While looking at resources on-line, I found a fun, interactive website about habitats. On this website, students draw a habitat for an imaginary animal, trying to meet the needs that are listed. The link is here.
Thank you to those who have donated stamps and postcards! We have already received what will hopefully be the first of many postcards from other schools, and this one was from another city in Illinois! We will begin writing them and sending ours out at the beginning of the week.
There has been a slight change of plans with the Art Institute field trip next week. The docents and instructors requested that we come an hour earlier, so we will be leaving at 8:10 on Wednesday, October 6th. Please be sure your child is not late!
The students have several projects coming up in the next few weeks. On Monday, their habitat project is due. This should either be a diorama or a poster describing the habitat of a specific animal, with a paragraph attached explaining how the habitat meets the needs of the animal and a chart listing the living and non-living things in the environment. The following Tuesday (October 12th), their business plan is due. This integrates what we have been learning about economy in social studies with an imaginary business students are creating. The students will also have spelling tests the next two Fridays, since we do have full weeks of school.
Fourth Grade 2014-2015
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
September 14, 2010
We are very fortunate to have many guest speakers this year. For approximately the next eight weeks, Officer Medina is coming in every Monday morning to share the GREAT program with the fourth graders. GREAT stands for Gang Resistance Education and Training. He is a very engaging speaker, and teaches through many role playing scenarios. He talks about bullying and ways to say no safely. Beginning next week, we will also have a guest coming from the Art Institute. He will be teaching lessons using the Art Institute's new exhibit Ballplayers, Gods, and Rainmaker Kings: Masterpieces from Ancient Mexico. The students will take a field trip to the Art Institute to view the exhibit on October 6th. Both the classes and the field trip are being sponsored by Big Shoulders. Finally, our new parish priest Fr. Elbio will be teaching weekly religion lessons throughout the year. He will bring much new knowledge and expertise into the classroom!
In the week ahead, as our social studies and science units conclude, there will be quite a few tests. The social studies test is on Monday, and the science test is on Wednesday. I have given the students a study guide to fill out, which will be due a few days before the test. The tests follow the study guide very closely, so filling it out is not only a good way to study, but it will also provide a resource for students to study from. If the study guide is filled out by the assigned date, students can participate in a review game where we will go over the correct answers together. Because of the tests next week and the shorter week, there will be no spelling test the week of September 20th.
In the week ahead, as our social studies and science units conclude, there will be quite a few tests. The social studies test is on Monday, and the science test is on Wednesday. I have given the students a study guide to fill out, which will be due a few days before the test. The tests follow the study guide very closely, so filling it out is not only a good way to study, but it will also provide a resource for students to study from. If the study guide is filled out by the assigned date, students can participate in a review game where we will go over the correct answers together. Because of the tests next week and the shorter week, there will be no spelling test the week of September 20th.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
New School Year
Welcome to the start of a new school year! After a week of teaching with this class, I'm very excited about the upcoming year. There are many talented students in this class who are enthusiastic about lots of different subjects.
We spent the first week of school going over rules, expectations, and routines. I only have three rules for the class: respect others, respect the classroom, and always try your best. Students also became used to our morning and dismissal routines.
One of my goals for the year is to have a class of writers and readers. We're starting off the school year doing independent reading, which means students are each reading their own book while I have one-on-one conferences. They've learned how to pick out a book that's at their own level and soon they will begin writing response letters to me. In writing, everyone has made and begun to write in their writer's notebooks. We are also going through the steps of the writing process.
Science began with experiments using slider cars, where students had to manipulate variables to make their "car" go a certain length. This week is Shark Week! Students studied and classified different types of shark teeth, and will identify what shark they came from and how the size of the shark compares to the size of the tooth. In social studies, we are getting an overview of the country and its regions, starting with geography and natural resources, and in religion, we are learning about the covenant before beginning the Ten Commandments.
Spelling also begun this week, which means they have a test on Friday. They need to know how to spell the words and their definitions. Unless the week is shorter than normal or we are doing a review unit, students will have a spelling test every Friday.
We spent the first week of school going over rules, expectations, and routines. I only have three rules for the class: respect others, respect the classroom, and always try your best. Students also became used to our morning and dismissal routines.
One of my goals for the year is to have a class of writers and readers. We're starting off the school year doing independent reading, which means students are each reading their own book while I have one-on-one conferences. They've learned how to pick out a book that's at their own level and soon they will begin writing response letters to me. In writing, everyone has made and begun to write in their writer's notebooks. We are also going through the steps of the writing process.
Science began with experiments using slider cars, where students had to manipulate variables to make their "car" go a certain length. This week is Shark Week! Students studied and classified different types of shark teeth, and will identify what shark they came from and how the size of the shark compares to the size of the tooth. In social studies, we are getting an overview of the country and its regions, starting with geography and natural resources, and in religion, we are learning about the covenant before beginning the Ten Commandments.
Spelling also begun this week, which means they have a test on Friday. They need to know how to spell the words and their definitions. Unless the week is shorter than normal or we are doing a review unit, students will have a spelling test every Friday.
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