Hello Families! I hope you have enjoyed the holidays together! We still have a couple more days of break; we return to school on January 4th. This is a good time to sleep in a couple more days, shop for any school supplies your child may be low on (glue, colored pencils, and erasers are the top 3), and prepare for the school routine ahead (pack lunches, do laundry, etc.). 

When we return, we will be focusing on our goals for 2023. We start by reading Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This allows us to think about what will inspire us, motivate others, and help us reach our goals. In doing this, we can revisit our classroom expectations and reflect on how we can get the education we deserve this year. That will lead us to one of my favorite books: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. 

We will start a new math topic after lunch. Students will be jumping into volume two of our math book, so you can expect the first one to come home. If you are looking for review opportunities, keep the book! We only sometimes use the math pages, so there is an opportunity for practice. At school, we are jumping ahead to Topic 14, patterns. It is a fun, relaxed way to get back into problem-solving and higher-level thinking. 

Once again, thank you for helping us have a fun day before Winter Break. Your donations got us a lot of food - pizza, chips, and treats! The class had a relaxed day together, bringing us closer together. You also showered me, Miss Sokolowski, and Mrs. Oboczky with generous and thoughtful gifts. Thank you!

Important Dates to Know
1/7/23 - Grade 4 Skate Party
1/9/23 - Bird Model due at school
1/10/23 - Group Pictures for Yearbook
1/11/23 - PTA Read-a-Thon Kickoff Assembly & PTA Family Game Night
1/19/23 - End of Second Quarter
1/23/23 - Scholastic Book Fair begins
1/23 and 1/24/23 - MAP Testing

Our absences were down and our excitement was up this past week! 

We have been reading "Matt Sprouts and the Curse of Ten Broken Toes" in language arts. It is just a read-aloud, not a whole class novel study. The story is entertaining: funny characters, soccer teams, brothers working together, and ninja moves! But the book's best part was when we talked to the author last week! Matt Eicheldinger is a middle school teacher in Minnesota, and this was his first self-published book. If you need one gift this holiday season, I highly recommend a copy for your home!

We also started our Fourth-Grade Bird Project this past week. We have chosen the bird we want to research and started collecting our information at school. Children will continue to investigate at school. At home, we are asking that your fourth grader creates a 3-D model of their bird. This model needs to resemble (as much as possible) the actual bird chosen. We recommend your child uses items from around your house. For example, you may use clay, wood, paper cache, styrofoam balls, pop cans, toilet paper / paper towel rolls, or anything else you can find. You may NOT make a bird out of plain construction paper. There is no size requirement. Be creative! Although parents can assist with material collection and ideas, we need this to be the child's work. It is due January 9th. 

This coming week we will have a somewhat "normal" Monday and our Holiday Party on Tuesday. The class did a great job of discussing what we needed to make our day successful. We will be doing some STEM Challenges, games, and enjoying pizza and treats at the end of the day. (So children should still pack or buy a lunch). Because the children wanted to be comfy, we even decided it could be a PAJAMA Day! Please note we have gym Tuesday, so children need gym shoes and can change before and after if they choose to. We don't normally do that, but onesies and running don't make for a fantastic aroma. 😆

Please let me and our attendance secretary know if your child will be out because of family plans. It helps me to adjust groups and programs accordingly. Our attendance secretary this year is Mrs. Riley. 

Important Dates to Know
12/20/22 - Winter Party in classrooms 
12/20/22 - Speech and Debate Spiritware Pickup in the Lobby
12/21 - 1/3 - Winter Break
1/7/23 - Grade 4 Skate Party
1/10/23 - Group Pictures for Yearbook
1/11/23 - PTA Read-a-Thon Kickoff Assembly & PTA Family Game Night
1/19/23 - End of Second Quarter
1/23/23 - Book Fair begins
1/23 and 1/24/23 - MAP Testing

I hope everyone (children and adults alike) is feeling better this weekend! Last week, we had record-high absences in Room 111, averaging four students out each day. I even took a day and a half off myself! Hopefully, everyone has rested, hydrated, and has found themselves on the mend this weekend. As a reminder, if your child has a fever, they should stay home until they are fever-free (without medication) for 24 hours. And if your child does miss school, they have an equal number of days to make-up work. For example, if they miss two days, they get two days to make up the work left for them upon their return.

As we move toward the winter break, we will be listening to a story in language arts. It is a book written by a middle school teacher, and it is called, "Matt Sprouts and The Curse of Ten Broken Toes." It is a hilarious book about a 12-year-old boy who experiences the downward spiral of cause and effect. The author has autographed our book, and I hope we can arrange a Zoom call with him before or after the break! 

We will be starting a short topic in math on Monday. It is applying the math skills we have learned so far in fourth grade and determining when and how to use them in word problems. The questions will take some critical thinking, but we are confident the children will do well. We will send home Volume 1 of our math books by winter break! 

I want to thank Lauren Scherr and Lindy Cibula for sending out a Sign-Up Genius for our door and Winter Party. I loved discussing what would make a party successful with the class, and they had some great ideas! I am looking forward to a fun day with them on December 20th. We will be ordering Dewey's Pizza. As Lauren mentioned, if you choose to donate money, please send an envelope with cash or Venmo me at @Jodi-Hetman. Thank you in advance! 

Important Dates to Know
12/12/22 - Bath Orchestra Performance at RHS
12/16/22 - Bath Team Hero Shirts and Popcorn Friday!
12/20/22 - Winter Party in classrooms 
12/21 - 1/3 - Winter Break
1/7/23 - Grade 4 Skate Party
1/10/23 - Group Pictures for Yearbook
1/11/23 - PTA Read-a-Thon Kickoff Assembly and PTA Family Game Night

Good afternoon! I am struggling to keep my eyes open on this beautiful Sunday! The Revere Speech and Debate team had their first in-person tournament yesterday, and as a middle school coach, I was happy to participate. However, the long day away has made the weekend feel too short! Hopefully, you and your children recharged this weekend!

We had a lot of fun last week. In math, we are reviewing all the topics we have covered this year. It has been an excellent opportunity for Miss Sokolowski and me to create small groups, reteach topics, and help everyone gain a stronger understanding of the core skills we need in fourth grade. This week, we will continue to do that to ensure all material is reviewed before we use operations to solve word problems.

We started looking at five core text structures in language arts. We have learned that description is important to help readers get a mental picture of our writing. We also learned how to sequence our writing in chronological order. We then smashed those two text features together to show how many steps and how much detail is necessary when teaching someone how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! If you heard about unopened jars Friday after school, you know what I am talking about! 🥪

This week will be exciting for our learners because we have two mystery location calls set up with schools in the United States. The children have been working hard to practice asking yes or no questions to discover what states Miss Sokolowski and I have been "hiding" in. They are prepared to find these two schools on Monday and Thursday. Make sure you ask them about their experiences!

Last, our students will be shopping at the Holiday Shop during Library on Wednesday. This is not required, but it can be a good opportunity for your children to buy small items for loved ones. If they want to purchase gifts, they should bring their money to school on Wednesday.

Important Dates to Know
12/7/22 - PTA Holiday Shoppe
12/8/22 - Bath Orchestra Rehearsal at RHS
12/12/22 - Bath Orchestra Performance at RHS
12/16/22 - Bath Team Hero Shirts and Popcorn Friday!
12/20/22 - Winter Party in classrooms 
12/21 - 1/3 - Winter Break

I hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving holiday and long weekend. As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow, November 28th. School will resume on Tuesday, and the winter festivities will be on everyone's minds. I even changed my Apple Watch face to a Christmas countdown!

In language arts, we will be starting a mini-unit on text features. We will focus first on fact versus opinion and then jump into text structures on Wednesday. In math, we will review the topics covered in class from the start of the year through last week. Your children did some problems for us before the break, and we will work in small groups to ensure we fill any learning gaps they may have from the start of fourth grade. Please note there will be no spelling or math homework this week. ​

Science will be spent a little differently for the next week and a half. We have the opportunity to connect with two fourth-grade classrooms around the United States next week to guess where they are located based on the Yes or No questions we ask. They, in turn, will do the same with us and our location. As a result, we will be looking at maps a little differently than we did earlier this year. It is an excellent opportunity to learn where Ohio is compared to other states in our great country. 

Finally, Mrs. Oboczky will finish her student teaching this week as she teaches a couple more social studies and guidance lessons. She has done an excellent job with the class, and we are thankful we will still see her daily in our rooms (Mrs. Hetman's and Miss Sokolowski's). If your child has a moment, it would be adorable if they could create a card for her, thanking her for her knowledge and wishing her luck next year. She will take her state licensure tests this spring and move on to get a classroom of her own at the end of the year. 

Important Dates to Know:
11/29/22 - Students return / Mrs. Hetman at a meeting
11/30/22 - Gaming Club (Note needed if you're staying!)
12/7/22 - PTA Holiday Shoppe
12/12/22 - Bath Orchestra Performance at RHS
12/20/22 - Winter Party in classrooms 
12/21 - 1/3 - Winter Break

We will hit a high of 50° this week, which will oddly feel warm to your kids. Despite their perceptions, please make sure they leave the house with a coat, gloves, and hat. We had a lot of red hands and rosy cheeks last week. In the future, the recess monitors may not let them go outside unless they borrow a coat from lost and found for an hour. They need to have the appropriate gear now that winter is here. 

Last week was a lot of fun! Between the movie day and some fun hands-on activities, everyone enjoyed themselves. Here are some photos of the children while Ms. O led a demonstration of the tax laws the British King enacted upon America before the Revolutionary War. 

This week we will focus on the early colonists, some fun STEM activities, and a couple of holiday-themed tasks in language arts and math. If you are planning on your child not being at school Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday because of travel plans, please let me know. If appropriate, we can send work home with your child ahead of time. It also helps us to plan for the number of children that will be in class.

As a reminder, spelling homework is due for everyone tomorrow. Mrs. Hetman's class also has math homework due. Because it is a short week, no new homework will be assigned for the following week. Also, the holiday break is from Thursday through Monday, and students will return on Tuesday, November 29th. 

​Important Dates to Know:
11/21/22 - Girls' STEM/Coding Clubs (Note needed if you're staying!)
11/22/22 - Last day for Caring For Kids donations
11/23/22 - Buckeyes for Booth Shirt (or other Ohio State Gear) Day
11/24 - 11/28 - Thanksgiving Break
11/29/22 - Students return / Mrs. Hetman at a meeting
11/30/22 - Gaming Club (Note needed if you're staying!)
12/5 - 12/9 - PTA Holiday Shoppe
12/20/22 - Winter Party in classrooms 

I am not sure if you spotted any this weekend, but I saw the first flurries outside my house. I know I am a minority, but I was excited. I love winter. Well, I love the start of all the seasons. But I am that Ohioan that appreciates the cold, loves the white landscapes, and enjoys playing in the frozen precipitation. So that being said, I am glad that winter is around the corner! Your children, however, need to be ready for it! Feel free to send a spare pair of boots for your child to keep in their locker. If not, they should wear them on wet, snowy days. We will leave wet boots in the hall and wear our warm shoes in the classroom. 

In language arts this week, we will wrap up our novel study for Sign of the Beaver. This will include the movie on Wednesday. As a result, your child is welcome to bring a small stuffed animal or pillow to snuggle with during the film. It is only an hour and a half so they won't need extra snacks. We will have our normal morning, healthy snack in the middle of it.

The children did well on the long division quiz last Friday. Thank you! We could tell how many of them worked with you at home, and your time and patience with them were invaluable. We are moving on to factors, multiples, and prime and composite numbers next. Remember to keep practicing multiplication facts at home. Whether it is flash cards or just random facts once in a while, it helps!

We are studying the Revolutionary War in social studies. The kids had a great time making their own tea crates last week. This week we will study events like the Intolerable Acts and Stamp Act. And in science, we are starting our unit on rocks and minerals. The children always like this unit!

I also wanted to tell you what a fantastic job your children did on Tuesday. They were all excellent listeners, asked good questions afterward, and were truly Bath Team Heroes. I was so proud of our administration and your fourth graders. 

​Important Dates to Know:
11/14/22 - Girls' STEM/Coding Clubs (Note needed if you're staying!)
11/16/22 - PTA Meeting and Parent-Teacher Conferences
11/18/22 - ​Bath Team Hero Shirts / Popcorn Friday​
11/21/22 - Girls' STEM/Coding Clubs (Note needed if you're staying!)
11/24 - 11/28 - Thanksgiving Break
11/30/22 - Gaming Club (Note needed if you're staying!)
12/5 - 12/9 - PTA Holiday Shoppe

Can you even believe how lucky we have been with this weather? I have been soaking up the sun this weekend! I hope you and your family have gotten to enjoy it as well! We will keep the sun for the next few days, not the 70-degree temperatures. I will still take it!

This week, we will finish the novel Sign of the Beaver at school. The class has enjoyed the adventures of Matt and Attean. If you are unfamiliar with the story, the main character, Matt, is not much older than your fourth grader. But back in colonial times, it wasn't unheard of to leave a twelve-year-old alone at a new homestead while the father returned for the rest of the family. We have been reading about how Matt has matured and even become friends with a Native American tribe. It is inspiring and endearing! 

In math, we will continue to practice long division. If your child needs a fun reminder on the steps, please click this hyperlink for a good video to watch at home. A story and song behind a process are always helpful! The test will be Wednesday or Thursday this week.

In social studies, we will be studying the beginning of the American Revolution with some fun activities. We will explore the Boston Tea Party through a STEM challenge and examine the first 13 colonies. We hope to make the events come alive for the class!

And in science, the class did well on the Fossil Quiz Friday! We will have some fun with fossils this week before moving on to rocks and minerals. Mrs. Oboczky has stations planned where the students can investigate everything from million-year-old trees to how feathers evolved. It should be interesting! 

Halloween was fun last week. It was so lovely seeing families lined up outside. The class enjoyed the parade, and we even had time afterward to relax with some Bingo during our snacks! Thank you to everyone who donated food, drinks, and goodie bags! 

Important Dates to Know:
11/7/22 - Girls' STEM/Coding Clubs (Note needed if you're staying!)
11/7/22 - Dewey's Night - 20% of purchases donated to BES
11/8/22 - Student Council Elections
11/10/22 - Parent-Teacher Conferences
11/11/22 - Veteran's Day
11/14/22 - Girls' STEM/Coding Clubs (Note needed if you're staying!)
11/16/22 - PTA Meeting and Parent-Teacher Conferences
11/18/22 - ​Bath Team Hero Shirts / Popcorn Friday​
11/24 - 11/28 - Thanksgiving Break
11/30/22 - Gaming Club (Note needed if you're staying!)
12/5 - 12/9 - PTA Holiday Shoppe

This coming week is Red Ribbon Week! Nationwide, Red Ribbon Week takes place each year from October 23 through 31st. With older children, the theme of the week is Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free.™ At Bath Elementary School, we focus more on celebrating life through a fun-filled spirit week. Please note the themes for each day:

• Monday: Wear your favorite jersey!
• Tuesday: Shine bright in your NEON!
• Wednesday: Pajama Day
• Thursday: Bath Team Hero T-Shirt Day

Last week we started a new novel, Sign of the Beaver. This is a historical fiction book about a 13-year-old boy left alone in the Maine Territory while his dad returns for his mom and sister. The main character, Matt, goes through a lot on his own with the help of an Indian tribe. It is an excellent tie-in to our social studies unit about Native Americans. We hope the children love it as much as we do!

We are starting a new unit on strategies to divide 1-digit divisors in math. We will take our time this week by reviewing basic division facts so that we can jump into long division next week. It is pretty exciting to watch these kids growing so much in math! At home, you can help by practicing basic multiplication and division. The more fluent your child is, the better! 

This Friday is a professional development and records day for teachers. There is no school for students. Please note that any outstanding assignments need to be in by Thursday afternoon. Report cards with grades and comments will be officially available on ProgressBook by November 4th. Please note that paper copies of report cards do not go home. If you are new to Revere, please visit https://pa.neonet.org/ to log into ProgressBook. There is a sign-up link located on the page. You will need to complete the sign-up if you do not have your Registration Key. Please contact helpdesk@revereschools.org if you have any trouble. Thank you!

Important Dates to Know:
10/24/22 - Red Ribbon Week starts
10/26/22 - Gaming Club (Students need a note to stay.)
10/27/22 - Fun 'N Stuff PTA Fundraiser Reward
10/27/22 - Bands in the Round Concert
10/28/22 - No School for students / Teachers' Records Day for Q1
10/31/22 - Halloween Parade and Parties at 2:00​ 
11/4/22 - Picture Retake Day
11/5/22 - Illuminate Fundraiser for Revere Schools Foundation
11/7/22 - Dewey's Night - 20% of purchases donated to BES
11/10/22 - Parent-Teacher Conferences
11/16/22 - PTA Meeting and Parent-Teacher Conferences