Today, I went over the projects we will be completing connected with the Whipping Boy. Students need to choose one, and they should either research and create a poster about rats, create a simile book, or make a castle. Below are some links that students may find helpful in researching the castle:
Castles for Kids
National Geographic: Ghosts in the Castle
My hope is for this to be done over Christmas break, so that students can continue learning while away from school. However, I understand if travel plans make this impossible, so the project will not be due until Monday, January 9. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at school.
Fourth Grade 2014-2015
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
December 7, 2011
Thank you for everyone's flexibility with the unexpected school closing and the rescheduling of the Christmas concert! The students have been practicing hard and everyone is excited for the concert this Sunday at 4:00.
We have a spelling test on Friday of this week, and a states test on Monday. Now that we have begun studying the individual regions of the United States, the students will be expected to know the states in that region. They received a blank map yesterday and filled in the names of the five states they need to know for Monday's test (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island). They may not use abbreviations, but spelling will not count.
We are also getting close to being done with our units on nouns in English and weather in science, so those tests will be next Thursday and Friday. Study guides will go home tomorrow. In science, students have especially enjoyed using their instruments to measure the weather. We made anemometers, barometers, and wind vanes in class, and students have been using these, plus thermometers, to take daily measurements. Next week, the students will become meteorologists and use these tools to create their own weather forecast.
In reading, we have begun reading The Whipping Boy as a class. One of the main characters is a prince who is not allowed to be punished, so his "whipping boy" is punished in his place. We had an interesting discussion yesterday about what you would do if you could do anything you want and not get punished, and then who would act differently if they knew one of their classmates would be punished in their place. Students will also complete a project associated with this book where one of the options is creating a castle. Instructions on that will be sent home next week.
In preparation for Advent, the students have been creating a Jesse tree. So far, we've heard the stories of creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. The students have done a great job summarizing the stories and creating symbols for the tree. Be sure to ask them at home what they've learned!
We have a spelling test on Friday of this week, and a states test on Monday. Now that we have begun studying the individual regions of the United States, the students will be expected to know the states in that region. They received a blank map yesterday and filled in the names of the five states they need to know for Monday's test (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island). They may not use abbreviations, but spelling will not count.
We are also getting close to being done with our units on nouns in English and weather in science, so those tests will be next Thursday and Friday. Study guides will go home tomorrow. In science, students have especially enjoyed using their instruments to measure the weather. We made anemometers, barometers, and wind vanes in class, and students have been using these, plus thermometers, to take daily measurements. Next week, the students will become meteorologists and use these tools to create their own weather forecast.
In reading, we have begun reading The Whipping Boy as a class. One of the main characters is a prince who is not allowed to be punished, so his "whipping boy" is punished in his place. We had an interesting discussion yesterday about what you would do if you could do anything you want and not get punished, and then who would act differently if they knew one of their classmates would be punished in their place. Students will also complete a project associated with this book where one of the options is creating a castle. Instructions on that will be sent home next week.
In preparation for Advent, the students have been creating a Jesse tree. So far, we've heard the stories of creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. The students have done a great job summarizing the stories and creating symbols for the tree. Be sure to ask them at home what they've learned!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
The students did a great job leading a Thanksgiving prayer service today for the school. We have had so much to be thankful for this year, from the great field trips, to the chance to learn about art with Mr. E, to Ms. Zangrilli being part of our classroom. Below, you can see photos from our circus field trip and the students critiquing and evaluating each other's prints.
Monday, November 14, 2011
November 14, 2011
It's hard to believe, but Mrs. Zangrilli's time with us is almost done! Her last day of student teaching will be next Tuesday, November 22. It's been great to have her in the classroom, with all the enthusiasm, hard-work, creativity, and compassion she brings. I know we will all be sad to see her go!
The Christmas concert is also quickly approaching, and will be on December 4. The fourth grade are singing two songs, Angels We Have Heard on High and Campana Sobre Campana, and playing the recorder on The First Noel. Please be sure the students are practicing at home, especially the recorder song, since this is the first time they've played this instrument.
We will have tests in math on Thursday, November 17, on reading maps in social studies on Tuesday, November 22 and on adaptations on Monday, November 21. The study guides for science and social studies are being sent home today. We also will have a spelling test before Thanksgiving break.
Thank you for all the food that has been brought in for the food drive! The students went to the food bank last week to learn how families get food and see where the food they donate goes. We will continue collecting food until November 22.
In reading, students are almost done with their mystery novels. They've done a great job identifying clues and suspects, and even red herrings! They are working on writing a journal this week from the perspective of one of the characters in their novel. After Christmas, we're going to read several historical fiction books, starting with The Whipping Boy. In writing, students are almost done publishing their fiction stories, which have included descriptive language like similes and personification.
Finally, in religion, students will begin creating a Jesse Tree for Advent next week. This is one of my favorite projects of the year. While creating the Jess Tree, we will trace the genealogy of Jesus in the Old Testament and tell the nativity story. Traditionally told through focusing on one person each day through the four weeks of Advent, we will tell it in school by reading aloud and having the students each present one person in Jesus' family tree. Students will be responsible for reading the Bible verses, summarizing them, and creating a symbol for their person or story. Some of the stories can be hard to understand due to the language the Bible is written in, and if students are having trouble, they are welcome to come to me for help in the days before their story is due.
The Christmas concert is also quickly approaching, and will be on December 4. The fourth grade are singing two songs, Angels We Have Heard on High and Campana Sobre Campana, and playing the recorder on The First Noel. Please be sure the students are practicing at home, especially the recorder song, since this is the first time they've played this instrument.
We will have tests in math on Thursday, November 17, on reading maps in social studies on Tuesday, November 22 and on adaptations on Monday, November 21. The study guides for science and social studies are being sent home today. We also will have a spelling test before Thanksgiving break.
Thank you for all the food that has been brought in for the food drive! The students went to the food bank last week to learn how families get food and see where the food they donate goes. We will continue collecting food until November 22.
In reading, students are almost done with their mystery novels. They've done a great job identifying clues and suspects, and even red herrings! They are working on writing a journal this week from the perspective of one of the characters in their novel. After Christmas, we're going to read several historical fiction books, starting with The Whipping Boy. In writing, students are almost done publishing their fiction stories, which have included descriptive language like similes and personification.
Finally, in religion, students will begin creating a Jesse Tree for Advent next week. This is one of my favorite projects of the year. While creating the Jess Tree, we will trace the genealogy of Jesus in the Old Testament and tell the nativity story. Traditionally told through focusing on one person each day through the four weeks of Advent, we will tell it in school by reading aloud and having the students each present one person in Jesus' family tree. Students will be responsible for reading the Bible verses, summarizing them, and creating a symbol for their person or story. Some of the stories can be hard to understand due to the language the Bible is written in, and if students are having trouble, they are welcome to come to me for help in the days before their story is due.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
November 1, 2011
The students had a great time learning about the Day of the Dead this month, and their finished ofrendas look wonderful. The students have been sharing their stories and ofrendas with each other the past two days, and the third grade is coming tomorrow to see them. We also enjoyed Day of the Dead bread which Priscila brought in to share, and we participated in a prayer service with the whole school on Monday.
The third quarter ended on Friday, and report card conferences will be this Sunday, November 6. Please be on time for your conference, especially if you are meeting between 10-12. Due to the popularity of certain times, if you are late and there are other parents scheduled to meet immediately after you, I will either have to hold a very quick conference (if time allows) or you will have to come back later in the day.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Hispanic Heritage Month
St. Sylvester School celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by learning about different countries where Spanish is spoken. The fourth grade focused on Colombia and created a movie about its government, culture, religion, climate, and food. A huge thanks goes out to Ms. Zangrilli who directed and edited the movie! The first through third grade classes then visited out classroom to learn about Colombia, while the fourth grade class went to their classes to learn about Chile, Peru, and Guatemala, making worry dolls and listening to podcasts. Mr. Hurley also shared a special presentation in the Spanish room.
The students really enjoyed the the field trip last week to the National Museum of Mexican Art. We saw many ofrendas and learned about the types of items typically displayed, as well as learning about sugar skulls and skeletons. The students should have turned in their interviews today for our own Day of the Dead project. They will begin writing paragraphs about the person they are honoring next week, and will begin building their ofrendas at the end of the month.
We are about to begin new reading groups focusing on mysteries. Students will get their new novels next week. In science, students are learning about energy in ecosystems, and in social studies, we're learning about economy and government. This was perfect timing since the students also elected a classroom representative! On Wednesday, students also received their own Bible at the Bible ceremony, which we will be learning to use throughout the year.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
September 28, 2011
We had a lot of fun at the Cubs game last week! Thank you to Mr. Jim, who provided the tickets, and Mr. Torres, who bought a souvenir for everyone.
Students did much better on the science test than on the social studies test. The extra studying the students said they did paid off! Please remember that I give the study guides to the students at least a week in advance so that they have lots of time to review and ask me questions if they don't understand something. We have an English test next week, October 6, on sentences.
On Friday, October 7, we will be going to the National Museum of Mexican Art to view their Day of the Dead exhibit. I will also be sending home information next week on the fourth grade Day of the Dead project. Students will need to interview two people about a person in their family who has passed away, and they need a shoebox by the end of the month in order to build an ofrenda.
Our art lessons with Mr. E have also begun! Mr. E is an artist who works with the Art Institute to teach classes at schools. He is working with grades 4, 5, 6, and 8 this year. The students analyzed a painting called "Distant View of Niagara Falls" and discussed how to interpret paintings.
Mrs. Z has has been doing a great job working with the students in science, math, and social studies! In science, the students began a unit on ecosystems, and in social studies, they are learning about economics, with lots of hands-on activities and games. In reading, they are doing guided reading groups where each group has a different novel to read. Students may need to do some reading at home to make sure that they are prepared for our meetings.
Students did much better on the science test than on the social studies test. The extra studying the students said they did paid off! Please remember that I give the study guides to the students at least a week in advance so that they have lots of time to review and ask me questions if they don't understand something. We have an English test next week, October 6, on sentences.
On Friday, October 7, we will be going to the National Museum of Mexican Art to view their Day of the Dead exhibit. I will also be sending home information next week on the fourth grade Day of the Dead project. Students will need to interview two people about a person in their family who has passed away, and they need a shoebox by the end of the month in order to build an ofrenda.
Our art lessons with Mr. E have also begun! Mr. E is an artist who works with the Art Institute to teach classes at schools. He is working with grades 4, 5, 6, and 8 this year. The students analyzed a painting called "Distant View of Niagara Falls" and discussed how to interpret paintings.
Mrs. Z has has been doing a great job working with the students in science, math, and social studies! In science, the students began a unit on ecosystems, and in social studies, they are learning about economics, with lots of hands-on activities and games. In reading, they are doing guided reading groups where each group has a different novel to read. Students may need to do some reading at home to make sure that they are prepared for our meetings.
Monday, September 12, 2011
September 12, 2011
Last week, we had the opportunity to meet our buddies in Mrs. K.'s preschool-4 classroom and make pinch pots with them. The fourth graders did a great job helping their buddies and being good role models.
Today in reading, we discussed the events of September 11, 2001 through reading an article in the Scholastic newspaper and sharing responses of adults who remembered where they were at the time of these attacks. We discussed how we need to remember this tragic event to honor the brave people who died and ensure that this never happens again by promoting peace in our world.
We are at the end of our first social studies and math units, so those tests are this week. Math will be this Wednesday, and social studies will be this Friday. The study guide for the social studies test was sent home last Friday. Students should fill out the answers and definitions by using their book, then spend 15-20 minutes every night reviewing the information by rereading the study guide or answering questions asked by a study partner. We are almost done with science, and that test will most likely be at the end of next week.
We also have a field trip coming up! We are going to the Cubs game on Wednesday, September 21. Since the game is in the afternoon, students will arrive back at school at 4:30 and should be picked up then.
Quite a few students these past two weeks have had missing homework. Please make sure that your child has a set time and place to do their homework, that assignments are crossed off of the homework notebook as they get done, and that all assignments are then placed in their red homework folder and sent back to school. Thank you!
Today in reading, we discussed the events of September 11, 2001 through reading an article in the Scholastic newspaper and sharing responses of adults who remembered where they were at the time of these attacks. We discussed how we need to remember this tragic event to honor the brave people who died and ensure that this never happens again by promoting peace in our world.
We are at the end of our first social studies and math units, so those tests are this week. Math will be this Wednesday, and social studies will be this Friday. The study guide for the social studies test was sent home last Friday. Students should fill out the answers and definitions by using their book, then spend 15-20 minutes every night reviewing the information by rereading the study guide or answering questions asked by a study partner. We are almost done with science, and that test will most likely be at the end of next week.
We also have a field trip coming up! We are going to the Cubs game on Wednesday, September 21. Since the game is in the afternoon, students will arrive back at school at 4:30 and should be picked up then.
Quite a few students these past two weeks have had missing homework. Please make sure that your child has a set time and place to do their homework, that assignments are crossed off of the homework notebook as they get done, and that all assignments are then placed in their red homework folder and sent back to school. Thank you!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
August 30, 2011
The fourth grade is off to a great start this year! We've already classified shark teeth in science, talked about genres in reading, looked at different books for inspiration for writer's notebooks, and learned many of the routines students will need to follow throughout the year. We also began our first spelling unit, which will end with a test next Friday on September 9. (Spelling tests will be every other week.)
Students also met two people who will play an important part of this school year. Mr. Hugo is a seminarian who is studying to be a priest, and he will be teaching religion classes once a week. We also welcomed Ms. Amy Zangrili who is a student-teacher this year. She will be with us until mid-November, and brings a strong background in art and electronics which she will incorporate into the lessons she teaches.
Below, you can see pictures of students reading, feeding the worms in our worm bin, and looking at the shark teeth.
Students also met two people who will play an important part of this school year. Mr. Hugo is a seminarian who is studying to be a priest, and he will be teaching religion classes once a week. We also welcomed Ms. Amy Zangrili who is a student-teacher this year. She will be with us until mid-November, and brings a strong background in art and electronics which she will incorporate into the lessons she teaches.
Below, you can see pictures of students reading, feeding the worms in our worm bin, and looking at the shark teeth.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
August 16, 2011
Welcome to a new school year!
As we progress through the year, I will be posting pictures and entries about activities we do in class, as well as information about upcoming tests and field trips. Right now, please feel free to look at previous entries so that you can see some examples for our projects, experiments, and other activities.
As we progress through the year, I will be posting pictures and entries about activities we do in class, as well as information about upcoming tests and field trips. Right now, please feel free to look at previous entries so that you can see some examples for our projects, experiments, and other activities.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
June 9, 2011
Thank you everyone for making this such a great year! I will definitely miss this class, from the awesome writers to meticulous scientists, from the engaging readers to those who truly tried to follow Jesus. Many students fit into all of those categories! I hope everyone has a safe and fun summer, and come back to school ready to be middle schoolers!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
May 19, 2011
The science fair last week was a great success! The students did a wonderful job of explaining their projects, and it was interesting to see all the topics they'd chosen, including catapults, rock candy, and video games. Congratulations to our fourth grade winners: Kevin and Nicholas, Robert, and Victor.
Congratulations as well to Ismael and Chelsea, whose essays about freedom came in first and second place, respectively, for the VFW contest.
Students are currently working on literature circles in reading class. Books they've chosen to read include Tiger Rising, Shiloh, Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? and Edgar Allen's Official Crime Investigation Notebook. They've also been working on writing a research paper. The fourth graders learned how to take notes and write a bibliography, organize their notes into an outline, and are now drafting their papers.
Upcoming tests include spelling, which will be this Friday, and social studies, which will be next Wednesday.
Congratulations as well to Ismael and Chelsea, whose essays about freedom came in first and second place, respectively, for the VFW contest.
Students are currently working on literature circles in reading class. Books they've chosen to read include Tiger Rising, Shiloh, Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? and Edgar Allen's Official Crime Investigation Notebook. They've also been working on writing a research paper. The fourth graders learned how to take notes and write a bibliography, organize their notes into an outline, and are now drafting their papers.
Upcoming tests include spelling, which will be this Friday, and social studies, which will be next Wednesday.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
May 5, 2011
Happy Easter everyone! Even though Easter Sunday has passed, we continue to celebrate this season in the Church until Pentecost.
The science fair is quickly approaching. The students have had many great ideas, and have had time to work in the class on their presentations. The projects are due into school this Wednesday, on Thursday evening families are invited from 5:30-7:30 to come and view everybody's projects, and on Friday the fourth grade will be sharing their projects with the rest of the school and the judges.
In writing, we've begun working on research projects. The students learned how to find the information needed to write a bibliography, chose a "just the right size" topic, and are currently researching their topics and taking notes. Next week, we'll begin to outline and draft the papers.
Students are also working on creating scrapbooks for characters from The Bad Beginning, one of our most popular books. Many students have chosen to keep on reading books in the series. They had time in class to work on the scrapbook yesterday and today, and will have time tomorrow. To give students enough time to complete these and the science fair projects, these will not be due until May 16.
We're going to the Cubs game tomorrow! Since it is still a bit chilly outside, and we may be sitting in the shade the whole time, please make sure your child wears warm clothes. We will eat lunch in school before we leave, but students are welcome to bring money for snacks. They may bring cameras, as long as they can be responsible for them and hold them the whole time.
The science fair is quickly approaching. The students have had many great ideas, and have had time to work in the class on their presentations. The projects are due into school this Wednesday, on Thursday evening families are invited from 5:30-7:30 to come and view everybody's projects, and on Friday the fourth grade will be sharing their projects with the rest of the school and the judges.
In writing, we've begun working on research projects. The students learned how to find the information needed to write a bibliography, chose a "just the right size" topic, and are currently researching their topics and taking notes. Next week, we'll begin to outline and draft the papers.
Students are also working on creating scrapbooks for characters from The Bad Beginning, one of our most popular books. Many students have chosen to keep on reading books in the series. They had time in class to work on the scrapbook yesterday and today, and will have time tomorrow. To give students enough time to complete these and the science fair projects, these will not be due until May 16.
We're going to the Cubs game tomorrow! Since it is still a bit chilly outside, and we may be sitting in the shade the whole time, please make sure your child wears warm clothes. We will eat lunch in school before we leave, but students are welcome to bring money for snacks. They may bring cameras, as long as they can be responsible for them and hold them the whole time.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
April 3, 2011
Our weather podcasts are now on-line! These are the forecasts that we created in December and that students have been recording in computer class. Go to Fourth Grade Weather Podcasts to listen.
On Friday, we had a field trip to the Nature Museum. Students got to see spiders, snakes, and turtles; explore how locks and dams work; look at the different homes animals build; and my favorite part: visit the butterfly room! We also were able to take a class there discussing different types of habitats and how they meet the animals' needs.
I recently sent home a letter about the science fair. Please review this with your child, noting that questions are due to me by next Wednesday and procedures due the Tuesday before break. The experiment needs to be conducted at home, and if you are traveling over spring break, the questions and procedures may be turned in for my approval earlier so students have more time to work on it.
On Friday, we had a field trip to the Nature Museum. Students got to see spiders, snakes, and turtles; explore how locks and dams work; look at the different homes animals build; and my favorite part: visit the butterfly room! We also were able to take a class there discussing different types of habitats and how they meet the animals' needs.
I recently sent home a letter about the science fair. Please review this with your child, noting that questions are due to me by next Wednesday and procedures due the Tuesday before break. The experiment needs to be conducted at home, and if you are traveling over spring break, the questions and procedures may be turned in for my approval earlier so students have more time to work on it.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Lent
In this season of Lent, we are working as a class on almsgiving, fasting, and praying. To tie Lent into what we've been studying in the Ten Commandments, we made a calendar as a class with different Lenten activities each day, that tie into one of the commandments. For example, for "Keep holy the Lord's Day," the students came up with activities like going to Mass or reading the Bible. Please encourage your child to talk about what he or she has done so far for Lent. We will also have a Reconciliation service and a living stations of the cross in the week before Easter break.
For social studies, students have a menu of project ideas to choose from. They need to choose one from each category to complete about a Midwestern state. The projects are due between April 5-7, depending on the day the student signed up to present. We will also have a test that week. Students will have time in class to work on the graphic organizer and drawing part of these, so please make sure they have their materials.
We recently finished our unit on electricity and magnetism. Students did a great job creating series and parallel circuits for their shoebox rooms!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
March 3, 2011
As a review for social studies, students are working on creating a "scrapbook poster" this week. One of the requirements is to include a primary source photograph. We went to the computer lab today to print some pictures from the Library of Congress, but not every student found a picture in time (and some just wanted to explore more at home). To find the pictures we looked at, visit the site below:
America's Library: Explore the States
Students are taking TerraNova tests this week and Monday and Tuesday of next week. Please continue to make sure they are well rested and have eaten breakfast.
The fourth grade class will be featured in the bulletin article this Sunday. The article is about the citrus tasting and will include many pictures!
"Citrus Tasting
Many kids get excited about cupcakes, candy, and other sugary treats. But on February 24th, the cheers coming from St. Sylvester School were loud and clear for a different type of snack-citrus fruits! The Good Food Project came to teach kindergartners through sixth graders about the joys of healthy eating.
Led by Susan Taylor, a Chicago Tribune food critic and founder of the Good Food project (www.thegoodfoodproject), the students learned about different types of citrus fruits, identifying ones they were already familiar with and learning about ones that were a bit more exotic (such as the pummelo). They reviewed vocabulary to use while tasting, and then came the most exciting part of the day-eating! Every student received a piece of a naval orange, Cara Cara navel, Moro orange (a type of blood orange), and a "cutie." They smelled, licked, tasted, and savored, then chose their favorites and debated how each one tasted. Finally, students discussed how they felt after eating the different fruits. Many said that they had more energy and were excited to have more of these fruits at home.
The fourth grade students had a lot to say about the tasting. Dejah said, "They tasted like fruity perfume. I thought the blood orange was going to taste gross, but it was actually pretty sweet." Nathalia learned that "blood oranges are a type of citrus, and some of the oranges have navels, which means belly button." Nicholas said, "I thought it was fun. The cuties are my favorite because they're sweet and juicy." "I learned that every type of fruit tastes different," said Kevin. It was great to have the students so excited about fruit and willing to taste new foods!"
We will have a social studies test on Thursday, March 10, English on Tuesday, March 15, and Science on Friday, March 18.
Congratulations to Dejah, whose essay won second place in the city of Chicago for the DuSable essay contest sponsored by the Chicago History Museum!
America's Library: Explore the States
Students are taking TerraNova tests this week and Monday and Tuesday of next week. Please continue to make sure they are well rested and have eaten breakfast.
The fourth grade class will be featured in the bulletin article this Sunday. The article is about the citrus tasting and will include many pictures!
"Citrus Tasting
Many kids get excited about cupcakes, candy, and other sugary treats. But on February 24th, the cheers coming from St. Sylvester School were loud and clear for a different type of snack-citrus fruits! The Good Food Project came to teach kindergartners through sixth graders about the joys of healthy eating.
Led by Susan Taylor, a Chicago Tribune food critic and founder of the Good Food project (www.thegoodfoodproject), the students learned about different types of citrus fruits, identifying ones they were already familiar with and learning about ones that were a bit more exotic (such as the pummelo). They reviewed vocabulary to use while tasting, and then came the most exciting part of the day-eating! Every student received a piece of a naval orange, Cara Cara navel, Moro orange (a type of blood orange), and a "cutie." They smelled, licked, tasted, and savored, then chose their favorites and debated how each one tasted. Finally, students discussed how they felt after eating the different fruits. Many said that they had more energy and were excited to have more of these fruits at home.
The fourth grade students had a lot to say about the tasting. Dejah said, "They tasted like fruity perfume. I thought the blood orange was going to taste gross, but it was actually pretty sweet." Nathalia learned that "blood oranges are a type of citrus, and some of the oranges have navels, which means belly button." Nicholas said, "I thought it was fun. The cuties are my favorite because they're sweet and juicy." "I learned that every type of fruit tastes different," said Kevin. It was great to have the students so excited about fruit and willing to taste new foods!"
We will have a social studies test on Thursday, March 10, English on Tuesday, March 15, and Science on Friday, March 18.
Congratulations to Dejah, whose essay won second place in the city of Chicago for the DuSable essay contest sponsored by the Chicago History Museum!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
February 15, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day! Thank you to everyone who sent treats and cards yesterday. We had a fun Valentine's Day party, and I now have enough chocolate to last until Halloween!
TerraNovas are just around the corner. The first day of testing will be February 28th. To prepare, students have been practicing taking multiple choice reading tests, proofreading sentences daily, and practicing responding to prompts, as well as covering important material in science and social studies.
The historical fiction projects students made turned out wonderfully! I heard many positive comments from Mr. Bennett, the other teachers, and students who walked through the halls. The fourth graders put a lot of effort into these projects, and it shows what they learned about the setting of the books we've been reading.
Students had a lot of fun at Toy Story 3. They each wrote a descriptive paragraph and drew a picture of their experience, which we will be giving to Mr. Jim to thank him for his donation of the tickets. You can also see pictures of our pancake making (to learn about physical and chemical changes) and making butterflies and bugs with our buddies for Valentine's Day.
Congratulations to our award winners from last week: Nathalia for the peacemaker, Chelsea for the effort award, Nicholas for the handwriting contest, and Kevin for the poster contest.
TerraNovas are just around the corner. The first day of testing will be February 28th. To prepare, students have been practicing taking multiple choice reading tests, proofreading sentences daily, and practicing responding to prompts, as well as covering important material in science and social studies.
The historical fiction projects students made turned out wonderfully! I heard many positive comments from Mr. Bennett, the other teachers, and students who walked through the halls. The fourth graders put a lot of effort into these projects, and it shows what they learned about the setting of the books we've been reading.
Students had a lot of fun at Toy Story 3. They each wrote a descriptive paragraph and drew a picture of their experience, which we will be giving to Mr. Jim to thank him for his donation of the tickets. You can also see pictures of our pancake making (to learn about physical and chemical changes) and making butterflies and bugs with our buddies for Valentine's Day.
Congratulations to our award winners from last week: Nathalia for the peacemaker, Chelsea for the effort award, Nicholas for the handwriting contest, and Kevin for the poster contest.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
January 23, 2011
We were very fortunate last week to have two people from DeLoitte (an accounting and consulting firm) come in to our classroom for Junior Achievement. They spoke with the students about businesses, the different resources needed, and how prices are set and profits are made. The students had a lot of fun, and this was a great chance to review what they'd learned about the economy.
Earlier this week, students conducted one of my favorite experiments: the density mystery. To figure out who stole a CD, they need to identify a mystery powder by creating a density column, and dropping in and observing flour, baking soda, and sugar to find their densities. Pictures of the excitement are below.
At conferences, I discussed ways to work on the definitions for our vocabulary words with many of you. The link of games for each unit is below:
Sadlier-Oxford Vocab Games
This week, students have an English test on Wednesday and a social studies test on Thursday. Our science test will be Monday, January 31st. Don't forget the historical fiction/castles project! Those are due on February 2nd.
Monday, January 10, 2011
January 10, 2011
We've been getting lots of mail lately! The postcard project has been very successful so far. We've gotten postcards from all five regions and 20 states so far, and they're still pouring in! We also got two exciting letters today. In November, the students wrote a letter to an author of a book that they felt a connection with. Today, two of the students received replies to their letters, from Judy Blume and Kate DiCamillo. It was nice to have their letters acknowledged in this way.
Last week, I assigned the students the setting project for a historical fiction novel. They can choose to recreate the setting of either The Whipping Boy, the book they read on their own, or the book they just began reading in guided reading groups. The projects are due on Wednesday, February 2, so they can be displayed as part of Catholic Schools Week. If they are researching castles, below are some links that may be helpful:
Castles for Kids
National Geographic: Ghosts in the Castle
Last year's projects were wonderful (as I'm sure this year's will be as well-I've been very impressed with the quality of work turned in by many of the students). If you'd like to see last year's castles for inspiration, just click on the slideshow from January 7, 2010 posted in this blog.
In social studies, students are going to begin to be tested on the location of the states. At the beginning of the week, they will receive a blank map to use as their study guide, and we will fill in the states they need to memorize (usually five at a time). On Friday, they will use another blank map to fill in the names of the states. Spelling does not count as long as I can recognize the name, but they may not use the abbreviations. The students filled in the first five today, so our first test will be this Friday, January 14th.
Last week, I assigned the students the setting project for a historical fiction novel. They can choose to recreate the setting of either The Whipping Boy, the book they read on their own, or the book they just began reading in guided reading groups. The projects are due on Wednesday, February 2, so they can be displayed as part of Catholic Schools Week. If they are researching castles, below are some links that may be helpful:
Castles for Kids
National Geographic: Ghosts in the Castle
Last year's projects were wonderful (as I'm sure this year's will be as well-I've been very impressed with the quality of work turned in by many of the students). If you'd like to see last year's castles for inspiration, just click on the slideshow from January 7, 2010 posted in this blog.
In social studies, students are going to begin to be tested on the location of the states. At the beginning of the week, they will receive a blank map to use as their study guide, and we will fill in the states they need to memorize (usually five at a time). On Friday, they will use another blank map to fill in the names of the states. Spelling does not count as long as I can recognize the name, but they may not use the abbreviations. The students filled in the first five today, so our first test will be this Friday, January 14th.
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