January 17, 2012

Free photo collage made with Smilebox

Free photo collage created with Smilebox

We've had a very creative year so far! Students brought in their Whipping Boy projects, and they look fabulous. We've gotten many compliments on how hard the students worked on them. Currently, we're displaying them in the hallway by the stairs so that everyone can admire them.


Last week, we worked with our buddies on creating cards to celebrate Three Kings Day. The students did a great job of teaching the four year olds how to create prints!


We've also been doing a lot of writing lately. Students finished their "Cures for a Rainy Afternoon" poems, that used exciting and interesting verbs. Right now, we're working on persuasive paragraphs, while continuing to learn about how to use verbs correctly in grammar.




Looking ahead, we have tests next week in science and English. The science test on Wednesday will be on the properties of matter, and the English test on Thursday will be on verbs. We are also taking a field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry next Friday, and Scholastic book orders are due on Monday, Jan. 23. If you'd like to order online, our class code is GWZT3.

Scholastic Book Clubs

The following week is Catholic Schools Week. The plan is as follows:

Sunday 1/29: Community of Faith
11:30 Mass at St. Sylvester Church

Monday 1/30: Learning is Fun
Prayer Service at 9:00
Dress down - Students can dress down in their pajamas
Students can bring in pillows and blankets for this DEAR time

Tuesday 1/31: Teamwork
Dress down – Students can wear articles of clothing from their favorite sports team
Classroom buddy activities
Posters for school-wide contest due (This will be gone over in class next week.)

Wednesday 2/1: Staff Appreciation
Dress – Students wear their regular school uniforms
Luncheon for teachers and aides – provided by families’ donated food

Thursday 2/2: Family Appreciation
8:30 all-school Mass
Dress down – Students wear matching colors with their buddy classes. We are wearing red.
Family Visitation – all family members are welcome to visit their children’s classrooms between from 8:20-11:45
Midway Point Awards Ceremony – in school’s basement gym after returning from Mass
Family trivia night at 6:00 in Schwinn Hall

Friday 2/3: Student Appreciation
Dress down – all students wear their gym uniforms
School Olympics at 9:00 – all students are placed on different, multi-grade level teams and compete in fun games throughout the entire morning

Picture Extravaganza!

Here are some pictures from December:

Performing at the Christmas concert:


Students using the tools we made to take their weather measurements.


Our completed art projects with Mr. E:

January 4, 2012

Welcome back to a brand new year! I hope everybody and a joyful and relaxing Christmas. We've been off to a great start in fourth grade. Students are learning about verbs in English and writing poems called "Cures for a Rainy Afternoon." In religion, we're practicing looking up verses in the Bible and summarizing while learning the story of Joseph. We're continuing to read The Whipping Boy while discussing similes and cause and effect. (Don't forget the projects are due this Monday! Some have already been brought in and look wonderful.) In science, we began our study of the physical sciences, which will take us to almost the end of the year. Currently, we're learning about matter, the properties of matter, and how to measure it.

In social studies, we are continuing to learn about the Northeast while students work on their ABC books. They will have a quiz on Friday and will need to know the locations of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland.