4th Grade Class Blog
Weller Elementary School
Last two weeks...
Spring break is here, and so is the snow . . . but our sunlight has returned and with it the long, Alaskan days that lead to summer. I hope you are all enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation with your kids, because they are amazing!
Our third quarter ended with pizzazz. In two short weeks students created lantern poems, practiced kindness and filled a kindness jar, hand-sketched Alaskan plants, crafted word wheels, powered through a paragraph scramble, logged how snacks affect learning, began Science Notebooks to collect data, figured out exercise math, made math quiz Kahoots, and so much more.
In between it all, they found time to visit Mrs. Leon's Greek Gods Wax Museum, view the displays at the Science Fair, collect Coins for Corn (and help build the Weller playground), deliver Girl Scout cookies, and begin our 4th grade Readathon--the fundraiser for our Twin Bears trip this May.
Each Friday, to celebrate their learning, we enjoyed a special activity. During one week they unraveled Human Knots, and the next, they enjoyed a PJ day. Of course, no pajama party is complete without stuffies, relay races, hula hoop antics, board games, marbles, and extra time for art and reading. Below, take a peek into our classroom . . .
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| Sketching botanical drawings |
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| Exploring the earth's core in a student-made board game |
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| Focusing on independent work |
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| Creating math Kahoots together |
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| Undoing human knots and building teamwork skills |
This Week...
If you and your family are in town for spring break, download the school district activity guide at: FNSBSD Spring Break Activity Guide
Next Week...
When we return, our exploration of plants and their parts, how they adapt to environments, and how we use them, will continue. We will also have a visit from our local weatherman, and students will help present the weather report. On Thursday 3/19, our district art specialists will lead the class in a surprise project. Finally, to cap off the week, we'll take a fieldtrip to hear the amazing Irish fiddler, Eileen Ivers on Friday 3/20.
On your radar...
Please help kids remember to read and fill out their Readathon form over break.
Monday when we return looks like:
8:30 - 8:50
Writing Prompt
Morning Meeting
8:50 - 9:20
Music
9:20 - 9:50
Gym
9:50 - 11:30
Snack/Read Aloud - The Phantom Tollbooth
Writing Workshop
Alaskan Plants Around Us
11:30 - 12:00
Recess
12:00 - 12:30
Lunch
12:35 - 1:50
Fraction Fun
1:55 - 2:10
Freewrite/SSR
2:10 - 3:00
Whole Class Novel: Number Our Stars
Where in the World Were You Born?
Clean up, pack up, stack up
*Please
note that math, specials (PE, music, and library), lunch, and recess
are part of a fixed schedule and stay in blocks. At times, curriculum
instruction will be shuffled to accommodate different initiatives.
If
you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to call
or email me anytime to discuss things further. I hope you find this
information helpful and useful.
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS
DUE BY FRIDAY 3/20
Second paragraph of persuasive essayPlant worksheets & science notebook
Phantom Tollbooth packet
HOMEWORK
ONGOING--Readathon Reading Logs (ongoing)
--If your child needs additional time or help with in-class assignments, please let me know. I will be doing weekly check-ins with the kids on their progress and I may be in contact with you if we need to send some work home.
***A brief note about homework. It is my philosophy that homework is an opportunity for students to practice skills that they have learned in school that day/week. The benefits are proven and tremendous. I try to keep things simple: 20 minutes of reading practice (reading logs), 20 minutes of math practice (worksheet), and 5-10 minutes of spelling (1 page per night). If your student is working on homework for more than an hour each night (Monday - Thursday, none on the weekends), please contact me so we can discuss things further. It is not my intention to make life impossible for you at home.
***Please
keep in mind, projects, or tests we have in class may have to be
brought home to be finished or to study. Please ask your child if they
have completed their work and check PowerSchool regularly.
ONGOING INFORMATION
READING LOGSReading logs are a regular part of our class. Students will receive "points" for each day that they read a minimum of 20 minutes at home. The purpose: for students to read each day (not 100 minutes over the weekend or 40 minutes on Tuesday to catch up for Monday).
Reading logs will be due on a rolling basis and should have dates read on them. I will give credit as they are turned in and filled out correctly (please initial these). The points students receive will be added to their overall reading grade, counting towards their final grade.
It is simple, if students read and turn in their logs, they will see their grades improve significantly while naturally benefitting in fluency and accuracy. If they do not, they will not be given a "0" on the assignment, they simply will not receive any points.
I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs. Email me with any questions or concerns, please.
GOOGLE DRIVE
You can access all of your student's digital assignments online and work at home if you would like. Simply go to www.gmail.com and type in their email address and password. Then find the Google Menu (where you will find the Drive, Docs, and Slides) icon in the top right corner (it is a nine-square grid next to their s-number). This is where they will make their Google Slides Presentation for their Biography Book Reports. All passwords have been reset and synched to their individual defaults for the start of the school year. Please do not make any changes. It is as follows:
Username: s#@student.k12northstar.org
Password: s#g
User Name for example: s123456@student.k12northstar.org
User Pswd for example: s123456g
User Name for example: s123456@student.k12northstar.org
User Pswd for example: s123456g
DATES TO REMEMBER AND FIELD TRIPS
Monday, March 9, 2020, to Friday, March 13, 2020
--Spring Break - No School
Friday, March 20, 2020
--Field Trip to Herring Auditorium at Lathrop HS to see "Eileen Ivers." More details to follow.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Friday, May 15, 2020
--Angel Rocks Hike and Twin Bears Educational Excursion. We will have several meetings throughout the year about this as it is a 3-day overnight camping trip, and yes we will need volunteers!
Friday, May 15, 2020, to Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Early dismissal at 1:30 PM and final three days of the school year.
It's a good life!
Mrs. Young & Mr. Sassman
