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
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