HW - Wednesday, 10/10

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Remember to read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  Spelling Activity - NONE this week

4.  Reading Comprehension -  # 11-12

5.  Wordly Wise # 5e

6.  My Math Class - Topics 1-3 Quiz on Friday

-- Textbook pgs. 74-75 EVENS, 76-77, 78-79

-- Workbook pgs. none

7.  Science - Textbook pgs.8-11 (started in class)

8.  History - California Poster and State Symbols Quiz, Friday, October 12

9.  Language Arts - Editing worksheet

10. Homophones Mini-Books due Monday, 10/15

Class T-Shirt Orders and graded spelling tests didn't make it into the Wednesday Folders. So, they will be distributed tomorrow.

HW - Tuesday, 10/9

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Remember to read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  Spelling Activity - NONE this week

4.  Reading Comprehension -  # 7-8

5.  Wordly Wise # 5c-d

6.  My Math Class - Topics 1-3 Quiz on Friday

-- Textbook pgs. 71-73 ALL, 74-75 ODD

-- Workbook pgs. none

7.  Science - none

8.  History - California Poster and State Symbols Quiz, Friday, October 12

9.  Language Arts - LA Workbook pgs. 58-62 (started in class)

10. Homophones Mini-Books due Monday, 10/15

HW - Monday, 10/8

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Remember to read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  Spelling Activity - NONE this week

4.  Reading Comprehension -  # 3-4

5.  Wordly Wise # 5a-b

6.  My Math Class - Topics 1-3 Quiz on Friday

-- Textbook pgs. 68-69

-- Workbook pgs. 33, 35, 37-38

7.  Science - none

8.  History - California Poster and State Symbols Quiz, Friday, October 12
9.  Language Arts - LA Workbook pgs. 53-57 (started in class)

Final Walk-A-Thon Tally and More

1. The calculations are done and our class completed a little over 1,250 laps! That's an average of about 40 laps per student! Very impressive! Way to go, Phenomenal Phoenix! Speaking of which...
2. T-Shirt order forms will be sent home in this week's Wednesday Folder. I always order adult size shirts, so make sure you order the appropriate size. Most 4th graders order a Small or Medium t-shirt. They will be a (darker shade of) red shirt with gold lettering. As previously stated, parents who have sent in the $80 classroom donation from the beginning of the year do NOT have to send in a payment for the class t-shirt. Of course, purchasing a class t-shirt is voluntary.
3. Lastly, here is what has been going on in Room E-2:

• Students were reassessed using the STAR Reading computer program last week. The latest grade level equivalency results and helpful tips were included on the report form.
• We finished the last story of our reading theme, which means we will have a Theme 1 Test on Friday.
• We also finished our second reading comprehension book. We are working on the last one.
• NO Spelling Words and Activities as we focus on finishing this theme.
• Starting today, students will receive their next grammar mini-book: Homophones.
• Our first classroom novel is done. Students have taken the free response Dear Mr. Henshaw test and the AR comprehension test. We will now do extended activities and work on one more classroom novel before the Thanksgiving break.
• We are wrapping up the writing skills of this unit, and students will be producing an original, assessed piece.
• In Math class, we are wrapping up Topic 3. I am chunking some lessons and there will be a quiz on Friday. Test will be next Tuesday.
• In History, we're progressing through Unit 5 and focusing on state governments after learning about the federal government (and the levels of government).
• In Science, we finished the long owl pellet lab and will resume with regular science lab times. We will be getting into our science textbook later this week.
• This is the final week of "Get Earthquakes Fit." We will be doing two Earthquakes activities today since our schedule was completely interrupted by activities.
• We will need a parent volunteer on Mondays for our fitness center times, from 1:05 (immediately after lunch) to 1:45 p.m.

Monday's Must See: Author Lois Lowry at San Jose's Hicklebee

I'm sorry for the late notice, but PLEASE try and take your child to see Lois Lowry at Hicklebee's bookstore in downtown Willow Glen (Lincoln and Minnesota intersection).

Monday, October 8 @ 3:00 (presentation at 3:30)

She is a two-time Newbery Award winner for her books: Number the Stars (1990) and The Giver (1994).  Your child will experience something most school-aged children don't: meeting a famous, award-winning author!

Here is a short bio for Ms. Lowry:

Two time winner of the Newbery Award, Lois Lowry is exceptional at getting us to take a deep look at situations, ideas and possibilities. The Giver stunned us with it's look at a utopian world without conflict, poverty, unemployment, divorce, injustice, or inequality - what could be wrong with that?

The Giver, Gathering Blue and Messenger - take place against the background of very different cultures and times. They speak to the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment.  She'll be talking about the fourth and final book in the quartet, Son.

Lois Lowry is known for her versatility and invention as a writer. She was born in Hawaii and grew up in New York, Pennsylvania, and Japan. After several years at Brown University, she turned to her family and to writing. Ms. Lowry now divides her time between Cambridge and an 1840s farmhouse in Maine. To learn more about Lois Lowry, see her website at www.loislowry.com.

For directions and info about Hicklebee's, visit this page:http://www.hicklebees.com/about-us/hours-directions-parking

This Weekend: Events and HW, 10/5-7

Thinking of things to do this weekend?

1)  Celebrate the Spirit of Japantown Festival in San Jose's Japantown: The Spirit of Japantown Festival returns for it's 6th annual run. The festival will feature free entertainment, cultural exhibits, martial arts demos, car shows, a kid area with family friendly activities and much more. There will also be an array of food vendors, arts and crafts and anime displays. From 10 am - 5 pm. http://www.yelp.com/events/san-jose-the-spirit-of-japan-festival

The following are scheduled to be on display, courtesy of Harunaka Hoshino, President of the Japanese Sword Society and Japanese Sword Restoration/Education Center:

Time:  9:00 AM to 4 PM
-------------------------­-------------------------­-------------------------­-------------------------­----------
We will be exhibiting the following antique artifacts ( Approximately 30 items ):
1. A 1000-year old Tachi sword
2. A 750-year old Ko-dachi sword
3. A 460-year old Wakizashi made by Seki no Magoroku Kanemoto
4. The 3rd longest spear tip in the world ! A 450-year old spear tip is 36 inches long !
5. The biggest Tanegashima musket gun in the US !  It weighs 40 pounnds & 120 caliber !
6. A 345-year old Wakizashi ( Mid-size sword ) made by Kashu Kiyomitsu
7. A 345-year old Yari ( Spear tip ) made by Kashu Kiyomitsu
8. A 345-year old  Katana made by Kiyomitsu
9. A 345-year old Wakizashi made by Kashu Kiyomitsu
10. Sample restoration work 
11. The materials used for the restoration work
12. Some swords with Kizu ( Flaws and blemished ) for your inspection & study
13. Tama-hagane ( Iron bearinf sand ) for construction for the Japanese swords


...While you're there, check out:

Book Talk: Chinatown, San Jose USA by Connie Young Yu

Come join us as we will discuss the book,
Chinatown, San Jose USA
by Connie Young Yu

Saturday, October 6, 2012
1:00 pm

Japanese American Museum of San Jose
Second Floor
535 N. Fifth Street
San Jose, CA 95112

The focus of this book is the Chinese settlement of Heinlenville, located in San Jose, California from 1887-1931. The author draws on family records & correspondence, oral interviews with former residents, & newspaper accounts of the period. The story is told against a broad background of information on Chinese immigration & years of federal anti-Chinese legislation that set the stage for discrimination against the Chinese in San Jose & in other cities in California.

Yu, a third-generation Californian, researches and writes extensively on the role and experiences of Chinese-Americans. Much of her work has focused on discovering the individuals who both shaped and were shaped by Heinlenville, among them John Heinlen, San Jose businessman and friend of the Chinese community, and Sing Kee, a Heinlenville resident World War I hero.

Books may be purchased at the JAMsj museum store. If you have questions, please contact Aggie Idemoto at (408) 268-4440 or aggie@jamsj.org.
http://jamsj.org/jamsj-news-item/2012/10/upcoming/1/book-talk-chinatown-san-jose-usa-by-connie-young-yu/

2)  Fleet Week (see previous blog post)

3)  Friends of the Willow Glen Library Book Sale: Great way to get cheap books and help a library! http://www.willowglen.org/eventinfo.php?eventid=17712

And for HW this weekend...only these two:
6.  My Math Class - Topic 2 Test on Friday

-- Textbook pgs. 60-61

-- Workbook pgs. none

8.  History - California Poster and State Symbols Quiz, Friday, October 12

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! :)

A Couple of Things...

1)  First, the saying of the day which I am compelled to share with you:  "He who has no fire in himself cannot warm others."

2)  Tomorrow, the fourth grade classes will have a combined science lab in the multi. Ms. Turner and Ms. Schima will be leading them in the dissection of owl pellets. If your child is allergic to animal hair or decaying matter, please let your child's teacher know IMMEDIATELY via email, phone call, etc. We will have an alternate activity for him/her.

3)  Book Orders are due on Tuesday, October 9.

4)  Fun item to share for the day:  A former student told me of a restaurant in Taiwan. The theme is literally perfect for the potty mouth. The Modern Toilet is a restaurant that serves everything with, you guessed it, a bathroom sense of humor. Don't believe me? Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Toilet