year of implementing the Common Core State Standards. Whenever you implement a new curriculum, program, etc. there is something called an "implementation dip". That means that when students are given a new assessment for the new program, the scores usually go down. That is not because the program or curriculum or student or teacher was bad, it is just something that happens when something new is implemented. Since we implemented both the ELA and Math, everyone is expecting to see all the scores drop. That is not just here at Klem South, or even just Webster. It is all of the schools across New York State.
Secondly, in July/August, you will receive a letter from the state telling you what your child scored on these tests. Please remember that the scores will be different from last year. If your child received a 4 or 3, they may get a 3 or 2 this year. That is not because your child is not successful in 4th grade. It is because it is new testing.
So, what can you do? Look at what your child is bringing home from school. Look at their report card grades, grades on projects and tests from school. Have your child read to you and discuss the books they are reading. These will show you more about how your child is learning that just one test in one moment in time. We take into consideration your child's daily work, their participation in class, their homework, and numerous tests throughout the year. And as always, if you are concerned, I would be more than happy to talk to you about the other testing we do!
The year is winding down, but we still have work to do....but we also have some other fun things planed as well! One of the things we wanted to do is for this week. Thursday afternoon, we wanted to have a celebration of all the hard work students did for the NYS testing with a sundae bar and movie afternoon! If you would be willing to help out by sending in some toppings/spoons/bowls/whipped cream, please drop me an email. This will be for this Thursday afternoon. Thanks in advance for helping out!
I hope everyone has a great week!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Mystery Class
Around the world, there are 10 Mystery Classes waiting to be discovered! Our class has taken up the challenge, and will use the changing sunrise and sunset times to discover the exact locations of the classes. This investigation demonstrates that, as spring sweeps across the Northern Hemisphere, daylength changes everywhere on Earth. Students see that these dramatic seasonal changes in sunlight affect the entire web of life.
Each Monday starting January 28th, we will calculate and graph the photoperiod (amount of daylight) from the sunrise/sunset data for Webster. Each Friday, we will use the data from the 10 mystery classes, to find their photoperiod. Beginning in March, we will receive interdisciplinary clues - the climate, history, geography, and more - about the classes.
This investigation will take place for 11 weeks. Once we receive all of the data, we will use the clues to try to determine the locations of the Mystery Classes. Then, we will report our findings to Journey North, and see if we are correct!
If you are interested in learning more about the Mystery Class investigation, go to Journey North to learn more! This investigation is a lot of fun, but we learn a lot!
We are only at the beginning of this investigation, and we already see that Webster's photoperiod (amount of daylight) increased from last week! We are looking forward to see more and learn about where these other classes are located!
Have a great week!!
Mrs. Burns :)
Each Monday starting January 28th, we will calculate and graph the photoperiod (amount of daylight) from the sunrise/sunset data for Webster. Each Friday, we will use the data from the 10 mystery classes, to find their photoperiod. Beginning in March, we will receive interdisciplinary clues - the climate, history, geography, and more - about the classes.
This investigation will take place for 11 weeks. Once we receive all of the data, we will use the clues to try to determine the locations of the Mystery Classes. Then, we will report our findings to Journey North, and see if we are correct!
If you are interested in learning more about the Mystery Class investigation, go to Journey North to learn more! This investigation is a lot of fun, but we learn a lot!
We are only at the beginning of this investigation, and we already see that Webster's photoperiod (amount of daylight) increased from last week! We are looking forward to see more and learn about where these other classes are located!
Have a great week!!
Mrs. Burns :)
Monday, January 21, 2013
It's Been a While!
I am so sorry to be missing in action the past few weeks. Our class has been so busy!
In writing, we have been working on personal essays. Students chose a topic they felt strongly about, and wrote an essay supporting their thesis. Some of the big ideas that were written about were: family is the most important thing, kids should be able to choose a sport they want to play, students should be able to play video games for as long as they want, surprises are always good, and many others! Once they wrote an introduction, they wrote three supporting body paragraphs, and then a closing paragraphs. We will be taking what we learned from personal essays to start writing an informational piece, that we will organize into books!
Math has been lots of fun! We have been working our way through word problems that have multiple steps. We have learned that reading, and rereading the word problem is a good thing! We also learned how important it was to check our answers with the original question. We found that many times, we answered one part of the question, but there was still something else we needed to do. Checking our answer and asking ourselves, "Does that answer make sense with the question?" will help us to be sure we have correctly answered the problem.
We have also be adding and subtracting multiple digit numbers. You have probably seen the dot arrays the kids were using to "regroup". The dot arrays are just another way of explaining and showing how new groups need to be made when subtracting. The squares represent 100's, the lines represent 10's, and the circles represent 1's. Students are starting to "see" how to use these when subtracting.
In science, we are applying what we learned from our study of text features, to read and understand science texts. Students used a science text book to locate information about ecosystems. The students LOVED looking through the text at all of the neat photographs and information that was in it. While they were reading, they needed to read captions, diagrams, and charts to find information they needed. They also practiced using context clues to find meanings of vocabulary words. Finally, we are getting to wrap up our Package the Pringle Project! Yea! All information from our classes and the classes from Hong Kong are ready for us to calculate the final score of each team and each class. Students will be using calculators to find the score, then analyze their data to determine the winner!
As you can see, we have been busy, but this post hasn't even covered all we have been doing! I promise you will not have to wait as long for the next post!
Enjoy the rest of the day!
Mrs. Burns
In writing, we have been working on personal essays. Students chose a topic they felt strongly about, and wrote an essay supporting their thesis. Some of the big ideas that were written about were: family is the most important thing, kids should be able to choose a sport they want to play, students should be able to play video games for as long as they want, surprises are always good, and many others! Once they wrote an introduction, they wrote three supporting body paragraphs, and then a closing paragraphs. We will be taking what we learned from personal essays to start writing an informational piece, that we will organize into books!
Math has been lots of fun! We have been working our way through word problems that have multiple steps. We have learned that reading, and rereading the word problem is a good thing! We also learned how important it was to check our answers with the original question. We found that many times, we answered one part of the question, but there was still something else we needed to do. Checking our answer and asking ourselves, "Does that answer make sense with the question?" will help us to be sure we have correctly answered the problem.
We have also be adding and subtracting multiple digit numbers. You have probably seen the dot arrays the kids were using to "regroup". The dot arrays are just another way of explaining and showing how new groups need to be made when subtracting. The squares represent 100's, the lines represent 10's, and the circles represent 1's. Students are starting to "see" how to use these when subtracting.
In science, we are applying what we learned from our study of text features, to read and understand science texts. Students used a science text book to locate information about ecosystems. The students LOVED looking through the text at all of the neat photographs and information that was in it. While they were reading, they needed to read captions, diagrams, and charts to find information they needed. They also practiced using context clues to find meanings of vocabulary words. Finally, we are getting to wrap up our Package the Pringle Project! Yea! All information from our classes and the classes from Hong Kong are ready for us to calculate the final score of each team and each class. Students will be using calculators to find the score, then analyze their data to determine the winner!
As you can see, we have been busy, but this post hasn't even covered all we have been doing! I promise you will not have to wait as long for the next post!
Enjoy the rest of the day!
Mrs. Burns
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