Vocabulary is fundamental to reading!

Reading Group

This reading group is working on vocabulary words.

Every week the kids spend time TALKING about words.  

This might include:

• looking at pictures that help with the meaning
• acting out the vocabulary word
• looking at word parts {prefixes/suffixes} , root word, and context clues
• drawing pictures to show their meaning
• using the word in a sentence
• thinking of synonyms (words that have the same meaning)
• thinking of antonyms (words that have the opposite meaning)
• playing vocabulary word games from the connected website
• etc...

AH PTA Spnsors Scholastic Bookfair

Book Fair

 

Who would think exploring new books at the book fair sponsored by AH PTA could be so entertaining?

WE KEEP getting better!!!

Multiplication Timed Tests Celebration

 

 

 

We know that it is important to CELEBRATE everyday successes and TODAY we are celebrating 100% of 4S students increasing the number of correct MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS solved on their weekly time tests!

What can you do to keep this trend happening? 

• Explore sites on the computer that help your child recall the product of two numbers quickly and accurately
• Play some fun card and dice games that involve MULTIPLYING two numbers together.
• Practice their fact triangles at home nightly for 5 minutes
• Ask them 5 - 6 multiplication facts ALL day long until they have solved the same problem over and over (let them do the same to you and that way they are having to learn the product {answer} of the two digits {factors} they are asking to multiply!)

Acting Out a Vocabulary Word and MAKING MEANING of the text

What IS and WHAT does the Shah's crier do and sound like?
The text says, "At the market one day, the Shah's crier made an announcement:  Find the great Kaha for our eminent Shah and receive a reward of fifty bags of gold!"
(text from folktale: The Fisherman and the Kaha Bird) 
 

 

Students' Learning from this text....

crier....kinda like Mrs. Farver everyday when she makes announcements over the intercom

....the crier has to keep saying the same thing over and over in different parts of the village

....the crier has to SHOUT the words really loud 

announcement...gives you information

....tells facts that are important

....important stuff

eminent.... powerful and demands respect

....the guy in charge

.....really important and can have you thrown in the dungeon

..... kind of like our president (we have to do what he says)

      4S Students are EXCITED to make the weekly Spelling photo!  Do YOU see your child?  The students QUALIFY for the SPELLING photo by having 75% or more on their test.  There were 12 of the 15 students who qualified this week who earned 90% or ABOVE on this test.

IMPRESSIVE!!!

What was this week's spelling FOCUS?

PREFIXES....

un-,  im-,  in-  pre-,   sub-,  over-,  re-,  il-,  super-

Now come the TRUE personalities of 4S

 

 How can you HELP?  Take time to talk about the spelling words and how the PREFIXES change the meaning of the words!!

We spent a lot of time this week identifying the base word and NOTICING how the base word meaning CHANGED with a simple prefix!

Multiplication Top-It

Need a GREAT and SIMPLE way to practice MULTIPLICATION at HOME?

Try the game Multiplication Top-It

SUPPLIES:  regular deck of playing cards (take out Queen, King, and Joker)

     *  Ace = 1  and  Jack = 10

DIRECTIONS:  

                      Shuffle the deck of cards (there should be '4' of each number).   Turn the cards FACE DOWN on the table/desk

                      EACH player takes two cards off the top of the desk and reads their two numbers aloud and SOLVES (multiplying the two numbers together).  The player with the higher product {answer} keeps the cards of BOTH players.  REPEAT until all cards are used.

                      IF there is a tie when the product is found, then turn over another set of cards.  The player with the greatest product in round two will get their two cards, plus the previous set of two numbers.  REPEAT this procedure until there is NO TIE. 

 We are working so hard to become accurate on our basic facts!!!  We'd LOVE your help too!

Vocabulary Part 2

This week we are focusing on these 8 vocabulary words, however, we are beginning to spend more time looking more deeply into how the author teaches us about the MEANING of these words within text.  We will learn, practice, and apply these vocabulary strategies into our daily lives.  We KNOW that by increasing our vocabulary WE CAN BECOME BETTER READERS.

Vocabulary Strategies we might use... 
1.  Context Clues

Kinzie SIGHTED the word 'process' in a dictionary.  Woo HOO!!!

 

Scale of Miles Anyone?

4S students learned how to use a scale of mile on the globe to CALCULATE air distance from Washington D.C. to 8 other cities around the world 

TASK...

Measure the distance from Washington D.C. 

to Mexico City, Mexico

HOW???

step one:  Find Washington D.C. and Mexico City on the globe.

step two:  Line the  '0' (using the INCH side) at the dot of Washington, D. C. and stretch the tape measure to the dot of Mexico City.  (TEAMWORK NEEDED!)

step three:  Measure the distance to the nearest 1/2 inch. IT IS 2 inches

step four:  Check out the scale of miles on the globe (1 inch = 880 miles)

step five:  Multiply 2 inches * 880 = 1,760 miles {air distance}

Your child was asked to explain this task in writing today!  Could you have done this?????

NOTICE the groups came up with the same answer as we did!!!  WOO HOO!!!

UNBELIEVABLE!

WOW!  86% of the class scored 15/20 or more correct on spelling test!  What outstanding students we have!

We are WILD about GREAT spelling!!!

I GOT IT!

We are still practicing subtraction.  Eli does a nice job with borrowing!

OUR ROUTINE: Daily reading for 20 minutes!

EACH DAY the 4S students are required to read 20 minutes.

Landon is stealing 20 minutes after school reading Savage Tsunamis by Michael Portman

Quinlan is so engrossed his book he doesn't know we are in the room.  LOVE IT!!!!

Mode, Median, Minimum, Maximum, Range Game

1.  Draw 9 cards.

2.  Put cards in order from greatest to least.

3.  Minimum is the smallest number.

4.  Maximum is the largest number.

5.  Range is the Maximum minus the Minimum.

6.  Mode is the card that has the most.

7.  Median is the middle card.

Play against your child at home.  Can they determine all the landmarks for their data set of cards?

Newton Jobs of the Future!

Students were asked to write about what kind of business they would like to see started in the community.  Here are some responses.

     I would like to see a wish store.  In my wish store, you can make a wish anywhere you want.  Not matter what you have to buy magic glitter.  Plus you can buy anything you want.  You can find it downtown.  It looks like a magic hat.  And a big air balloon rabbit pops out and so does glitter.  Plus it is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  The rabbit glows in the dark.  In the daytime the rabbit turns rainbow colors.  Some people just have to walk in to get your wish.  And everything is free.  Even magic wands are free.  You can wish for food, clothes, pets, or toys.  Have fun!

                                                                                                   Written by Aliah

     I would like a bakery to open in Newton.  The bakery would have cupcakes, cake, cakeballs, frozen yogurt, brownies, macaroons, and ice cream.  The bakery would be to raise money for baking classes and to get stuff for it.  I think it would be nice and peaceful.  People could study and eat there.  There would also be lunch, breakfast, dinner, and dessert.  It would be called All in One.

                                                                                                    Written by Addy

     I would like to see an October store here in Newton.  The October store will have almost everything for Halloween, like signs, costumes, decorations, and much more.  It will be a store with low prices.  It will be open October 15.  It will also be open at day and night.  It will be downtown by Dominos.

                                                                                                 Written by Robert

     I would like a meat store with ten thousand kinds of meat.  It would also have ten thousand kinds of seasoning.

                                                                                                  Written by Quinlan

      I think there should be a bakery and it should sell cake and cookies with filling.  It should have strawberries on the napkins.  It will be open October 7th and it is open 24-7.  It's by K.F.C.

                                                                                              Written by Tatum

     I want to see a Chucky Cheese in Newton.  It would be cool to have a Chucky Cheese in Newton.  People would have as much fun as me.  Instead of just games, let's have a trampoline in Chucky Cheese.

                                                                                                   Written by Carissa

     I would like to see a Sky Zone in Newton, Iowa so you and your children can release the bounce.  That is only open on weekends and the summer so if you or your children has work or school.  It will have different rooms for different occasions, like Christmas or Easter, or any holidays.  They are only open for the occasion and it will be open at 6:30 a.m.  It will be uptown.  It will be giant with a concession stand if you get hungry.

                                                                                             Written by Keegan Y.

     

It's Twins Day at AH

A 4S and 4B student dressed the same.  Can you tell which one is from 4S?

Eli, a 4S student, is holding the jacket.  They looked identical earlier.

Quintuplets:  Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Baumgaurt, Chase (4M), Mrs. Sheeks, and Mrs. Weaver.   Mrs. Modlin and Mrs. Vanderlaan were wishing they had their RED PRIDE shirt on today to change us to septuplets.

Vocabulary PART 1

The FYI on VOCABULARY

It may seem common sense that the more times we are exposed to a word, the stronger our understanding becomes. However, repeated exposure to new vocabulary words is often ignored. Adults often forget a person (especially a child) needs to hear and use a word several times before it truly becomes a part of her/his vocabulary. Providing multiple opportunities to use a new word in its written and spoken form helps children solidify their understanding of it.

8 words to TALK about, FIND in your readings, DISCUSS at supper, and HEAR on the radio and television

Let's see how many times we hear these words in 5 days... keep us posted on your VOCABULARY SIGHTINGS!!!!

innovative                  enterprise     
        exceptional                 funds     
process                      routine     
        undertaking                compassionate

Joe and Addy see the highlighted words

Joe and Addy spotted the word compassionate and innovative.