Sunday, May 20, 2018

Weekly Update

Important Info.  
    • Monday, May 21st is Long's Talent Show from 9-11am. 
    • The last day of school is this WEDNESDAY with dismissal at 11:40.  Report cards will be emailed home the week after school is out.  Students do NOT need a backpack the last day of school, as everything will go home by Tuesday.
    • Students have taken home both math textbooks at this point.  These can be GREAT resources during those long, summer months.  In addition, ALEKS will also be available for spiral math review! 


    Students have finished their poetry anthologies!  Make sure to log on to your child's GoogleDrive to see their anthology!   This week we are working on Fourth Grade Memory Books!  We will also finish our second read aloud, King of the Bench:No Fear (We finished A Wrinkle in Time last week!).  Take a look at some of our field trip and field day snapshots below!














    Monday, May 14, 2018

    Other Important Info.  
    • Our final field trip to the Daniel Boone Home is this Tuesday, May 15th!  Make sure to check the weather in planning an outfit and to bring a sack lunch! 
    • Field Day is this Friday, May 18th! Please use this link if you would like to sign up to volunteer for a fun day:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d4caead2ba7fc1-long3
    • The cafeteria will only offer a sack lunch of hot dog, chips, cookie and drink on Field Day, 5/18.  I have asked students if they were bringing or buying that day.  However, you can double check their choice, or send me an email.  I need to have sack lunch totals by this Thursday.   
    • On Wednesday, May 16th there is a quick talent show rehearsal from 3:30-4:30. This will simply be to practice the order and go through any last minute adjustments. Students will not be expected to do their act this day. 
    • Monday, May 21st is the talent show. The time is TBD (during school hours). 

    Writing
    Students are making great progress with their poetry anthologies!  I am seeing some awesome written poems!  Take a look! 





    Reading
    We have also resumed in book clubs and are making good progress in our read aloud books! 

    Math
    This week in math, we are finishing our obstacle courses, working on 3D nets, and working to progress in ALEKS!  Here are some awesome examples of obstacle courses:



    Science
    We have finished our speed and distance labs!  Don't forget that extra practice and extra credit activities are up and running on the online Science textbook: Pearson.


    Junior Achievement
    This past week in our Junior Achievement lessons, we created our own business ideas based on a specific US  region and we also got to play a game called "Hot Dog Stand."  In this game, we kept track of money that we spent and money that we made with our business throughout the game.  Then we did the math to figure our profit or loss.  It was a lot of fun! 







    Sunday, May 6, 2018

    Weekly Update

    Other Important Info.  
    • Our next class reward is this Thursday, 5/10!  Students voted on Comfy Day!  This is where they may wear pajamas to school and bring a blanket, sleeping bag, or stuffed animal to school. 
    • On Wednesday, May 16th there is a quick talent show rehearsal from 3:30-4:30. This will simply be to practice the order and go through any last minute adjustments. Students will not be expected to do their act this day. 
    • Monday, May 21st is the talent show. The time is TBD (during school hours). 
    • Junior Achievement lessons start this week!  We are lucky to have Cecelia's mom and Jeff's mom teaching them to us!  
    • Our final field trip is to the Daniel Boone Home on Tuesday, May 15th!  Make sure you have turned in your permission slip.  
    • Field Day is May 18th! Please use this link if you would like to sign up to volunteer for a fun day: 

    Writing
    We have completed our essay unit and are officially on to our poetry unit!  Students will create a poetry anthology of collected and written poems that all relate to a common theme!  I can't wait to see the finished products!


    Reading
    We have also resumed in book clubs and are making good progress in our read aloud books! 

    Math
    This week in math, we will create paper obstacle courses to review area and perimeter! 

    Science
    In our forces and motion unit, we started Part I of a bubble gum speed lab, where we had to calculate the speed at which we chewed bubble gum!  There is a science vocabulary quiz this Friday, 5/11. Extra practice and extra credit activities are up and running on the online Science textbook: Pearson.


    Sunday, April 29, 2018

    Weekly Update

    Other Important Info.  
    • Try-outs for Long's Got Talent (Show) are Monday, April 30th from 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.  
    • On Wednesday, May 16th there is a quick rehearsal from 3:30-4:30. This will simply be to practice the order and go through any last minute adjustments. Students will not be expected to do their act this day. 
    • Monday, May 21st is the talent show. The time is TBD (during school hours). 
    • Scholastic Book Orders are due by Monday, April 30th! Click here if you would like to order online!  (Our class code is L8V73.)  You may also return the paper order form with a check made out to "Scholastic Book Clubs."
    • Fourth Grade Strings Rehearsal is this Thursday, May 3rd, 9:15-11am.
    • Our final field trip is to the Daniel Boone Home on Tuesday, May 15th!  Make sure you have turned in your permission slip.  We have both parent volunteers- thank you to everyone who volunteered to join us! 

    Writing
    We continued in our literary essay unit, and students are doing a great job in picking up where we left off!   These will be due by this Friday, May 4th.  Then we will move onto our last writing unit, poetry!  

    Reading
    We have also resumed in book clubs!  I am impressed with the students' growth in reading this year as I sit in on book clubs.  

    Math
    In math, being done with the textbook, we now review and dive deeper into fourth grade topics.  On Friday, we started a tessellation project and we will continue it this week! 

    Science
    We are also able to resume in our forces and motion unit in science.  Stay tuned for some fun labs!

    Sunday, April 8, 2018

    Weekly Update

    Other Important Info.  
    • MAP Testing for fourth grade is set for April 16th, 18th and 19th for ELA and April  25th and 26th for Math Please try not to make any appointments on these days.  Students should get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive to school on time. It is also important that each student has a pair of headphones or earbuds for testing.
    • This Wednesday, 4/11 is an early release day with dismissal at 1:40.  Please make sure your child knows how they are going home.
    • Join us for Family STEM Night on Wednesday, April 11th! 


    Writing/Reading
    We have chosen our thesis statements for our literary essay on the book "Fox."  However, we are going to pause in this essay writing and review multiple reading and writing standards and skills for the ELA MAP test.  We will resume with "Fox" after the ELA testing. 

    Math
    We will start (and finish) our last math chapter of the year this week!  We will work in Chapter 12, Metric Measurement.  The Chapter 12 Quiz will be this Thursday, 4/12. We will then spend the rest of the year reviewing the big fourth grade topics (i.e. long division, long multiplication, fractions, etc.) and engaging in more math projects.  

    Monday, April 2, 2018

    Weekly Update

    Writing
    We have started our new unit, literary essay writing, and are currently reading the book "Fox."  As we close read this book, I am really enjoying hearing students' deep thoughts!  They are analyzing main characters, brainstorming possible themes, and noting the author's craft.  I am impressed!  This week we will continue to dig deeper and create our thesis statements! 


    Reading
    Students are continuing in their book club groups.  You can support book clubs at home by asking your child about their book and if they are keeping up with the assignments.  Also, we have started our poetry unit and are discussing the figurative language and author's purpose and craft in poetry.  Students are doing awesome with this! 


    Math
    In Chapter 14, we are learning more about geometry.  So far, we have reviewed points, lines, rays, and measuring and drawing acute, obtuse and right angles.  This week we continue with triangles, quadrilaterals, and lines of symmetry.  The Chapter 14 Test will be this Friday, April 6th. 

    Social Studies/Science
    We have finished our study on westward expansion and the Civil War/slavery.  Now we are moving on to our Forces and Motion unit in science with some fun labs ahead!  


    Other Important Info.  
    • Join us for Family STEM Night on Wednesday, April 11th! 
    • Spring Pictures are this Friday, April 6th. 
    • MAP Testing for fourth grade is scheduled for April 16th, 18th and 19th for ELA and April  25th and 26th for Math.  Please try not to make any appointments on these days.  It is also important that each student has a pair of headphones or earbuds for testing.

    Monday, March 12, 2018

    Weekly Update

    Writing
    I want to give a huge THANK YOU to all parents who showed up to join our informational book Expert Fair!  We had an awesome turnout.  Students loved a real audience and getting nice feedback on their books from loved ones!  I know you were just as proud as we were. Our next writing unit is the literary essay, and it's one of my favorites!  Students always do a fantastic job with this unit.  We will start this unit after Spring Break.  Until then, we are hitting grammar, mechanics, and homophones.  





    Reading
    Students are continuing in their book club groups.  You can support book clubs at home by asking your child about their book and if they are keeping up with the assignments.  Take a look at some of the #booksnaps that students created this past week.





    Math
    This week in math, we are focusing on area and perimeter.  There will be an area and perimeter quiz this Friday!



    Social Studies
    In social studies, we are starting our unit on Westward Expansion and Lewis and Clark!  It is an exciting unit, and students will enjoy it. 


    Other Important Info.  
    • Third Quarter Report Cards are emailed home this week. 
    • Spring conferences will be held this Thursday, March 15th from 3:45-7:00 PM.  These conferences are optional, and I will meet with parents that I have requested or that have signed up for a conference.  
    • This Friday, March 16th is a half day with dismissal at 11:50.  
    • Spring Break is March 19th-23rd!