Sunday, December 18, 2016

Hi All,

Happy holidays! Have a wonderful--long!-- vacation, beginning this Friday. 

Before Friday, we will be working hard on a district-assigned writing prompt.

On Wednesday, we will have a Pajama Day, earned by the kids for good behavior. They may wear pajamas, bring blankets to sit on when on the floor, and bring slippers to wear in class only. (They should have regular shoes as well. ) Please, don't send stuffed animals or pillows. Participation is optional.

Our Room Parents are also planning a fun holiday party on Thursday, from 10:15-11:40. An email was sent last week. 

I'd intended to make a Scholastic book order available, but I missed the window for timely orders. Please make use of the library, or other book sources,  and keep your kids reading over the break!

Finally, our field trip to Mission San Juan Bautista is on January 27. Please save the date, especially if you're interested in chaperoning. All 4th Graders will be going on the same day.

Once again, have a great vacation, and I'll see you in the new year!

Carroll Mayer


Sunday, December 11, 2016

Hi All,
I hope you enjoyed our rainy weekend!

This week, our big event is the field trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. On Thursday, kids should bring lunches, including beverages. They will not need money, and will not be allowed to purchase food or items in the gift shop. We will be visiting the aquarium, and also participating in a lab. We do not expect to return to Rio Del Mar until approximately 2:30, so kids that ride on the bus will need alternative transportation. Those who attend Afterschool will be able to join the class when we return.

Aside from the field trip, kids are working hard finishing up the MAP test mandated by the district. We've begun a new Social Studies unit in California history, and continue to work on fractions in math. Our RTI classes are reading By the Great Horn Spoon. 

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Hi All,

I hope you had a great weekend!

Last week, we started out slowly, after a long Thanksgiving vacation, and finished with a bang!  On Friday, our 2 Fourth Grades, and one Fourth/Fifth Combination class had our second writing celebration. The kids all visited other classrooms, and got to read and comment on fellow students' informational writing. We also got to read some from our home rooms, and will continue the sharing by reading our work to Kindergarten buddies on Wednesday.

The kids then got to attend their first Big Spin, which is an upper elementary celebration of students' positive behaviors and work habits. Two kids were recognized from each class in categories including reading, overall effort, citizenship, and sportsmanship. In addition, there was a random drawing for all kids with good behavior (no blue or pink slips during the first trimester. ) Those kids picked in the drawing got to spin a wheel for prizes such as ice cream coupons and movie passes. It was a fun celebration of the kids' efforts during the first term.

In math class, kids are working hard on fractions. We have been making various models of fractions, but this is an especially important math unit to practice at home. There are many real life applications of fractions, especially in measurements. Encourage your kids to notice everyday fractions, and to take note of their relationship to benchmarks, such as 1/2. For example, what's the fraction of the carton of eggs when you have 8 left? Can it be named in more than one way (8/12, 4/6, 2/3).   Is it closer to a half a carton or a whole? When a recipe calls for 1/3 of a cup of oil, is that more or less than 1/2?  And always--how do you know? Fractions are a challenging concept and lots of practice in a variety of applications will really fine tune their understanding.

Finally, I have received many report card envelopes, but not all. We use them over the entire year, so please send back the signed envelope. I'm also waiting for several permission slips for our field trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Take care, and have a good week,
Carroll Mayer