Snow Day, Holiday Program, and More!

Students did a wonderful job at the Holiday Program on Tuesday.  I was very proud to see how all of their hard work paid off!  

Reminders:

Math ReTest:  Our Unit 3 math retest for those who got a 1 or 2 in any of our standards will be on Tuesday.  We are taking time at school to reteach those concepts in small groups, but any studying at home would also be helpful.

Gingerbread House Time:  Will take place on Wednesday, December 21st at 10:00am.  Volunteers are welcome!

Classroom Holiday Party: Will be immediately following gingerbread house time around 10:45 - 11:40.  

Girls' Intramural Basketball:  Morning intramural basketball will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting in January.   Forms went home yesterday.  They are due on Monday.  

Here is what we learned in 4th grade this past week:

Writing: 
I can write an introductory paragraph that clearly states my opinion statement.  

I can write evidence paragraphs that support my opinion statement.

Science:  

I can observe phases of the moon.

I can identify features of the moon.

I can compare the sun, earth, and moon.

I can tell the difference between revolution and rotation.  

Math: 

I can practice dividing with different methods.

I can solve single and multi digit word problems using different operations.

I can use test taking strategies to review our division unit.

Reading:

I can support the main ideas with key details from the text.

I can recognize and organize descriptive informational text.

I can recognize and organize chronological informational text.

Important Dates:

December 21st: Gingerbread house making and Classroom Holiday Party in the a.m.
December 22nd - January 2: Holiday Break; no school
January 3rd-9th: 5th Grade Can Drive
Januray 10th: Parent Club meeting at 9:00amJanuary 13th: Early release day; School ends at 12:15
January 20th: Popcorn Friday

More Program Photos:

Working Hard and Holiday Cheer

Donations Still Needed!

Our class  is going to be making miniature gingerbread houses. 

We are still in need of the following items: 

-cans of vanilla frosting (we really need these!)
-Christmas hard candies

-skittles

-m&ms

-red and black licorice

-miniature candy canes

-necco wafers

-gummy lifesavers

-large lifesavers

 The last day for donations is Friday, December 16th. We will be making these houses in our classroom on December 21st at 10:00. Anyone who is available to help is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you are able to come in. It will be a morning full of fun!  

Reminders:

Math Test:  Our Unit 3 math test will be on Wednesday or Thursday.  I am hoping to send home a review on Tuesday.

Holiday Program Info: 
Tuesday, December 13th

Fellowship Reformed Church

6:30pm - K, 1st & 2nd

7:30pm - 3rd, 4th, 5th

** Students can come down to our the room at 7:15. Please do not send them down any earlier as there will not be supervision in the rooms until then. Students are to use the bathroom before they come to the room. Please also know that your student must be picked up by an adult after the program.

Gingerbread House Time:  Will take place on Wednesday, December 21st at 10:00am.  Volunteers are welcome!

Classroom Holiday Party: Will be immediately following gingerbread house time around 10:45 - 11:40.  If you volunteered to bring an item, I will send you a reminder as we get closer.

Here is what we learned in 4th grade this past week:

Writing: 
I can generate opinion essay topics by noticing things around me.

I can notice how opinion essays are organized.
I can organize my opinion essay with boxes and bullets.

I can think about transitional phrases that use parallel structure.

Science:  

I can identify features of the sun.

I can identify features of the earth.

I can observe the phases of the moon.

Math: 

I can practice dividing with different methods.

I can use estimation to check if my answer is reasonable.

I can figure out when to include zeroes in my quotient.

I can make sense of remainders.

Reading:

I can determine the main idea by thinking about what is important.

I can support the main ideas with key details from the text.

I can determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

I can recognize and organize descriptive informational text.

Important Dates:

December 13th: Holiday Program at 7:30pm
December 16th: Popcorn Friday
December 21st: Gingerbread house making and Classroom Holiday Party in the a.m.
December 22nd - January 2: Holiday Break; no school
January 3rd-9th: 5th Grade Can Drive
January 13th: Early release day; School ends at 12:15

Diving into December!

Donations Needed!

Our class  is going to be making miniature gingerbread houses. We are asking for the following items: small cinnamon candies, sprinkles of all colors, Christmas hard candies, skittles, m&ms, red and black licorice, miniature candy canes, miniature marshmallows, necco wafers, gumdrops, gummy lifesavers, large lifesavers, cans of vanilla frosting, and graham crackers. All donations need to be sent in by Friday, December 16th. We will be making these houses in our classroom on December 21st at 10:00. Anyone who is available to help is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you are able to come in. It will be a morning full of fun!  

The division we are currently working on is tricky!  We are using 2 methods that you may be unfamiliar with.  Here are some videos to help guide you in case your student needs help at home.

Division Methods (Links to help you understand):
Place Value Sections: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLbbjAuamA4
Expanded Notation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PoArz2KP_U

Reminders:

Moon Project:  Students should be observing the moon and coloring their observations into their agendas each night.  At school we are checking our observations and labeling the phases of the moon.

Holiday Program Info: 
Tuesday, December 13th

Fellowship Reformed Church

6:30pm - K, 1st & 2nd

7:30pm - 3rd, 4th, 5th

** Students can come down to our the room at 7:15. Please do not send them down any earlier as there will not be supervision in the rooms until then. Students are to use the bathroom before they come to the room. Please also know that your student must be picked up by an adult after the program.

Gingerbread House Time:  Will take place on Wednesday, December 21st at 10:00am.  Volunteers are welcome!

Classroom Holiday Party: Will be immediately following gingerbread house time around 10:45 - 11:40.  If you volunteered to bring an item, I will send you a reminder as we get closer.

Here is what we learned in 4th grade this past week:

Writing: 
I can read essays and tell the big idea.
I can notice how mini-stories provide evidence of the big idea in essays.

I can write mini-stories.

I can generate big ideas.

I can turn big ideas into opinion statements.  

Social Studies:  

I can think about core democratic values and write about them:

• Patriotism
• Justice

I can review and recall core democratic values.

Math: 

I can use the place value sections method to solve multidigit division problems.

I can use the expanded notation method to solve multidigit division problems.

I can use the digit by digit method to solve multidigit division problems.

I can solve division word problems using different methods.

Reading:

I can review and notice non-fiction text features.

I can tap prior knowledge as I preview non-fiction texts.
I can preview and predict non-fiction texts.
I can paraphrase information by putting it into my own words.

Important Dates:

December 7: Parent Club Elf Factory
December 13th: Holiday Program at 7:30pm
December 21st: Gingerbread house making and Classroom Holiday Party in the a.m.
December 22-January 2 Holiday Break