Taos Charter School 4th Grade Class

-Reading: Read an "on-level" chapter book of 100 pages or more over the break. Bring the book into school with you on Monday, January 7th to write a Book Review about it in class. -Math: Use your IXL account over break to keep your math skills sharp and to preview new material that we haven't covered yet. If you still haven't made it into the prestigious One-Minute Club, then keep on practicing those multiplication facts using flashcards, websites, and worksheets. -Reminder: 4th graders ski and snowboard for FREE everyday at Sipapu! Just bring a copy of your first marking period progress report for verification. See the link or call 800-587-2240 for more info. -Geo-Bee: Our class Geography Bee winners and alternates should study and prep for the TCS school-wide bee on January 11th. Our school winner will go on to compete in the state-level bee in Albuquerque in March. The New Mexico winner and their parents get an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to part

-Library Books: Please return all the TCS Library books and classroom library books that you checked out for the biography reports if you haven't already done so.

-History: Steps 7 and 8 on the green checklist (add pictures and write the bibliography in the format shown on the back side of the green sheet). Reports are due to present to the class and hand in on Thursday. -Geo Bee Winners!: Congratulations to the five winners of our grade-level Geography Bee: Cully, Sawyer, Max M., Katie, and Rafael! And thanks to the whole class for participating today and giving it so much effort. It was a very competitive bee, taking 8 entire rounds to narrow down the 5 winners. They'll advance to compete against the 5th to 8th grade winners in our school-level Geo-Bee Semifinals on January 11.

-History: Step #4 on the green checklist. Write the final draft of your Revolutionary Biography Report in your best cursive handwriting. Remember, it's not too late to add new information into your report to expand those paragraphs. -Printing Visual Aids: Are there are any students who don't have access to a printer at home, and still need to print out a few pictures, maps, photos, etc. for your history report? If so, I can help you Wednesday after school in the library. Plan to stay late if you can, and your parents can pick you up at school at 3:30. -Reading Club: Meets Wednesday after school from 3:00-3:45.

-History: Complete step #3 on the green sheet: edit and revise your rough draft. Find and fix all mistakes in spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation. Add more information. Expand your paragraphs to cover at least two full pages . -Spelling and Math: There's no spelling list or take-home math assignments this week so you can focus more time into your Revolutionary Biography Report. -Friday change: Parents, today I was informed that Friday, December 21 is now a noon dismissal day for all grades at TCS. The district changed its calendar and we have to follow suit in order to accommodate bus transportation.

I hope everyone enjoys the Precipitation Hiatus (yaD wonS)! -Due on Monday: Five paragraph rough draft of your Revolutionary biography report. -Ski Club parent-chaperone meeting: Parents, if you're interested in helping out at TSV on our Ski Club days this winter, please attend a chaperone meeting on Tuesday, December 18 at 3:00 in Mr. Evans' classroom. -School delay & closure announcements via text: Parents, to get the earliest possible info on delays and closures this winter, I suggest signing up for text alerts from the Taos News. Just go to www.taosnews.com , and click on "Get Text Alerts" to get on their list. They do a very good job of getting the word out as soon as TMSD makes the decision. This morning, I got the Taos News text about today's closing at 5:24, half an hour before our staff phone tree alerted me and almost an hour before it was announced on tv or radio.

-History: Use your outline and your notes to start writing the rough draft of the report. Try to finish the first two paragraphs if you can. Remember what we discussed in class today: that each paragraph should have a topic sentence, five or more supporting detail sentences, and a conclusion (or clincher) sentence. -Reminder: Winter raffle tickets are due back on Friday, December 14. Please bring in all sold and unsold tickets if you haven't done so already.

-Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. -History: Outlines for the Biography Report are due.

-History: 1. Spend 15 minutes working on the biography outline you started in class today. Use the format page that I gave you today to help set up your outline. 2. Spend 30-45 minutes completing your reading and note-taking for the report. 3. Bring all of your materials into school on Wednesday: books, articles, your notes, and your outline (even if it's not finished). We'll be working on the reports in class, and you'll need everything you have. -12/12/12: At twelve seconds after the twelfth minute of the twelfth hour of the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year of the century, we'll have a 12 minute party. If you can, bring in 12 healthy snacks to share and celebrate this unique event!

-Math: SL 5-7 (p. 107) -History: Finish up your research, reading, and note-taking for the Revolutionary Biography Report.

1. guerilla 2. timeline 3. retreat 4. victory 5. defeat 6. treaty 7. indent 8. adjective 9. advantage 10. disadvantage 11. billion 12. felicidad (happiness) 13. paz (peace) 14. It is better to give than it is to receive.

-History: Continue to gather information, read, and take notes for your Revolutionary Biography Report. Use some of the note-taking strategies you learned about in class today. On Monday, I'll give you all the details about writing the paper. -School Supplies: Many students are running low on basic school supplies. The most important items are pencils, red pens, folders, and a ruler. Parents, please ask your son or daughter if they're out any of these items and re-supply as needed. Also, I'm happy to accept donated supplies to give out when kids need them, especially pencils. Thanks! -Ski Clothes Needed: Parents, Ski Club is looking for donations of used kids' ski pants, gloves, and goggles to outfit students who need them this year. If you have any of those items that your family's grown out of, please pass them on to Mr. Bonner or Coach VanNevel. -Reminder: 4th graders ski and snowboard FREE everyday at Sipapu this season! Just bring a report card to show a

-Math: Finish the 3-digit x 2-digit side of the bright yellow sheet if you didn't finish it in class today. -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -History: Research, read, and take notes for your Revolutionary Biography.

-Math: Finish the 2-digit x 2-digit side of the bright yellow practice sheet. Save the back side of that page for Thursday in class. -Spelling Written work due. Study for the practice quiz. -History: Start researching and reading about the life of the person you chose today for the Revolutionary Biography Report. Take notes on what you find. You'll need to find at least 2 books and 2 websites to use for the report. I have more books in class to share with students tomorrow. Check out the links for information too.

-Math: SL 5-6 (p. 105) -History: Choose a person to write your Revolutionary Biography Report about (see the back of this week's spelling list). -Music: Grades K-5 students will be putting on a song-sharing performance led by our music teacher, Ms. Tara Somerville on Wednesday from 1:20 to about 2:00 in the cafeteria. 4th grade will sing their songs at about 1:40. Parents are invited to come in and enjoy the concert!

1. monarchy 2. democracy 3. outline 4. rough draft 5. paragraph 6. topic sentence 7. supporting details 8. conclusion 9. edit 10. revise 11. bibliography 12. biblioteca (library) 13. tarea (homework) 14. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

-Math: SL 5-5 (p. 103) -Taos Feeds Taos: Please bring in any canned or non-perishable food to donate for our school food drive. -Kleenex Shortage: Parents, please donate a box or 2 to our class supply if you can. We're nearly all out.

-Math: SL 5-3 (p. 99) -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. -Winter Raffle: The Friends of TCS are doing a fundraising winter raffle again this year. Information and tickets to sell went home with students today if you'd like to participate. Please send the proceeds and tickets into school by December 14.

-Math: SL 5-2 (p. 97) -Reading Club will meet after school on Wednesday from 3:00 to 3:45.

-Math: SL 5-1 (p. 95) -Basketball: Practice resumes this week on Tuesday and Thursday after school in the Gym. New players are encouraged to come and check it out!

1. legible 2. division 3. quotient 4. boycott 5. independent 6. revolution 7. petition 8. loyalist 9. intolerable 10. desayuno (breakfast) 11. almuerzo (lunch) 12. cena (dinner) 13. There was never a good war, or a bad peace. –Benjamin Franklin

I hope everyone has a fun break with your families. Travel safely, and we'll see you Monday.

-Math: Review Unit 4 material for the Unit Test. You'll need to know decimal place value to the thousandths, comparing decimal numbers, rounding decimals, adding and subtracting decimals and money, measuring using millimeters and centimeters, identifying factors and multiples. -Wednesday is a half day of school, and we'll be dismissing at noon for the Thanksgiving holiday. It's also the deadline to hand in Ski Club forms and payment.

-Science: Complete both sides of the take-home quiz on the circulatory system. -Parent notes and Town of Taos waiver forms went home today for our class swim on Tuesday.

-Math: Finish the Range, Median, Mean packet. You can use a calculator to help you find the mean. Practice your x facts for Test #17 on Monday. This will be one of your last chances to hit an 84% and win your Chimpanzee DVD set if you haven't won one so far. -Last week, 4th grade achieved a goal in multiplication. To celebrate, we're having a Reward Day on Tuesday, November 20th: swimming at the TYFC in the morning, movie and popcorn in class in the afternoon. Parents are invited to come along if you'd like to help chaperone the swim. We'll leave school at about 10:00 a.m. and arrive at the pool by about 10:15 or so. We have the pool reserved from 10:30-11:30. Parents can join us for the walk or just meet us down there. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and $2 for pool admission. -Reminder: Wednesday, November 21 is a half day of school. We'll dismiss students at noon for the Thanksgiving Break.

-Math: SL 4-10 (p. 89), and practice x facts for Test #16. -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Reminder: Ski Club paperwork and payments are due by Wednesday, November 21.

-Spelling: Written work is due, and study for the practice quiz.

-Math: SL 4-9 (p. 87), and practice x facts for Test #15.

-Math: SL 4-8 (p. 85)

1. sanctuary 2. colonists 3. French and Indian War 4. quarrel 5. capture 6. decimal 7. tenth 8. hundredth 9. thousandth 10. centimeter 11. meter 12. kilometer 13. viento (wind) 14. nieve (snow) 15. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. –Benjamin Franklin

-Math: Use IXL for 20 minutes or so, and practice the x facts for Test #14. -Congratulations 4th Grade! Today the class achieved their goal of an 84% average on a 3 minute fact test! That's up from a low of 47% six weeks ago, and it shows a lot of hard work and practice. I'm proud of their improvement, and I'll be planning a day of swimming and movies and popcorn as promised. Individual students who scored 84 or higher went home today with an additional special prize, provided by Disney (where my sister-in-law works in dvd promotions -- THANKS AMELIA!). Kids who haven't hit 84 yet can still earn that prize when they do, so keep practicing. -Ski Club Scholarships: Essays are due Monday if you're applying. Follow the guidelines on the parent letter that went home on Wednesday with eligible students: This year, I’m happy to say that 2 scholarships will be available for each class at TCS for students to participate in our Ski Club! These scholarships will be pai

-Math: SL 4-7 (p. 83), and practice the x facts for Test #13. -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Our IXL Math subscription is good for 30 students, which gives us 4 extra. I set up new accounts today for the following brothers of 4th graders: Ben, Jose, Vince, and Jessie. 4th graders have the log-in instructions for those brothers. They can start using IXL on their grade level at any time. -Parents, please sign up with the Smith's Earn & Learn Program. TCS will periodically receive money to use for new books and technology when you use your Smiths Rewards card at your regular purchases at the checkout. You must register every school year so please use the barcode attached to the letter that was sent home with your student today to register with this great fundraising program. Thanks!

-Math: SL 4-6 (p. 81) -Our IXL Math account is back up and working! After some searching, we were able to find $199 in the budget to purchase a class subscription for IXL for 1 year. Your login and password are the same as before, and you can use your IXL account to log in and practice at home too! (Username: your first and last name, no space + 341 Password: your 1st name) -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

-Math: SL 4-5 (p.79). Practice your x facts for Test #12 on Wednesday. On Monday, the class average dropped down to 74%, ten points below our goal of 84%. Hopefully, everyone will work hard to hit 84% (or higher!) this week. It will be worth the hard work if you do! -Today is Election Day, an historic day for our country! If you have TV or internet at home, tune into some election coverage before you go to bed tonight, and in the morning when you wake to see who will be your President for the next four years. We'll talk about the election in class tomorrow. Who do you think should win? Why? -Parent notes went home today with students who are eligible to apply for the two Ski Club scholarships. Essays are due on Monday, November 12 for those students who choose to apply. Scholarship decisions in all grades will be based on: a written essay, economic need, and the student's attitude, effort, and behavior in class. Guidelines for the essay are included in the parent note. Appl

-Math: SL 4-4 (p. 77)

1. vein 2. artery 3. capillary 4. exchange 5. oxygen 6. carbon dioxide 7. red blood cells 8. white blood cells 9. plasma 10. platelets 11. atrium 12. ventricle 13. sangre (blood) 14. Hace frio. (It’s cold.) 15. Blood is thicker than water.

-Math: SL 4-3 (p. 75). Practice your x facts for Test #11. Hopefully the class will beat our goal average score of 84%! So far, 77% is our best average yet. Many incentives await, so keep on working on your accuracy and speed up to the 12's. -Ski Club information and forms went home with students today. Forms and payment are due by November 21. For those who want to participate in Ski Club, but cannot afford it, there may be a scholarship or 2 available for each class this year. I'll announce more about that on Monday.

-Math: SL 4-2 (p. 73), and deliver the Unit 4 parent letter. Practice your X facts for Test #10.

K to 4th grades will have a costume parade at 1:30 on Wednesday. Parents are invited! Kids are welcome to bring in a healthy snack to share in class before the parade at 1:00. -Due to PT Conference Day on Monday, me being out of school on Tuesday, and Halloween on Wednesday, I decided to not assign a spelling/ vocabulary list this week. Hope everyone has a fun time out trick-or-treating tonight!

-Math: Practice the X facts up to the 12's using flash cards, fact triangles, printable multiplication tests, etc. Log into IXL Math and see how far you can get. Our free trial ends on Wednesday 10/31. -Parent Teacher Conferences: There's no school on Monday for PT Conferences. I've already set up 11 appointments that day, so I'm pretty well booked for Monday. Conferences are not required for all students at this time. If I haven't contacted you, but you'd like to meet, I can set up an after-school conference from 3-4 p.m. for you in the next couple of weeks. Please email me at mbonner@taoscharterschool.org if you'd like to arrange that. I'm also available for phone conferences after school if that's more convenient for you. Thanks, MB

-Math: SL 3-11 (p. 65) -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. -Field Trip to Stables Art Gallery: Bring a snack.

-Math: SL 3-10 (p. 63)

-We will be visiting the SEED show at the Stables Art Gallery on Thursday from 11 to 12:30. Parents, feel free to meet us there if you are free for any or all of that time. We will have an educational presentation and also a guided tour of the art exhibit. We'll have a snack at the gallery, and then return to school for lunch. For those of you paying per trip, you'll need to send in $4 to cover the bus. No permission slip will come home for this trip; I will use the slip on file in the office for local trips.

-Math: SL 3-9 (p. 61)

1. destination 2. cooperate 3. biography 4. accurate 5. library 6. catch 7. caught 8. buy 9. bought 10. bring 11. brought 12. calle (street) 13. listo/ lista (ready or smart) 14. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

-First quarter progress reports went home with students today. -Math: Practice your multiplication facts up to the 12's. Use flash cards, fact triangles, printable multiplication tests, and websites. Fact test #6 will be on Monday.

-Math: SL 3-6 (p. 55) -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

-Math: SL 3-5 (p. 53)

-Math: Complete both sides of the tan multiplication practice sheet. -Basketball: Our first 4th grade team practice is in the Gym on Tuesday from 3:00 to 5:00! Please call coaches Jose' Espinoza 770-7105, or Mani Meadowcroft 770-5746 for more info.

1. homophone 2. clothes/ close 3. break/ brake 4. buy/ by 5. hear/ here 6. right/ write 7. sum/ some 8. whole/ hole 9. would/ wood 10. there/ their/ they’re 11. peek/ peak 12. mail/ male 13. pact/ packed 14. (your own pair of homophones) _________ / ________ 15. Money burning a hole in your pocket -For the written spelling work this week, practice writing each pair of homophones three times. For the sentences, choose one homophone for each pair and use it correctly in a sentence.

-Reading: Spend 20 minutes or more each day reading a book, newspaper, or magazine of your choice. Keep track of your daily reading on your blue Fall Break Reading Log. Use Lexia at home if you have an account. -Math: Complete the 4 page X fact packet . Practice your multiplication facts using flash cards, fact triangles, websites, or printable practice sheets. Log into IXL a few times over the break, and see how far you can get. Username: your name (first and last, no caps, no space) 341 Password: your first name (no caps) -Believe it or not, Friday was the last day of the first marking period. First quarter student progress reports will go home on October 19. -Have a safe, fun Fall Break! See you on October 15.

Parents, we had a great hike on a beautiful day on the Rio Santa Barbara Trail today. Near the end of the hike, we had a very sudden encounter with two pack-horses that somehow got spooked by our group and went running fast down the trail toward us. Thankfully, your children all have fantastic instinctual reflexes, and got out of their way and no one was hurt. It was a scary moment, and something you should be aware of and discuss with your child. Strangely, just 5 minutes prior, I had talked with the class about how to pass a horse on the trail... Please feel free to contact me if you'd like to talk about it, and I'd really like to thank the five moms and dads who chaperoned the trip today and helped us safely handle a freak situation like this. Sincerely, MB

-Math: Deliver the IXL parent letter. Log into your IXL Math account (see link >>), and spend some time practicing your math skills. Try to focus on skills we've already covered in class. Also, practice your multiplication facts using fact triangles, flashcards, and/ or websites 15-20 minutes per day. -Field Trip: The bus will leave at 8:15 for the RSB Trail. Don't forget to bring your own lunch and a snack! If you're late, sign in at the office, and head down to help out in Kindergarten for the day. -Spelling: Written work is due Friday. Study for the Friday quiz. -History: "My Favorite Amendment" assignment is due Friday. -Reminder: Friday is an early dismissal day for Homecoming. Parents, please pick students up at 12:00 in the cafeteria.

-Math: Study Links 3-4 (p. 51). Practice your X facts using flash cards, fact triangles, or websites. -History/ Civics: Spend 15-20 minutes working on the "My Favorite Amendment" assignment. Students should write responses in full-sentence form. Neatness counts! -Field Trip: On Thursday, October 4th , the fourth grade class will be taking a hiking field trip on the Rio Santa Barbara trail into the Pecos Wilderness near Peñasco. We’ll take about a 4 mile round trip hike up into the woods and have a picnic lunch in a large meadow near the trail. Students should be prepared for the elements and wear sturdy sneakers or hiking boots, pants, and a warm layer on top as it will be chilly up there in the morning. They should also bring a small backpack with their own lunch and a water bottle or two . If you’ve paid the $35 transportation fee, there’s no charge for this trip. If you haven't paid the fee yet, please send in $6 to help cover our bus costs. Parents are invit

-Reading: Finish the Book Review sheet and comprehension questions for Superfudge that you started in class today. -Student photo proofs went home with students today. If you'd like to order a set, instructions are included. Retakes are scheduled for Thursday when we'll be on our class field trip, but if you'd like a re-take, I'm sure Southern Exposure can arrange it on a different day. Please call them with any questions: 754-6495. -Hiking Field Trip: Permission slips and info will go home with students on Tuesday. The trip is on Thursday from 8:15 to 2:30 on the Rio Santa Barbara Trail near Penasco. Parents are invited to come along and help chaperone. -Reading Survey: UNM professor Gary Atias is carrying out a study on children's reading habits. Parental consent forms, and a letter explaining the study went home with students today. If you would like to allow your child to participate in this survey/ questionnaire, please fill out the consent form and retur

1. wilderness 2. scavenger 3. heritage 4. origin 5. vertical 6. horizontal 7. folklore 8. judge 9. grudge 10. trudge 11. opposite 12. similar 13. otoño (autumn) 14. jugar (to play) 15. Bury the hatchet

-Math: Study Links 3-3 (p. 49), and take 50 Fact Test 2. Give yourself 5 minutes for the test. Don't correct it - we'll do that on Monday. -History/ Civics: Re-read "The Constitution Explained" handout that we discussed in class today. Choose and circle your favorite amendment, the one you think is the most important or interesting. Bring the handout into school Monday.

-Math: Study Links 3-2 (p. 47), and deliver the Unit 3 family letter. -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the quiz. Take a practice quiz at home tonight if you can.

-Math: Study Links 3-1 (p. 45) -School pictures: The photographers were running late, and only got through about half of the 4th grade today. The rest will be taken on Wednesday.

-Tuesday is photo day for grades 1, 3, 4, and 6. So look your best! -There's a parent meeting/ open house for grades 3, 4, and 5 on Tuesday from 5-6 p.m.

1. factor 2. product 3. multiple 4. Constitution 5. amendment 6. Bill of Rights 7. suffrage 8. favorite 9. evacuate 10. translate 11. abuelo/ abuela (grandfather/ grandmother) 12. hermano/ hermana (brother/ sister) 13. Barking up the wrong tree

-Math: Study Links 2-8 (p. 37) -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Open House: Grades 3, 4, and 5 will be having a parent meeting on Tuesday, September 25 at 5:00 p.m. We’ll discuss curriculum, activities, homework procedures, grading, and I’ll answer any questions that you may have. I hope to see you all here. -Field Trip: I’m planning an all day hiking field trip for Thursday, October 4th. Parents are invited to come along and help chaperone. Please let me know if you can make it. I’ll send home permission slips and more information on the trip next week. -Progress Reports: 5 week (mid-quarter) progress reports will be sent home with students on Friday.

-Math: SL 2-7 (p. 35 and 36)

-Math: Study Links 2-6 (p. 33)

1. Autumn Equinox 2. latitude 3. longitude 4. Equator 5. Prime Meridian 6. hemisphere 7. median 8. mode 9. contagious 10. character 11. estudiante (student) 12. escuela (school) 13. When it rains, it pours.

-Math: Study links 2-4 (p. 29) -Spelling: Study for the quiz.

-Math: Study Links 2-3 (p. 27) -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

-Math: Study Links 2-1 and 2-2 (p. 23 and 25), and deliver the Unit 2 parent letter.

-Parents, All Taos County public schools, including TCS, stand to gain much-needed funding if the County Gross Receipts Tax passes its re-imposition vote. Early voting is taking place until September 15 at the County Clerk's Office at 105 Albright from 8-5. I encourage parents and citizens who support public education to get out and vote in favor of this funding. Please help us spread the word.

1. maximum 2. minimum 3. range 4. hundred 5. thousand 6. accelerate 7. your 8. you’re 9. erosion 10. plateau 11. Taos Charter School 12. arriba (up) 13. abajo (down) 14. Beauty is only skin deep.

-Reading: Read pages 19 to 38 in Superfudge. Write a summary for chapters 2 and 3 on your orange summary sheets. Students who rode Bus 24 today will have to wait until Monday to complete this work.

-Math: SL 1-8 (p. 17) -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Re-enrollment forms went home with returning student students today (our new students have already filled these out). Parents, please fill out and sign those and send them back to school as soon as possible.

-Math: Study Links 1-7 (p. 15) -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

1. hurricane 2. mountain 3. novel 4. fiction 5. non-fiction 6. improvement 7. are 8. our 9. hour 10. laugh 11. Albuquerque, New Mexico 12. joven (young) 13. viejo (old) 14. Break the ice

-Math: Study Links 1-5 (p. 11) -Spelling: Written work is due (5x each, and 10 creative sentences). Study for the quiz.

-Math: Study Links 1-4 (p. 9) -Creative Writing: Finish up the rough draft of your "One Summer Day" essay if you didn't finish it in class today.

-Math: Study Links 1-3 (p. 7)

1. sum 2. difference 3. geometry 4. privilege 5. improvise 6. geography 7. northeast 8. southeast 9. southwest 10. northwest 4th Grade Spelling and Vocabulary Process 1. A new spelling list comes out every Monday. 2. We discuss the meaning of each word in class. Students should take notes on the definitions and keep them in their Spelling Journal. 3. Written assignment (due every Thursday): A.) Practice spelling each word by writing it 5 times in your Spelling Journal. B.) Use each word by writing a creative sentence that shows you understand the meaning of the word. The sentences can be funny or fictional. Please make them interesting to read. C.) For the Spanish words, do the best you can to write simple sentences in Spanish. If you need extra help with those sentences, ask a family member, Mr. Bonner, or Senora Nicholson some time during the week before Thursday. There are Spanish translation websites posted in the links as well. (There are no Spanish w

-Math: Study Links 1-2 (p. 5) -Creative Writing: Next week, the class be writing "One Summer Day" essays in which students will describe one single memorable and fun day from summer break. Over the weekend, start thinking about what day you'll choose. Think about what you did, where you were, who you were with, and how things looked, sounded, smelled, and felt. Jot down some notes about that day if you can, but don't start writing in sentence-form yet. We'll begin those in class on Monday. -Transportation fee: Next week, I'll start collecting the $35 bus fee to cover field trip bus transportation for the whole school year. Please send a check made out to Taos Charter School or cash by September 7th. Parents, if it's not possible for you to pay this fee all at once, I can collect bus fees for each trip we take. -Rug Request: Parents, I'm still looking for a new or gently-used 6' x 8' rug to set up a new reading area in the class. Please

-Parent copies of your child's NMSBA scores from last spring will be sent home with students today. Please take some time to read the reports and discuss them with your son or daughter. Let me know if you have any questions. -Homework for Thursday: Math: 1. Deliver the Unit 1 Family Letter. 2. Finish both sides of the addition and subtraction fact sheet.

-The first day of school flew right by today. The first homework assignment is for students to deliver the school lunch application for their parents to read and fill out. Please fill one out even if you don't plan to receive free/ reduced lunch and return it to school with your son or daughter. The deadline for returning all the forms is Monday, August 27, and I'll be collecting them in class until then.

Hello to all the incoming 4th grade students at Taos Charter! I hope you've all have had a fantastic summer break. I really enjoyed mine too, but I'm glad to be back working in the classroom and excited to kick off another school year with this new group of kids. School starts Monday, August 20th at 8:15 AM. Supply lists are available in the office or at http://www.taoscharterschool.org (and there's a basic list posted on this board below on the right.) It's not necessary for everyone to have all their supplies on the first day. Pencils, folders, and composition books are the most important items. Until then, get outside, have some fun, and make the most of your last days of break. I'll see you bright and early on Monday! -Rug Request: Parents, I'm looking for a new or gently-used 6' x 8' rug to set up a new reading area in the class. Please stop by the class or email me at mbonner@taoscharterschool.org if you can help.

-It's been an excellent year. I've really enjoyed working with all the creative, diligent, kind-hearted, smart kids in this group. I'll miss seeing you all every day! Please email me a schedule of your baseball and soccer games (mbonner@taoscharterschool.org), and I'll come see them if I can. Over the summer, keep your skills sharp and get ready for Mr. Jones' class by continuing the D.E.A.R. habit of reading for at least 20 minutes every day. Practice and build your math skills using links like Math Playground and IXL. - Solar Eclipse : Be sure to get outside on Sunday evening May 20th to see the annular solar eclipse - the first one visible in North America since 1994! It will begin at 6:28 p.m. and last until sunset, with the maximum peak of the eclipse going from about 7:30 to 7:40 p.m. A partial eclipse will be visible in Taos, but if you ask your parents to drive you a little bit south, it will be worth the trip. Albuquerque is right on the main path of t

-Wednesday is our last classroom day of the school year. We'll be doing textbook return, and cleaning out desks and cubbies. Students should bring in a cloth grocery bag (or 2) so they can take home their supplies and belongings. Please check your homes for any items that need to be returned to school: textbooks, classroom library books, etc. and bring those in on Wednesday. Also, please send in any used cardboard boxes if you have some at home that we could have for paper recycling. Thanks! -Field Day Plan: K-4th grade Field Day is Thursday from 10:30 - 1:45 at Kit Carson Park (in back, past the Little League Field). Before we go, we'll watch the end of the film version of "Holes," then finish cleaning up the classroom. At about 10:00, we'll hop the bus down to the park. The forecast says it'll be warm and sunny and we'll be outside all day, so students should dress for PE, wear sunblock/ hat/ sunglasses, and bring a water bottle and a snack. Parents

-Reading: Finish the novel Holes and all the chapter titles. Bring them into school on Tuesday. -Summer Book Swap: Bring in your used books to trade on Tuesday. -Field Day for K-4th is Thursday from 10:30 to 2:00 at Kit Carson Park. Parents are invited!

-Reading: Read the next 40 pages in Holes from where you left off Friday. Complete the whole novel if you have time. Don't forget to keep up with writing the chapter titles. -Career Project: Deliver your thank you letter to the person you interviewed. -Summer Book Swap: Bring in your used books to trade on Tuesday.

-Reading: Read p. 101-123 in Holes, and write a a title for each chapter you read. -Wacky Week: Wednesday is Cross-Dress Day. -Overdue Library Books: Please bring in all your TCS library books to check back in for summer inventory. Lost or damaged books will cost $25 each. -Field trip permission slips are due Wednesday. -Talent Show: Friday at 1:00 in the gym! Parents are invited. -Summer Book Swap: Tuesday, May 15. Please bring in your used books to trade with 3rd/ 4th/ 5th graders!

-Reading: Read pages 69-88 in Holes, and write a title for each chapter you read.

On Thursday, May 10, the fourth grade class will be taking a hiking field trip to Bandelier National Monument. During the morning, we’ll take a 2 ½ mile loop hike on Tsankawi Mesa to tour Anasazi cliff dwellings. In the afternoon, we’ll have a picnic lunch, and then hike Frijoles Canyon to explore the main ruins. Students should be prepared for the elements and wear sturdy sneakers or hiking boots, and a hat to block the sun. They should also bring a small backpack with sunscreen, their own lunch, and at least one water bottle. There's a transportation charge of $8 per student for those kids who didn't pay the one-time $35 bus fee in the fall: Josh, Trempealeau, Jesus, Kaili, Sakura, David, Lauren, Andrew. Please send cash, or a check made out to the school by Wednesday. If we have time on our way back to Taos, we’ll stop for ice cream in Espanola, so kids should bring $4 or $5 cash for that stop. Students should be at school ready to go at 8:15 a.m., and we’ll return by

1. Anasazi 2. Ancestral Pueblo 3. cliff dwelling 4. viga 5. artifact 6. cistern 7. petroglyph 8. kiva 9. cavate 10. pottery sherd 11. archeologist 12. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

-Reading: Holes p. 48-68. -Career Project: Due Monday. -Field Trip: On Thursday, May 10 we'll be heading to Bandelier National Monument for a day of hiking and exploring Anasazi ruins. I'll send home more info and permission slips on Monday.

-Career Project: Steps 6 and 7. Bring your board in on Friday if you're ready early and want to present. -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Reading: Read pages 28-47 in the novel Holes. Write a chapter title for each chapter you finish. -Summer Book Drive: 4th graders, do you have any old books (2nd, 3rd, 4th grade reading level) at home that you've already read that you'd consider passing on to another student? If so, please bring them in any time starting Friday. Next Tuesday, we'll get together with the 3rd and 5th grade classes and have a book swap.

-Career Project: Steps 6 and 7 on the tan checklist. -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

-Career Project: Continue working on steps 4, 5, 6 on your checklist.

1. justice 2. destiny 3. desolate 4. innocent 5. guilty 6. juvenile 7. suburban 8. ruthless 9. hablar (to talk) 10. comer (to eat) 11. vivir (to live) 12. It’s always darkest just before the dawn.

-Continue working on your Career Project steps 3, 4, 5 on the tan checklist.

-Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. -Career Project: Work on steps 3, 4, 5 on the tan checklist.

-Career Project: Narrow your 6 project choices down to a 1st and 2nd choice. Are they careers you'll be able to find out about here in our local area? Have your parents help you with this step. -On Wednesday the class will be taking a field trip to the Harwood Museum to tour the Agnes Martin exhibit and participate in an art activity. Parents are invited to come along and help chaperone if you're available. We'll leave TCS at 9:40, and return at about 11:45. There is a transportation charge of $3 per student for those kids who didn't pay the one-time $35 bus fee in the fall: Josh, Trempealeau, Ian, Jesus, Kaili, Sakura, David, Lauren, Andrew.

1. career 2. local 3. national 4. global 5. interview 6. inexpensive 7. abstract 8. urban 9. rural 10. salary 11. caro (expensive) 12. barato (cheap) 13. Where there is a will, there is a way.

-Career Project: Step #1 on the tan checklist. Brainstorm a list of 6 careers you're interested in studying. -Math: If you read this, you can skip doing your math assignment this weekend. We'll do SL 9-9 for Bellwork on Monday morning instead. Now, step away from that computer! Go outside and enjoy the beautiful warm weather. Dear Parents, The fourth grade class is beginning a career education project which will require your assistance and involvement. Each student will be choosing a career that they are going to be studying. As part of the project, I’ve asked the students to arrange a visit and an interview with a local person who has the career that they choose. Please assist your son or daughter in contacting this person (perhaps you have a friend or a colleague who would work). The culminating activity of the project will be a posterboard presentation by each student teaching the class about the career that they have studied. The presentations will begin Monday, May 7 (or

-Math SL 9-8 -Study for the spelling quiz.

-Math: SL 9-1 (p. 195 and 196)

1. ancient 2. emperor 3. dynasty 4. tyrant 5. oasis 6. intrepid 7. guidance 8. undoubtedly 9. pristine 10. fragile 11. libro (books) 12. cuaderno (notebook) 13. 滴水之恩,当以涌泉相报 A drop of water shall be returned with a burst of spring.

-Math: SL 9-4 (p. 201) -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the quiz. -Upcoming Field Trips: 1.) Wednesday, April 25 - Visit the Harwood Museum for a tour of the Agnes Martin Exhibit and an art activity. 2.) Thursday, May 10 - Bandelier National Monument! More information coming soon.

1. peculiar 2. occasionally 3. fascinated 4. timid 5. tough 6. enough 7. treacherous 8. doctor 9. bastante (enough) 10. viento (wind) 11. A chain is only as strong its weakest link.

-NMSBA Update: The class has finished up all the Reading and Math sections of the SBA. On Thursday, 4th graders will take Science Sections #1 and #2, with a short break in between. Please bring in a healthy snack to eat during the break. -There will be no Math Club on Thursday this week.

-Math: Finish Math Journal p. 244, 246, 247 and fix any of the items you missed. -Math: SL 8-8

Starting Tuesday, March 27, and continuing until April 10, the class will be taking the New Mexico Standards-Based Assessments in Reading, Math, and Science. During that time-frame, we’ll be taking the 7 sessions of the assessment Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings before lunch each day. Please make sure your daughter or son is present, on-time , and well-rested every day during testing. So that we get a true assessment of skills, please encourage your child to give their best effort in these tests. Good nutrition, a positive attitude, and getting enough sleep are vital to test success.

-Math: SL 8-6 (p. 185). Use a tape-measure to find the area of another, larger room in your house. -3rd quarter progress reports went home with students today. Please sign the green slip and send it back to school with your son or daughter on Monday. My conference schedule for Friday is already pretty full. Spring conferences are not necessary for all students, but if you'd like to meet, please email me mbonner@taoscharterschool.org and we can set up a time after-school next week.