Important Classroom Info

In Case You Were Wondering…

Contact Information

Classroom Teacher:  Mrs. Cushman

Grade Level Aide:  Mrs. Michelle Garabedian

Shatekon: 881-0580 ext. 48348

E-mail: cushkati@shenet.org

Blog: http://mrscushmansclass.blogspot.com/

Birthday Treats

We have 23 students in our classroom.  For this occasion sweet or healthy treats are welcome.  Please be sure to send in napkins.  Please do not send in any items that need to be cut.

Book Orders

I will send home book and software orders every month.  If you decide to order please either order online at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs, using activation code: J2LVC or write a check payable to Scholastic.  Please do not send cash.

Physical Education

Please have you child wear sneakers and comfortable clothes to school on Monday and Tuesday.

Newsletters

Expect to find a classroom newsletter in your child’s take-home folder every month.  The newsletter will also be posted on our class blog.

Daily Routines

Your child should bring his/her agenda and silver take home folder home each night and back to school each morning.  All assignments will be recorded in agenda book. 

 

Regular Assignments

You can expect nightly homework for spelling, math, and reading.  Please make sure students are working independently but an adult is checking that work is completed and correct.  You are invaluable to your student’s academic success!

 

J Mrs. Cushman

June Newsletter

Reminders

6/7 – Albany Field Trip

6/8 – Half day of school 11:00 dismissal

6/11 – Public Librarian presentation

6/13 - Mabee Farms Trip

6/14 – Fourth Grade Class picnic

6/15 – Flag Day assembly

6/15 – Half day of school 11:00 dismissal

6/21 – Last day of school ~ 11:00 dismissal

ELA

Reading:

Ø  Students are finishing novels begun and completing a comprehension check.

Ø  Our last TFK is here as well as another conservationist magazine!

Writing:

Ø  All students are working on their autobiographies. Please make sure to help find pictures of family to include.

Grammar:

Ø  We are wrapping up all parts of speech using MADLIBS!

Spelling Patterns:

Ø  List 28 -Vowel consonant, consonant, vowel

Ø  List 29 - Vowel consonant, vowel

Ø  List 29 is the last list!

Math

Chapter 3 Collect and Organize Data

Concepts:

ü Students will interpret data after displaying information in different ways.

ü Students will  use pictures to find possible outcomes

ü Students will describe probability with words and numbers

Vocabulary:

ü Median, mode, outlier, tree diagram, outcome, probability

Assessments:

ü June 6, 2012

Social Studies

Chapter 6 NYS Government

Concepts:

v Students will find out how New Yorkers take part in their local and state government

v Students will find out what it means to be a US citizen

Vocabulary:

v  Democracy, budget, bill, veto, appeal, justice, county seat, board of supervisors, trustee, borough, special district, immigrant, naturalized citizen, register, patriotism

Newsletter 5-21-12

Reminders:

5/23 Science performance test

5/24 Kindergarten registration

5/25 – No school

5/30 Field Day

Please make sure to return permission slip and fee for upcoming field trips ASAP!

This week’s ELA topics:

·         Writing – begin writing our autobiographies

·         Grammar – homophones to, too, two, there, their, and they’re

·         ELA – I will be reading with students one on one and assessing their progress as 4^th graders so far J

·         Spelling – homophones

This week’s Math topics:

·         We’ll review our math multiplication test

·         Triangles

o   Classify by angles

o   Classify by sides

o   Quiz Thursday!

This week’s Science topics:

·         We’ll begin reviewing for the NYS 4^th grade science test.  The test can include topics taught K-4.

·         This week we’ll review electricity and magnetism and see how it relates.

·       Please note that our testing time this week is not only during the morning.  It is imperative that your student is here all day and ready to learn. J

This week’s Social Studies topics:

·         The Albany Congress

·         New York and the French and Indian War

·         Chapter 4 test Thursday!!

Newsletter 5-14-12

Reminders:

5/15 Celebrate Reading Night and Budget Vote

5/23 Science performance test

5/24 Kindergarten registration

5/25 – No school

5/30 Field Day

Please make sure to return permission slip and fee for upcoming field trips ASAP!

This week’s ELA topics:

·         Writing – Final copy of our animal poem, special topic paragraphs and begin autobiography

·         Grammar – prepositions and contractions

·         ELA – TFK Olympics, reading to Mrs. Rosmarin’s first grade class, readers theater “Moon Poem”

·         Spelling – contractions

This week’s Math topics:

·         We’ll review our math money test

·         Review multiplication

o   Multiplying across zeros

o   Multiply three-digit numbers by two-digit numbers

o   Quiz Friday!

This week’s Science topics:

·         We’ll begin reviewing for the NYS 4^th grade science test.  The test can include topics taught K-4.

·         Our Earth Science study took longer than expected because the students were so interested!  We’ll finish up the food pyramid this week and move on to weather and the water cycle.

This week’s Social Studies topics:

·         We’ll discuss primary sources as artifacts.

·         We’ll also begin exploring what is was like in colonial New York

o   Vocabulary – economy, industry, manufacturing, manor, tenant farmer

Our feature on the Announcements!

Some of our very own students were featured on the morning announcements presenting on our Air Quality Lab!  Here is a link to check it out.  http://shen.welearntube.org/?q=node/274

Fied Trip Correction

There was an error in the letter home about the two spring field trips.  Here are the corrections:
6/7/12 - Albany field trip
6/13/12 - Mabee Farm field trip

Newsletter 5-7-12

Reminders:

5/11 – Bike Safety Awareness

5/14 – 5/18 PARP week (note was already sent home)

5/23 Science performance test

5/24 Kindergarten registration

5/25 – No school

5/30 Field Day

This week’s ELA topics:

·         Writing –Mrs. Sweeny will be in to teach poetry all week

·         Grammar – finish adverbs and begin prepositions

·         ELA – We’ll begin merging our reading time and social studies time to make sure we cover all content.  We’ll explore the main idea, detail, cause and effect of our NYS history. Our nightly homework may contain social studies content.  What a great way to show students how topics relate!

·         Spelling – silent letters

This week’s Math topics:

·         We’ll continue our money study.  Money centers will be used so kids get their hands on the money!

·         Counting money – change and amounts

·         Elapsed time (A movie begins at 4:00 and ends at 5:30.  How long was the movie?)

·         TEST FRIDAY

·         Please go over the money quiz with your student as many found it challenging.

This week’s Science topics:

·         We’ll begin reviewing for the NYS 4^th grade science test.  The test can include topics taught K-4.

·         This week we’ll focus on Earth Science and Health, specifically nutrition.