Weekend Update 12/8-12/11

I. European History Project: Final FAQ
The due date for the Europe Project is Thursday, December 14th. There has been no homework assigned for this weekend and the children will not be given homework on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday night, other than optional review for upcoming quizzes and tests. There will be normal homework on Thursday evening. 

Some answers to a few final questions parents have asked about the project:

• If your child elects to bring food, please bring enough for the whole class (32, including Mrs. Klopack and myself!) to have a small portion. 
• Homemade food is great, but store-bought food is also acceptable. 
• There are no restrictions on food items, but please note whether your item contains gluten. We will have alternative food items available for children with allergies. 
• I can provide plates, bowls, utensils, and/or cups for food items, but I need to know in advance. If you have not already done so, please let me know whether you need these items by Tuesday, December 12 at the latest. 
• Regardless of whether your child is presenting Thursday or Friday, please send in all materials on Thursday, except for any food, outfit, or model. These may be brought in on Friday.
• The flag should be hand-drawn (small elements may be cut and pasted, but the bulk of it should be drawn by hand) and either attached the poster or presented separately.
• The children may use the poster and/or note cards as presentation guides, but they should not read directly from the poster. We will grade them on eye contact and familiarity with the material. We discussed the difference between using  note cards as a guide and a crutch earlier this week in class. 
• I strongly suggested to the children that they practice their presentation at least once with a parent or older sibling. If that can't be arranged, please let me know and I will find time to have them practice with me. 
• The presentation must last a minimum of three minutes and should not extend beyond seven minutes.  
• The presentation is based upon their poster board, the knowledge they have learned, and their display (food, landmark/cultural item, or clothing). They can pick several components of their research and focus on those. They do not need to cover all their research in a 3-minute presentation. 
• All sources should be listed on the front page of the packet as instructed. The items in the packet should be sourced with a reference code in the box to the left of the item (e.g., B1)
• They do not need to include reference on the poster or the essays unless they are quoting directly from a book or website -- in that case, the quote (in quotation marks!) should be followed by the author's first initial and last name plus book title or website title. We do not require APA or MLA format in fourth grade. 

            Example: "Italy is known for its beautiful coastline." (R. Benigni, Bella Italia). 

• The reflective paragraph should be about their experience during the project. Was it fun? Boring? hard? What did they learn? How would they do a similar project differently next time? Etc. 
• Both the essay and the reflection paragraph may be typed OR hand-written. If they are hand-written, they should be written in cursive. They will both be handed in separately from the poster board.
• If your child began or finished his or her essay in class on the computer and needs me to send you a link or print it out, let me know as soon as possible.
• If dressing up, students must still wear their uniforms that day. They may change before their presentation time.
• You are welcome to join us that day to watch your child present their project! I will send out a presentation schedule later today (Saturday). 

See below from some excellent poster examples:

I will be available all weekend and next to answer any other questions you might have. 

II. Upcoming Quizzes and Tests

Science Mini-Quiz on Wednesday, December 13

Science Mini-Quiz on Friday, December 15

Spalding Test on Friday, December 15

Math Cumulative Test on Friday, December 15

European Projects Due on Thursday, December 14 (presentations Thursday and Friday)

III. Here's what our scholars will be studying throughout the rest of Quarter 2 (reprint): 

History: We have begun a unit on the geography, history, and culture of our home state, Arizona.  Students will look at the state's rivers and waterways and regions, learn how Arizona became a state, discuss the "5 C's" (copper, cotton, cattle, climate, and citrus) and explore Spanish and Native American influences.

The big European Country Project is due on December 14^th. Students will present their projects on Thursday, December 14 and Friday, December 15.

Science:  We'll conclude the quarter by reviewing prior units and reviewing topics specifically covered on the AIMS test.

Language Arts: In Literature, we'll finish reading Robin Hood and conduct Socratic discussions to explore the question of whether Robin Hood is a hero. This is the precursor to a larger discussion at the end of the book. The quarter will conclude with a reading of the first few chapters of Pollyanna. In grammar, students will write a short personal narrative essay. In Spalding, we'll have more words with markings to copy and learn.

Math: Students will continue working on fractions. The quarter will end with a review test on the topics covered thus far.