Post #10

In our classroom we agree to listen but we don't have to agree. The girls know that they are free to voice their opinions and express themselves without judgment. This week the girls strengthened their collaboration skills and spent time reflecting on their cooperation during team/group work. They wrote collaborative stories and developed innovation designs with Mrs. Ferrell's third graders. 

The girls read many articles in Newsela this week. I know I've said it many times but it bears repeating, Newsela is a great tool for non-fiction comprehension while making local and global connections. They read about a controversial Halloween costume and then shared their opinions with the class. Take a look:

https://todaysmeet.com/Costumeyourthoughts

We are wrapping up the study of the 1900's and will move into a review of government and the role of the president in preparation for our first field trip to Mt. Vernon on November 8th. Working with a partner, the girls researched the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. They will take their notes and create a news broadcast about the event.

Three Word Thursday gained a broader audience this week. We used a shared Google slideshow for this activity. The girls thoughtfully commented on each other's work. You can read their creativity. 

A favorite Fourthie mental math activity is "Donut Math." Ahh the fun we can have with a paper donut. I like to remind the girls that fact practice doesn't need to be a sparkly website. 

Problem solving took the girls to some pretty spooky places this week. They compared populations and calculated distances from places such as Tombstone, AZ, Slaughter Beach, DE, and Scarville, IA. I loved listening to them explain and rationalize why a town would get such a creepy name. In fact I love the way these girls talk about math every day. Their ability to reflect on concepts and communicate math ideas is remarkable!

Nuts and Bolts:

Information needed a parent response is highlighted.

* Wordly Wise Dress Up Day is Tuesday, Details here.

* Our field trip to Mt. Vernon is on November 8th. Details here.

* Homework- Homework is posted each Friday for family planning.

* Special Week Girl- Next Special Week is Camden  (December 4th) 

* Carpool Helpers- Alice and Sarah

Class Leadership Week of 10/30

Ambassadors- Grace and Ava

Reporters- Cate and Ali

Photographer- Laila

Girls-

Your blog question is....... Fill in the blanks: "In our class we agree to ______ but we don't have to _______." Post your answer here. 

Post #9

I enjoyed our conferences and learning more about your incredibly kind and talented daughters. We are having a great year and I'm grateful for your partnership.

We are in the second math chapter which focuses on the four operations of whole numbers. Now more then ever, Attention to Detail is critical. The girls practiced solving equations and realized the importance of bar modeling. Bar modeling is a recurring strategy that the girls will use throughout the year. I loved watching them as they used bar modeling and the aha moments they were having. We are keeping the Halloween theme as we bar model:

Some spooky writing was all the rage this week. Writing Lab #5 focuses on sentence structure and the editing process. The girls are working hard to incorporate rich vocabulary in their writing. Revising and editing is a skill that will be reinforced in each writing lab. We talked about creative writing (language arts composition book) and the girls expressed their feelings regarding handwriting vs. typing. They were articulate and seemed to understand what works best for them. I don't believe in a "one size fits all" approach and I've encouraged the girls to advocate for themselves. Fourth grade is about empowering the girls to make choices that will be beneficial for lifelong learning. 

Wordly Wise Dress-Up Day will be here soon. The girls are doing a great job using the words in conversation and writing. Ask your daughter what her plans are for WW Dress-Up Day.

A special shout out to Ali, Camden, and Cate for their performances at our first LS Recital. They were poised and performed beautifully.

Today, the girls were treated to a book talk with Shannon and Dean Hale. They were so excited to listen to this duo. Shannon and Dean Hall spoke about the importance of determination, resillience, and following your dream.

The first quarter is just about over. Now is a good time to have your daughter give you a tour of her Google Drive and Google Classroom. You can see her writing and other activities. While you are on the computer, take a peek into her Quia account to see Wordly Wise quizzes, Spelling City to see spelling progress, and That Quiz for a check of her fact fluency.

Nuts and Bolts:

Information needed a parent response is highlighted.

* Wordly Wise Dress Up Day is Tuesday, October 31st!!! Details here.

* Our field trip to Mt. Vernon is on November 8th. Details here.

* Homework- Homework is posted each Friday for family planning.

* Special Week Girl- Ava 

* Carpool Helpers- No Fourthies from room M02 are on duty next week.

* Late start on Thursday. It's Innovation Day. Supplies will be provided by the school.

Class Leadership Week of 10/16

Ambassadors- Eliza and Ali

Reporters- Ceci and Caelan

Photographer- Camden

Girls-

Your blog question is....... Explain the cartoon at the top of the page? Post your answer here. 

Post #8

A growth mindset is essential in math. I am so impressed with the determination these girls are bringing to math. They completed the Unit One assessment that took them out of their comfort zone. Each math assessment will include a writing component, listening station, and an EdPuzzle. The girls problem solved with Mildred Dresselhaus and added to her high school yearbook quote.

Look for the assessments in next week's work folder. Next week's fact check is what we Fourthies call a POWER CHECK- the girls will be assessed on the 3, 4, 5, 6 times tables. Practice is making progress.

   

This week was packed with lots of creative writing. The girls are putting the finishing touches on their fall themed Storybird. Many have published and you can see them here. We listened to the Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg and the girls spun an alternate ending. They love sharing their writing and in doing so are improving their presentation and communication skills. We are getting into All of a Kind Family as the drama and mystery is increasing. More hashtag summarizing was added to Google Slides. The girls are exploring, discovering, and enhancing their slideshows. Their Three Word Thursdays are becoming stronger each week. How could you write creatively using the following words:

 sneeze, braces, space, CHALLENGE: Include directions for how to eat soup with a fork.

The girls are doing their best to wrap up the realistic fiction book project. Finding a quiet place to record has been challenging but we are determined. If only we could build an addition on the classroom:)

Personalized Learning is taking on a life of its own. The girls are beyond excited to be exploring, discovering, and learning about their interests and passions. More on this as the projects unfold.

In summary it's been a great week of learning with these incredible girls. But, the best part of my week has been this incredible boy! 

Landon Richard Dunkum

Nuts and Bolts:

Information needed a parent response is highlighted.

*Fall Conferences are underway- Check your conference time here.

Wordly Wise Dress Up Day is Tuesday, October 31st!!! Details here.

Homework- Homework is posted each Friday for family planning.

Special Week Girl- Caelan 

Carpool Helpers- Laila and McKenzie will represent our class next week

Class Leadership Week of 10/16

Ambassadors- AC and Lucy

Reporters- Lydia and Camden

Photographer- Sarah

Girls-

Your blog question is....... When was Landon Richard Dunkum's birthday? Post your answer here. 

Post #7

Our week started with a special service on The Green with the Blessing of the Animals. Ava, Lailah, and Lydia did a beautiful job reading at this special service.

Tuesday was equally special. Last week the girls filled our KINDNESS JAR, thus earning their first compliment celebration. We celebrated by making mindful jars which was a glitter, fun-filled project. Here's an article that explains mindful jars.

Much of our math time this week was spent reviewing the concepts taught in Unit One. Additionally, the girls worked with prime factorization and challenged themselves with tricky problem solving that required them to set up equations using order of operations. Take a look at this example:

Halloween math fun started this week. The girls worked on a "Candy Corn Factor Tree" project. We will have a great deal of Halloween themed learning this month. Stay tuned. 

We continue to explore the 1900's. The girls learned about the Wright Brothers and have begun journaling in this decade. We started a novel study that is set at the turn of the 20th century. We are reading All of a Kind Family  by Sydney Taylor. While the novel is set in New York City in the early 1900's, the girls will be very 21st century with their note-taking. They are "hash tagging" the chapters and explaining why they chose the hashtag. Should be fun.

The girls received their new Storybird credentials and were excited to be back on this creative writing site. A few girls were not familiar with Storybird and their peers jumped in with a quick tutorial. I love when they help each other. The first Storybird is all about fall. We talked about imagery in writing and the girls are incorporating this literary element in their Storybird. 

The realistic fiction book project is in the works. The girls are summarizing the book they read and are working on an author's recitation to be shared in a collaborative slideshow.

Thanks to those who attended the Parents Technology Night on Thursday. Feel free to reach out with questions/concerns. I'll be offering an abbreviated session next Friday @ 8:15 while the girls are finishing up with swimming.

Class Leadership Week of 10/9 (same as last week since it's a short week)

Ambassadors- Caelan and Ceci

Reporters- McKenzie and Lailah

Photographer- AnneClare

Nuts and Bolts:

Information needed a parent response is highlighted.

Swimming continues next week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday) Swim letter with details. Click here.

Letter from Mrs. Ivens regarding recorders. Click here.

*Fall Conferences begin Wednesday- Check your conference time here.

Homework- Homework is posted each Friday for family planning.

Special Week Girl- Caelan (week of 10/16)

Carpool Helpers- Lydia will represent our class next week

Girls-

Your blog question is....... Who is the author of One of a Kind Family? Post your answer here.