Monday, August 31, 2015

Welcome Back!


September 2, 2015!

Welcome back parents and students, and welcome to fourth grade! I am very excited to be your teacher at Wines this year. 

As is the case at the start of every school year, we will do a lot to establish organization and community in our classroom these first weeks. We will also be going over general rules and procedures, collecting our supplies and getting the class up and running. The first week is filled with a lot of getting to know you activities. Those are our first week goals. Over the course of the year, we will talk about the theme that the privileges of being a fourth grader, are a result of responsible behavior. We want your children to become mature, independent people and to eventually be ready for the increased responsibilities of 4th grade and beyond.
We will go over daily routines and the home / classroom relationship, in detail on curriculum night, but here is a brief overview of our homework plan. Each day they will copy down the classroom assignments in their homework planner. Homework will be assigned at least 4 out of five days per week. I expect that homework will be returned ON TIME, NEAT, LEGIBLE and a FINISHED PRODUCT. I will also expect the planner to be initialed each night by an adult at home. On Fridays, the Homework folder and planner will be sent home with a reflection sheet completed by the student and an update on any missing assignments. This way you and I can keep in close contact so we can tackle any problems immediately. This Personal Reflection page is to be signed by an adult and returned on Monday morning.

First Homework!

The first “homework” of the year is a small poster about your child and one summer artifact. I would like each student to make a poster about themselves which they are to put on a page I will be handing out on Tuesday. This is to be returned by no later than Friday, September 11. I will talk to the kids about how all photos and materials must be first cleared by an adult at home. Students should also bring in some artifact from their summer experiences. This is designed to promote a discussion about something that happened over the break. I’ll send these back home with kids in a week or so.I cannot stress enough the importance of communication between home and school. Please feel free to contact me for a meeting or just to come in and say “Hi.” I look forward to meeting you all. (Home Phone 369-2099/ Cell 476-9249. Email moshern@aaps.k12.mi.us) This is and other notes will be on my blog, Welcome Room 116 at mosher116@gmail.blogspot.com. There is a link to this blog on the Wines web page.
Sincerely,
Nick Mosher!
page1image26536 page1image26696

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Room 116 Notes 4-13

Welcome back folks and welcome to the family of Julia Sitz, our new 4th grader!
9 weeks to go and a whole lot to do.

Reading groups continue, as does our feature article writing.
In social studies will begin our 5th region of study, the West, as we finish up the Southwest.  In science we are continuing our look at matter.  There will be spelling/word study this week.

In math we begin unit 9 which continues the study of fractions, percentages and decimals.  There will be math groups Thursday, so let me know if you are interested in joining us for that day.  I've attached a family letter for unit 9.

Here's this week's math.

Math  4-13

Monday, 4 -13
9.1   Fractions, Decimals, and Percents  Study Link 9.1
Tuesday  4-14
9.2   Converting "Easy" Fractions to Decimals and Percents Study Link 9.2
Wednesday  4-15
9.3   Using a Calculator to Convert Fractions to Decimals Study Link 9.3
Thursday  4-16
Math Groups Homework - no math homework
Friday 4-17
9.4   Using a Calculator to Rename Fractions as Percents Study Link 9.4

Thanks,
Nick


Sunday, March 22, 2015

Room 116 Notes 3-23

This week in language arts, we are back to word study and weekly spelling words.  Wordly Wise people will get a packet on Monday.  We continue our work on feature articles and reading groups.  We are in the brainstorming stages of possibly making a stop motion movie influenced by our most recent read aloud, Maniac Magee, written by Jerry Spinelli.  I'm wondering if we can tie in our BYOT initiative to possibly have your kids download a Stop Motion App on any of you that have iPads coming into the classroom.  We would have 5 "production teams" so we will need 5 iPads with the app.  Let me know if that is a possibility and stay tuned for further info.

In math we began unit 8 and the discussion of area and perimeter.  There will be no math groups on Thursday.  They will return next Thursday, the day before spring break.  

Friday we are going to Cliff Keen arena for our Kids Fair trip.  Feel free to join us at the event.  We will either be in Cliff Keen or next door at The IM building, right there on Hoover avenue, a part of the UM Athletic complex.  I would invite you to go on the bus, but we are jammed up with two classrooms and only one bus.  Please make sure your child comes to school friday with a COLD LUNCH.

Here's this week's math.

Math  3-23

Monday, 3 -23
8.5   Formula for the Area of a Rectangle  Study Link 8.5
EDM  Online- Over and Up Squares
Tuesday  3-24
8.6   Formula for the Area of a Parallelogram Study Link 8.6
Wednesday  3-25
No Math
Thursday  3-26
Math Groups -8.7 What Is the Area of My Skin? Homework - Study Link 8.7
EDM  Online-  Rugs and Fences: Deck A
Friday 3-27
No Math

Thanks,
Nick

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Room 116 3-16

Wahoo Wines!

Friday is the Wines Wahoo over at Forsythe.  Student Council is sponsoring a fun Friday in coordination with that event.  They are asking all students to dress up in Hawaiian influenced clothing, for that Friday.

Room 116 is taking part in the Lunches With Love program this Friday.  We will be in the Multi-Purpose room from 1-2, helping our K buddies with the lunch production line!  I wonder if we will be making spam pineapple sandwiches?

New math unit this week.  I've attached the parent letter.  First three that offer up their services can come in a help with math groups Thursday.  

Have a great week

Nick

Math  3-16

Monday, 3 -16
8.1   Kitchen Layouts and Perimeter  Study Link 8.1
Tuesday  3-17
8.2   Scale Drawings Study Link 8.2
Wednesday  3-18
8.3   Area   Study Link 8.3
EDM  Online- Fraction Top-It 2
Thursday  3-19
Math Groups -8.4 What Is the Area of My Skin? Homework - Study Link 8.4
Friday 3-20 
8.5   Formula for the Area of a Rectangle  Study Link 8.5
EDM  Online- Over and Up Squares

Thanks,
Nick

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Room 116 Notes 2-23

Hi

Welcome back.  Hope you all had a good break. Nothing unusual this week except that Friday is Pajama Day. 

If you would like to work math games this Thursday, please let me know.
I attached the unit 7 parent letter, in case you didn't get that before the break.

Thanks

Math  2-23

Monday, 2 -23
7.4   Pattern-Block Fractions   Study Link 7.4

Tuesday  2-24
7.5   Fraction Addition and Subtraction Study Link 7.5

Wednesday  2-25
7.6   Many Names for Fractions Study Link 7.6

Thursday  2-26
Math Groups - differentiation  Homework - math page

Friday 2-27 
7.7   Equivalent Fractions  Study Link 7.7
EDM  Online- Fraction Top-It 1

Thanks,
Nick

Monday, January 19, 2015

EBooks and Raz-Kids

Hi Parents

I want to let you know about something we are doing in class to supplement our reading workshop.  Nothing takes the place of curling up with a good book, but this is something on top of what we do and it can also be accessed at home.  Students can use this to read books at their reading level for our weekly reading log. It overlaps with our school's BYOT initiative, so check out the info below and let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks

I am happy to inform you that your student has access to hundreds of eBooks using the school's subscription to Raz-Kids, www.raz-kids.com. Students can read, listen to, and even self-record reading these books. Reading-comprehension quizzes along the way show the progress that each student is making. 

Students can access assignments on a computer, tablet, or phone, by going to www.raz-kids.com/login/nmosher2, and login on nmosher2 and there name on the chart, with no password necessary.
Raz-Kids books are also available on Android and iOS devices. Go to www.raz-kids.com/mobile for details.
Follow student progress:
See which books your child has read, send messages, and review activity using our Parent Access area. Simply log in as your student, click the "Parents" link in the upper right, register, then follow the log-in instructions emailed to you.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Room 116 Notes 1-19

Hi Folks

No school tomorrow, as we observe Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday.
For those of you who were unable to see your children sing at the assembly celebrating Dr. King's legacy, our 4th graders sounded wonderful and it was a great assembly.  

This week we will continue our work on unit 6 in math.  We are working on division, and measures of angles.  I have one volunteer for math groups on Thursday, which means I have room for 2 more.  Let me know if you are interested.  We will fill those spots with the first come, first serve method.  There will be another batch of math experts this week, so some of your kids will come home with instructions on preparing a small presentation on an upcoming math concept.  Those presentations will be due Friday, January 23.

We are beginning a writing unit on informational writing.  In Reading workshop we are continuing reading groups and reading responses.  There is no word study spelling tests this week but we will continue the other portion of word study, our daily language work.  In social studies we are continuing our study of the Southeast region.

On Wednesday, we will take the reading portion of the NWEA.  This was postponed due to the snow day two weeks ago.

Monday, January 26, there is no school for students as teachers take part in a day of professional development.

Have a great week and here is the math schedule.

Thanks

Nick Mosher

Tuesday  1-20
6.4 Expressing and Interpreting Remainders 6.4 Study Link

Wednesday  1-21
6.5  Rotations and Angles 6.5  Study Link

Thursday  1-22
Math Groups - differentiation  Homework - math page

Friday 1-23 
6.6   Using a Full-Circle Protractor   6.6 Study Link

--