Monday Message 

Last week we were looking at symmetrical figures as a part of geometry.   We finished the week by making symmetrical designs using various polygons. 

The rule was, whatever you do to the left hand side, you have to do to the right hand side.  Whatever you do to the top, you have to do to the bottom.  In the end,  you  should be able to fold the shape and have it match on both sides. 

Some of these designs have multiple lines of symmetry... and some have none!  It was tricky making things match up. The kids had to keep checking evertime they added a new shape. 

It was a good time.  We had fun.  Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents,

We spent some time weighing things last week.  A lot of kids told me they were using a scale, but they then learned that they were really using a balance. 

A scale is used to measure the pull of gravity.   A balance measures mass, or the amount of "stuff"  (matter) an object has.    A scale will change depending on where it is.  On the moon there is less gravity, so there is less pull, and thus less weight.  However, on the moon objects still have the same amount of mass or matter.  Mass doesn't change based on location.  

Ask your child all about it!

As we continue with our "Earth Science" unit the kids have been looking at landforms and how they are made.   We have talked about things like mountains, valleys, volcanoes, plains, canyons, glaciers, plates, and so on.  

Last week we looked at how these landforms are represented on a topographic map.  Topographic maps show elevation by using contour lines.  The closer the lines are, the steeper the gradient is.  

The kids stacked foam pieces to model the landforms and then traced each level on to the paper.  It was a fun activity.  

Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents,

Check out these artists at work.  There is a lot of talent out there.  Everyone was working hard and was fully engaged.  The room was so quiet.  They were all engrossed in their work. 

Mrs. Gilhooey is the art teacher.  She has worked half of the quarter with our class.  There is still one more class to go, then she will switch and work with the lower grades until the end of the year.  The kids love her!

As our school became smaller we lost our art teacher.  Volunteers filled in for a while, and then we got funding again.  We are all hoping this program continues into next year.  In the meantime, enjoy these masterpieces!   Ask your child about it!

Hey Parents,

Have the kids told you about music?  They've been learning to play the ukulele.  At first they were learning basic chords, and now they have turned those chords into songs.  Give a listen to the video to the left. 

Other groups have learned other songs.  They have a bank from which to choose.  My favorite is the group who learned "We Will Rock You!" by Queen.  They, however, did not want to perform in front of the camera. 

The nice thing about our music program is that everyone walks away with a little musical success.  From there they can use that confidence to pursue the instrument of their choice.  Ask your child!

Hey Parents,

Check out these rock stars!

Last week we started looking at rocks and we began a unit on Earth science.  The kids sorted the rocks based on texture, weight, cleavage, color and hardness.   

Everyone had a favorite rock, but the hands-down winner was obsidian.  The kids tell me that they mine it in the game Minecraft. 

What other rocks are we learning?  Pumice, granite, slate, sandstone, gneiss, biotite, gypsum,  calcite, and more for a total of twenty-four.  The kids will memorize the rocks and test out this coming week.  We will discuss them throughout the unit.  

Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents,

Has your child told you about Math Travelers?  We have been doing this program for the last few months.  

Each week we focus on a certain concept.  We give the students an assessment on Tuesday and, depending upon how they do, we put them in a small group on Friday for intensive instruction.   We are trying to close any knowledge gaps. 

Some students may get remedial help, while others may end up in the gifted program for the day.  It all depends on what they need. Some students get more challenging work, while others get more review.  Students really like having a new teacher and seeing things presented in a new way. 

Ask your child all about it!

We do a lot of reading, in all subject areas.  Even math now requires the students to read.  No matter the material, we are teaching the kids to pick out the important information, and to do this we annotate with highlighters.  

Depending on the lesson, students may highlight for fact & opinion, cause and effect, main idea, supporting details, inferences, sequencing, tone, mood, authors purpose, and character analysis, just to name a few.   Being able to pick these out of a text is a skill.  It helps students better understand the reading.  

The kids can write in their books!  DoDEA bought these materials for this purpose.  Ask you child all about it!

The kids have finally seen the light!

Last week we studied the properties of light. We brought out mirrors, lenses and a couple different light sources.  

We found that light travels in straight lines in rays.  Light cannot curve around things, but it can be redirected and split.  Light will travel in a straight line forever until it hits something.  Light is a form of energy.  Darkness is just the absence of light, just as silence is the absence of sound, and cold is the absence of heat. 

The students tried to redirect their light rays around objects and control where it went.  It was a good challenge. 

Ask your child all about it!

Hey Parents,

Have you heard?  We've been studying sound and making a lot of noise.   It was rough on the teachers, but the kids loved it. 

Sound travels in waves.  It starts with a vibration of some kind and then travels in all directions through a medium, like water or air.  The more dense the medium, the faster the sound.  Sound travels fastest through solids. 

The kids experimented with springs, ropes, tuning forks, rubber bands, Slinkys, amplifiers, and even a device called the "Chicken Clucker".  

Curious?  Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents,

These kids have a lot of potential.  They got even more as they learned about potential and kinetic energy. 

In one experiment they had three different sized steel bearings.  They rolled each from a different height on a ramp.  They then measured the distance the bearing rolled using the metric system.  Which rolled further, a large bearing from a low position on the ramp, or a small bearing from a high position?  What is your guess?

In the second experiment they launched rubber bands from different angles and with different stretch lengths.  They had to adjust  the variables to hit a target. 

Ask your child all about it!

Check out these scientists.  They are experimenting.  They are thinking. 

We asked the kids to check the magnetic force of attraction between two magnets.  

The kids took a balance with a cup on each end.  Inside one cup they put a magnet which they stuck to a magnet under the cup.  At the other end of the balance they had another cup that they slowly filled with metal washers until the two magnets separated.   They now knew how strong the magnets were. 

The students then put in a yellow spacer between the magnets and ran the experiment again.  Then two spacers.  Then three.  What did they find out?   Ask your child all about it.  He or she will tell you!

E pluribus unum is the moto of our nation.  It is Latin for "Out of many, one".   It is on our national seal and you also see it on our money and many state flags. 

Many people have made important contributions to our nation.  Together we have worked to accomplish some pretty amazing feats.  We have good reason to be proud. 

The students were asked to pick any American and research his or her contribution to America.  The results were pretty fantastic.  They chose people from all corners of our society.  

The main aim of the project was to get kids to do research and then write a five paragraph report with an introduction, body and conclusion.  We are really pleased with the results.  Take a look!

Hi Parents,

Sometimes the kids play games to learn new martial, or to reinforce old material.  Here are some shots of the kids playing Bingo with mixed numbers and improper fractions.  We showed an improper fraction on the board, they had to find the corresponding mixed number on their card.   Everyone wanted to win!

We also sometimes play  matching games. We do this in math, but also in language arts as the kids find synonyms, antonyms and vocabulary words. 

Everyone's favorite game is PIG.  It involves two dice, some risk taking, and a lot of addition.  Ask your child to show you how to play.  You will like it!

Hey Parents,

Check out these photos of the kids working with magnets.  We started off by testing which metals would be attracted by magnets.  It turned out that only items with iron in them would attract. 

Then we found out that magnets and electricity have a lot in common.  We even found we could use electricity to move a compass needle.  We were also able to build electro-magnets to pick up small washers. 

Next, we will test the magnetic range of the magnets using balances and washers.  We will graph how many washers it will take to break the force of the magnets. 

Yes, we can use magnets to make electricity and we can use electricity to make magnets.  Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents,

Here are some shots of the kids using Snap Circuits.  There were dozens of projects for the kids to complete. 

Things were buzzing, flashing, spinning and flying.  What did the kids learn?  Most importantly they learned that in order to build any project, they first needed to build a circle, or a circuit.  Electricity needs to follow a path and return to its source.  

Next we will look at how electricity and magnetism are similar.  You can make electricity with a magnet, and make a magnet with electricity.   

Ask your child all about it!

Our third-quarter project is writing a biography.  We will mostly do this in class. 

Students may pick any American who has positively impacted our country.  The theme of this project is "e pluribus unum" - out of many, one.   It is the motto of the United States.  

In this project students will learn to take notes, cite primary and secondary sources, establish fact from opinion, and write a five paragraph essay with an introduction, body and conclusion. 

We will start this week by picking a person with the help of Ms. Lokey in the library.  Research will start next week.   More information can be found here. 

Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents, 

The kids got the basics of fractions last year in third grade, but now we move into more advanced concepts.

This year we look at:

* Making equivalent fractions
*Finding common denominators
*Finding the greatest common factors
*Simplifying fractions
*Adding and subtracting fractions
*Adding and subtracting mixed numbers
*Converting improper fractions

The best way to start off with this is by using fraction strips.  We continue with that this week.  

Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents,

Last week we started working on electricity in science.  The kids were given a battery, two wires and a bulb.  Could they light the bulb?  

In the end everyone was able to do it.  They learned that you had to make a circuit.  Electricity has to travel in a circle.  It leaves the negative end of the battery, goes through the wire, through the filament, and then through the other wire and back to the battery.  Some kids also learned about a short circuit!  Things got hot. 

From there we  continued to add things to our circuits, like switches and motors.  We  also learned about other types of circuits. 

Ask your child all about it!

The kids did a super job with the Hall of Heroes project.  We hung them up and they look fantastic.

Each child was also given the chance to present his or her slide to the class.  Not everyone wanted to get up in front of the room.  We will give them another chance this week. 

Language arts involves reading, listening, writing,  and speaking.  Reading and listening are forms of input.  It is how we get information.  Writing and speaking are forms of output.  It is how we give information.  

Often in school kids write, read, and listen, but it is not often that they get to speak.  Well, this time they got their big chance!

Ask your child all about it!

This quarter we spend a lot of time working on division.  We started last week developing the concept, and the best way to do that is with math manipulatives.

The kids started out with twelve chips, and we divided them up into two groups, then three groups, then four groups, but when we divided them into five groups... we had some leftover.  A remainder!

Learning these simple concepts with real objects makes it all so much more understandable.   Seeing is believing.

Once the kids have the concepts, we move from concrete items to drawing visual representations and then to just using numbers.   It works!

Hey Parents,

There is no denying it now.  Winter is here!

We have had snow, sleet, and freezing temperatures.   We have been outside playing in it all, and most kids have had a very good time.

Some students, however, are still showing up in t-shirts and shorts, and for them, the experience is not so much fun.  

Students now need socks, hats, gloves and mittens.  If it is raining, then they also need a rain jacket or poncho.  

Like the post-man, neither snow, nor rain, nor sleet, nor gloom will keep us inside.  We will be going out for recess.  

These kids are geography ROCKSTARS!   They got Freezie Pops.  Go kids, go!

They tested out on their 50 states and are now working on their 50 capitals.  

Click on the links below for Seterra and test yourself.   Are you smarter than a 4th grader?

    -First:  The 50 States

     -Second:  The 50 Capitals

     -Third:  The 50 States by Abbreviation

     -Fourth:  The Largest US Cities

     -Fifth:  The State Flags

Yep, we've been farmin'. 

We planted corn, radishes, clover and sweet peas.  The kids made a mess... and then they cleaned it up. 

As scientists, we are exploring the tolerance levels of the seeds to certain conditions.  In this case, each group planted eight cups of seeds with varying amounts of both freshwater and saltwater.  over the next few weeks will continue to add the same amounts every few days. 

Some plants are going to thrive, and some are not going to do too well.  From that we will be able to determine the optimal environmental factors for growth. 

Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents, 

We had witches and goblins and skeletons and fairies and.... a slice of pizza!

The kids all came decked out in their costumes last week and it was a crazy day.  Luckily the foggy mist disappeared  and the sun came out and we were able to get outside and burn off some of that energy.  

In the afternoon the children passed out treats and we went back outside again.  It was quite a scene.  

Several students went out that night and hauled in even more candy.    In all, we had a very good time.  Ask your child all about it.

Hey Parents,

Thanks for sponsoring your child on last week's fun run.  The kids were super motivated to put on some miles. 

The run started off in the Teen Center gym, and then finished up outside with games and treats.  The kids were happy to get outside after the run, as they were pretty hot by that point. 

The highest number of laps was 55!  Some of the kids were going by so fast that we couldn't even get a picture of them.  They were nothing but a blur. 

This is the biggest fund raising event of the year, and the kids certainly did their part... and they had a lot of fun.  Ask all about it!

Hi Parents,

Once a week we make it to the library for check-out.  In general the kids are allowed to have five books checked out at a time, but this is pretty flexible.   If they have a good reason to check out more, they usually may. 

There are no restrictions on what type of books they may choose.  There is enough required reading in the classroom, so in the library they are allowed to follow their own interests and check out what they find most appealing.  They are, however, limited to two graphic novels.  (see above)

The library is well stocked with fiction and non-fiction books.  It also has an expanding collection of audio and digital books.  

Ask your child all about it!

Hi Parents,

Well, the mealworms have begun to hatch into darkling beetles.  The beetles will lay eggs, and then more mealworms will appear.  The kids are learning about metamorphosis and life cycles.  

Additionally, we now have pill bugs and sow bugs in our rooms.  The kids call them roly poly bugs, but only the pill bugs roll up.  We will use them to test which environments the prefer.  Dark or light?  Wet or dry?  Warm or cool?  Let's find out. 

If that wasn't enough, next week we will get gold fish and guppies.  The classroom is getting crowded. 

Ask your child all about it!

Who does your child eat lunch with?  Well, everyone has a lunch buddy.  

The kids can sit wherever they want, and with whomever they want.  However, we made sure that from the first day everyone had a lunch buddy.  Some kids were new to our school and we set up partners for them for lunch and recess.  Nobody sits alone. 

Now, some kids want to sit with kids from our class, and some kids want to sit with kids from the other class, and that is all right too.  

Some kids like to sit in a big group and some like to have a bit more of their own personal space.  It is all their choice. 

Ask your child all about lunch!

Let's see what's happening in science...

Last week the kids started to look at mealworms.  They began by observing their structures and behaviors and how this helps the worms survive. 

Later they will observe the changes the worms go through on their way to becoming darkling beetles.  These changes will happen over the next several weeks. 

The kids keep science notebooks and record their observations.  They also design and carry out simple experiments to see what stimuli creates a response. 

Ask your children all about it!   I bet they have something interesting to say.