A Big Bite

The last week and half has flown by!  We finished the multiplication unit and took our test.  We will be working o decimals and division next week.  We are learning about Mexico and finishing the unit on heredity in Science.  In Social Studies we had a presentation on Native Americans of the Northeast, presented by Mrs. Silvia of the Haffenreffer Museum from Brown University.  Mrs. Silvia is our Anthropologist in Residence.  We will have four "in school field trips with her this year as a result of a PCC Grant that was written by the 4th grade teachers.  Thanks PCC!  Pictures to follow!

We created "Thankful wreaths," in writer's workshop and created a "Thankful Tree," as part of Open Circle.  The Thanksgiving speeches were well done and everyone did a great job.  Chris and Anna were the first boy and girl to give their speeches and you can see the video of the speech below.

Black and White Day was a success!  Everyone was dressed in black and white!  Students brought in a variety of black and white snacks, stuffed animals and created Polar art projects.  We beat Mrs. Merten's class in Win, lose, or draw. :)  We enjoyed March of the Penguins and did great on the book test.

Have a wonderful holiday and Happy Thanksgiving!
Mrs. Williams

Juicy Nibble

I have been getting many questions about the Ski NH program.  It looks like the 4th grade program will be changing this year and the new information hasn't been released yet.  When it is, I will make sure that I let you know the details.  Until then, please click here for information about the 4th and 5th grade program.

A Big Bite

The students in room 23 have been working very hard during the past two weeks.  We had our first snow day as a result of Hurricane Sandy, we celebrated Halloween, voted in two elections (Presidential and Student Council), saw the first snowfall of the season and did much more!
In reader's workshop we have continued reading Mr. Popper's Penguins.  Mr. Whitmore was a guest speaker on Friday and showed us pictures and videos from his trip to Antarctica.  Next Friday will be black and white day.  A notice about this special day should be in folders this weekend.  As a class we have read 241 books this year and are on our way to achieving our goal of 1,250 books!  We are finishing personal narratives in writer's workshop and have begun acrostic poems.  We made Day of the Dead masks to start our study of Mexico.  We have been learning some basic Spanish so please ask your child to say, "My name is____," in Spanish.  Next week we will be starting the heredity unit in science and it should be interesting! Many students had great speeches prepared for the student council election.  Meg D. will be representing Room 23 this year!  Pictures will be posted soon.
Here is the quiz that Mr. Whitmore created for his presentation to the students about penguins.  Take it with your child.

Open publication - Free publishing - More antarctica

Celebrity singers for October, Anna, Ava and Matt.

Day of the Dead masks

Halloween yoga

Halloween Yoga

At the Core

It has been a busy two weeks!  So much going on in the world, the Election, Hurricane Sandy and the recent snowfall.  I want to say thank you so much for all of the emails and messages asking about my family in NY and NJ.  My family in NYC is fine  and recovering.  As some of you know, my in-laws live in Lavallette, NJ during the summer, which is on the barrier island that sustained massive damage during the hurricane.  I run to Seaside Heights and back every morning that I am there, and am familiar with the places that have now been destroyed.  I was on that boardwalk many times this past summer. Our house is on the bay side, and as of yet we have not been able to gain access to assess the damage.  We have seen aerial shots and the house is still standing, but we learned this morning that the water level is still high on the bay side during the tide. Year round residents will be allowed access this weekend and only for a few hours to retrieve documents, take pictures and throw away food.  At this point, we do not know when we will be allowed onto the island to check things out as much needs to be done to restore the infrastructure and basic needs for residents like gas, electric, water and sewer.  What I do know is that we will survive and are thankful that we are all alive.  We will "Restore the Shore."  Brandon D. a former 4th grader and sibling of Meg D came to see me.   He attends college in NJ and had to come home due to the power outages. He witnessed people pushing their cars along the GSP just to get gas.  People are amazing. :)

Poetry, Please

A list poem inspired by a girl's love of shoes, all kinds!

What to do if You're a Pair of Shoes

by Ava

Step in mud

Sit in the closet all day

Get washed

Step in the crunchy leaves

Wait to go outside

Kick a soccer ball

Run a race

Give good luck

get tossed on the floor

Get chewed up by a dog

Get polished

Travel the country

Get donated

Get thrown out

Splash in a puddle

Be fashionable

Get thrown BACK in the closet

Be on every girl's shopping list!

Juicy Nibble

4th grade teachers across Franklin have been working with Dr. Susan Looney, of Looney Consulting, to implement the new changes in the mathematics curriculum according to the Common Core of Standards and Massachusetts Standards.  In class, the students have been working on multi digit multiplication using a variety of methods, strategies and algorithms.  In the photos, the girls used base ten blocks to show the "area model," method of multiplication.

70*90

40*80

 The video shows "window boxes,"  which is what we worked on today as a preview to the partial products method of multiplication.  Click on it if you need help with tonight's homework.

Poetry Please

In poetry workshop, we have started acrostic poems.  We learned about this fun form of poetry from Kenn Nesbitt.  This is the poem we wrote as a class.  We think it describes us well.

Happy to help others
Amazing learners
Read all the time
Don't ever give up

Work harder than anyone
Often get good grades
Really take time to think
Kids who don't stop
Effort is everything
Really focus on their work
Super students!

Juicy Nibble

Here are a few more trick or treaters.  Tommy as a Ninja, Lea as a spider queen , Sophie as a Gothic ballerina and Claudia as a zebra!

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Juicy Nibble

I told the students on Wednesday that I'd post pictures of them in their Halloween costumes. So far, I have this picture of Matt.  Apparently the green paint wasn't as easy to remove as it was to put on!  Nice job, Matt!