Signing Out

This will be my final post to this blog.  This was my first classroom blog, and I really enjoyed making it.  I hope it has been an asset to my students and their parents.  I have a new website http://jones5thgrade.weebly.com/index.html that I will use in the future.  I hope everyone has an amazing summer.

Math STAAR/ 4th Nine Weeks

We are a little over a month away from the math STAAR test.  The students will be taking this test on Tuesday, April 23rd.  Currently,  we are contining to cover the 4th grade math curriculum, and at the same time we are sprialing back through all of 4th grade math with the dialy rigor and countdown to STAAR sheets.  This will be the only extra preparation we do to prepare for the assessment.  I explained to the kids that anything that you can prepare for you should, and the small constant preparation we are doing with the Countdown to STAAR is all most of the students will really need.  We will spend the majority of our  time with the remainder of the 4th grade curriculum during the 4th nine weeks.  We still need to cover the important topics of measurement and probability.  It is so hard to believe we are down to our last two topics.  Meaurement is a very large topic, and it will take the rest on March, and will probably dip into April.  We will spend the last couple of weeks before the test  anazyling bar graphs and looking at possible combinations.  Thanks for all your help this year.  I think we have had a very successful year in 4th grade math.  We are going to end our last 12 weeks strong.
                                                                                        Mrs. Jones

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is having wonderful start to 2013.  The kids accomplished so much in math during the 1st semester.  We went from reading whole numbers and decimals to long division.  The students now have the skill set that will allow them to become problem solvers.  During the spring semester our emphasis will change from the basics to using the basics to solve multi-step problems.  We will also look at geometric shapes and identify their attributes. In February we will study fractions and revisit decimals.  During the month of March we will have fun studying measurement.  In April we will wrap it all up with probability.  While we cover all these different topics, we will be working hard each week to become problem solvers.  So, I hope everyone is rested and ready to go.  We are going to have a wonderful 2013 in math. 

                                                                                Mrs. Jones

Multiplication and Division Facts

Starting this Friday our focus in math class is going to shift to multiplication and division.  We will start with basic multiplication facts and progress to long division by the end of the semester.  This will hopefully be a fun and exciting time in math for the kids, as they move into more advanced math.  There is one fundamental that is so important to the kids being successful with these skills, and that is the mastery of their multiplication facts.  If kids are fluent with their facts, it will make learning the steps of 2 digit x 2 digit multiplication and long division a lot easier.  We will be doing many things at school to support that fluency.   We will continue to use Reflex math, we will be doing a math menu on multiplication facts, and the students will practice fact families in their interactive math notebooks.  Please spend time practicing facts at home, and if your child has access to a computer with internet  please allow them to use Reflex math at home a couple times a week.  We will also be doing an 8 week facts blitz called Tis the Season for Multiplication starting October 31st. There will be more information coming home about Tis the Season on October 23rd.  As we end the first grading period next week, and start thinking about the 2nd grading period, I just want to help the kids continue to be as successful as possible.  As always, thank you for supporting school at home.

                                                                                                             Mrs. Jones

Reflex Math

I am happy to let you know that the kids are now all enrolled in their new Reflex Math classes.  On Monday, September 24th each 4th grade class will be going to the computer lab to get their Reflex Math passwords, and play their first Reflex session of the school year.

For parents that are new to Reflex Math, this internet based program is an excellent resource that we have been provided to assist students in mastering their math facts.  The kids absolutely love it.  The students will go to the computer lab once a week for 30 minutes to do Reflex Math, and some weeks will get a second opportunity at school using the classroom computers.  We are also asking that the students complete Reflex Math twice a week at home.  In order for Reflex Math to be the most beneficial for kids it needs to be used 3 or 4 times a week.  There is a link to Reflex on this blog, and the URL is http://www.reflexmath.com/.

It is very important that only the assigned student play on their Reflex account.  The program gives the kids fluency tests, and keeps track of which facts the kids are fluent in, and the ones they need more help on.  As much as that sweet 2nd grade sibling might want to get a jump on their multiplication facts; using their older sibling’s Reflex account is not the way to do it.  Thank you so much for your help.

                                                                 Mrs. Jones

What A Great Start!

We are having a great year.  The kids are engaged, and we are getting a lot done.  The kids really embraced the challenge of decimals this week, and they are doing a great job.  This is a new concept for many of them, and we will review it all year to help cement their understanding.

On Wednesday I gave the students a quick check to see if they are really understanding decimals.  I wanted to clear up any misconception, and increase their understanding.  On Thursday and Friday I reviewed the quick check with all my students individually or in small groups.  I feel confident that all my students are on their way to being very successful with this concept.

I sent the quick check home with the students today.  Please have them explain to you what we are doing, and please sign it.  The students will receive 5 bonus points on the quiz for doing this . :-)  We will have a short quiz on Monday that will very much resemble the quick check.  I've also posted a 10 minute video on the blog that reviews some of what we've discussed in class.

On Monday I will send home the Topic 1 pretest the students took at the beginning of the topic.  We use this to guide our teaching, and it will serve as a review for the actual test that we will take on Wednesday.  The students are to correct it for homework Monday night, and we will review it in class on Tuesday in preparation for Wednesday's test.

Thanks for all your help!
 
                                                Mrs. Jones

Welcome Back!

Welcome to 4th Grade. It is going to be an amazing year. You will be so pleased and amazed by the growth your child will make this year as a student. I am so honored to have your child in my class. Please check this blog often, as all the important information pertaining to Math class will be here. My students will be given time in class each day to write their assignments in their agendas, but I will try to post homework here each day as a backup plan. Since technology doesn't always work, the first line of daily communication is still their agenda. Please encourage your child to write in their agenda each day. Math homework will be given several times a week. I will post study guides when we have a test to help your child prepare at home. Often homework will be assigned from our math book. Each child is allowed to bring home their math books, but they will also be given a unique user name and a password that gives them access to our entire math text book online. There will be more information about this during the first week of school. I will use this blog and email to do the majority of my communication. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. It is going to be a great year.
                                                                                                                      

                                                                          Mrs. Jones