Big Day Tomorrow

Today's Assignments
Science-Project Matter (due Monday)
Math-reviewed for test (Monday); p. 284 # 1-13 for extra credit
Language-Singular Possessives p. 100
Reading-test on The Stranger (written and AR)

Tonight's Homework

• anything not finished in class
• spelling 50 points
• packet (science, math, state dailies)

Tomorrow's Events
AR lunch: Caitlin, Jared, Nick, James, Hunter, Caleb, Faith, Morgan, Lexie, Bryce, and Holly Su (It's not too late for the rest of you!

Rocket Club: Jared, Nick, James, Hunter, Jenna, Faith, Taryn, Jessica, Holly Su, Lexie, and Tim
Congratulations on being part of this elite group!

Goodbye Kallie! Good luck at your new school!

Welcome Bailey! We're glad to have you!

No Switch Wednesday

We did our first round of ThinkLink testing today taking the Language Arts test which has questions for reading, writing, and grammar. Overall the class did very well, but we are still having problems with inferencing and topic sentences. We will address these in class.

Today's Assignments
Math p. 65
Social Studies test-lots of A's and B's
Language Arts-finish magic frame and summary; fact/opinion; cause/effect
Science-work on Project: Matter

Tomorrow we will:

• take a written test on The Stranger
• take an AR test on The Stranger
• do lots of other things:)

The Christmas party is quickly approaching on December 19. Shawnta Nipper will be our parent volunteer in charge of planning this celebration. A letter requesting your help/donations will be in this week's Friday Folder. Fourth graders do NOT exchange gifts at the party. If your child is in the giving spirit, he/she is welcome to bring a new, unwrapped gift to be donated to a local charity.

Our scheduled Santa Shop day is Monday, December 3. More information is coming in this week's Friday folder.

If you have any items to donate to this week's auction, please send them tomorrow or Friday.

Terrific Tuesday

Today we started a matter project in science. Students are to create a mobile of mini-projects about matter. We read the requirements of each mini-project and reviewed the evaluation criteria for the whole project which is due Monday, December 3. Students will receive time in class on Wednesday and Friday to work on the project, but if it is not completed on Friday, it will need to be finished at home over the weekend. Late projects lose 10 points. The only material needed from home is a hanger.

Tomorrow students will take a social studies test. They reviewed in class today and were provided with a study guide. Hopefully everyone remembered to bring theirs home-they were reminded at the end of the day!

In math we continue with multiplication. Students seem to understand the process of 2 digit by 1 digit multiplication, but are still struggling with facts. Unfortunately, the only way to learn the multiplication facts is to memorize them and practice them. They do not go away, but they do not change either. Aplusmath.com has fun games to help practice multiplication facts and other key math skills.

Don't forget to finish the homework packet and spelling activities!

How Many Days Until Christmas?

This week we are reading The Stranger, a really interesting book by outstanding author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg. On Thursday students will take both a written and online test over the entire text, but tomorrow each student will illustrate a magic frame of the story. Ask for details!

On Wednesday students will participate in the second round of ThinkLink testing. ThinkLink is an online diagnostic assessment that provides teachers with a road map of the roads less traveled, ie., the items that really need to be taught/retaught to the students. We will finish the tests (in math and language arts) next Wednesday.
Friday brings with it many rewarding celebrations. Every student who met his/her AR goal for November will eat lunch in the classroom with treats provided by their teacher. So far 12 students have earned this privilege and time is not up! After recess students with no behavior issues for the month and no missing work at the time will get to watch the Good Behavior movie. Then the Rocket Club's first event will happen at 2:30 with prizes and treats!

Friday also brings report cards and the school newspaper. Please remember that the school fee is $60.00 for the year and covers a scant amount of the consumable materials used by your children (workbooks run around $15 apiece). At least $20 must be paid by Friday for your child to receive his/her report card. A subscription to the school newspaper The Roar of the Rocket costs $1 for the year. While every student receives the first page of the paper free of charge, subscription holders also get Grade Level News and Student Fun Pages. This month's edition mentions Bryce for her awesome singing on Veteran's Day, features artwork by Abby, and tells about the UDF field trip and the fourth grade read-in.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...and homework this week. The homework packet and new spelling activity list were passed out to students today. All homework is due on Friday as usual.

Today's Assignments:
Handwriting-cursive worksheet
Reading-vocabulary worksheet
Journal-How I Spent Thanksgiving and letter home to parents

Journal Journey-If you were unable/unwilling to send your child's journal on its journey, please return it to school with a note.

Farkle McBride

I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving and was able to spend time with loved ones. I was lucky enough to do both!

Next week we will be taking our second round of ThinkLink tests. By comparing this test with the first test taken earlier in the year, we hope to have some evidence to point us in the right educational direction for your child.

In reading we will read the book The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg. Students will be expected to take both a written and computerized test on this book.
This week we will continue with our study of matter by investigating physical changes and creating a working definition for physical changes. We will then spend December exploring chemical changes and deciding how the two types of changes are different-or are they?

Journal Journey

Tonight's homework is to come up with a person that you think would participate in our Journal Journey assignment. In class today, each student wrote an introductory letter describing him/herself and the project. Tomorrow we will be revising and rewriting this letter into a new composition book that will be sent home in order to be mailed to the person you picked to participate in this activity. When selecting a participant, please choose someone who will write an entry in the journal, send a postcard to school, and keep the journal moving by mailing it to one of his/her friends or family members. If you are unable to come up with a suitable person, please let me know and I will share one of my relatives with your child.

In reading we are reading and discussing Molly's Pilgrim. This book has a great message about tolerance and acceptance.

Tomorrow will be the science quiz which was postponed from last week.

Oops!

Sorry, I didn't realize I haven't posted for 2 days, but since everyone is getting their work turned in, I guess the students are doing a great job of keeping you informed.
Today we took the spelling test, practiced multiplying instead of doing repeated addition, and worked in our test preparation workbooks.
On Monday students will complete a science assessment in which they will explain everything they know about matter and how it is measured. They have seen the requirements and know that this is coming.
Enjoy your weekend!

Wednesday is Early Release Day!

Don't forget that tomorrow students will take the AR test on So You Want to Be President by Judith St. George. They have heard the story aloud 3 times and read it at least once with a partner or alone.

Homework
Math p. 60 if not finished in class
Spelling 50 points
Packet

Next Week:
A new grading period begins Monday, November 19. We do have school on Monday and Tuesday, but there will be no homework other than work that is not completed in class. We will be reading Molly's Pilgrim and continuing our study of physical science. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday enjoy eating turkey, shopping, watching football, and spending quality family time!

Join Us for America's Biggest Bedtime Story!

This year, popular children's author and entertainer John Lithgow will lead the celebration of National Young Readers Day with a special bedtime reading of The Remarkable Farkle McBride!

What: Webcast
When: November 13, 2007
Where: www.bookitprogram.com/bedtimestory
Time: 4:00 p.m., CST (viewable all night long)

Wednesday is Pajama Day with a 2 hour early release time.

For ideas and explanations of the new spelling activities (they will start November 26), click here. There will be no spelling next week.

In science we reviewed volume and matter, then completed a worksheet and scavenger hunt about the properties of matter.

Monday Again

We hope you and your family will join us on November 13th by watching John Lithgow's webcast of The Remarkable Farkle McBride on www.bookitprogram.com (available all evening beginning at 4:00 p.m.CST). On Wednesday, our class will take an online quiz in hopes of winning prizes!

Unfortunately I had to leave school this morning due to my son's illness. Luckily it was only a slight ear infection brought on by a really obnoxious cold virus. I left the students in the capable of hands of Mrs. Weatherspoon and am sure she did a wonderful job.

In science students learned how to measure volume using the displacement method and practiced measuring mass in our exploration of matter.
In reading we (hopefully) started So You Want to Be President which we will read again tomorrow.
Be sure to read your child's take home journal each night to learn what he/she thought was most important about the day. I can't wait to read them tomorrow to find out how the day went.

Enjoy the weekend!

Since we are learning about physical science (matter, chemical/physical changes) and the last time fourth graders learned about this topic was first grade, they may need a review. For fun and interactive learning, try these sites from the BBC:
Characteristics of Materials
Gases Around Us
Solids and Liquids
Changing States

Your students may tell you about a practice evacuation drill we held today. This is if there is ever a need to evacuate completely from the school grounds. Students did a great job today.

Monday will be honor Veteran's Day. Please be sure to wear your red, white, and blue.
Wednesday is early release and pajama day.

For next week:
homework packet
spelling 50 points

Next week's reading selection is So You Want to Be President. The textbook contains an excerpt, but we will be focusing on the entire nonfiction text. During the two days of Thanksgiving week we will read Molly's Pilgrim which reveals another meaning of the word "pilgrim". Then between Thanksgiving and Christmas we will abandon the textbook completely in order to read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Friday is the end of the grading period which means that all work must be turned in this Friday. Usually you would receive report cards the following Friday, but since that falls during the Thanksgiving break, report cards will be sent home the week of November 26.

Tomorrow is Friday

Things to have finished for tomorrow:

1. Study for spelling test.
2. 50 points worth of spelling activities.
3. Homework packet (A Not So Amusing Amusement Park, Math Spiral Review, and State Dailies).

Today we worked on vocabulary in science, took a reading test, started reading Frindle by Andrew Clements, took a multiplication quiz in math, and began a Native Americans of Ohio booklet. We also played Bafflegab in language for our creative writing journal.

We will have an emergency evacuation practice tomorrow. This is just a practice that we are required to do because of the crazy world in which we live. Our job is to keep your children safe!

Journal Time

Today we began daily journal writing which we will continue to do each day. In each entry students are expected to write in letter/journal format three things that they learned that day. The journals are to be read by the parents who are asked to initial the entry for verification that the entry has been read. Parents are invited, but not required, to respond to the entry.

In science we are beginning a new unit on matter. Students took a pre-assessment today called an anticipation guide. I will use that to determine the direction in which we head and to differentiate instruction based on student need.

Today's Assignments
Math workbook 33
Reading What's Cooking? graphic organizer

Homework
Spelling 50 points
math spiral review, state dailies, and amusement park worksheets

49 shopping days until Christmas!

Our trip to United Dairy Farmers' Norwood manufacturing plant was a great success. Although our trip took longer than expected (stuck in traffic, missed an exit), the staffers at UDF were very patient and there to meet us when we arrived. The students seemed to enjoy visiting the freezer (50 degrees below zero) when their nose hairs froze and eating the ice cream at the end of the tour. Visiting the vat room was NOT a favorite because it smelled like sour milk and sanitizer. All in all, I think it was an excellent tour. The hairnets were just a bonus!

All students were required to write a note of thanks to our tour guide Pat. We are working on writing good letters with lots of details.

This week we are reading a play, Grace and the Time Machine. Our class is doing a great job not reading the stage directions out loud (even though there are long pauses while we read them silently). We will have a reading test on Thursday and our usual spelling test on Friday.

In math students took a pretest on chapter 3.

Thanks to all of the parents who attended conferences. It was nice to meet and/or see you and talk about your children.

Thanks too, to the parents who provided dinner for the teachers! It was a long night, but a worthwhile one.

Next Week

Thanks for participating in the Harvest for Hunger. We collected over 400 cans, boxes, bags, and bottles of food that were delivered to the Owensville United Methodist food pantry and the St. Vincent de Paul pantry at St. Louis and greatly appreciated.

Don't forget that our trip to UDF is on Monday. Dress warmly and wear sneakers or other rubber soled shoes that won't slip.

Monday is also conference night. A time reminder was sent home on the Friday folder report.

Many students chose to take home their homework packets on Friday. Those that didn't can get them on Monday. There is spelling homework this week with a test on Friday.

No School on Tuesday!

Literature projects were a great success! Everyone had something to share-some even included food. The next project is due in December. The genre is informational text so a different planning guide was sent home with students on Friday.

Enjoy your weekend!

November News

The grandparents' day program was very successful. Many students were very happy to have their grandparents, uncle, aunts, and parents show their support.

Today we finished reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. All students are expected to take the Accelerated Reader test on the book. We also spent lots of time working on our learning contracts. Students who are interested in following Peter's and Fudge's adventures can read more in Judy Blume's Super Fudge and Fudge-a-Mania. There will be some time tomorrow to finish up contracts.

In math, we discussed the distributive property. See math text p. 132 for today's lesson. All fourth grade students are expected to memorize the multiplication facts 0-12. While most fo our class knows their facts, a little practice never hurts! www.aplusmath.com has fun practice drills. The math assignment was page 31 in the workbook.

Tomorrow is our good behavior/no missing work movie. Students with missing work will be given the opportunity to complete that work in a quiet environment.

Next week:
On Monday we travel to UDF. In the evening I will see many of you at conferences.