Wrap Up for week of 3/23-3/27

What a great week it has been!
We finish reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, by CS Lewis. We got to view the film on Friday, but prior to that, we used technology to draft a news script and then animate our newscast with POW Toons!

We added some elements to our e-portfolios, as well.

In math, we continued to explore geometry (5th) and decimals relationship to fractions (4th).

Please support the FORD FALCON WALK A THON! Send in your envelopes ASAP, as our "walk-a-thon" will be held on April 10th.

Things to ask your child about:

• What are they reading for free time reading?
• How are they handling Literature Circles and discussions? Are they being good listeners, are they contributing appropriately? Do they give appropriate feedback to others?
• In math, are they asking questions? Are they doing their homework?
• In social studies, are they connecting the past to their lives today? Do they attempt to understand what the lives of the people we study must have been like. Do they try to picture the geographic locations which we are discussing?

Have a wonderful Spring Break!

Weekly News 3/23-3/27/15

Spring Break begins after this week!

I will be out on Monday and Tuesday, both, but have left great plans for the guest teachers. (I will be back on campus to teach kid yoga on Monday!)

• For the fifth grade: If they are going to camp, they need a "cabin buddy" turned in to me, hopefully, by today. We are working on cabin groups and learning groups.  There is a chaperone meeting on Thursday at 3:05.
• Please continue to turn in MATH A THON funds! Our little class has raised more than 500.00. That is so great! All money is due 3/26/15.
• Riley's Farm trip is 4/24/15. More information to follow.

For both grades: 

• Spring Break: March 30-April 3.
• Conference Week: April 6-April 9. Minimum days April 7-9.
• Parent/Community Meeting with Desert Sands Teachers Association: April 9th 5:30-6:30,at the DSTA office on Corporate Center Dr, off of Dune Palms, in La Quinta. Attend to learn more about the struggle between the teachers and district and what you can do to support your students. Please feel free to ask me questions!

Weekly Wrap Up Friday March 20, 2015

The copier is broken, so no homework folders will go out this week. I will assign math on a day to day basis, and get spelling and dictation to the kids on (hopefully) Monday.

Things to talk about with your student:

• Ask them to tell you key details about the novel we read this week. Also ask them to discuss the characters and their qualities, along with the themes contained in the novel.
• Talk to them about answering all parts of a question, whether it is in writing or speaking. many students are struggling to make sure they answer what is asked. Either they are hurrying, or they do not look past the first part of a question. Encourage them to slow down and to be thoughtful.
• Ask them about the flyer they made.
• Ask them about how they feel they did on math chapter 8 math test
• Help them set a goal for the week. Make the goal more meaningful than, I want all 5s on something. Be more specific. What will they do to achieve the goal?

It was a good week together! Report cards are due the district on 3/25/15, so it will be a bit before you see them.

Week of 3/16/15

Good Morning!

We are getting ready for another great week in D4...

• In addition to Literature Circles, we are studying the novel The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
• AR goals will be re-created for the final trimester!
• We will prepare for chapter 8 math test: multiplication of fractions in 4th and division of fractions in 5th.
• We will wrap up our creation of google slides on the Rock Cycle and Weather.
• 5th graders have a guest speaker from the Water Department on 3/19/15.

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Alberg-Burbank

PS Please attend the LCAP funding meeting on Tuesday night at 6PM in the MPR!

Things to ask your kiddo....

Instead of, "What did you do in school today?", here are some things to ask about:

• What novel did you begin today?
• Did you use technology this week?
• How is your slide coming in science?
• How do you think you did in your culminating task for Language Arts?
• Are you struggling with fractions? If so, what part?

I wish you each an amazing weekend. Thanks for the kids you send to me each day!

Weekly News 3/9-3/13

Good Morning!

This week is going to be a great one...
Here are the things on which we will be working:

• 5th graders should still be gathering pledges for the MATH-A-THON. This is an academic fundraiser, that reinforces important math skills. Did you know it takes roughly $10,000 to get all of our kids to our year end activities? We actually have to pay to use the district buses!
• Both grades are beginning their culminating task in Module 4, Language Arts. This task attempts to mirror the structure of the state tests, which will begin in April.
• Picture Day was today- the kids look delightful!
• In science we continue to study the rock cycle and the weather.
• In Math, 4th grade is working on multiplying fractions and 5th grade is learning what it means to divide fractions.

Our web site is up and running! It will be a process to get it going, but beginning this week, we will post our homework there, in case you need it. All of my contact information is contained in a QR code- so you can point your cell phone at the screen and have all of my information.

Have a great week!

Mrs. Alberg-Burbank

Here we go...

Finally, getting our web site and blog up and running!