Make sure that you sent the bus permission slip for Friday, Dec. 7th dress rehearsal from Mackenzie to BIS! Don't forget to send R$5 or 2 dozen cookies for snacks and refreshments after the Christmas Program.
Thursday, December 13 - Trip to the Creche
Please turn in $10 and permission slip to go to the creche in Santa Maria by Monday.
Friday, December 14 - Christmas Party
What to bring:
1. Your child knows what snack or disposable they are supposed to bring for the party. (Sweet snack, salty snack, forks, plates, cups, juice)
2. White Elephant Gift Exchange - Send your child to school with a wrapped present (About R$5 value with a candy, soda, or other snack)
Friday, December 7 @ 8:00 a.m. - All School Christmas Program Rehearsal @ Mackenzie (Students need to be dropped off at Mackenzie by 8:00 a.m. Students should wear their costumes and bring a uniform to change into following the rehearsal. We will return to BIS by bus for lunch. We will have 1:00 p.m. early dismissal.
It's a Wonder-Full Life: A Musical about the Best Gift at Christmas Time... Jesus
Where: Mackenzie SHIS QI 5 Chacaras 74-79 Lago Sul
When: Friday, December 7 @ 7:00 p.m. (Students should arrive between 6:15-6:30 p.m.)
Each family is kindly asked to bring 2 dozen cookies at the performance, or donate R$5.00 by Thursday, December 6th.
Monday, December 10 - Social Studies Test & Bible Verse Test
Thursday, December 13 - Outreach Trip to the Creche in Santa Maria
Our class currently has donated 112 items!
Friday, December 14 - 3rd & 4th Grade Christmas Party & Early Dismissal @ 11:45 a.m. Please be looking in your child's agenda to see what they should bring to the party, or write me a note if there is something particular that you would like to send.
Lost Books
Please be on the look out for any books that your child may have borrowed from the 3rd & 4th class library. We have many books that have not been returned. Take a look in your child's room, book shelves, backpack, etc. Please return them as soon as possible!
Donate Your Used Books & DVD's
If you have any used books or DVD's that you would like to donate to our class, just send them with your child to school! Your child can also write a note inside, "Donated to the 3rd & 4th Grade Class at BIS by: NAME."
Field Trip Pictures from CAESB (Special "Thanks" to our AWESOME translator dad!)
The water separating from the "flocus" to be cleaned.
I thought the 3rd & 4th graders looked like college students!
Outside observing the water treatment process in the rain.
1. We have met our 2nd Reading Goal and have earned a Reading Party!
Find out what your child is supposed to bring by checking their agenda.
2. Science Test - Make sure that your child studies their Notebook because we made flashcards with the vocabulary words. The test will cover A Chapter 4.
Wednesday, November 28
Field Trip to CAESB (Brasilia's Water Treatment Plant)
Cost: $10 to cover bus fare
When: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Who: 3rd & 4th Graders
Parents are all welcome to ride on the bus and attend this field trip! We need parents that are able to translate for the kids that don't speak Portuguese. Please write a note in your child's agenda if you are able to attend the field trip with us!
These kids can always bring a SMILE! Such joys in my life!
CRECHE Donations
Our class currently has 53 items! Please get involved by sending: Toothpaste, Noodles, Rice, Beans, Tomato Sauce, Dish Soap, Body Soap, Milk, Nescau, Gently Used Clothing, and Gently Used Toys.
Our class has currently raised $560 Reais to go toward sponsoring a child through World Vision. When we get $850 Reais, the kids have raised enough to sponsor 2 children (1 from the Congo and 1 from India).
Last Friday, the 3rd and 4th grade class began studying MALNUTRITION. We looked a website called 30 Hour Famine. We learned many facts about The World Food Crisis. (Please go to the link and check out the facts).
We discussed the quote, "Give a man a fish, feed a man for a day. Teach the man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." The students were very passionate about helping this cause. They recognized the difference between just giving away money to buy food for malnourished people, and using resources to provide tools, medicine, and ways to help educate the people in need.
World Vision is an organization that, among many other things, helps to provide children from over 100 countries in the world with access to healthy food, clean water, education, and medicinal needs. They have a "Sponsor a Child" program. For about $70 Reais per month, our class can sponsor a child. Here is more information regarding child sponsorship.
In order to sponsor a child for a year, our class needs to raise about $850 Reais. The kids volunteered to give all of the money that we raised from Children's Day, $380 Reais, toward raising this amount of money. We also discussed how much money they use at our school's canteen. The kids realized that if they gave up one or two snacks a month and put the money towards sponsoring a child, that we would reach our goal very fast!
I challenged the kids NOT to go home and say, "Mom, Can I have money for sponsoring a child in Miss Duke's class?" I challenged them to choose to sacrifice something that they usually spend their money on to go toward our class goal, or even see if there is an extra job they can do around the house to raise money. Please have this talk with your kids. Challenge them to sacrifice a candy or soda and give that money towards the sponsorship.
Neither you nor your children are not obligated to give. It is entirely optional. However, I made a deal with the class. Whatever they give toward our class goal, I will match. So, if your child gives $2 Reais, then I will give $2 Reais. If they give $850 Reais, then I will give $850 Reais.
Let's make a difference.
Help Our Community
This week we will also begin collecting Rice, Beans, and other items for a Creche in Santa Maria. Send these items with your child so that our class can impact our community!
Our class will go on a trip to the Creche in December to spend an afternoon with the kids!
Want to be able to know you child's grades all the time?
Please use the pink slip in your child's agenda to go to the ENGRADE website. Use the access code on the slip and create a username and password. By doing this, you can see your child's grades at anytime! As long as I have updated them!
3rd - 6th Grade Art Field Trip
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
8 am - 2 p.m.
$10 per child
We will be going the Museu Nacional, A Terra Vista do Ceu Photography Exhibit, McDonalds, and The TV Tower. Parents are invited to attend as chaperones. Students either need to bring a sack lunch or money for McDonalds. They can choose to bring money for souvenirs, however this is optional.
Grades
I use an online grading software called Engrade. With this program, parents are able to go to Engrade to create a username and password. Please check your child's agenda tonight for a pink access code and ID so that you can access your child's grades for the course subjects that I teach.
Upcoming Test Dates
Thursday, November 1 - Unit A Ch. 3 Science Test
Monday, November 5 - Ch. 5 Math Test
Thursday, November 5 - Bible Verse Test
Our class is about to start a new unit in Science and we need the following items for some upcoming projects.
Empty Soda Bottles
Clear Glass Containers with lids
Clear Plastic Containers with lids
Plastic Ice Cream Containers with lids
Loan Our Class Your Pet (for a day or a week)
If you have a pet guinea pig, fish, turtle, or other caged animal, we would like to borrow it for a day or week. We are studying animals, habitats, ecosystems, food chains, etc. and would like some extra HANDS-ON learning experiences with your pets. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to volunteer your pet (temporarily) to our class.
Thank you for coming out to the Nerd Prom birthday party! I believe it is safe to say that we all had a blast! My birthday gifts are all so beautiful and I look forward to using them all in the upcoming days! Thank you again!
Science Test next Monday!
The test will cover Section A, Chapter 2. The kids will complete a study guide and a practice test this week. Make sure to study next weekend!
Reading Party!
We are 1 week away from reaching our first reading goal! The kids set a reading goal of 75 minutes per week per person for 5 weeks. If we complete our reading goal next Monday, we will have a Matilda reading party. Each child will be assigned to bring one item for the party to share with the class.
Great Job!
I am very proud of the 3rd and 4th graders. They are adjusting well to the new year and I am already seeing so much progress in each of them becoming more organized, responsible, and independent! Keep up the good work! There are quite a few well deserved holidays coming up! Make sure to check the BIS website and see the school calendar.
Who: All 3rd - 6th Grade BIS Students and families & SMASH What: Nerd Prom Birthday Party (Anne is turning 10 & Miss Duke is turning 57... just kidding!) When: Friday, September 21, 2012 Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Where: Brasilia International School
ONLY GUESTS IN NERD COSTUME WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER!!!
It was a joy to see many of you at Open House on Friday night. If you were unable to attend or if you have any questions, please email me.
Reading
Raz-Kids should be working for all of the kids in my class. Please contact me if it is not working.
Reading Goal: Our class has set a reading goal of each student reading 75 minutes for 5 weeks. When we meet our goal, we will have a reading party!
Pretty Flowers (before we dissected them!)
Reading Buddies: If your child is in my class for reading, we began reading with the Pre-K and Kindergarten class every Friday from 8:25 - 8:55. Your kids are professionals!
Social Studies
Our first Social Studies test will be on Thursday, August 30th. The test will cover Chapter 1 of the textbook, pages 6 - 35. Make sure they understand all of the vocabulary, elevation maps, and review the homework that they had in their Social Studies Notebook.
This used to be a sunflower!
Math
3rd and 4th grade will have a test over Chapter 2 on Monday, September 3.
3rd Grade: The test will cover place value to one hundred thousand, comparing numbers, counting by 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s, and 100s, ordinal numbers, rounding to the nearest ten and hundred, and word problems.
4th Grade: The test will cover patterns, rounding, estimation, addition with 2 - 5 digit numbers, adding money, and word problems.
Science:
We will have a Science Test over Chapter 1 on Tuesday, September 4th. The test will cover pages A4 - A33. Make sure that they study their Science Notebook and have an understanding of Plant Classification, Flower Parts, Pollination, Fertilization, Seed/Fruit Formation, and the Life Cycle of a Flowering Plant.
Here is a cool video of a seed sprouting.
Here is another one of radish seeds.
The Sunflower's Stem
Spelling/Language
Mrs. Boggan will assign weekly Spelling Homework on Mondays and it will not be due until the following Friday.
Bible
Weekly Bible Verse: Psalm 86:9-11
"All the nations You have made shall come and worship before you and shall glorify Your name. For You are great and You do wondrous things. You alone are God. Teach me Your way, Oh Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name." NOTE: The memory verse test will be on Thursday of this week because we will miss Bible Class on Friday because it is Spirit Day.
Ahhhh-Choo!
Computer
This kids will learn when to use the different software applications: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Publisher. They will continue to practice saving different items to their pen drive.
Health
Last week, we learned about posture. We also practiced using proper posture to introduce ourselves and appropriate greetings. Ask your child to model this for you!
This week we will be learning about voluntary and involuntary muscles.
Starting this week, the students in 1st - 4th grade will be put into one of the three reading groups that Mrs. Lancaster, Mrs. Renard, and I teach according to their reading level. Do not be discouraged if your child does not stay in my class for reading time. With this schedule, the students should read with their reading teacher every other day! We have seen students make so much progress by teaching reading this way! One student jumped 4 grade levels last year!
The guided reading time in my class is broken down with the following schedule:
8:10 - 8:25 Class Read Aloud
8:25 - 8:50 Center # 1 ( Group 1 - Guided Reading, Buddy Reading, Dictionary Center, Read with a Parent) (Group 2 - Computer, Read Independently, Reading Journal, Scrabble Slam, Math Games, Catch Phrase, Story Cubes)
8:50 - 9:15 Center # 2 (Group 1 - Computer, Read Independently, Reading Journal, Scrabble Slam, Math Games, Catch Phrase, Story Cubes) ( Group 2 - Guided Reading, Buddy Reading, Dictionary Center, Read with a Parent)
I am still looking for parent volunteers to read with small groups from 8:20 - 9:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays! Please email me for more information!
Science
I was so impressed with the kids learning the Scientific Method from the song on YouTube! They did a great job on their quizzes! Keep up the good work!
On Friday, we put the Scientific Method into action to ask: Why is snot so Sticky and Stretchy? We made jello as a model for mucus and observed the chemical reaction as the day passed by. Make sure you ask your child the answer! Check out the experiment!
Here are some of the pictures of the kids and their "fake mucus."
Plants
This week we will describe and classify plants (video link) into groups of seed bearing and non seed bearing. The kids will also describe the parts of a flower and their functions, including fertilization and pollination. (The kids will use the picture on the right for one of their classwork/homework assignments to draw and label the parts of a flower after we dissect one in class).
Social Studies
We will continue to study landforms, elevation, and climate this week in class. We will also talk about the various natural resources that are found in different countries. Remind you child of the resources that their home country has so that they will be able to participate in the class discussion.
Math
Our first Math Test will be on Wednesday. Please make sure to review Chapter 1 with your child. 3rd Grade: The test will cover Lessons 1 - 13. Basic Addition, Subtraction, Fact Families, and Word Problems. Your child will have to decide whether they need to add or subtract.
4th Grade: The test will cover Lessons 1 - 12. This chapter included place value up to hundred millions, rounding, putting numbers in order form least to greatest and greatest to least, writing numbers in standard and expanded form, and solving word problems.
Technology & Computer
Last week, your child learned how to open and create a folder on their pen drive. Please practice doing this from their home computer. This way, your child can complete work that was started in class at home.
This week, we will practice creating folders and saving pictures from the internet on our pen drives.
Weekly Bible Verse
Psalm 86: 10 - 11 - "For You are great and do wondrous things. You alone are God. Teach me Your way, Oh Lord. That I may walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name."
Here is a video that I made for last week's, this week's, and next week's Bible verses.
Here is the fun video that we watched in class about the scientific method. Make sure that you study the steps for the Quiz on Friday!
1. Make an observation - State the Problem
2. Ask a question - What do you want to learn?
3. Form a Hypothesis and make a prediction
4. Do a test/experiment with a control and a variable
5. Analyze data
6. Draw a conclusion
Guided Reading
We will begin doing Guided Reading next Monday, August 20. Students will be placed among Mrs. Lancaster, Mrs. Renard, and Miss Duke (myself) according to their reading levels so that they can meet more frequently with the teachers and with other students in the appropriate reading levels.
I am looking for parent volunteers to read for about 1 hour per week with different small groups in our class from 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.
Monday: We have a Parent Volunteer! Tuesday: Still Need Parent Volunteer
Wednesday: We have a Parent Volunteer! Thursday: Still Need Parent Volunteer
Friday: No volunteer needed (We will read with our Pre-K and Kindergartener Reading Buddies)
Please email me if you are interested in helping out!
3rd & 4th Grade Math
We will spend the first few weeks of school reviewing concepts from last year. Our first few units will be covered rather quickly because the material should have been mastered last year. The first math test will be Wednesday, August 22, and will cover Chapter 1 of the math book.
Please purchase, or make flash cards to review basic addition and subtraction (0 to 18) at home daily. We will be taking daily timed tests in which your child will be graded on improvement. Each timed test contains 100 problems and your child will have 4 minutes to do as many problems as possible. I will take a grade every Friday to measure progress from the previous week.
Health Class
We will be discussing nutrition for the next few weeks. Here is a neat nutrition game to play to help learn about the different nutritional values of different foods!
Social Studies
This week in Social Studies, we will be reading about the landforms and climates found in the United States. However, we will also be comparing what we discover about the U.S. to Brazil and your home countries. Please discuss the landforms and climates found in your home countries.
Bible
Every Monday, the students will receive the weekly Bible Verse. They will have Monday - Thursday to memorize and practice because on Fridays, each student will present the verse to the class from memory.
They will be graded on:
1. Correct Wording
2. Poise, Posture, and Eye Contact with audience
3. Volume and Articulation
The Bible Verse this week is:
Psalm 86:11 - "Teach me Your way, Oh Lord, that I may walk in Your truth, unite my heart to fear Your name."
Computer
Make sure that your child has their Pen Drive for Computer Class on Wednesday! We will be learning how to save documents and other items to folders on their Pen Drive so that they can work from home and school on their assignments.
Don't hesitate to write me in the agenda, email me, or comment on the blog if you have any comments or questions! Thanks.
Welcome to 3rd & 4th Grade at BrasÃlia International School!
My name is Miss Dawna Duke. I have the great responsibility and privilege of teaching your child this year. This is my second year at BIS and I am very excited to invest in your child all year long. Please take time to read the following announcements and updates. You are more than welcome to comment on the blog to ask me any question at anytime. Please allow 24 hours for a response. You can also email me. Subscribe to the Blog I will regularly update this blog instead of sending newsletters home. This class blog will be the primary form of communication that I will use this year and ask that you look on the right hand of the blog and choose to "FOLLOW BY EMAIL" and "FOLLOW" the blog by subscribing to "JOIN THIS SITE." Doing these two things will automatically send you updates through your email about upcoming events, classroom needs, tests, pictures of our class, videos, etc. When you subscribe, please print out the confirmation page and send it with your child for a free math homework grade of 100!
Carrying Folder with Divisions
School Supply List I have changed two items on the current school supply list from the school's website, everything else is the same.
2 thin plastic carrying folders 1 thick carrying folder with divisions (2 or 3 cm) 2 small hardcover journal notebooks (100
pages) Loose lined paper 4 large notebooks 1 pencil case 1 plastic water bottle with lid 1 large, old shirt for painting 1 memory stick 5 pencils 2 erasers 1 scissors 1 pen
2:35
– 3:10 Special
(Monday - Bible, Tuesday - Music, Wednesday - Computer, Thursday - Bible, Friday - Social Studies)
3:10
– 3:15 Pack
Up for Dismissal
Homework Policy
Your child will receive about 1 hour of homework per night in addition to 15 minutes of reading. Homework must be completed before entering class on the day that it is due. I will check that each child completed every assignment between 8:00 - 8:10 a.m. everyday.
The following assignments are daily assignments:
1. Completing 15 minutes of reading and entering it on their Weekly Reading Log with a parent signature. They should complete their reading at www.raz-kids.com and log-in to our class account by clicking "Hey Kids! Start here!" and entering the class log-in: bis34 Then, they click on their name and enter their password.
2. Finishing the daily timed math tests (Our goal is to complete 100 problems in 4 minutes)
3. Getting a parent to review and sign the agenda (Please do not sign unless your child has completed all of the assignments.)
Reward for complete homework:
When a child completes every homework assignment for a whole school week, they will be rewarded with one roll in "HOMEWORKOPOLY." In this game, they have a chance at winning various prizes!
Consequences for incomplete homework:
Students will lose their 1st recess to complete any unfinished homework. If they finish their homework before the break is over, they must walk for the remainder of the 1st break.
If homework is not completed during the 1st break, the student will also lose their 2nd recess, until the assignment is completed. After they complete the assignment(s), they are allowed to participate in recess.
For each day that homework is late, there will be 1 letter grade penalty. For example, if your child would have made an A+ on the assignment, they will now only make a B+ if the assignment was one day late.
Cover Your Books!
All hardback books must be covered by Thursday, August 16th. We will have random book checks after August 16th. Failure to cover school books will result in walking during break and recess until the books are covered.
Don't forget to subscribe to the blog and send the printed confirmation page with your child for a free math homework grade of 100! Download the School Calendar here! Here's a tour of our classroom! Check it out!
This school year was AWESOME! Thank you kids and parents for everything you did to make it so great!I really enjoyed the diversity of our classroom and being able to teach your kids! It was an honor to apart of their lives.
Can't wait to see you all next year!
Here are some pictures and videos that I think you will all enjoy!
You are all welcome to communicate through the blog with me this summer!
Note to Parents: I am still looking for volunteers to review the previous blog and sign up to volunteer for the 2012-2013 school year to read during our reading time one day a week and also for art class!
