A Big Bite

Multiplication and Puff Mobiles were the hot topics in math this week. We talked about multiplication strategies, multiples, basic facts and we played multiplication baseball.  All of the teams finished their Puff Mobiles and are ready for the grade level race next week!

We completed an experiment on plants and soil and built our terrariums!  We had great weather for working outside!  Everyone showed great group skills and there was a great deal of sharing extra plants.  We can't wait for you to see them at Open House next week.

We continued to make progress in reader's and writer's workshop.  We reviewed genre in reading and have been increasing reading stamina.  We are generating ideas for stories in writer's workshop and we spent time analyzing the poem, The Runner, by Walt Whitman, in Poetry Workshop.  In social studies we are working on map skills, specifically exact location as it relates to latitude and longitude.  Next week we will play "Where in the world am I," using degree coordinates.  It will be fun!  I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Open House on Thursday  night at 6:30!

A Big Bite

It was a very busy week in room 23 and there were several special activities that we participated in as a class and grade.  Constitution Day was on Tuesday and we worked together as a grade to learn about the Constitution.  In science we reviewed the water cycle and will be building terrariums this week!  In math we finished working on place value, addition and subtraction and took our first math test. In addition, we continued to work on the puff mobiles and working in cooperative works.  Everyone worked very hard and did a great job!  A highlight of the week was a visit from Len Cabral, story teller.  Thanks to the PCC for providing this enrichment opportunity as the summer reading celebration.  As a class, we have read 74 books so far this year!  In poetry workshop we are learning about Walt Whitman and free verse poems.  We have listened to several Whitman poems and are preparing to write list poems in the same style as Whitman.  In technology, many of us finished typing poems in a word document and learned how to add a printer to our files.  Mrs. Merten says that we will be learning Power Point soon! Next week is shaping up to be action packed!
Mrs. Williams

Juicy Nibble

Today we talked about the two parts that make a sentence, a sentence; the who or what and what happened.  This will lead to further discussions about subjects, predicates and paragraph development.  We discussed why it is sometimes difficult for students to construct a complete sentence in today's digital society because of all of the abbreviations and short cuts that we use with phones, iPods and other forms of technology.  We brainstormed a list of common "text language."  How many do you know?  Your child can score your quiz, they know them all!  Leave a comment and let us know how you did!

GTG, TTYL!

Mrs. W

Juicy Nibble

Here is a link to a cool video about the Water Cycle set to a rap song with the lyrics.  Enjoy!

Juicy Nibble

Tomorrow is Constitution Day!  Wear your red, white and blue!  Fun activities are promised! :)

A Big Bite

Our first full week of school was filled with learning and fun!  In reader's workshop we talked about genres and asking questions.  Here are some pictures of us working in Reader's Workshop.

In writer's workshop we continued to work on goal sentences and learned about revising, editing and conferencing.  

 In math we continued to review place value and participated in math centers on Thursday.  We took a quiz on everything that we have been learning about in math.  

WE are working on map skills in social studies and the scientific method in science.

Creative Arts Friday began with an engineering presentation by Mr. Adams.  Click here to see the video that Mr. Adams showed to all of us!  We worked in cooperative groups to begin the Puff mobile project.

In tech workshop with Mrs. Merten, we began to type our poems using MS Word.  It was fun!  Mrs. Hess told us all about Romare Bearden, a collage artist.  His work was amazing!

4th grade is amazing and we are having a great time.

By, 

The Bussers

Author Alert!

Attention all Big Nate fans!  Lincoln Pierce, author of the Big Nate novels and comic, will be at the Wellesley Free Library on Thursday, October 17th at 4:00!  He will be giving a demonstration on drawing and signing his new book (book needs to be purchased at the event or at Wellesley Books).  I have met Mr. Pierce before and seen his presentaton; it was FANTASTIC!  Click here for more details!

Juicy Nibble

There have been so many great comments from students and families; WELL DONE!  Keep the comments coming!

A Big Bite

The second week of school is under our belt!  Everyone continues to work hard and is settling into the routine and excitement of 4th grade.  In math, we have been working on reading and writing numbers into the millions and other skills related to place value.  In reader's workshop we are still establishing routines and filling book bags.  We are still working on choosing "just right," books and books that make us feel strong as readers. We  have been setting goals for the year in writer's workshop and focusing on writing a complete sentence with a subject and predicate and the correct mechanics.  Creative Arts Friday continued with more work on bio Poems and learning how to use MS Word to type in our poems.  Mrs. Hess had everyone draw a picture based on a sculpture on the art table (pictures to follow).  Ask your child to see their individual art work that went home on Friday.

The FPS music department gave us a demonstration on the instruments available to 4th graders and the forms were in go home folders.We will start learning about the scientific method and basic map skills in the content areas this week.  It will also be our first week of chorus! :)  Click here to watch a video of the teachers performing Pirates of the Caribbean for the students!
I am looking forward to seeing as many parents as possible on  Wednesday, September 11th, for parent orientation.  The first session will begin promptly at 3:00, and the second will begin at 3:30.  Hope to see you there!
Mrs. W