Hola Fourthlandian Families!
This week was a very cool week! Here is what we were up to.
In Writing, we started publishing our realistic fiction stories. We are typing on laptops using google docs. We are enjoying the typing.
In Math, we are studying decimals and how they relate to fractions. We learned more place value and that to the right of the ones place is a decimal point and then tenths and hundredths (and even thousandths). We have been practicing writing decimals as fractions and as base ten blocks with the flat being one, the base ten block being a tenth and the cube being a hundredth.
In Reading, we are still in our Short Story Unit. We have been learning about plot and read Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco. We learned about the different parts of plot: introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion. We've been meeting in our Reading Groups too.
In Science, we've been learning about volcanoes and earthquakes and got to watch some brainpop videos. We are looking forward to different units where we'll get to study rocks and minerals. Next up, we're studying the South East.
In other news, we made a movie for All School Meeting showing what it looks like to follow the rule, "Do your best work" in the classroom. The movie will be shown at All School Meeting on Wednesday. We also had Dr. Curran visit as a guest teacher. She taught us a game called "Ly"where we acted out a describing word that ended in 'ly. The class then guessed and by the end of the game we had a whole whiteboard filled with describing words. Here are some pictures:
Another cool thing was that on Thursday we had Understanding Our Differences and got to learn about different ways that people learn. There were two speakers, Dana and Rae who had ADHD.
Have a great weekend and Thanksgiving if we don't blog before then!
See ya in one-two weeks!
Shira, Sabrina, Samantha & Ms. Swaim
Good Afternoon Fourthlandian Fans!
This week was a weird, four-day week! We had Veterans day on Wednesday which made for a strange week.
In Math, we took the Unit 3 test and started a new unit on decimals. We took our 3s multiplication test and will be taking our 4s next Friday (a week from today). This week was our last week of Subtraction WIN Block. All of us improved our subtraction skills.
In Reading, we read a story called "Zlateh the Goat" and focused on the setting of the story. We learned that setting is the time, place, and culture of a story. In "Zlateh the Goat" we learned that the story took place in a setting very different than present day. We also continued to meet in our Reading Groups, although we missed two days because of a weird week.
In Writing, most people finished their short stories. We had a lesson on re-visioning our writing with different "glasses" on. The glasses weren't real but helped us look at our writing with a different focus each time we read it. We tried to revise our dialogue, our setting, and making sure we show rather than tell. We also made sure our characters weren't seeming like fake, cardboard characters.
In Science, we built the layers of the earth using clay. Some of us sketched pictures but most of use wanted to build with clay. We labeled the different layers and learned that the layers are the core, the outer core, the mantle and the crust. Here are some pictures of our models:
In other news, we started planning for non-traditional homework presentations. Many of us are very excited and have already chosen our topics. We also have new take-a-break desks and have set up our classroom a little differently.
See ya later alligators!
Samantha & Ms. Swaim
Dear Fourthlandian Fans,
This week was a busy week. Here is what we were up to.
In math we were doing a lot of review for the Unit 3 test. We practiced elapsed time problems with open number lines. We also started solving number sentences with variables. Finally, we continue to practice and remind ourselves of the difference between prime and composite. "P-R-I-M-E, only factor is one and me!"
In Reading, we started our short story reading groups. We met and made book group rules and some of us even named our book groups (Fourthlandian Blue Cobras and the Purple Fourthlandian Falcons). We read different short stories and thought about how characters were revealed. We then used our Reading Response Journals to record our noticings in a bubble map.
In Writing, we are working hard to finish up our Realistic Fiction stories. Some of us are already editing them.
In other news, we started Science this week and we are learning about the earth's crust, the mantle, the inner core, and the outer core. We also had a Creative Arts program that was really cool. We heard music from Trinidad, Brazil, Spain and some other far away places. Here are some pictures:
Have an awesome and fun weekend!
Samantha & Ayla
Aloha Fourthlandian Parents!
In social studies we did a trivia game on the North East and finished our study guides. We are starting a science unit next week!
In Reading, we continued with our short story unit and read the story Porluck and compared it to My Rotten Red Headed Older Brother. We also wrote a few CERs. We are working at improving our evidence by making it really specific.
In Writing Workshop we had a mini-lesson on “turning on the lights” by adding setting. We are working against a deadline of next week to finish our first drafts!
In Math, we learned about elapsed time problems and variables. We are preparing for a unit test next week. Factor pairs and prime numbers continue to feel tricky. Here is a picture of our math word wall.
In other news, we finished making our Job Chart. Here is a picture. Today is Ms. Catlin’s last day. Unfortunately, she has to go back to Vermont to get rest. We are sad to see her go. If Ms. Catlin’s reading, we miss you already!
Tomorrow’s Halloween!
Your bloggers,
Samantha, Neah, Shira & guest blogger, Ben
In Writing, we started publishing our realistic fiction stories. We are typing on laptops using google docs. We are enjoying the typing.
In other news, we made a movie for All School Meeting showing what it looks like to follow the rule, "Do your best work" in the classroom. The movie will be shown at All School Meeting on Wednesday. We also had Dr. Curran visit as a guest teacher. She taught us a game called "Ly"where we acted out a describing word that ended in 'ly. The class then guessed and by the end of the game we had a whole whiteboard filled with describing words. Here are some pictures:
