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Showing posts from 2016

Snow Day on Friday, December 23!

-School is cancelled at TCS on Friday, December 23 due to the weather. We'll have our Secret Santa gift exchange on Wednesday, January 11. -Ski Program kids should be at school by 7:45 on Tuesday, January 10. Remember to have ski pants, jacket, gloves, hat, goggles, and lunch. We'll return to TCS at 5:00 p.m. Please be on time when picking up your children at the end of the day. Those riders who live on the north end of town can catch the bus at the Arroyo Seco community center at 8:20 and pick up your children at 4:20. -Non-skiers will be swimming and ice-skating at the TYFC. They should dress in warm clothes for skating, and bring $1, a swimsuit, and towel. Those students should report to Mrs. Streit in the 5th grade classroom at 8:15. I wish you and all of your families a fun, safe winter break. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo!

For Thursday:

-History: Complete steps 5, 7, and 8 on the blue checklist - title page, visuals, and the bibliography. Be ready to present and hand in your report. You can print, organize, and staple here in class on Thursday morning if you need to. Practice reading your final draft out loud at home a couple of times so you'll be ready to go. -If you are not yet ready to present and hand in your history report on Thursday, you can take an extra day to finish everything up, and then hand it in on Friday. That's OK with me, but still be sure to make the most of the 2 days you have left to write the BEST report you can.

For Wednesday:

-History: Complete Step #4 on the checklist - The Final Draft. Focus on finishing up 5 great paragraphs, and don't worry the bibliography or the images. You can do all that fun, easy stuff on Wednesday evening after you finish the FD tonight.

For Tuesday:

-History: Complete your 5 paragraph rough draft, and move on to Step #3 on the blue checklist - revising and editing. If you have time, begin Step #4 - writing the final draft. -Geo Bee: Congratulations to our grade-level winners Lily, Zoe, Miyoko, Mason, Hanna, and Elijah! These six will move on to represent 4th grade in the School-level Geography Bee that will take place on Wednesday, December 21 at 12:45 p.m. in the cafeteria. Parents are invited to attend. Honorable mention also goes out to Jake and Hayden, our 2 runners-up in a tough, seven-round competition. -Secret Santa: Students can start bringing in wrapped or bagged gifts on Tuesday. The exchange will happen at noon on Friday, and students may bring in a snack to share that day if they want. to.

Over the weekend:

-History: Complete Step #2 on the blue checklist, and bring your 5 paragraph rough draft into school on Monday. When you're writing the paragraphs, remember to follow your outline, and keep in mind the "Hamburger Model" of good paragraphs that we discussed in class (topic sentence, meaty juicy interesting supporting detail sentences, and a conclusion/ clincher sentence). -Geography: We held our grade-level Geo Bee on Friday before we ran out of time due to early dismissal. The class performed very well, and after 4 rounds 15 students are still "in" and competing to be among the Final 6 who will move on to the school-level bee on Wednesday, December 21. If you have time this weekend, use the geography games and activities in the links to prepare for Round 5 and beyond! -Secret Santa: Students drew names today for our gift exchange that will happen next Friday, December 23. Limit for gifts is about $10. You can start bringing presents in any day next week.

For Friday:

-History: Begin Step #2 on the blue checklist - use your outline and your notes to start writing the first 2 or 3 paragraphs of the rough draft. -Spelling/ Vocabulary: Study for the quiz. -Swimming: Swim lessons continue on Friday. Be sure to bring a swimsuit, towel, goggles (if you have them), and a warm hat.

For Thursday:

-History: Complete Step #1 on the blue checklist - the outline of your 5 paragraphs. Use the format sheet that you got in class today to help. Remember, you're not writing the report yet. You're just planning and organizing the paragraphs before you start. Be brief, use abbreviations. You do not need to write the outline in full-sentence form. -Spelling and Vocabulary: Written work is due.

For Wednesday:

-History: Read and take notes on the person you're studying for the Revolutionary Biography Report. -Geography: Use the games and activities in the links to practice for the class-level National Geographic Bee that we'll have on Friday.

For Tuesday:

-Math: Complete p. 289-290 in My Math. -History: Continue to find information, read, and take notes on the person you're studying for the Revolutionary Biography Report.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 12/12/16

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

Over the weekend:

-History: Gather information, read, and take notes about the person you're studying for your Revolutionary Biography Report. Use the books you've checked out, and the 4 websites linked here to help (Wikipedia, Academic Kids Encyclopedia, Biography.com, and American Revolution!).

For Friday:

-Math: Complete p. 283-284 in My Math. -Spelling and Vocabulary: Study for the quiz. -History: Come up with your first, second, and third choices for the Revolutionary Biography Report. -Swimming: Swim lessons continue on Friday. Be sure to bring a swimsuit, towel, goggles (if you have them), and a warm hat.

For Thursday:

-Spelling and Vocabulary: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. This week's list is posted at Spelling City for games and practice. -Spelling Bee: Our School-Level bee will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday in the cafeteria. Parents are invited to come cheer on our 4th grade qualifiers!

Spelling and Vocabulary List 12/6/16

1. empire 2. liberty 3. monarchy 4. democracy 5. repeal 6. assembly 7. propaganda 8. research 9. biography 10. library 11. libertad (freedom, liberty) 12. listo/ lista (ready or smart) 13. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

School is cancelled on Thursday, December 1

-Parents, we have just been informed by the Town of Taos that our water will be shut off tomorrow, Thursday December 1st. Therefore, Taos Charter School will be closed. This will only affect TCS, all other schools will be open. School will resume Friday as usual. -Spelling Bee: Congratulations to Angie, Breanna, and Ruby for winning our grade-level spelling bee, and advancing to the TCS school-level bee, which will be held on Thursday, December 8th at 1:00. Parents are invited to attend! Honorable mention also goes out to Bonnie, Hanna, Trysten, and Otto, our runners-up who are all very strong spellers! -Math: Complete p. 253-254 in My Math for Friday. If you did not break 94% or higher on our recent 4 minute multiplication fact test, then you need to be practicing all the X facts up to the 12's every day at home using flashcards, websites, and Moby Max. -Spelling and Vocabulary: Written work is due Friday. Study for the quiz, and take a practice quiz at home. -Swim lesso

Thanksgiving Break!

-Math: Most of the class still needs some extra practice with multiplication facts before we can move ahead with more advanced work. If you didn't score a 94% or higher on today's 50 fact quiz, complete the 4 page practice packet over the break. -Ski and Snowboard Program paperwork and payment are due on Monday, November 28. -I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving break with family and friends. Safe travels. See you Monday.

For Friday:

-Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the quiz. -Swim Lessons: Don't forget to bring a swimsuit, a towel, and goggles (if you have them) for our Friday swim lessons at the TYFC. Don't worry, due to the weather, Mrs. Martinez arranged for us to take the bus back and forth to the pool, instead of walking in the cold wind. Thank you Jennifer! -Movie Night!: TCS Student Council is hosting a Movie Night at TCS this Friday, November 18th, from 6:30-8:30pm. They'll be showing Zootopia and Ratatouille in the Middle School classrooms. Put on some PJs and bring a pillow, blankets, and the whole family! Snacks will be available for purchase (please, no outside food/drinks). Admission to Movie Night is $1.00 - all proceeds from admissions and concessions will be used to support school-wide activities. Please come for some family fun! Parent volunteers and food donations are appreciated. Please contact Sally Greywolf: sgreywolf@taoscharterschool.org for more info. -Ski Sip

For Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 227-228 in My Math. -Science: Finish up the quiz on the Circulatory System. Be as complete as possible for questions 8 and 9. You may use your notes, info from the science packets, and even videos from our YouTube Circulatory System Playlist to help! -Ski and Snowboard Program: Parents, Ski Program information and paperwork went home with students today. Payment and completed paperwork are due Monday, November 28.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 11/14/16

1. oxygen 2. carbon dioxide 3. crisis 4. colonist 5. ascend 6. descend 7. devastate 8. remedy 9. slavery 10. immigrant 11. Great Britain 12. venado (deer) 13. nadar (to swim) 14. On the warpath

Over the weekend:

-Math: Complete p. 219-220 in My Math, and practice the starred skills in section D of IXL Math. -Field Trip!: On Thursday, November 17, the class will be taking a field trip to the Meow Wolf Art Museum in Santa Fe. We'll leave TCS at 8:30 a.m., and return at about 3:00 p.m.. There is a transportation charge of $10, and admission to the museum is $8 per student. Please send $18 cash or a check made out to Taos Charter School Monday or Tuesday of next week, along with a signed permission slip. Students should bring their own sack lunch and a snack that day as well.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 11/6/16

1. aorta 2. red blood cells 3. white blood cells 4. plasma 5. platelets 6. atrium 7. ventricle 8. valve 9. alveoli 10. exchange 11. veteran 12. viento (wind) 13. nieve (snow) 14. Have a heart. **This list has been uploaded at Spelling City. Use the games and activities there to help you practice the spellings and definitions.

Over the weekend:

-Math: Complete p. 201-202 in My Math, and practice IXL skills D3, D4, D8.

For Thursday:

-Spelling and Vocabulary: Written work is due. Study for the quiz, and take a practice quiz at home on paper or online at Spelling City. -Math: Spend 15-20 minutes practicing IXL Math skills D3 and D4 (multiples and factors). -Reminder: There's no school Friday for teacher in-service.

Spelling and Vocabulary 10/31/16

1. specific 2. vague 3. percent 4. circulatory system 5. arteries 6. veins 7. capillaries 8. oxygen 9. carbon dioxide 10. heart 11. lungs 12. corazon (heart) 13. sangre (blood) 14. Blood is thicker than water. ** This list is now uploaded at Spelling City. Use the games and activities there to help you practice the spellings and definitions.

Report cards

Parents, 1st quarter progress reports will be sent home with students today. Please take some time to read and discuss the grades and comments with your son or daughter. For more info on Lexile reading range scores, see www.lexile.com There's no school on Friday, October 28 for parent-teacher conferences. However, I am still home recovering from surgery, so I will not be able to meet with parents Friday. I plan to return to school on Tuesday, November 1, and I'm happy to set up conferences after school from 3-4 in the upcoming weeks. I’ve already scheduled after-school meetings with some of you, and I meet with some parents fairly regularly, so conferences are not mandatory for all students at this point. If I haven’t contacted you and you’d like to meet, please email me at mbonner@taoscharterschool.org to make an appointment. Thanks, and have a great weekend! MB

Spelling and Vocabulary 10/24/16

1. democracy 2. election 3. candidate 4. federal 5. poll 6. political party 7. Democrat 8. Republican 9. nominee 10. majority 11. repeal 12. tarea (homework) 13. cuaderno (notebook) 14. There’s no time like the present. ** This list is now uploaded at Spelling City. Use the games and activities there to help you practice the spellings and definitions.

A note from Mr. Bonner:

Hi 4th Graders! Yesterday, Mr. Evans delivered the get-well card that you all signed for me. Thank you so much! Reading all your messages made me feel a lot better. It's been nine days since my surgery, and I'm recovering at home and feeling stronger every day. Today, I drove my car for the first time since the surgery, and went down to Baca Park and took a short walk using my crutches a little, but it was mostly on my own, and my new hip felt really good! Tomorrow I'll try to do a longer walk. If I keep exercising and doing physical therapy, next week I'll be able to put away the crutches and start walking using only a cane. However, the thing is, I don't really want to use a cane, so I'll be using a ski pole instead! Every time I use it, it will remind me to work harder so that I can be ready to ski with all of you for Ski Club up at TSV this winter. A cane just wouldn't do that for me. My doctor told me that with enough therapy and exercise, that I

Over Fall Break:

-Math: Master IXL skills D1 and D2. -Reading: Spend 20 minutes reading each day over break. Keep track of what you've read on the pink Fall Break Reading Log. If you borrowed a class copy of My Land Sings, please take good care of it, and remember to bring it back to school with you on Monday, October 17. I hope you all have a really fun and safe Fall Break!

For Thursday:

-Spelling and Vocabulary: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. -Swim Lessons start Friday! Deliver the blue note to your parents, and ask them to fill out and sign the attached Town Waiver form (even if you already have one on file at the TYFC). Please bring that form back to school on Thursday, and keep the blue note at home for future Friday reminders. -Deliver the "Reading for Education" note and packet that Mr. Jones gave you today. Kids and parents are welcome to participate in this fundraiser if you want to. Funds raised will go toward classroom supplies and activities. There are some great prizes too!

For Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 117-118 in My Math. Be sure to write the full equations when you're asked to do that, not just the answers.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 10/3/16

1. factor 2. product 3. dividend 4. divisor 5. quotient 6. folklore 7. heritage 8. opponent 9. fluke 10. traits 11. motivation 12. Tengo hambre. (I’m hungry.) 13. Tengo sed. (I’m thirsty.) 14. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Over the long weekend:

-Reading: Complete the book review and the four comprehension questions from the novel Superfudge if you didn't finish them in class on Thursday. -Art: On Saturday, from 2-4 p.m. there will be an open house art show of your student work at the Stables Gallery (near the TCA). Families are welcome! Attend if you can. FREE FOOD! -Photo Re-Take Day is Monday, October 3.

For Thursday:

-Spelling and Vocabulary: Written work is due. Study for the quiz. -Student individual photo proofs were sent home today. Information about purchase or re-takes are enclosed in the envelope.

For Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 103-104 in My Math. -Reading: Review your 12 chapter summaries from Superfudge. Fix all the mistakes in capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Complete any summaries for chapters that you may have missed, and bring them back to school to hand in on Wednesday.

For Tuesday:

-Math: Complete p. 97-98 in My Math.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 9/26/16

1. homophone 2. clothes/ close 3. break/ brake 4. buy/ by 5. hear/ here 6. choose/ chews 7. right/ write 8. sum/ some 9. whole/ hole 10. would/ wood 11. peek/ peak 12. mail/ male 13. (your own pair of homophones) _________ / ________ 14. Money burning a hole in your pocket

For Friday:

-Math: Complete p. 91-92 in My Math. -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Reminder: All grades will dismiss at 11:30 on Friday for Homecoming.

For Thursday:

-Math: Complete p. 83-84 in My Math. -Spelling & Vocabulary: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

For Tuesday:

-Math: p. 65-66 in My Math. -Picture Day is Tuesday for our class, so look your best!

Spelling and Vocabulary List 9/19/16

1. Autumn Equinox 2. minuend 3. subtrahend 4. synonym 5. antonym 6. budget 7. catastrophe 8. elevation 9. there 10. their 11. they’re 12. jugar (to play) 13. deportes (sports) 14. spill the beans

For Friday:

-Spelling: Study for the quiz. Work on improving your spelling sentences if I asked you to. -Language Arts: Finish the both sides of the Your/ You're practice page.

For Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 41-42 in My Math. If you're having trouble with rounding, check out these videos from Khan to help you review: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-fourth-grade-math/cc-4th-place-value-rounding/cc-4th-rounding/v/rounding-whole-numbers-1

For Tuesday:

-Math: Complete p. 27-28 from My Math.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 9/12/16

1. apostrophe 2. contraction 3. wouldn’t 4. we’re 5. weren’t 6. aren’t 7. doesn’t 8. she’ll 9. we’ll 10. your 11. you’re 12. lapiz (pencil) 13. libro (book) 14. Beauty is only skin deep.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 9/6/16

1. algebra 2. variable 3. humorous 4. sarcastic 5. ocean 6. continent 7. nation 8. embellish 9. contagious 10. plot 11. setting 12. estudiante (student) 13. escuela (school) 14. When it rains, it pours. ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 8/29/16

1. privilege 2. character 3. unanimous 4. sum 5. difference 6. product 7. quotient 8. are 9. our 10. hour 11. Taos Charter School 12. arriba (up) 13. abajo (down) 14. break the ice ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

For Thursday:

-Spelling and Vocabulary: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

Weekly 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 SJ.(2 times for the weekly saying.) B.) Use each word by writing a creative sentence that shows you understand the meaning of the word. Use a dictionary to help when you need it. 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 short, simple sentences in Spanish. If you need extra help with those sentences, ask a family member, Mr. Bonner, or Senora Molina some time during the week before Thursday. There are Spanish translation websites posted on our class blog that can help you as well. 4. On Thursday, we’ll have a practice spelling quiz, and I’ll check your written work. Students who score 100% on the pract

Spelling and Vocabulary List 8/22/16

1. novel 2. fiction 3. non-fiction 4. harmony 5. geography 6. latitude 7. longitude 8. northeast 9. southeast 10. southwest 11. northwest 12. Yo (I) 13. nosotros (we) 14. “as the crow flies”

Parent Open House -- Wednesday, August 24

On Wednesday, August 24th the 4th and 5th grade classes will have a parent meeting and classroom open house from 5-6 p.m. which you’re all invited to attend. In our classroom meeting, we’ll discuss things like 4th grade curriculum, grading, homework routines and expectations, class projects, and Ski Club. I hope you can all plan to come in to visit that evening.

Over the weekend:

-Parents, please fill out the packet of back-to-school forms that went home with students today. The packet should be in a take-home folder in your son or daughter's backpack.

Welcome to the TCS 4th Grade Blog!

Hello to all the incoming 4th grade students and parents 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 Thursday, August 11th at 8:15 AM. Fourth grade supply lists are available in the office or at the TCS website in the "For Parents" section. It's not necessary for everyone to have all the 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 Thursday! Our TCS Welcome Back Pot-Luck is Wednesday, August 10th from 5:00 to 6:30pm if you can make it. Thanks for taking the time to find and read our 4th grade blog! Please be sure to bookmark it into your links. -Mr. Michael Bonner email: mbonner@taoscharterschool.org

Have a great summer!

-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 plays and baseball/ softball games (mbonner@taoscharterschool.org), and I'll come see them if I can. Over the summer, keep your reading skills sharp and get ready for 5th grade by continuing the D.E.A.R. habit of reading for at least 20 minutes every day. Your accounts at Lexia, MobyMax, IXL Math, Spelling City, and Typing Web will all remain open and available for you to use any time during summer break. So be sure to take advantage of your memberships at those sites when you have time.

Field Day!

-Thursday is Field Day for grades K-4 at Kit Carson Park from about 10:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., weather permitting . Students should dress for outside PE and bring a snack and a water bottle. Parents are welcome to come down to the park and join the fun! Lunch will be provided to all students by the Friends of Taos Charter School. Parents can meet us at the park and pick kids up by 1:45. Otherwise, we'll return to school on the bus and dismiss at 2:50 as usual. Final progress reports will go home with kids on Thursday. -Career Project thank-you letters and emails were sent out today. If you're hand-delivering yours, don't forget to actually drop it off to the person who you interviewed to thank them for their time and energy. -Missing Library Books: The following students are missing books that they checked out from the TCS Library: Talia, Rafa, Mariana, Diego, Sierra. Final notices went home with students today. Please return those books on Thursday or bring in payment to

For Wednesday:

-Career Project: Be sure to have a mailing or email address for the person who you interviewed. You'll be writing a Thank-You letter in class. -Bring in a couple of cloth or paper grocery bags to carry home your leftover supplies and belongings.

Over the weekend:

-Talent Show: Find and write down a few jokes that we can practice in class on Monday. Groups who are singing songs should be practicing their performances! The Talent Show will be Tuesday at 1:00 pm in the gym, and parents are welcome to attend.

Bandelier Field Trip on Friday!

-Students should be at school ready to go before 8:15 a.m ., and we’ll return by 5:00 p.m. It should be hot and sunny out there on Friday, so wear a light-colored t-shirt, shorts, and sturdy sneakers. Don't forget to bring a hat, sunglasses, sunblock, backpack, 2 water bottles, lunch, snack, and $5 or so for our DQ stop on the way back home. -MAP Test Results: Students have their results from this year's MAP assessments in reading and math in their take-home folders. I was very impressed with the level of improvement and achievement that this class showed from the fall to the spring. Please contact me if you have any questions about the scores.

For Thursday:

-Spelling: Written work is due for the archeological term list. Study for the quiz!

Last Call for Library Books!

-Students got their final reminder slips for overdue library books today. Please locate those and get them back to our library by Thursday to avoid a $25 per book replacement fee.

For Tuesday and Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 923-924 in My Math. -History: Check out some of the articles, photos, and videos in the links to learn more about Ancestral Pueblo people and Bandelier National Monument. -Parents, please fill out the field trip permission form that went home today. Send that back in to school on Tuesday or Wednesday with $8 cash or check for the bus fee.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 5/9/16

1. Anasazi 2. Ancestral Pueblo 3. cliff dwelling 4. viga 5. artifact 6. cistern 7. petroglyph 8. kiva 9. cavate 10. pottery sherd/ shard 11. archeologist 12. pueblo (village, small town) 13. mesa (table, or flat-top landform) 14. Don’t cry over spilled milk. ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

Bandelier field trip next week:

-On Friday, May 13, the fourth grade class will be taking a hiking field trip to Bandelier National Monument, near Los Alamos. 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 down the Frey Trail into Frijoles Canyon about 2 more miles 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, at least one water bottle, and their own lunch (if they don't order a school-provided sack lunch). The trip will cost $8 for bus transportation. Please send cash, or a check made out to the school. We were granted an educational waiver from the National Park Service for this visit, so there is no charge for our group to enter Bandelier. If we have time, we’ll stop for ice cream at the Dairy Queen in Espanola our way back to Taos, so kids should

For Friday and Monday:

-Career Project: Continue working on Step #7 on the green checklist - putting your posterboard together and planning your presentation. They'll begin Monday afternoon at 2:00, but students may present on Friday if they're ready to go. Students may dress up, or even dress like the career they chose to present, but it's not required. Parents are invited to attend the presentations, which will continue at 2:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Please mail me at mbonner@taoscharterschool.org if you'd like to attend, and we'll plan on it! -Math: Complete p. 915-916 in My Math if you didn't finish that work in class today.

For Thursday:

-PARCC Test Grand Finale!: On Thursday, the class will be taking the final session of the PARCC assessment. They've been conscientious about the testing, and kept very positive attitudes throughout the process. I think we'll see some great results in the fall when they arrive. Thanks for all the support and encouragement they get at home -- it really helps!

Over the weekend:

-Math: Get ready for PARCC by practicing your skills at IXL. Take part 2 of the 4th grade PARCC math practice test in the links. -Career Project: Continue working on steps 5 and 6 on the green checklist.

PARCC testing this week and next:

-PARCC Testing begins Tuesday morning for 4th grade. This week, the class will be taking the three English Language Arts sections, and next week, they'll take the four math sections. We're planning to start testing at 8:30 each day. Please be present and on-time during these assessments, and each student will need to have his/her own headphones to use. Prepare to do your best by getting exercise, making healthy food choices, and getting enough sleep. There's no need to worry or stress about PARCC. If you relax, focus, and show what you know, you'll do just fine on these tests. -Career Project: Continue working on steps 3 and 4, and move on to step 5 on the green checklist. You should be setting up your interview soon.

Geometry Vocabulary Terms

1. point 2. line 3. line segment 4. parallel 5. perpendicular 6. intersect 7. line of symmetry 8. parallelogram 9. rhombus 10. trapezoid 11. congruent 12. right triangle ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

Over the weekend:

-Career Project: Work on steps 3 and 4 on the green checklist. Do some research on the career you've chosen to study. Use Wikipedia and the Career Info Site in the links, and take notes on what you find. -Invent Event: Come check out this 2nd annual FREE community celebration of creativity and technology! This event will include printmaking, drones, catapults, 3D-printing, solar stations, robotics, and much more. Saturday, April 23 in the Enos Garcia Gym from 12-5pm.

For Friday:

-Math: Complete 855-856 in My Math, and practice IXL skills P19, P20, P21. -Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Career Project: Step #2 on the green checklist, and deliver the parent note. -Parents, the 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've studied. The presentations will begin Monday, May 9 (or sooner if students finish early). Students have more information about the specifics of the project. Please contact me at school if you have any questions. Thanks

For Tuesday:

-Math: Work on skill P19 in IXL Math.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 4/18/16

1. recipe 2. dwindling 3. anecdote 4. melancholy 5. incarcerate 6. unpredictable 7. area = length x width 8. protractor 9. vertex 10. right angle 11. acute angle 12. obtuse angle 13. Como se llama usted? (What’s your name?) 14. Me llamo ________. (My name is ______.) 15. The more, the merrier

For Friday:

-Math: Complete p. 805-806 in My Math. Practice the starred skills in IXL, Section N. -Spelling: If you didn't get a 100% on your practice quiz today, practice writing the words you missed 5 times each to hand in on Friday, or share it with Mr. Bonner on Google Drive.

For Thursday:

-Math: Complete My Math p. 785-786 and p. 791-792. -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 4/11/16

1. area 2. perimeter 3. setting 4. demonstrate 5. details 6. metric system 7. centimeter 8. meter 9. kilometer 10. liter 11. gram 12. sol (sun) 13. estrella (star) 14. over the moon

For Thursday:

-Math: Complete p. 739-740 in My Math, and practice the starred IXL skills in sections N and O. -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. -Our Spring Song Share performance for grades K-4 is at 1:30 in the cafeteria. Families are invited! 4th graders are first to perform this year, so don't be late.

For Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 733-734 in My Math, and practice the starred skills in IXL section N.

For Tuesday:

-Math: Complete My Math p. 719-720, and practice IXL skill N5.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 4/4/16

1. measure 2. length 3. capacity 4. weight 5. yard 6. ounce 7. pound 8. pint 9. personification 10. famous 11. infamous 12. ciudad (city) 13. pais (nation or country) 14. It’s always darkest just before the dawn. ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

PT Conferences/ Little League Registration/ Spring Songshare Performance

-There's no school on Friday, April 1 for parent-teacher conferences. I’ve already scheduled meetings with some of you, and I meet with some parents fairly regularly, so conferences are not mandatory for all students at this point in the school-year. If I haven’t contacted you and you’d like to meet, please email me at mbonner@taoscharterschool.org to make an appointment. I'm also available to meet after school from 3-4 in the upcoming weeks. -Last chance for Little League registration is on Saturday, April 2 at the Taos Youth and Family Center from 10-2. -Our Spring Songshare for grades K-4 will be in the gym Thursday, April 7 at 1:30pm. Families are invited to attend! -Over the long weekend: Complete My Math pages 701-702 and 707-708. Practice IXL skills N1 and N3.

For Tuesday:

-Math: Complete p. 673-674 in My Math, and practice the starred U skills in IXL.

Spelling and Vocabulary 3/28/16

1. prefix 2. root word 3. suffix 4. disorganized 5. simile 6. metaphor 7. paraphrase 8. specific 9. poem 10. stanza 11. fecha (date) 12. ano (year) 13. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

3rd Quarter Progress Reports

-Progress reports went home with students today. Please take some time to discuss the grades and comments. Enjoy the long weekend, and have a Happy Easter!

For Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 647-648 in My Math. Practice the starred skills in IXL section U.

For Tuesday:

-Math: Complete p. 635-636 in My Math. Practice the starred U skills in IXL.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 3/21/16

1. Spring Equinox 2. cite 3. evidence 4. fact 5. opinion 6. intention 7. persuade 8. decimal 9. tenth 10. hundredth 11. thousandth 12. primavera (spring) 13. viento (wind) 14. a dime a dozen ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

For Friday:

-Science: Finalize and practice your 4-5 minute presentation for tomorrow. -Math: Practice IXL skill R12.

For Wednesday:

-Math: Practice IXL skills in Section R. -Science: Continue working though the steps in your chosen report topic and presentation option. -NMSBA Science Tests: Parents, 4th and 7th graders will be taking the state-required assessment in Science next week, March 8, 9, 10 (Tuesday-Thursday) for about an hour each day.

For Tuesday:

-Math: Complete p. 583-584 in My Math. Practice any of the starred skills in the R section of IXL. -Science: Continue working through the steps on your science report.

For Friday and over the weekend:

-Math: Complete My Math p. 571-572. Practice IXL skills R1, R2, R7. Students who are taking a Chapter 8 re-test should do that at home tonight. -Science: Continue reading and doing research on your science report topic. Presentations and demonstrations will begin Friday, March 4.

Over the weekend:

-Science: Work on Steps 2 and 3 on the purple checklist. Narrow down your topic, do some research, and start thinking about what presentation option you'll choose. -TCS Basketball Tournament: Parents, we still need a lot of volunteers to help out for next week's big tourney. Wednesday, Feb. 24 is 4th grade night. Please take a minute to go to the Sign -Up Genius (linked in your email and in the Chalkboard) and volunteer a shift or 2 in score-keeping, concessions, admissions, or as a referee. If you can't work on Wednesday, other evenings are available. -Reminders: Our final ski and snowboard program day is Tuesday, Feb. 23, and then on Wednesday, Feb. 24, the class is taking an all-day field trip to the International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe.

For Friday:

-Reading: Read chapters 26-30 in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, completing the novel. Write a brief summary for each chapter on your yellow summary sheet. -Math: Review chapter 8 "Homework Helpers" from each lesson to study for the chapter test. Practice the Q skills in IXL.

For Thursday:

-Math: Complete p. 547-548 in My Math, and practice IXL skill Q22. -Spelling: Written work is due. -Science: Share the purple project checklist with your parents. Decide which general field of science you're interested in studying (Step #1). -Kit Carson Electric coloring contest pages are due Thursday. Bring yours in if you have it at home. Class winner gets a $25 prize! -Field Trip!: Next Wednesday, February 24, the 2nd and 4th grade classes will be traveling to Santa Fe to visit the International Folk Art Museum. Information and permission slips were sent home with students today. Permission slips are due Friday.

For Wednesday:

-Math: Complete p. 541-542 in My Math.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 2/16/16

1. mixed number 2. improper fraction 3. field 4. biology 5. geology 6. meteorology 7. astronomy 8. ecology 9. hydrology 10. adentro (inside) 11. afuera (outside) 12. kill two birds with one stone

For Friday:

-Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the quiz. -Reading: Write a brief summary of Chapter 17 in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Read Chapter 18 and write a summary. Keep going if you want! -Valentine's Day!: Kids may bring in cards and treats to share with their classmates.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 2/8/16

1. simplest form 2. benchmark fraction 3. pursue 4. conceal 5. controversy 6. hostile 7. persist 8. sufficient 9. sustain 10. yield 11. tienda (store) 12. dinero (money) 13. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Non-Skier Plan on Tuesday, Make-up Ski Club Day:

-Non-skiers will skate at Youth and Family Center in the morning. Please bring $1 for skating. We will be eating a SACK LUNCH at the Youth and Family Center from 11:30-12:00. Please remember to bring a sack lunch! At 12:00 the bus will take us to the Storyteller Theater to watch Kung Fu Panda 3. Please bring $2 to pay for the bus and $5 to pay for the movie. If you want concessions at the movie, bring money to pay for whatever you plan to order (kiddie combo packs are $4.50). We will return to the school by 2:20. -The make-up Ski Club day will be Tuesday, February 23.

For Friday:

-Math: Complete My Math p. 515-516, and practice IXL skill Q9. -Spelling: Study for the quiz.

For Thursday:

-Spelling: Written work is due. study for the practice quiz. -Math: Complete p. 509-510 in My Math. Practice starred IXL skills in the Q section.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 2/1/16

1. pronoun 2. adjective 3. adverb 4. conjunction 5. excessive 6. cuisine 7. pandemonium 8. flabbergasted 9. concur 10. comrade 11. antagonize 12. pero (but) 13. para (for) 14. One picture is worth a thousand words.

For Friday:

-Spelling: Study for the quiz. -Math: P. 489-490 in My Math. -Reading: Work on your 2 paragraph essay comparing/ contrasting "To the Top" and "Moonwalk" (optional). -Parents, blue re-enrollment forms went home with students today. Please fill those out and return them to school before February 4.

For Thursday:

-Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz. -Math: Complete the Unit 6 test if you did not finish it in class today.

For Tuesday and Wednesday:

-My Math pages 397-400 (for p. 399-400, boys do the odd number items and girls do the evens). -Non skiers will be swimming or skating in the morning, and then going to the southside Guadalajara Grill for lunch. Bring $1 to swim, $2 for the bus, and about $10 for whatever you order for lunch. Parents are welcome to come join the kids for lunch at about noon. -Skiers and boarders should wear your warmest gear and be ready for a fun, but very cold day out on the mountain. See you at 7:45!

Spelling and Vocabulary 1/25/16

1. compare 2. contrast 3. fraction 4. numerator 5. denominator 6. equivalent 7. subject 8. predicate 9. sentence fragment 10. run-on sentence 11. facil (easy) 12. dificil (difficult) 13. En boca cerrada, no entran moscas. (A closed mouth attracts no flies.) ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

For Monday:

-Math: Complete p. 391-392 in My Math.

For Friday:

-Math: Finish side B of the purple long division practice page.

For Thursday:

-Math: Complete p. 383-384 in My Math. Practice IXL skills E5, E7, E8, E9. -Reading: Finish up the book review and comprehension questions from "To the Top." Share your answers to the comprehension questions with me on Google Drive.

Schedule of Events for Non-Skiers:

Tuesday 1/19/15 - Swim or ice skate in AM ($1) (Will walk back to school in time to eat in the cafeteria) Weather Permitting, Geology hike East of TCS 12:30-2:00 Tuesday 1/26/15 - Swim or ice skate in AM ($1) 12:00-1:00 Eat lunch at Guad. Grill ($4 bus fee - and students pay for any food they purchase) Tuesday 2/2/15 Swim or ice skate in AM ($1)Bring a sack lunch to eat at the Taos Youth and Family Center 12:30-2:00 Hands-on enrichment activity at Twirl Tuesday 2/9/15 Swim or ice skate in AM ($1) Bring a sack lunch to eat at the Taos Youth and Family Center 12:00-2:00 Watch a movie (entire theater reserved for TCS) at the Mitchel Theater ($4 bus fee and $5 for the movie) (students pay $4.50 if they want a snack pack)

For Thursday:

-Math: Finish My Math p. 363-364. -Spelling: Written work is due. Study for the practice quiz.

For Tuesday and Wednesday:

-Math: Complete long division practice page C (the back side of your spelling list), and My Math p. 357-358. This work is due Wednesday. -Second quarter report cards and PARCC results went home with students today. Parents, please sign the blue slip and return it to school on Wednesday. -Ski and Snowboard Program will meet at school at 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday. Parents please be at school for pick-up at 5:00 p.m. If you're meeting the bus in Arroyo Seco, be at the Seco Community Center parking lot (across from the church) at 8:10. -Non-skiers: Bring a swimsuit, towel, and $2. Report to Mrs. Greywolf's class (6th grade) at 8:15 a.m.

Spelling and Vocabulary List 1/11/16

1. remainder 2. icicle 3. irregular 4. innovative 5. prosperous 6. algorithm 7. translate 8. omit 9. fascinated 10. brilliant 11. timid 12. viento (wind) 13. nieve (snow) 14. Poco a poco, se va lejos. (Little by little, you’ll go far.) ** This week's list is uploaded at Spelling City. Use your account to practice spelling and definitions.

For Friday:

-Math: Finish the B side of the long division practice page.

For Thursday:

-Math: Spend 20 minutes practicing IXL skill E4.