Christine Hipsher

Update

I hope everyone is doing well this week. That was some wild weather we had this morning! I just wanted to update you guys about some of our upcoming events.

March 3rd- "Read All Day" Students can bring in a beach towel, several books and magazines to read and share & a special snack for themselves.

March 4th(Tuesday)- Early release. Please note that this is not a Wednesday like it usually is.

March 7th- VIP Tea

We are working on the outlines for the VIP tea at school (rough & final drafts). We are also writing the 12 questions that go inside their boxes at school.

At home you need to:

decide on costume/outfit for March 7th

Make 30 souvenirs to pass out

Make box to hold questions

Have a great evening.

Update

I hope everyone has had a great week.  I just wanted to touch base about our VIP project.  We are going to start working on the outlines at school on Monday.  If your child does not have their book yet it is okay.  We have a cart of books coming to our classroom each day that they can use for their research.

We would also like to have the students make their posters here at school so that we can supervise and guide them.  They can bring in any creative materials that they would like to use for their posters, and we will store it for them so that they can use it when they get ready.  Please send in a poster board by next Friday if you can.  If this is a problem just let me know, and we can help your child get one.

We have started a new behavior system for the rest of the year.  Everyone starts 15 blocks each week.  You have to have at least 10 blocks to earn fun Friday.  You can lose blocks for being off task, not returing homework, disrespect, etc.  These charts will come home in Thursday folders each week to be signed.  They need to be returned on Friday.  The children seem to really be excited about our new system.  It is very visual for them.

Progress reports will go home on 2/14 for any child with a C or below in any subject area.

Your child can bring in their Valentine cards on Thursday.  We will exchange our Valentines at the end of the day.  Have a great weekend!

February

I hope everyone is doing well.  I just wanted to give everyone a heads up about some of the dates coming up.

VIP Tea Project information went home on Thursday of last week with your child's graded work.  Your chilld needs to select their person to study and obtain a book.  Most of them have talked to me already.

Wednesday, February 6th is an Early Release Day. Students will be dismissed 2 hours early.

Monday, February 18th and Tuesday, February 19th are student holidays.

Field Trip permission forms and payments are due by Friday, February 22nd.  I am able to take 3 parents with me so please let me know if you would like to go.  I have more than 3 who have asked so I am going to have Mrs. Riley draw names for me at the end of the week.  Chaperones will have to pay for their trip.  The cost is the same price as a student.

The children will be able to exchange Valentines with each other on 2/14.  They can create their shoebox or bag at home to bring it.  We have 24 students in our class.  If your child wants to exchange cards they need to bring one for everybody.  An easy way prepare is to just sign the cards Happy Valentines Day! (your child's name) Or, if you would like to address them individually I have attached a class list.

Have a great week! :)

Update

I hope everyone is doing well.  We have been hard at work since we returned from the holidays.  We have started the following units:

Reading-

informational text

Math- fractions/decimals

Writing- informational writing and research

Spelling- unit 17

Grammar- adjectives/verbs

Science- Space (on Wed.)

Social Studies- American Revolution

Thank you for returning all of your conference letters.  It is very helpful in order to get our schedule set.  I am just looking for a couple more confirmations on times.  If possible please return your letter by this Wed. if you have not already. I am looking forward to meeting with all of you and discussing your child's progress this year.

If you have not returned your Inclemet weather forms please do so ASAP because the weather can be unpredictible this time of year.

For our next science and social studies unit we are going to be  working with Mrs. Riley.  I will be teaching the unit on the American Revolution and Mrs. Riley will be teaching the space unit.  This will be a good opportunity for them to get some practice changing classes and working with another teacher before fifth grade.  Mrs. Farrant and Mrs. Peterson will be working with both groups.

I will be hosting a Kennesaw Mountain HS student who is taking part in the RISE program.  The KMHS will be with us for an hour a day until May.  She will be helping us with classroom activities.  We are looking forward to having her, and I am sure this will be a good experience for our kids.  I had a student like this many years ago at my last school, and she went to college and returned to my school as a first grade teacher.  So these KMHS are working on becoming teachers in the future. :)

Have a great day!

Christie Hipsher NBCT, M.Ed., Ed.S

Fourth Grade Bullard Elementary

phone: (678) 594-8720

12/ 5

I hope everyone is having a good week.  I just wanted to touch base with all of you about a few things.

We are doing research on the thirteen Colonies in social studies at school this week.  Your children do not have to do any research at home, but they can.  They all have a Colonial region they are researching (New England, Middle, or Southern)  I told them to ask for permission before going on the Internet at home first.  If they ask this is what they are talking about.  If they bring some information to school to help their group they can earn a "way to go." :)  They will share their research on Friday with their group. 

In an effort to make our behavior plan more meaningful to the children, we have changed our procedure a little bit.  Instead of us marking a chart for them about a particular issue, we are having the children write an answer to a reflection question.  That way they can state the problem in their own words, and come up with a solution themselves.  They will bring their reflection home to have it signed.  That way you can have a conversation with them, and are aware of any issues.

For our holiday party on 12/19 10:45-11:50 the students are going to be filling goody bags for each other.  They need to bring in 24 little wrapped items to drop in each bag.  This should be a fun and inexpensive activity for them.  The items should be things like candy, pencils, erasers, etc.  An easy way for your child to wrap them is with aluminum foil.  Or they can use paper & tape.  It is fun for them to have all of those little things to unwrap.  I can store these for you here until they party if you want me to.  Just send them in a bag with your childs name on it.  Thank you Mrs. Mace for a ll of the hard work for our party.  I have been passing on the $5 to her.  She has purchased crafts, decorations, paper products, etc.

We have a visitng guest speaker here from Wellstar.  This goes along with our unit of study in Health.  We have studied personal health and we are now learning about nutrition.

Have a great day.

Dates . . .

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week.  We have been hard at work here even though it was a short week.  We have been studying traditional literature- folktales, tall tales and fables and learning how to write a response to literature.  In math we are moving on to Geometry next week.  We will also start our Colonization unit on Monday.   

Our Science test on simple machines and forces and motion will be 11/14.  They have a chart on simple machines, a flip book on forces and motion and a graphic organizer from the chapter  to use to study.

Science day Thursday 11/15.  Please remind your children to wear their class shirts on this day. :)

Cloze test #12 will be Friday 11/16

Papers will go home next Thursday due to the short week this week.

If anyone has clean baby food jars that you could send in that would be great.  We are going to have some Colonial crafts and activities the two days before Thanksgiving, and we need them for a project.

Have a great weekend!

November

I hope everyone is having a good week.  The weather has been beautiful, even though we need the rain.  I just wanted to send out a few dates to be sure that we are all on the same page for November. :)

On Monday and Tuesday 11/5 & 11/6 there is not school.  These two days are teacher inservice days.

We will take our simple machines and forces and motion test on 11/9.  They have a chart on the simple machines to use as their study sheet.  We will finish the second half of their study sheet this week on forces and motion.

Simple machines books are due on Friday 11/2 this week.  We have been working on these at school.

There will be no homework on Wednesday 10/31, except to have fun and stay safe. :)

Reading logs will be due on 11/20 this month.  You do not need to worry about recording last week.  They just got their charts on Monday 10/29.

We are going to start having a weekly grammar & math quiz on Thursdays for the skills we are working on that week.  This week will be parts of speech, and two digit divisors.

Cloze test this week on Friday for unit 11 in spelling. 11/2

Thanksgiving holidays 11/21- 11/25.  I hope everyone has a relaxing long weekend, and enjoys time with their families.

**** Your child can bring in their extra treats or the ones they do not like for our treat bucket.  I will trade "Way to go stickers" for candy.  That way we will have a variety of treats for them to work for in the room. 

Have a great day!

Updates

I hope you are all doing well.  I just wanted to remind everyone of a few things. Today 10/15 was officially the end of the first nine week grading period.  We will be starting with all new units next week.

Science- Forces and Motion

Math- geometry, division, multiplication, word problems

Reading-

Traditional literature

Writing- response to literature

Spelling- Unit 9 this week 10- next week

Social studies- colonization

Wednesday is an Early release day.  dismissal will start at 12:15.

The children are keeping their behavior logs in their binders now.  I am only marking them on an as needed basis. 

Reading

logs are due 10/19.  We are working toward 100 minutes a week.

Report cards will come home on 10/22 (Monday)

We are going to have an open note & book Explorer assessment this Friday.  I have all of your children's notes here at school that they will need.

If you have not returned your performing Arts permission form please do so by Wednesday.  We have a performance on the early release day, and your child will just need the permission to attend here at school.

Have a great evening! :)

Updates

I hope you are all doing well. I just wanted to remind everyone of a few things. Today 10/15 was officially the end of the first nine week grading period. We will be starting with all new units next week.

Science- Forces and Motion

Math- geometry, division, multiplication, word problems

Reading- Traditional literature

Writing- response to literature

Spelling- Unit 9 this week 10- next week

Social studies- colonization

Wednesday is an Early release day. dismissal will start at 12:15.

The children are keeping their behavior logs in their binders now. I am only marking them on an as needed basis.

Reading logs are due 10/19. We are working toward 100 minutes a week.

Report cards will come home on 10/22 (Monday)

We are going to have an open note & book Explorer assessment this Friday. I have all of your children's notes here at school that they will need.

If you have not returned your performing Arts permission form please do so by Wednesday. We have a performance on the early release day, and your child will just need the permission to attend here at school.

Have a great evening! :)

Reminders

Science Test 10/3 Weather *your child has flash cards or a study sheet to prepare

Map in a Month project due 10/5 on Friday-  I can't wait to see them!

Spelling "Cloze" test Unit 7 on Friday 10/5

Have a great weekend!