A Big Bite

What a way to end 2016!!! We did so much this week.👀  We finished the division unit in math and took the online test.  The grades and comments have been posted, just log into your child's math account to see the results.  We will continue to practice division all year, so keep working on those facts!  We finished the Canada unit and took the unit test.  The test was differentiated for students so that they could demonstrate mastery of the concepts in their own way.  A scoring guide explaining the differentiation was sent home with the test today.  Everyone did a great job!  We also finished reading Little Dog, Lost by Marion Dane Bauer and will continue studying dogs through non fiction texts and other multi media when we return to school in January.  The written fiction stories are almost complete and some students have been able to move on to free writing in fiction by creating fantasy stories and/or wordless picture books.  The winter themed rhyming poems are a hoot and we can't wait to share them with you. 😃  There was great improvement demonstrated by ALL students this week as they delivered their winter speeches.  Everyone had developed a personal goal for the second speech and really worked hard to improve.  I love it when students take ownership in their learning, woohoo!

We participated in many fun activities this week as a school community, a grade level and within our own classroom.  We participated in the first JFK school wide community meeting, led by Mrs. McNeil,  and we discussed ways that students at JFK feel included.  It was a very successful and productive meeting!  As a grade level we completed two separate craft activities.  We love spending time together as an entire grade, it is always so much fun.  The week would not be complete without Dance Party Friday, which took place on Freaky Friday (a school wide event).  Mr. Banks even got in on the fun as he danced around the gym as a snowman.  ⛄  Thank you to everyone who sent in pennies and loose change for the Student Council penny drive.  The drive was a huge success. 

We finished our week with a celebration of the end of 2016 with a "Party in a Bag," and board games. Check out the Twitter feed to see students opening small gifts from Mr. Williams and me.  🎁  Thank you for all of the donations made in my name to the Franklin Food Pantry, the Santa Foundation, Breast Cancer Research and Answerthecall.org.  I am truly humbled by your kindness and generosity. Have a restful break and a wonderful holiday season.  I will see everyone in 2017, raring to go!

T-shirt of the day

Homemade and store bought, these shirts are very festive! #creativityrocks

You're It

This week's you're it! #celebratealllearners

Juicy Nibble

Are you missing anything?

T-shirt of the day

Getting in the spirit!

A Big Bite

On Tuesday we had a visit from the Haffenreffer museum.  We learned all about the Inuit people in Canada.  It was so much fun and we learned a great deal! We discovered that some of us are very skilled at playing some traditional Inuit games.  Woohoo!

We prepared for the science test by playing Kahoot!  It was a fun way to prepare.  Everyone did a great job on the test.  🙌

We participated in our first Mystery Skype this week.  We took a virtual field trip to the Grant Alternative School in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  The 4th graders in Canada shared that they do not have homework, ever.  This will make a great debate topic for us in the new year.  There are so many opinions about this topic that it will make for a lively debate.

We continue to wok on long division, prime and composite numbers and divisibility rules in math.  One highlight was when we used a Venn diagram to sort and classify multiples of 3 and 5 to 40 AND to find the factors of 40 and 48.  By working in pairs and as a class we were able to complete these tasks easily.  There will be a test on division next week and the study guide has been sent home.

Members of the Franklin Fire Department visited us to discuss fire safety in our homes.  They encouraged us to make an escape plan for our homes complete with a meeting place.  Have you discussed your escape plan as a family?  If you draw a plan, bring it in to school and I will make sure that the firefighters review your plan.

We have been talking all year about how heroes come in all shapes and sizes.  Friday was a cold day in Massachusetts and a cold one in our classroom.  This gentleman was our hero today as he fixed the heat and got us nice and warm.  THANKS!!

While writing poetry, I posted a picture of a fireplace to the board to help us get in the mood for writing winter poems.  Some students commented that the picture actually made the classroom feel warmer.  I love the power of positive thinking!

Talk to your child about all of the other activities that we participated in this week.  Take a look at our Tweets, they help to tell our story from this past week!

Enjoy the weekend,

Mrs. Williams

You're It!

Congratulations to this week's, "It." #celebratealllearners

Juicy Nibble

We used a website, KAHOOT! to review for our science test tomorrow.  If you would like to use the Kahoot to practice for the test, use this  link.  You  will need to make an account to play.  Mrs. Merten recommends that you use the same user name and password that you do for your Google Apps.  Leave a comment and let me know if you played the KAHOOT at home.
 Shown below are the directions for how to play a KAHOOT.  You can also click here for the directions.

How can I preview/play a kahoot alone?

← Playing kahoots

This article explains how to play a kahoot in a “single player” mode.

Preview Mode: Overview
This mode is intended for uses like trialing the gameplay experience of a kahoot you’re building, or of a public kahoot you’re thinking of playing with others. Results will not save to your account.


Step 1: Find the kahoot
- If you want to play someone else’s kahoot, find it on the “Public Kahoots” page (or the “Featured” page if you’re 16 or under)
- If you want to play your own kahoot, find it on your “My Kahoots” page


Step 2: Find the preview button

- Click the title of the kahoot to access a detailed view of that kahoot

• If your browser is at least 1200 pixels wide, you’ll see the preview button
• Check here if your “browser size” (width x length) is wide enough
• You will likely need to use a desktop/laptop to access this feature

Step 3: Play the kahoot

- The host screen and player screen appear side-by-side so that you can manage both simultaneously.

HAVE FUN!!!
Mrs. W

You're It!

Here is this week's, "It!"  He was SO EXCITED to do the hour of code he fell down on the floor!🙌 Now that is excitement for learning!  #celebratealllearners

A Big Bite

This week's post is just a quick snapshot of some of the many activities that took place in Room 23 this past week.  As you scroll through the post, ask your child to give you all the details about the happenings; it sure was busy!  Don't forget to check out our Twitter roll, there were some funny tweets this week!  Also, there are new posts to the 4th grade blog, check that out too!

Long division was all the rage in math, in addition to some fun math games, working in small groups and having a really interesting conversation about money.  Ask your child to tell you all about the dollar bill story. 😃  The productive struggle of long division is paying off in huge "dividends," (I couldn't resist) as everyone's confidence is improving.  We will be ready for the test in two weeks!  

Our new interactive read aloud is Little Dog, Lost by Marion Dane Bauer and the students are loving it!  We are focusing on author's craft, point of view, and fact vs. opinion as new skills and are independently working on theme and writing in response to reading.  We are having fun tracking our thinking with digital journals.  Here is a screen shot of what the shared document looks like.  Technology can be so much fun!

We spent a good deal of time engaged in project based learning in science this week.  Teams worked together to become experts on one type of severe weather.  The groups researched their topic with books and on the Internet to create a poster which was then presented to the class.  EVERYONE did an awesome job and should be well prepared for the unit test on Thursday. 🙌

In poetry workshop, we learned about Robert Louis Stevenson and will be composing rhyming poems in the style of RLS.  This was also a highlight for many students this week.

During technology workshop, the students participated in the hour of code.  This was a highlight for many of the students this week.  Thanks, Mrs. Merten!

In celebration of inclusive schools week/month, we participated in a grade level read aloud, Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev.  We also completed ladybug spots with the phrase, I feel included when....., look for the ladybug the next time that you are at JFK.

Keep reading, keep practicing those math facts and find some time to play!!