Hi Families,

Welcome to Week 2 of the 2019-2020 school year!

This week we will begin some of our regular classroom routines, but also continue with some Getting -To-Know-You activities, including beginning-of-the-year assessments. MAP tests will be taken this week, and I hope to wrap up by Friday. (We only test for 1-2 hours per day. )

We are starting the regular math program, using Engage New York curriculum ( aka Eureka Math.). Last week, we enjoyed some creative math activities from Jo Boaler’s Week of Inspirational Math. I will work on integrating some of her other creative math throughout the year. I will not be sending home any homework, and will explain my homework program at Back-to-School Night on August 29th.

Our first writing project is a personal poem. We will also begin spelling sorts. I am reading The Wild Robot aloud to the entire class. Fourth Graders will begin reading Kate DiCamillo’s Tiger Rising next week during a portion of their Reading Workshop time. The entire class is also reading self-selected books, and conferencing with me about their book selections. We will begin mini-lessons in reading  next week.

Today (Monday), I am sending home a letter explaining the format of our class overall. Feel free to contact me with any additional questions.

Have a great week!

Carroll Mayer