Assignment Notebooks

Our assignment notebook is a great organizational tool! In fourth grade, students are learning to become responsible for their own work to and from school. The notebook helps the parents help their child. We fill it out at the end of the day (most of my students fill it out as we go throughout the day) and when they get home a parent checks the notebook to see what homework needs to be done. I don't request the parents sign the notebook, but many do. 

The assignment notebook helps the students prepare for middle and high school. They are in the beginning stages of time management.  I have had many parents tell me they really like the notebooks. It also provides me with an area for 'conduct'. I put good notes here as well as concerns.

In the past, I ran off the pages and stapled them like a book. This quarter I am getting them bound! Awesome!!!!

Sensory Details

The use of the five senses is fundamental to children’s understanding of how write with details and serve as the simplest way to introduce kids to elaboration. We are on Spring Break right now, but when we return the students will be working on using sensory details. 

This is an example of a project they will be doing. After reading a leveled book, the students will write about what the main character would hear, touch, see, smell, and taste. We attached the details to the puppet with ribbon. The puppet slides into the     paper bag that has the setting of the story on the  front.                                                         
We did this last year and the kids had a blast!