"The Heart of Caloosa is the PRIDE Within"
RESPONSIBILITY, COMMITMENT, and PRIDE
2009-2010
Welcome to Mrs. Fizer's Class Web Page!
Lily the Black Bear had her cub!
Welcome little cub!
Both Momma Lily and cub are doing well.
Go to bear.org or wildearth.tv to check on them.
Click on the
Bear Den Cam.
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* The Deer Cam (Pennsylvania forest), Safari Cam (Africa), and the Bald Eagle Cams are also interesting to watch on Wildearth.tv. There will be new Whooping Crane Cams coming soon.
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* Lily Bear is believed to have had her cub at 11:28 Friday, January 22nd.
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* We've been keeping an eye on Lily and making observations. We'll be continuing to keep tabs on her and the cub, and hopefully...we'll see the little cubby soon!
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THE PRIDE WITHIN will lead us to continue "leadership" qualities in and out of school,
better environmental decisions, helping our community, and our caring for our precious planet.
THERE'S ONLY ONE EARTH...
The future lies within our hands!
IT'S UP TO YOU AND ME...
IMPORTANT NOTES!!!!
** It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone, but we welcome 2010 with new hopes and goals!
* The 3rd QUARTER BEGINS!
* New AR goals will be given. Check inside planner for new label and information.
* FCAT WRITES IS THIS TUESDAY, FEB. 9th!
* FCAT Reading and Math tests will be the beginning of March.
*REMEMBER TO PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS ON STUDY ISLAND AND FCAT EXPLORER!
*** This will now be part of our nightly homework for at least 15 min. ***
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* The Student Led Conferences went so very well! I'm very proud of our class for sharing so many things with you during the conference. They did an amazing job and I'm sure you were proud of their work.
* Thank you so much for coming in during Parent Conference Week!
It was GREAT seeing our families and it was priceless to see the pride in everyone's eyes!
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* THIS TUESDAY ...FCAT WRITES TEST!
Scroll down below for some wonderful helpful hints to help prepare!
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VALENTINE'S DAY IS COMING! VALENTINE'S DAY IS COMING!
* Our class will be exchanging Valentine cards for the upcoming holiday. We have 23 students in our class. I'll be sending home a class list to assist you.
* THIS IS AN OPTIONAL ACTIVITY FOR YOUR CHILD *
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Special NOTES and REMINDERS:
* Feb. 1st- Report Card Celebration Day
* Tues. Feb. 2nd - CLASS PICTURE DAY!
(Wear your BEST uniform and SMILE BIG!)
**** Tuesday, Feb. 9th - FCAT WRITES! ****
* Fri. Feb. 12th - FIELD DAY for us!
Class Family Luncheon / Picnic: Friday, Feb. 19th
* Monday, Feb. 15th - President's Day / NO SCHOOL
* Tuesday, Feb. 16th - NO SCHOOL
A Creative Note...
WE'VE BEEN CREATING AND DESIGNING OUR OWN "BUSINESSES!"
We've been learning about creating advertisements, what to include in a commercial, (jingle!), what consumers want and need, designing the building where the business will be located, and how to create a business that will be successful in the community, but most of all....a business that will be interesting and FUN!
(look for the final products at the Educational Fair in the spring!)
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* We've been practicing longer multiplication and algebraic expressions in Math.
Take time to review and practice facts at a "higher level" with your child.
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* Classbrain.com has some wonderful BRAIN GAMES for Math and other subject areas.
Check it out! You'll love the "MEMORY" game.
(Remember the "SIMON" game where you have to repeat a pattern?)
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FCAT Writes is coming soon!
(Beginning of February)
* We've been "polishing" our writing skills in class and working hard on Narrative and Expository essays. We've been incorporating "figurative language," idioms, exaggerations (hyperboles), added thoughts, personal feelings, "VOICE" and personality, and better choice words in our writing activities. Our goal is to score a "6" on the Rubric scale!
(That's the highest score possible)
* Anything over a 4.0 is a great passing grade, but as you know, our class sets the bar pretty high and tries to achieve the best grades possible!
HOW CAN YOU HELP PREPARE FOR FCAT WRITES?
* When discussing things, ask your child to use DETAIL...expand upon their thoughts. Use the 5 senses when explaining or describing. Remind them to let their personality "SHINE!"
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*Some ideas you might find helpful are below...
* As you eat dinner, use exaggerations and idioms...compare the food flavor, size, and colors. Use the "senses." How does it smell, look, taste, feel, and can you hear it crunch?
How many "WOW" / "SPARKLE" words can you use?
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* While you're driving down the road, have a contest to see who can use the most synonyms and examples of alliteration for a specific item you spotted.
(alliteration = using the same beginning sound/consonant letter over & over)
* Write essays at home together....as a family! Write and explain the reasons why the holidays are special to your family. Tell a story about a time you and your family imagined they took a trip to the North Pole, to a beautiful and far away vacation spot!
* Write in a variety of forms: poetry (Haiku, Cinquain, rhyming poems, poems that use alliteration (same beginning sounds/letters), advertisements, commercials, letters, etc....
Similes and Metaphors boost your writing scores!
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* During the FCAT WRITES test, your child will receive either a Narrative prompt or an Expository prompt. If the prompt states to "Tell a story," it will be a narrative writing. If the prompt states to "Explain" something, the writing will be an Expository essay.
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* They will have 40 minutes to complete their essay. We've been working on "time limits" since last year and everyone has been doing a fabulous job completing their graphic organizers within the first 10 minutes, then using the remainding time to complete the essay.
Ask your child what their "SODA" notes are! This little gem is a great way for them to remember key points in boosting their scores up to a 5 and/or a 6!
S----sparkle/Wow words (better choice words)
O----Onomatopeia and Outstanding "transitions"
D----Details for expository, dialogue for narrative (with quotation marks)
A---Attention grabbers and Alliteration
(think of questions, idioms, hyperboles/exaggerations, similes, metaphors, personal statements/feelings (VOICE) and personality
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Once again.....
FCAT EXPLORER is a great way to prepare and practice for the upcoming FCAT!
Remember to log in each week for some extra practice at home.
Usernames/passwords are located in back of planner, along with your
STUDYISLAND information.
* These two sites are the best for skills on the FCAT test. *
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* Ask your child about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch!
* Help reduce the use of plastic bags and buy eco-friendly grocery bags for your shopping.
(plastics can end up in the ocean and the currents take it to a place north of Hawaii. The garbage patch of plastic is as big as the state of Texas! Let's all try to be more aware of RECYCLING our plastics!
* Learn more about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the Pacific Gyre at these sites:
http://www.greatgarbagepatch.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch
(Very informative video clips using the link below...)
http://www.momgoesgreen.com/welcome-to-plastic-island-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch/
(A wonderful group whose efforts are honorable in creating awareness and plans to save our seas)
http://algalita.org/index.html
DON'T FORGET ABOUT Greengorilla.com!
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UPCOMING DATES:
* Feb. 1st - Report Card Day & Celebration for Quarter 2 Achievements
* Feb. 2nd - Class Pictures
* Friday, Feb. 5th - 100th Day of School!
* Tues. / Feb. 9th - FCAT WRITES!
* Fri. Feb. 12th - FIELD DAY for 4th graders!
* Mon. and Tues. (Feb. 15th & 16th) NO SCHOOL!
* Fri. Feb. 19th- Our Parent Luncheon
* Fri. Feb. 26th - SW Fl. Fair begins!
* Mon. March 1st- INTERIMS / Quarter 3
* Tuesday, March 9th - FCAT TESTING BEGINS for Reading & Math
* Fri. March 12th - FCAT make-ups / FCAT ENDS
* Sunday, March 14th - DAYLIGHT Savings Time!
* Friday, March 19th - Spring Pictures
* MARCH 31st - Quarter 3 ends
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* EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS:
Jan. 20th, 21st, and 22nd
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* QUARTER 2 ends on January 22nd
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* Jan. 25th - Hurricane Make Up Day - NO SCHOOL
* Jan. 26th - Teacher Professional Duty Day - NO SCHOOL
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* Jan. 27th - (Wed.) - QUARTER 3 Begins
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* FCAT WRITES TEST! - February 9th - 11th
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HELPFUL IDEAS...
MATH TEXTBOOK LINK:
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(Please remember that this web site is "case sensitive." Log in with a capital at the beginning of your name and last initial.)
(PASSWORD - fizer4 - has NO CAPITALS!)
https://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/snpapp/login/login.jsp
(View your 4th grade Math book and Take It to the Net tools and games!)
*Most usernames are first name, last initial. Password: fizer4
(If you cannot open the link, look for your child's usernames and passwords inside and in the back of their planner)
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Practice your multiplication and division to keep them fresh and memorized!
Find some interesting chapter books to read this year!
*Take time to care for Mother Earth! Plant a special tree, some flowers, or pick up trash around your yard, neighborhood, or beach. Get the family involved!
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"Triple P, for you and me! Positive Pride POWER!"
"Do Your Best, Forget the Rest!"
"24/7" Use your best manners and efforts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...not just in school, but at home, too."
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS SQUIRT? * We've been tracking our little "Squirt." Here's the latest... She was last tracked roaming around south of the Bahamas. She's been staying in one particular area for awhile now...just zig-zagging along. * Keep going, little Squirt! You can do it!
* HERE'S THE LINK TO VIEW "SQUIRT," OUR ADOPTED SEA TURTLE.
http://cccturtle.org/ Click the Track Sea Turtles icon to find where Squirt has been! There's actually a "race," (Tour de Turtles), that Squirt is participating in. She's racing against other turtles...let's see how many miles she's logged!
**************************************** * Even though Earth Week is behind us, keep it in your heart! EARTH DAY....EVERY DAY!
*REMEMBER to "Go Green" and reduce, reuse, and recycle!
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Check out these sites to help you GO GREEN!
Click on the links below for some fun with the family!
http://www.epa.gov/kids/
(Really Cool Environmental Kids Club!) Have fun!
http://www.planetpals.com/
http://letsgogreenkids.com/corner.html
http://www.kidsforsavingearth.org/
Mostly for Moms and Dads...
http://actionfornature.org/
http://life.familyeducation.com/environmental-education/family/36107.html
(How to make your home & family more eco-friendly)
http://www.ivillage.com/green/family/0,,bmbzlqpb,00.html
(Great tips for GOING GREEN at home!)
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Need another fun Math site?
Check out Mathplayground.com ...loads of fun and games!
Sheppardssoftware.com also has many activities that we have played!
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* Need more homework help with Math facts? Click the link below for more Math games, worksheet makers, and homework helpers!
http://aplusmath.com/
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"To Achieve Excellence, One Must Put Forth the Effort and Energy to Succeed."
WEEKLY "POSITIVE PAUSE"
A Moment of THOUGHT
"The best approach to a difficult problem is the "try-angle."
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FIND TONS OF FREE, FUN, EDUCATIONAL GAMES TO PRACTICE YOUR X'S FACTS AT....multiplication.com.
http://multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm
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Here's a great link to practice your x's and division facts! FREE FLASHCARDS!
Once you're on the site, just click which skill practice you'd like on the right hand side!
Have fun!
http://www.acaletics.com/new_homework.html#flashcards
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Make the world a happier and healthier place!
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I'm so glad you're my 4th grade "STAR!"
Keep shining!
"Heads-Up Hints" for Studying at Home
Units of Study In Class...
Math- FCAT Review, Measurement (capacity, weight, length), Perimeter and Area, Geometric Figures and Terms, Algebraic Expressions, Graphing (bar graphs, line graphs, coordinate grid graphs), line plots, mode, median, range, taking surveys and making tally charts with frequency,
Multiplying larger numbers
Reading/Language- FCAT Review, A.R. Reading, Realistic Fiction, Non-Fiction, Main Idea / Details, Making Inferences, Author's Purpose, Preview/Predicting, Compare/Contrast characters, settings, information, DIALOGUE, using quotations, possessive nouns, verbs and verb tenses, word choice / synonyms and antonyms, idioms, similes and metaphors, figurative language, more narratives and expository writing, descriptive paragraphs with details, short and extended responses for Reading assessments
Social Studies- St. Augustine & Spanish Rule in Florida, Our Own Business Dreams! Creating a plan, goal, business signs, advertisements, jingle and commercial, and 3 dimensional project (in January)
Native Floridian Tribes, Early Settlers (Spanish Exploration into Florida)
Science- Electricity and Energy, LIGHT and HEAT, Experiments, recording observations,
Sea Turtles! (Especially the "loggerhead")
Tracking our sea turtle each week using our data folder for Squirt!
Need more things to do while at home?
Freerice.com
This is a great site to build your vocabulary and at the same time, earn rice for World Hunger donations!
HERE'S A LINK TO OUR SCHOOL WEB SITE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Caloosa Cougars are #1!
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Check this site every week for important upcoming dates, daily homework, Spelling and Vocabulary lists, units of study, and GREAT reminders to help you through fourth grade!
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* AR in our 4th grade class...All students should be focused on a chapter book or two each week. If the chapter books are long, weekly goals may not be met... but don't worry. As long as the book points are worth 3 points or more, they should still reach their goals by the end of the Quarter.
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* Continue to read a few non-fiction books each week. This helps your child "gather information," practice reading captions with pictures/photos, and comprehend higher level vocabulary and facts. The FCAT is filled with non-fiction reading...so don't forget how important it is!
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Hug a tree...it makes the planet happy!
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* If you have any questions throughout the year, please feel free to contact me through my e-mail at school: Heidijf@leeschools.net
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Need the district school calendar during the year for upcoming events, make up days, holidays, and happenings?
Click here...
http://communications.leeschools.net/calendars/08-09/Final%20Calendar2.pdf
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HOMEWORK NOTES
CLICK ON THE HOMEWORK LINK AT THE TOP OF OUR WEB PAGE FOR YOUR HOMEWORK AND CALENDAR!
* CLICK THE VOCABULARY ICON FOR YOUR WORDS AND DEFINITIONS!
(Remember...know how to SPELL the words and know their DEFINITIONS)