Welcome to Rankin Elementary -- 4th Grade Mrs. Vicari Room 30

Everyday Math We generally complete one lesson per day in the math journal. Unfinished classwork should be completed at home on a daily basis. Please sign or initial the journal each night so you can see what your child is learning and whether pages need to be completed. Students may bring home their Student Reference Book, which has definitions and examples. My website has valuable resources for each unit. Students are expected to know their multiplication facts. Please review these and practice them with your child. Flash cards and www.multiplication.com can help, as well. Help on the Web: http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/educators/computation/

Word Study & Spelling Spelling and vocabulary lists go home in the communication folder every Thursday. There will be a test every 4 weeks. Please keep lists for study purposes. In class, we sort the spelling words by letter pattern on Monday. On the back of the sort, we write a paragraph using the vocabulary words on Wednesday. If your child does not finish these assignments, they should be completed at home and turned in by Friday morning. For spelling, your child is expected to learn the pattern that we study in class and apply it to similar words. For vocabulary, your child is expected to know the meaning and to use the words in context. There are links on my word study page for online “Jeopardy” practice.

Reader’s & Writer’s Workshop Students are introduced to a variety of strategies and genres in both reading and writing. They have the opportunity to develop their skills through whole group, small group and individualized instruction and practice. Mini-lessons revolve around read-aloud mentor texts. Students conference with their peers and their teacher and set goals to show improvement throughout the year.

Accelerated Reader Students are to earn a MINIMUM of 4 A.R. (Accelerated Reader) points per month, depending on students’ individualized goals. Students must pass tests IN CLASS on books within their reading level to earn points. Please be sure that your child is reading at an appropriate level for at least 20 minutes per night at home. Students are expected to read approximately 1 – 4 chapter books per month, depending on the length. If you would like to order books from Scholastic, I regularly send home fliers, and there is a link to order online from my homepage. The Class Code is GXHJ2.

Progress Reports Progress reports go home each Thursday. If you do not receive one, please call me! This will list your child’s current grades and any missing work. Please sign the sheet, return it in the communication folder on Friday morning, and help your child complete and return any missing work by Monday. If you would like to keep the progress report as a reference, please just send a note in the communication folder stating that you have reviewed the progress report. Many assignments may be corrected or redone to earn a better grade. Any unfinished class work becomes homework for that evening.

For Your Information School newsletters come home every other Friday. Tests: If your child does not earn 60% or better on a test, he or she will be asked to make the corrections or demonstrate understanding and return with a parent signature to improve the test grade. Please visit the Carman-Ainsworth website: www.carman.k12.mi.us. Select Rankin, then Teachers, then Megan Vicari. My website has valuable information. This includes spelling lists and assignments for your convenience in case of a forgotten or lost paper. You will also find links to educational sites and resources used in class. http://www.carman.k12.mi.us//Domain/752 is the direct link to my homepage. Put it in your favorites. If your child is unable to attend school, please call the main office at (810) 591-4605.

Thanks for your time and support Thanks for your time and support. Please send an email to me when you get home (if you have not already) so I can add you to my contact list. Also, go to Bloomz.net or add the Bloomz app to your phone or tablet and join Mrs. Vicari’s class for quick and easy communication. The class code is VS4Q4M. I’m looking forward to a great year!  Please contact me at mvicari@carmanainsworth.org or call me at (810) 591-6790. (The best time to reach me is from 2:05 – 3:00 when your child is at specials.) Megan Vicari