Friday, April 12th NO SCHOOL for students:
Teacher grading and staff development day
Thursday & Friday April 18th-19th NO SCHOOL for students:
Student Led-Conferences (See note below)
Monday, April 22nd Puffins to Forest Grove Public Library
Parent chaperones: meet us in the classroom at 1:50pm if you would like to join us
Wednesday, April 24th ALL DAY O&A to Oregon Coast- Details coming soon...
Chaperones Needed!
Wednesday, May 1st ALL DAY O&A to Jackson Bottom Wetlands- Details coming soon...
Chaperones Needed!
Community School Calendar 2018-2019
A little note about comfort: Spring is here! Please make sure that your kiddo is properly outfitted with waterproof layers and appropriate footwear on Monday and Wednesdays when they will be outside for at least part of their day.
Student-Led Conferences
It's time to sign up for student-led conferences, which will take place at FGCS on Thursday, April 18.
Call the office at 503-359-4600 to schedule a 30-minute conference with your student and student's teacher. Conference times are available 9 a.m.-noon (last morning slot 11:30 a.m.) and 3-7 p.m. (last evening slot 6:30 p.m.).
Up to three families are scheduled for student-led conferences during each half hour time slot on a first-come first-served basis. We recommend calling as soon as possible to find a time that works best for you.
A note about student-led conferences: All students are expected to participate in a conference with their parents/guardians. Student participation is required because students are leading their parents/guardians through a presentation of their recent school work. Teachers are on hand to answer questions, but students are in the lead. If you have questions or concerns you'd like to discuss privately with your student's teacher, please make arrangements directly with the teacher by phone or email.
What's Happening in the Puffin Nest...
This week we explored the Fernhill Wetlands (which aims to naturally improve water quality by removing nutrients, cooling, and naturalizing the water after initial treatment at the Forest Grove facility.) We talked about the wetland ecosystem and the plants and animals that are adapted to survive there.
Students went on a hike to search for signs of the many such birds, raptors, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals that reside at the wetlands. They also played a game to learn about the adaptations these species have developed to survive and thrive in their environment over time.
This week during our study of science in the classroom, we learned how living in groups helps many animals survive, including wolves, meerkats, ravens, and ants!
You can support your child’s curiosity at home! Look for different kinds of animals near your home, and ask your child your child for each kind of animal, “Do you think it lives in a group? How do you think living in a group helps it survive?”
Writing Workshop
Students have begun to explore the "Art of Informational Writing" during writer's workshop.
Our Goals:
- We will generate informational text from our own "expert" knowledge of a topic.
- We will consider and choose a writing structure to organize information so it is clear.
- We will write an interesting beginning and conclusion. .
- We will read, revise, and edit as we work.
- Using Book Creator on the iPad, we will include headings, text boxes, pictures with captions, and other visuals in our finished books.
Reading Workshop: Literature Circles
These small group "Book Clubs" engage students in rich conversations about shared readings. Students can express their opinions, predictions, and questions about a text in a productive, structured way. Students take on specific group roles which are designed to develop reading, speaking, and thinking abilities. Ask your kiddo to tell you about the book they are reading!
Suggested Weekly Homework:
Reading Homework
Spend at least 20 minutes reading (outside of school) every day.
Reading is on the "honor system" and we ask that you help your kiddo to develop a daily reading routine with good-fit books and a well-lit, comfy reading spot away from distractions.
Typing Homework
Level 2 students have typing homework to develop and support important keyboarding skills. Please practice at least 20 minutes per week on: Typing.com
Math homework
Every week, the math homework is to complete at least 30 minutes of math practice.
Ideas for math practice:
- Recommended: Students can get valuable math practice with their Dreambox account. The Dreambox accounts offer an easy way to track math progress and feature assignments that are on-topic with what we are learning in class.
- If your family would prefer to practice math skills in other ways (practice books, worksheets, flash cards, math games or other online resources such as Khan Academy), please send in your student's work OR send me an email before Friday morning each week letting me know how they completed their 30 minutes of weekly math practice. Current 3rd/ 4th grade math topics are listed below.
3rd grade parent info:
Current 4th grade Math Topic:
All 4th grade math students should be practicing their multiples DAILY.
Review Topics for 4th Grade Math: