In science we finished learning about magnets and how they interact with each other. We moved onto electricity. The kids were told that they needed to light a light bulb using 2 wires, a D-Cell, and a light bulb. This wasn't an easy task, but there was A LOT of excitement in the air as everyone figured it out! After everyone worked together to solve the problem, we talked about all of the different ways that we could get the light bulb to light. The kids were very proud of themselves for working through something that was difficult and succeeding!
In reading we started to talk more about inferring while reading. We got to practice making inferences by watching two short films, Partly Cloudy and One Man Band. Both of this films had music but no words. Even without the words the kids discovered that they could understand the story of the film by making inferences. They needed to use clues from the movie and their own background knowledge to figure out what is "probably true." We will continue to try this during reading this week with different books.
It was an exciting week in writing as well. We worked really hard to build our stamina, or the amount of time we can write without stopping. We also talked about finding those stories that we are "bursting" to talk about and get the story down on paper as fast as we can!
I hope you had a great weekend!
~Mrs. Lewis
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Successful Field Trip
It was a short week, but we had a lot of fun on our field trip. The weather was perfect especially since we spent a lot of our day outside. After exploring the Ecotarium, we had a chance to visit the ponding program. We got to take a walk to the pond at the Ecotarium and take a sample of the water. When we got back to the building we got to see what we "captured" under a high powered microscope. It was amazing to see the plankton and other teeny tiny creatures that were in the pond.
The kids also worked on their Thanksgiving Day poem visualizations. They were able to pick one of their favorite poems from a bunch of Thanksgiving poems. Then they drew a picture to go along with what they were picturing in their mind.
I hope that everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving break with family and friends!
~Mrs. Lewis
The kids also worked on their Thanksgiving Day poem visualizations. They were able to pick one of their favorite poems from a bunch of Thanksgiving poems. Then they drew a picture to go along with what they were picturing in their mind.
I hope that everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving break with family and friends!
~Mrs. Lewis
Sunday, November 11, 2012
We are PUBLISHED Authors!
The kids worked hard last week trying to meet the "deadline" for their first published writing piece. On Friday we had a successful Author Celebration complete with popcorn and PJ's. Everyone was excited to share their first published piece of fourth grade. Each student had their "editor" (writing partner) introduce them and their story to the audience. It was great to hear the published stories and nice to hear lots of compliments for the authors.
Next week we will continue to write personal narratives in writing. For this next unit we will work on adding more detail to our writing and trying to bring out the "heart" of our stories.
In science we worked with magnets. We continued to explore what magnets stick to. We learned that magnets don't stick to ALL metal, like we first predicted, but iron and steel instead. We also got to see what happens when two magnets are put together. We will continue to see what the force of magnets can do next week in science.
In reading we continued to ask questions while reading. We have moved onto reading nonfiction books. We are trying to read with a "wide awake" mind and find the answers to our questions while reading. We have been noticing that if we look at the subheading in a nonfiction book, it can help us to ask questions about the upcoming topic.
I hope everybody had a great weekend. Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!
~Mrs. Lewis
Next week we will continue to write personal narratives in writing. For this next unit we will work on adding more detail to our writing and trying to bring out the "heart" of our stories.
In science we worked with magnets. We continued to explore what magnets stick to. We learned that magnets don't stick to ALL metal, like we first predicted, but iron and steel instead. We also got to see what happens when two magnets are put together. We will continue to see what the force of magnets can do next week in science.
In reading we continued to ask questions while reading. We have moved onto reading nonfiction books. We are trying to read with a "wide awake" mind and find the answers to our questions while reading. We have been noticing that if we look at the subheading in a nonfiction book, it can help us to ask questions about the upcoming topic.
I hope everybody had a great weekend. Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!
~Mrs. Lewis
Friday, November 2, 2012
A "Spook"tacular Week!
It certainly was an interesting week! The kids were very excited to be back in time to share their Costume Book Reports. They did a fabulous job! It is always so fun to see the costumes and props that the kids come in with. We also had a lot of fun making Oreo spiders and creepy teeth out of apples, honey, and marshmallows. A little bit of a healthy snack (with the apples) on a day filled with sweets! :)
We also had some difficult decisions to make this week as "voters." On Thursday, the kids listened to the speeches of their classmates who were running for class rep, vice-president, and president of Student Council. We had four brave candidates running for office in our class. They all did a great job telling all of us why they would make the best candidate for Student Council. The voters also took their job seriously.
The authors in our class were working hard this week. They all are working to meet the "deadline" to finish their first published writing piece. Next week they will get to share their first published writing piece of fourth grade!
As a class we have been having a lot of discussions about how to be respectful to ALL of our classmates. We have started to use the quote "Choose Kind." We have talked about coming into school each day and finding ways to be kind to everyone whether they are our friend or not. I have been paying close attention to the interactions of the kids this week. I saw many examples of caring, respectful behavior. Ask your child how they are "choosing kind" each day. :)
Have a great weekend!
We also had some difficult decisions to make this week as "voters." On Thursday, the kids listened to the speeches of their classmates who were running for class rep, vice-president, and president of Student Council. We had four brave candidates running for office in our class. They all did a great job telling all of us why they would make the best candidate for Student Council. The voters also took their job seriously.
The authors in our class were working hard this week. They all are working to meet the "deadline" to finish their first published writing piece. Next week they will get to share their first published writing piece of fourth grade!
As a class we have been having a lot of discussions about how to be respectful to ALL of our classmates. We have started to use the quote "Choose Kind." We have talked about coming into school each day and finding ways to be kind to everyone whether they are our friend or not. I have been paying close attention to the interactions of the kids this week. I saw many examples of caring, respectful behavior. Ask your child how they are "choosing kind" each day. :)
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Week of 10/15
It was great to be able to meet and talk with all of you about the goals that I have for your child as we move forward in fourth grade. Many parents had concerns about homework. Having your child get into a routine at home around homework will hopefully help. Almost all of the homework is handed out on Monday so that you and your child can "plan out" how to complete the homework by Friday. Here is a sample "plan" that you could try out with your child.
In social studies we finished up our tour of the Northeast region. The kids are working on a final presentation. They got to choose to either write a postcard from the Northeast, create a poster, or come up with a commercial persuading people to come and visit the Northeast on their next vacation. They were having lots of fun with this project! :)
Just a reminder that the Costume Book Report rough draft is due on Tuesday, 10/23. If your child types the rough draft, they can send the copy via email, I will take a look at it, talk with your child about it, and send it back.
Enjoy the weekend!
Mrs. Lewis
Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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RAH~ Read 20 minutes
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RAH~ Read 20 minutes
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RAH~ Read 20 minutes
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Complete Kid Blog post
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MAH~ Practice multiplication facts or math vocabulary words
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MAH~ Practice multiplication facts or math vocabulary words
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MAH~ Practice multiplication facts or math vocabulary words
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MAH~ Practice multiplication facts or math vocabulary words
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One spelling page
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One spelling page
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One spelling page
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Spelling Words 3x each
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GEM
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GEM
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GEM
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GEM
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In social studies we finished up our tour of the Northeast region. The kids are working on a final presentation. They got to choose to either write a postcard from the Northeast, create a poster, or come up with a commercial persuading people to come and visit the Northeast on their next vacation. They were having lots of fun with this project! :)
Just a reminder that the Costume Book Report rough draft is due on Tuesday, 10/23. If your child types the rough draft, they can send the copy via email, I will take a look at it, talk with your child about it, and send it back.
Enjoy the weekend!
Mrs. Lewis
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Math Websites
Here are a few math game websites that your child might enjoy using at home. Don't forget we also have Ten Marks available to all of the children.
http://www.mathplayground.com/
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/4th-grade-math.html
http://www.math-play.com/
http://www.mathnook.com/
http://www.mathplayground.com/
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/4th-grade-math.html
http://www.math-play.com/
http://www.mathnook.com/
Book Finder!
I found a great resource for parents to use at home to help their child find books that are of interest to them.
The website is: http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/ To use this website you type in the title of a book that your child has enjoyed reading. The website will then find books that are similar to that book. This can be a great way to motivate the kids to READ, READ, READ! I hope you are able to find this helpful!
Happy Reading! :)
The website is: http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/ To use this website you type in the title of a book that your child has enjoyed reading. The website will then find books that are similar to that book. This can be a great way to motivate the kids to READ, READ, READ! I hope you are able to find this helpful!
Happy Reading! :)
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Short week, but lots of learning!
In math we worked on wrapping up our place value unit. We were able to see what students have a firm grasp on in place value and addition and subtraction from the unit assessment. Next week we will focus on reviewing and really focusing in on areas that the students need to work on the most based on the results of the assessment.
On Monday you will be receiving your child's Math Envelope. This will include some of the work that your child has completed throughout this math unit. We want you to be able see how your child has been doing in math over the past few weeks. Please make sure you sign and return the envelope with the papers inside and send back by this Tuesday.
In reading we continued to work on asking questions. We read the story A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon. We asked lots of questions and worked hard on also trying to ask questions that are "talk worthy." We learned that these types of questions often are focused around theme, author, lesson, message, or characters. We decided on the question that we were most interested in and worked on "tracking" that answer throughout the book. We found lots of EVIDENCE to prove to us what the lesson really was in this book.
In social studies we visited Hershey, Pennsylvania and learned about mass production. We also thought about the advantages and disadvantages of having a machine do the work over people. We have a few more stops in the Northeast, but are leaning a lot along the way.
Just a reminder that conferences are going to be Wednesday and Thursday this week. I sent your conference time home with your child last week. Please fill out the questionnaire and return by Monday.
Enjoy the weekend!
~Mrs. Lewis
On Monday you will be receiving your child's Math Envelope. This will include some of the work that your child has completed throughout this math unit. We want you to be able see how your child has been doing in math over the past few weeks. Please make sure you sign and return the envelope with the papers inside and send back by this Tuesday.
In reading we continued to work on asking questions. We read the story A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon. We asked lots of questions and worked hard on also trying to ask questions that are "talk worthy." We learned that these types of questions often are focused around theme, author, lesson, message, or characters. We decided on the question that we were most interested in and worked on "tracking" that answer throughout the book. We found lots of EVIDENCE to prove to us what the lesson really was in this book.
In social studies we visited Hershey, Pennsylvania and learned about mass production. We also thought about the advantages and disadvantages of having a machine do the work over people. We have a few more stops in the Northeast, but are leaning a lot along the way.
Just a reminder that conferences are going to be Wednesday and Thursday this week. I sent your conference time home with your child last week. Please fill out the questionnaire and return by Monday.
Enjoy the weekend!
~Mrs. Lewis
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Costume Book Report
All fourth graders are going to be completing a Costume Book Report. The information for this month long project was sent home with all students last week.
Book Report Time Line...
- Read book~ finish by 10/16
- Start rough draft of book report~ by 10/17
- Rough draft of book report DUE~ 10/23
- BOOK REPORT and COSTUME DUE~ 10/31
We Are In Charge!
Last week we learned that we are in charge of our own writing, the captains of our personal narrative stories. We talked about a rough draft of a story is a place for us to try out new things and then decide what works best for each of us. This starts to put the responsibility on the students rather than relying too much on me.
We also spent some "time" at Ellis Island in New York as another stop on our Northeast tour. We learned a lot about the troubles that immigrants faced when first coming to America. We were able to watch a video with pictures that showed people arriving in America many years ago. We also listened to a story called The Memory Coat. This also gave us more information about what life was like for an immigrant entering America. At the end of the week we worked with partners to write a journal entry about life at Ellis Island.
In math we started a new homework assignment called Good Evening Math or GEM. This is going to be beneficial in reviewing previously taught concepts. Each night there will be three problems that are review for the students. The students need to bring this back to school the next day. We will be spending some time during math to correct the problems. Next week we will be taking an assessment on Place Value. We will also give a multiplication pre-assessment to see what fourth grade standards students may already know.
We continued to ask questions last week, a strategy that good readers use. We spent some time looking at the types of questions that we have been asking. We learned that many of our questions were predictions. These types of questions are important, but we are learning to ask "talk-worthy" questions that require the reader to think more deeply about the text. This will take a lot of practice. We will continue to work on asking those thought provoking questions next week.
On Friday we also earned our reward for completing our 3rd Paw Print Classroom Chart!! The students went into the computer lab for extra computer time!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Mrs. Lewis :)
We also spent some "time" at Ellis Island in New York as another stop on our Northeast tour. We learned a lot about the troubles that immigrants faced when first coming to America. We were able to watch a video with pictures that showed people arriving in America many years ago. We also listened to a story called The Memory Coat. This also gave us more information about what life was like for an immigrant entering America. At the end of the week we worked with partners to write a journal entry about life at Ellis Island.
In math we started a new homework assignment called Good Evening Math or GEM. This is going to be beneficial in reviewing previously taught concepts. Each night there will be three problems that are review for the students. The students need to bring this back to school the next day. We will be spending some time during math to correct the problems. Next week we will be taking an assessment on Place Value. We will also give a multiplication pre-assessment to see what fourth grade standards students may already know.
We continued to ask questions last week, a strategy that good readers use. We spent some time looking at the types of questions that we have been asking. We learned that many of our questions were predictions. These types of questions are important, but we are learning to ask "talk-worthy" questions that require the reader to think more deeply about the text. This will take a lot of practice. We will continue to work on asking those thought provoking questions next week.
On Friday we also earned our reward for completing our 3rd Paw Print Classroom Chart!! The students went into the computer lab for extra computer time!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Mrs. Lewis :)
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Our Week in Review...
Most fourth graders enjoy asking questions! In reading they all had a chance to do just that last week. We spent our week focusing on a strategy that good readers use which is asking questions. We discussed how it is important to ask questions before reading, during reading, and after reading. We also started to talk about the questions that are asked at the end of a story are going to be questions that are considered "talk worthy" questions or questions that are open-ended and lead to a good discussion. We will continue to talk about asking questions next week. We will be using an interesting book called The Mysteries of Harris Burdick which is a book filled with mysterious pictures and only a title and caption to go along with the picture. The book lends itself to asking questions. The kids took a look at one of the pictures last week and had tons of questions!
Last week you also should have received a notice about the "Read With Me" workshop that we will be holding later in October. More information will be coming soon about this great opportunity to sit down and talk with your child about books!
I can't believe that October is just around the corner! This is a fun time in fourth grade. One of the activities that all fourth graders participate in is the Costume Book Report. Your child worked on finding a book in library on Friday. On Monday they will receive the book report information packet.
In writing we took a look at how authors write endings. We looked at the different strategies that published authors use and gave it a try in our own writing. Your child tried out two or three different endings to see which one "fit" their story the best. They are getting closer to having their first published piece of writing in fourth grade! :)
In math we are continuing to work on place value, addition, and subtraction. Over the next week or two we will be moving on to multiplication.
If you haven't signed up for a conference time yet (you should have gotten a yellow notice last week) please send that back in as soon as possible so that I can finalize conference times.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Mrs. Lewis
Last week you also should have received a notice about the "Read With Me" workshop that we will be holding later in October. More information will be coming soon about this great opportunity to sit down and talk with your child about books!
I can't believe that October is just around the corner! This is a fun time in fourth grade. One of the activities that all fourth graders participate in is the Costume Book Report. Your child worked on finding a book in library on Friday. On Monday they will receive the book report information packet.
In writing we took a look at how authors write endings. We looked at the different strategies that published authors use and gave it a try in our own writing. Your child tried out two or three different endings to see which one "fit" their story the best. They are getting closer to having their first published piece of writing in fourth grade! :)
In math we are continuing to work on place value, addition, and subtraction. Over the next week or two we will be moving on to multiplication.
If you haven't signed up for a conference time yet (you should have gotten a yellow notice last week) please send that back in as soon as possible so that I can finalize conference times.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Mrs. Lewis
Friday, September 21, 2012
Lots of Excitement in Fourth Grade...
This week the kids worked really hard in writing. They spent a lot of time storytelling seed stories to their writing partners. With partners, they worked on zooming in on a specific moment. Then they worked on telling the story focusing on what they were THINKING, any DIALOGUE that was going on, and the ACTION in the story. This is tricky to do, but I could also see a difference in their storytelling by the end of the week!
In reading we talked about what to do if we feel like we can't focus on one book. We made a list of strategies we could use. Some of the ideas that the class came up with were...
In social studies we are starting our tour of the Northeast. We started to learn the states and capitals of the 9 northeastern states.
Blogging has taken on a life of its own in our class!!! :) We went into the computer lab to comment on other blog posts. We were finding all of the things that we have in common with classmates. We also got to ask questions of our classmates to expand on. They were so excited that I heard a bunch of kids say they wanted to go on the blogging site this weekend. We set it up so that they could share about their Weekend News. I hadn't planned on starting blogging at home, but I couldn't pass up this great opportunity with all of the excitement swirling around the classroom.
Have a great weekend!
In reading we talked about what to do if we feel like we can't focus on one book. We made a list of strategies we could use. Some of the ideas that the class came up with were...
- Go to a genre, topic, series, author that you know you like.
- Ask a teacher, parent, librarian to help to point you in the right direction.
- Ask a friend or classmate for a suggestion or recommendation
In social studies we are starting our tour of the Northeast. We started to learn the states and capitals of the 9 northeastern states.
Blogging has taken on a life of its own in our class!!! :) We went into the computer lab to comment on other blog posts. We were finding all of the things that we have in common with classmates. We also got to ask questions of our classmates to expand on. They were so excited that I heard a bunch of kids say they wanted to go on the blogging site this weekend. We set it up so that they could share about their Weekend News. I hadn't planned on starting blogging at home, but I couldn't pass up this great opportunity with all of the excitement swirling around the classroom.
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Our Class Blogging Rules...
1. I will not give out any information other than my first name and I will not post pictures of myself or my classmates.
2. I will not plagiarize another person’s writing.
3. I will use language appropriate for school.
4. I will always respect my classmates and their writing.
5. I will only post pieces that I am comfortable with everyone seeing.
6. I will not be afraid to express my ideas, while not hurting others’ feelings.
7. I will disagree in a respectful way.
8. I will take blogging seriously, posting only comments and ideas that are meaningful.
9. I will take my time when I write, using formal language (not text lingo), and I will try to spell everything correctly.
10. I will not use my blog posts or comments as a chat room. (No IM or texting lingo.)
11. I will not bully others in my blog posts or in my comments.
12. I will never access another student's account or make any changes to their site.
Why Blog?
As the students and I continue to learn the ins and outs of blogging, I have been reading a lot of literature written by “professional” educational bloggers about the benefits of blogging. I have already witnessed first-hand how much fun blogging is for the students and how excited they are to start posting and commenting on our class blog. Here are some of the reasons why I am so excited about blogging this year:
§ Blogging is fun.
§ Students can learn to communicate effectively.
§ Students can learn to share thoughts, ideas, and opinions, and support them with details that make understanding easy.
§ Students can become better writers, both in content and mechanics.
§ Students can become better readers, improving comprehension and the ability to read critically.
§ Students can learn to use Web/technology as a tool to publish their work to share with their peers, family, and friends.
§ Students can improve writing in an exciting and engaging manner.
§ Students can comment on other’s work, sharing thoughts and ideas.
§ Students can learn about using computers and web-based tools.
§ Students can show off their work to their parents, grandparents, and other family members.
I’m a bit nervous to assign the first blogging activities next week, but I am also really excited to see the kids’ work and to see the quality of their writing improve as the year goes on. Please make sure that you review the blogging rules that will be coming home with your child and return the bottom part to school as soon as possible. Please e-mail me if anyone has any questions or has a hard time accessing our blog.
Blogging Excitement!
We started to create our first blog post this week. We worked with Mrs. Gasek in the computer lab to type up our first "real" post! We had the chance to share a little bit more about ourselves. The kids were able to write about a place they would like to travel to, tell what they want to be when they grow up, and/or share their favorite book. This is a fun way to get to know our classmates. Can you believe we have future baseball players, video game designers, pet shop owners, and even an Olympian among us (just to name a few!)?
Our next step will be to comment and (hopefully) get some conversations going on our blogs!
Some of the kids are so excited they want to go home and comment on the blog posts of their classmates! I can't argue with that! :)
Be on the lookout for "Blogging Homework" which will be introduced early next week!
Our next step will be to comment and (hopefully) get some conversations going on our blogs!
Some of the kids are so excited they want to go home and comment on the blog posts of their classmates! I can't argue with that! :)
Be on the lookout for "Blogging Homework" which will be introduced early next week!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Week of September 10th...
Thank you to all of the parents that were able to make it to Open House on Wednesday. I hope you found it informative and helpful.
On Friday, the students created their very first blog post! There was a lot of excitement in the air as they tried out kidblog for the first time. Each student was successful with posting. Next week we will work on creating another post and comment on the posts of our classmates.
In reading we worked on the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) that all students need to complete at the beginning of the year. Although it can be time consuming, all of the kids worked very hard during this time. We also talked about the importance of completing our Genre Reading Log when we finish a book. This will help us to "balance" the types of books that we are reading. We talked about giving a genre a "try" even if we usually read a different type of book.
In writing we started gathering ideas in our writing notebooks. We talked about how authors try to write about seed stories rather than watermelon topics. This means that we are going to write about small moments such as shooting the winning shot in the basketball game (seed) rather than writing about the entire basketball game (watermelon). This can be a difficult concept for fourth graders but they all started to give it a try. They will get lots of practice with this over the next few weeks.
Another highlight of our week was our second class "Paw Print" reward. The class earned a newspaper dance party. They got to dance on a piece of newspaper. After a few minutes they would freeze and then make the newspaper (and their dance floor) smaller. Most of the class needed a little encouragement at the beginning, but they got the hang of it once we had our dance "coaches."
I am looking forward to another busy week next week. We have a 1/2 day on Wednesday, September 19th.
On Friday, the students created their very first blog post! There was a lot of excitement in the air as they tried out kidblog for the first time. Each student was successful with posting. Next week we will work on creating another post and comment on the posts of our classmates.
In reading we worked on the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) that all students need to complete at the beginning of the year. Although it can be time consuming, all of the kids worked very hard during this time. We also talked about the importance of completing our Genre Reading Log when we finish a book. This will help us to "balance" the types of books that we are reading. We talked about giving a genre a "try" even if we usually read a different type of book.
In writing we started gathering ideas in our writing notebooks. We talked about how authors try to write about seed stories rather than watermelon topics. This means that we are going to write about small moments such as shooting the winning shot in the basketball game (seed) rather than writing about the entire basketball game (watermelon). This can be a difficult concept for fourth graders but they all started to give it a try. They will get lots of practice with this over the next few weeks.
Another highlight of our week was our second class "Paw Print" reward. The class earned a newspaper dance party. They got to dance on a piece of newspaper. After a few minutes they would freeze and then make the newspaper (and their dance floor) smaller. Most of the class needed a little encouragement at the beginning, but they got the hang of it once we had our dance "coaches."
I am looking forward to another busy week next week. We have a 1/2 day on Wednesday, September 19th.
~Mrs. Lewis
Friday, September 7, 2012
Getting into the Fourth Grade Routine!
It was nice to be back at school this week for almost a full week. We started to get into a routine as the week went along. Although it has been VERY HOT in our classroom this week the kids worked really hard at focusing and getting their work done. Our classroom is one of the warmest rooms in the building so it is always a good idea to bring in a water bottle. Even in the cooler months our classroom can get warm!
This week we spent a lot of time talking about how authors write about what they know and care about. We started to think about people and places that are important to us. Then we worked on brainstorming a list of memories that we have about these important people and places. This will set the stage for helping us pick our topics for our personal narrative stories this year.
In reading we are reading a story called Sideways Stories of Wayside School by Louis Sachar. We have been having a lot of fun with this book. It is very wacky and funny. It is hard to stop reading this book since it pulls you in and makes you want to hear more.
We have been reviewing what we know about place and value with numbers in math. We will continue to work with numbers as we work through our place value unit.
Next week will be just as busy. Hopefully the weather cools off! I hope you will be able to make it to our Open House on Wednesday, September 12th from 6:30-8:00. Have a great weekend!
This week we spent a lot of time talking about how authors write about what they know and care about. We started to think about people and places that are important to us. Then we worked on brainstorming a list of memories that we have about these important people and places. This will set the stage for helping us pick our topics for our personal narrative stories this year.
In reading we are reading a story called Sideways Stories of Wayside School by Louis Sachar. We have been having a lot of fun with this book. It is very wacky and funny. It is hard to stop reading this book since it pulls you in and makes you want to hear more.
We have been reviewing what we know about place and value with numbers in math. We will continue to work with numbers as we work through our place value unit.
Next week will be just as busy. Hopefully the weather cools off! I hope you will be able to make it to our Open House on Wednesday, September 12th from 6:30-8:00. Have a great weekend!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Homework
This year you will have homework Monday through Thursday. There won’t be any homework on Fridays unless there is a long term project to complete.
Homework will be kept fairly consistent from week to week so that you know what to expect. This will also help you plan out when to work on homework.
Tentative Homework Schedule
Reading at Home (RAH)~ Due: Friday
Spelling Packet ~ Due: Friday
Math at Home (MAH) ~ Due: Friday
Math Practice (not given out every night)
This week we talked a lot about being a responsible learner. Part of being a responsible learner means that every student needs to complete their homework and turn it in on the day that it is due.
Consequence for not turning in homework
1-3 times
~ Email parent
~ Complete homework and return the next school day
4-10
~ Email parent
~ Complete homework during recess
4-10
~ Email parent
~ Complete homework during recess
10 or more times
~ Meet with parent, student, and Mrs. Lewis to create a "homework contract"
~ Complete uncompleted homework at recess
Supplies for Fourth Grade
Here is a list of supplies that you will need to start fourth grade:
- 2-Wide Ruled One Subject Notebooks
- 1- Five Subject Notebook
- Index card box (recipe box)
- Package of 3×5 index cards
- Highlighters
- 1-Two pocket folder
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Scissors
- Crayons/Colored Pencils/Markers
- Glue Sticks
- Hand Held Pencil Sharpener
- Pencil Box
- Ruler
A Little About Mrs. Lewis
I love teaching fourth grade! I have been teaching for ten years. I graduated from Rivier College in 2002 with a dual degree in Elementary and Special Education. I also have my Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. I have been teaching at Farley School for 10 years. I started out teaching in a special education room and then moved into fourth grade.
I live in Townsend with my husband, two boys Kyle and Caden, and my black lab, Soxie. You will hear lots of stories about Kyle and Caden who certainly keep me busy and always make me laugh. I also enjoy running and spending time with my family and friends. If you walk into our classroom you might notice that I love Boston sports!
Let’s have a great year!
I live in Townsend with my husband, two boys Kyle and Caden, and my black lab, Soxie. You will hear lots of stories about Kyle and Caden who certainly keep me busy and always make me laugh. I also enjoy running and spending time with my family and friends. If you walk into our classroom you might notice that I love Boston sports!
Let’s have a great year!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Welcome to Fourth Grade!
We had a great first few days of fourth grade. We had a lot of fun playing games that helped us get to know one another better. We also started to talk about our classroom rules and what it "looks" like to be respectful, responsible, and ready.
Each student created a set of True and False statements about themselves. We are going to record their statements on a flip camera and play them for our classmates. We are going to see who can "stump" the class.
On Thursday we also learned about an important time in our day called Reader's Workshop. We took a look at the book that we were going to be reading called Sideways Stories of Wayside School. After each student went back to read one of the books that was in their book box.
The students were excited for an extra long weekend! I hope everyone will be ready to come back to 4th grade on Tuesday!
Each student created a set of True and False statements about themselves. We are going to record their statements on a flip camera and play them for our classmates. We are going to see who can "stump" the class.
On Thursday we also learned about an important time in our day called Reader's Workshop. We took a look at the book that we were going to be reading called Sideways Stories of Wayside School. After each student went back to read one of the books that was in their book box.
The students were excited for an extra long weekend! I hope everyone will be ready to come back to 4th grade on Tuesday!
~Mrs. Lewis
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