News from Mrs. Moder

Thursday, May 3, 2018

My Absences and Update

I finally have a surgery date: Wednesday, May 16th.  I had the clip procedure today, so hopefully no more surprise days out.  I will be out 8 days for the lumpectomy and node biopsy and hlaf days the last 2 days of school.  I don’t want to end the year without spending some time with the class.

I will also be out on May 11th.  I have not taken any personal days this year, and this will be the one I take. It is our grandson’s 3rd birthday.  We bought airplane tickets before all this “craziness” happened.

Math

We have been doing Hands on Equations for Math.  It is a Hands on Approach to doing Algebra, It teaches the basics of “whatever you do to one side, you have to do to the other.”  SO if you take 3x away from one side, you must do the same on the other. The difference is we use chess pawns to represent x. When you take them away from both sides, you physically remove them.  You do the same witht the numbers. Today we learned how to show this using a drawing, so they don’t have to have the pieces to do their work. I am scanning an example for you to see.

Next week we will return to the book: Patterns and Sequences.  I just wanted to be here to teach this short unit, because I am one of the few who teach this.  It is too hard for a sub to do.

Reading

Next week we will be reading a book on Mars.The following week I will allow the class to choose the story that they want to read from the Reading Adventures.

The last week they will be doing Poetry Ringo.  They will be reading a variety of peoms by different poets and filling in a chart. They will also be making their poetry book from the poems that they have written all year.  Yes, I have kept them!

Hoosier Biography

Continue to help your child research their Hoosier, if needed  They have information about the project they do as part of their presentation..  I put it on Google Classroom. The project and Slides will be Social Studies grades.  The report is a Writing grade. The presentation will be a Language Arts grade. The presentation is them presenting their slides and their projects.

Since I did not get a preference from anyone else, here are the assigned dates for presentations.

Hoosier Biography Presentations

News from Mrs. ModerThursday, April 26 2018

My Absences and Update

I finally have a surgery date: Wednesday, May 16th.  I don’t know the date(s) of the clip procedure. I will be out 8 days for the lumpectomy and node biopsy.

I will also be out on May 11th.  I have not taken any personal days this year, and this will be the one I take. It is our grandson’s 3rd birthday.  We got airplane tickets before all this “craziness” happened.

Math

We will be doing Hands on Equations as an introduction to Algebra.  Please don’t work ahead or do it the “normal” way. This is meant to be Hands On to give a concrete method to do an abstract activity.  Please be patient and have your child show you how WE’RE doing Algebra. I have had so many students tell me that they love Algebra. I have also had students come in and tell me they hate it and are very confused, becasue their older sibling or parent was helping them.  Give me a week with this method, please. I think you will like the results. I still vividly remember one of my struggling math students being so proud of herself, because she was consistently getting 100% on her papers.

Reading

Next week we will be reading “All Summer in a Day.”.  This is a Science Fiction story by Ray Bradbury.  The setting is Venus.

Hoosier Biography

Continue to help your child research their Hoosier.  I will have information about the project they do as part of their presentation on Monday.  I will put it on Google Classroom. The project and Slides will be Social Studies grades. The report is a Writing grade.  The presentation will be a Language Arts grade.

News from Mrs. ModerFriday, April 13, 2018

My Absences ???

My absences this next week will be to have additional tests and meet with doctors.  After that I should know what my treatment will be. Once I know, I will tell you when I will expect to be out.  As I said before, I will try to be as open as I can be, because I know this affects your child.

Thank you for all the encouraging words that I have gotten.  You don’t know how much I appreciate it! Other than being a little more distracted, I don’t believe students have noticed a difference.

I try to do a lot to help keep students organized each day, check in work, check planner, etc.  A substitute will have difficulty doing this. Students are going to have to be more responsible for themselves.  Some are still clipping down for not singing in each morning. These are things that we have been doing for 150 days. It should be a habit!

Book Fair

Our class will be going to Book Fair on Wednesday.  There will be extra time to go on Thursday at 11, but students will miss class work time.  Students can go to Book Fair before announcements, but they will have to make up any work that they miss.  Mornings are a chaotic time, so the lines are somethimes long.

Field Trip

Permission Slips have been sent home.  They were due on Friday. I will be putting forms in planners for students who have not yet turned theirs in.

Reading

I am letting the class choose the next 2 stories that we will do. They chose Mystery at Reed’s Pond  and Museums: World of Wonder.  They are part of our reading series, but are not in the hardback book.

Social Studies - Economics Fair - Products due April 25th

Be sure your child is keeping track of the cost of any items they purchase or estimating the cost of items they use from home.  Things that aren’t consumable like scissors, tape, glue used in the construction of the product don’t count. However if you are using glue as an ingredient, then it should be recorded.

Your child will be writing a “How to” on making their product.  This will be a Writing grade.

Hoosier Biography

Once students know who their Hoosier will be, they may start doing research at school and at home.  I have a specific format for this project for notes, citing references and the report. They will not be allowed to write this report at home.  You can help them with their research as much as you like.

Math -

We finished Geometry and are working on metric measurement.   We will have a test the week of April 23rd. I will be giviving a retake Geometry test.  I will be returning the tests on Monday.

News from Mrs. Moder                   Friday, March 23, 2018

Field Trip

Yes, our field trip is on May 1.  Due to space, we can only have 3 chaperones per class.  You must have an extended background check on file to be considered.

Social Studies - Economics Fair - Products due April 25th

We, 4th grade teachers and Mr. Bond, have decided that due to allergies and the Wellness policy, it would be better if no food products are made. Yes, you can still use corn starch, if you are making Slime.  Products cannot be made to be eaten.

Be sure your child is keeping track of the cost of any items they purchase or estimating the cost of items they use from home.  Things that aren’t consumable like scissors, tape, glue used in the construction of the product don’t count. However if you are using glue as an ingredient, then it should be recorded.

Your child will be writing a “How to” on making their product.  This will be a Writing grade.

Carnival Donations & Volunteers

4th grade items are pop for the ring toss prizes and office supplies for the grade level basket.  Any items or Staples, etc gift cards are appreciated. I note for volunteers will go home soon. The NDES PTO could not have carnival without your donations and time.  Part of field trip costs will be paid by the PTO. Thank you in advance.

Math -

We will finish geometry.  Test the following week.

Science - Technology & Design

With the Snow Day and my 1½ day absence, we did not get to make our “runs”. We will do those after Spring Break.  Then we will move on to Life Science.

Extra Credit Opportunities: Try! Pg. 46; Explore It! Pg. 54; Go Green pg. 60

News from Mrs. Moder                 Sunday, March 18, 2018

Field Trip

We, 4th grade teachers and Mr. Bond, felt it was prudent to cancel our field trip to Fernald Preserve witht he recent concern over radioactive safety.   We heard there were parent concerns posted on Facebook and other social media. Hopefully the naturalist, KAren Cody, will be able to come in and do a program for us.

We will be going to the Krohn Conservatory and the Observatory in Ault Park.  We are limited on the number of chaperones we can take due to the space at both venues.  I will be asking for volunteers, when we get the details ironed out. Anyone who doesn’t have an extended background check on file will automatically be pulled from teh potential chaperone list.  If I have too many volunteers, I will draw names. Unlike Governor Bebb, we cannot have extras tag along. Tickets for the Butterfly Exhibit will be limited.

Social Studies - Economics Fair - Products due April 25th

We, 4th grade teachers and Mr. Bond, have decided that due to allergies and the Wellness policy, it would be better if no food products are made. Yes, you can still use corn starch, if you are making Slime.  Products cannot be made to be eaten.

Be sure your child is keeping track of the cost of any items they purchase or estimating the cost of items they use from home.  Things that aren’t consumable like scissors, tape, glue used in the construction of the product don’t count. However if you are using glue as an ingredient, then it should be recorded.

Carnival Donations & Volunteers

4th grade items are pop for the ring toss prizes and office supplies for the grade level basket.  Any items or Staples, etc gift cards are appreciated. I note for volunteers will go home soon. The NDES PTO could not have carnival without your donations and time.  Part of field trip costs will be paid by the PTO. Thank you in advance.

Math -

We have finished Customary Measurement. There will be a quiz on Wednesday.  We will finish Geometry. There may be a quiz on Friday.

Reading -

Most students have made their AR goals this quarter.  I think doing the 2 class novels helped.

Spelling -

We will take the Acheivement test to determine challenge spellers.  I will also look at past Skill tests and Proof Its from the workbook to determine who will be on the challenge list when we return from Spring Break.

Science - Technology & Design

We are starting our unit on technology and design, chapter 2.  Part of our unit will be the car design project.

Students will get a small grade, 3  points, on their particpation as a group member.  They should be bringing home their grade from the airplane project.  The highest scores in the class are the team spokespeople for the car project.

Extra Credit Opportunities: Try! Pg. 46; Explore It! Pg. 54; Go Green pg. 60