Mrs. Stynchcombe

 WELCOME to FABULOUS 4TH!

  May we all find peace and an enduring love for our Heavenly Father during 2012.

Wow!  February is upon us!  Please check the Fourth Grade's Welcome Page for all the lastest, upcoming events.  Happy Valentine's and President's Day!  Just a reminder that February 10th-13th is Winter Break!  YEA!  March menus are now online and need to be submitted!

READING:  We have completed reading and discussing Titanic Crossing.  Students played the game, Zonk to review material read.  We will be working from the SRA kit this week and completing a Weekly Reader.  Our next trade book will be a classic.  Students  have a  paper bag project due on or before Wednesday, February 8th, on Titanic Crossing.  The bag should have illustrated scenes from the book depicted on the outside and three handmade objects inside the bag that pertain to the story.  Students will present their projects to the class explaining why they chose the scene/s and objects and how those items related to the book. 

Accelerated Reader Requirements: Students are required to read a minimum of four books from the following genre each quarter:  (2) fictions, (1) biography, and (1) nonfiction that is not a biography.  Students will be required to obtain a minimum goal of 15 AR points each quarter unless other goals have been established between the student and teacher.  Students are to receive a 70% or higher on the AR tests in order to meet class requirements.  Students should be working toward their 3rd quarter's AR requirements and goals.  Students are to be reading 30 minutes each night. 

SRA Kit 2b:  This kit is a reading laboratory that allows students to work independently in their varied reading levels.  A diagnostic test is given to determine the student's reading level when he/she is working from this kit.  If a level becomes too easy or appears to be too challenging, the student is placed in a new level where the work is challenging, but not frustrating.

Barnell-Loft Specific Skill Builders:  These books allow students to work independently on the following skills:  Getting the Main Idea, Drawing Conclusions, Sequencing, Inferencing, Working Within Words, Following Directions, Using Context Clues, Locating Answers, and Finding Facts. 

Sadiler-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop (Orange):  Unit pages will be due on Wednesday.  Unit tests will be the following Wednesday.  Students receive extra credit when completing note cards with the vocabulary word, definition, synonyms, and antonyms written on them.  Note cards should be turned in to the teacher no later than one day prior to testing date.  Unit 11 pages are due on Wednesday, February 8th.  Unit 11 Test:  Wednesday, February 15th

Language Arts:  Houghton-Mifflin English  Students are studying the unit on capitalization and punctuatiion.

Spelling:  Harcourt-Brace  Spelling unit pages are due on Thursday.  Tests will be administered on Friday.  If school is not in session on Friday, test will be given on Monday.  Unit 25 pages due Thursday, February 9th  Unit 25 Test:  Tuesday, February 14th

Social Studies:  Harcourt Brace  We are presently finishing our study of Chapter 5:  Europeans Settle Throughout North America.  Skills included understanding diagrams, applying reading and research skills, identifying diverse groups, applying critical thinking skills, and connecting main ideas.  Students are completing the study of Chapter 5.  There will be a vocabulary test on Chapter 5 words on Monday, February 6th. 

Weekly Reader:  This publication will be read and discussed in class on a weekly basis.  The score received will be averaged in with the student's reading and social studies grades for the quarter.

Bible:  Standard Publishing - Biblical Choices for a New Generation  Weekly memory work will be assigned.  Tests will be administered on Fridays.  Students are finally completing the study of Paul and his second missionary journey from the book of Acts.  They have also memorized most of I Corinthians 13 and are preparing to share it with Mr. Exum.  They're so hoping they can earn the Chick-fil-A party.  Students should be ready to recite most of I Corinthians 13:1-13 by Friday, February 3rd.  Students are also beginning the study of the book of John Chapters 1-10 entitled Jesus in the Spotlight.