Plays of Week #18

Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Tuesday 12/16 = Library Check-out

Wednesday 12/17 = Mr. Holt Duck Taped to the Wall

Thursday 12/18 = Last Day of 2nd Quarter

9:00 am - Panther Pride Assembly (Tie cut and Pie in Face for Mr. Holt)

1:00 pm Big Event

2:00 pm Classroom Party

3 pm Gifts from Asbury

Friday 12/19 = No School

Reading = This week we will be wrapping up our unit on questioning as well as thinking about making inferences.  We will, also, be looking at some narrative books famous authors have written to go along with our writing unit.  

Writing = Our first piece in our Narrative Writing Unit #2 has been revised and edited.  On Friday, we brainstormed what our new narrative writing piece will be.  This piece will be drafted and taken through the writing process much quicker because we have many more tools in our tool box for writing now.  Take a look at the chart with all of our focuses from the unit and the focused writer at work (pictured below). 

Math =  Chapter 6 about Division will be explored more this week.  We will look at the problem solving strategy, dividing with remainders, and how to interpret remainders.  The chapter 5 test will be sent home this week so look for it in your child's red folder.  Lastly, remember to keep working on those multiplication facts.  It will help as we think about what multiplication facts can help us with our division.

Spelling = Since it is a short week, there will not be a traditional spelling word list.  Instead, we will simply work with more grammar skills and commonly misspelled words this week in class.

Content = Science - Last week, we began our unit of the States of Matter.  This week we are going to explore our National Geographic text previewing and making observations about our unit.

Highlights of the Week

2 Digit by 2 Digit Multiplication

We tried out the "Turtle Method" to help us remember our Multiplication Steps! If it helps you please try out this method while studying for your test on Tuesday.

Plays of Week #17

Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Monday 12/8 = Social Studies Quiz

Tuesday 12/9 = Math Test and Library Check-out

Thursday 12/11 = Middle of the year testing

Friday 12/12 = Spelling Test

Reading = This week we are going to reflect on the book Teammates and continue to use our Questioning strategies through out.  On Friday, when we began this book I was amazed at the thinking Team Meyer had throughout it.  It is about Jackie Robinson joining the Major Leagues.  Some made very strong connections that allowed them to think much deeper.  After we finish this book we will then explore text structure with the book Basket Moon by Mary Lyn Ray and think of how good readers ask questions before, during, and after they read.

Writing = At the end of last week we looked at adding dialogue to our writing pieces to add voice.  This week we are going to continue with this while exploring it within reading as well.  Then as we will be approaching half way mark through our writing narrative unit we will reflect on all the skills/tools we have learned to strengthen our writing pieces with:  strong verbs, sensory details, transition words, dialogue, similes, and metaphors.  We will use rubrics and checklists to enhance our current pieces and prepare for the next piece.  Thank you to all of you who have encouraged the writing at home especially when it is assigned on Monday and Wednesdays.  I have seen stamina improve in class as a result of this.

Math =  At the end of last week, we decided to spend more time working with 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication.  We have learned to use the area model, estimation, partial products, and even the "turtle method" to help us.  We will be reviewing on Monday and testing over Chapter 5 on Tuesday.  Please remember a great way to study would be to check out our online "My Math" e-book and practice those multiplication facts.  On Wednesday, we will begin our Chapter 6: Divide by a One-digit Number.

Spelling = Look for new spelling words to go home Monday and we will be testing on Friday.  Soon we will be retesting over our spelling program words to see if the groups we are in need to be adjusted.  Our new groups will begin after Winter break and there will be a reminder as well.

Content = Social Studies - We will be finishing our Government chapter on Monday.  If you are in the hallways of Portland this week please check out our "4th Grade Government Wall" in the hallway (pictures are below of the projects we have been working on).  We will begin Science later this week focusing on the 3 States of Matter.

Highlights of the Week

Another way to look at two digit by two digit Multiplication

Miss Dutton had her last day at Portland on Thursday!  We will miss her a ton, but we wish her all the best during her student teaching in the spring!  Look at the awesome scarves she made for us! :)

We have been exploring government in Social Studies...

Plays of Week #16

Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Monday 12/1 = First Day back after break

Tuesday 12/2 = Library Check-out

Thursday 12/4 = Picture Re-Takes

Tentative date for Chapter 5 Math Test

Friday 12/5 = Spelling Test

Reading = Check out what Team Meyer did with our first "Close Reading" article (picture below).  Showing their thinking on an article was new for most of them, but after working with it together and in small groups I think it was a big success.  Learning about the History of Thanksgiving this way was definitely a learning adventure.  We will use articles more often within class to enhance learning.  This upcoming week we will be thinking about text structure again.  We will read mentor texts like The Bat Boy and Violin and Teammates.

Writing = This week we completed our "Save the Turkey" persuasive brochures.  I was impressed with the alternative options Team Meyer came up with instead of eating Turkey at Thanksgiving.  They were able to brainstorm reasons and evidence to support why pizza, ice-cream, lasagna, and many more would be a better option.  Be sure to check out their brochures that came home with them on Friday.  This upcoming week we will be continuing our Narrative unit looking at sensory details, transitions, voice, and dialogue in our writing.

Math =  On Monday and Tuesday, we will be working with our last lessons in Chapter 5.  They both involve solving multi-step word problems.  We will review on Wednesday and tentatively test over Chapter 5: Multiplying with two-digit numbers Thursday.  It may be pushed to Friday to review more after the long break during this chapter.  Please remember to review multiplication facts anywhere and everywhere with your child.

Spelling = Look for new spelling words to go home Monday and we will be testing on Friday.

Content = Social Studies - We will be wrapping up our Missouri Government chapter this upcoming week.  We will be thinking about what our government would look like without these rules and regulations.  Along with reviewing what we have learned so far.

Highlights of the Week

Plays of Week #15

Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Monday 11/24 = Last Day for Pennies for Portland 

**Please send in your change**

Tuesday 11/25 = Panther Pride Assembly and Big Event

Wednesday 11/26 - Friday 11/28 = No School

Reading = This week we are going to look at a non-fiction article about the "History of Thanksgiving."  We will be looking at the article as a whole and how readers think through a text with a great deal of information.  Some things we will be specifically looking for will be surprising info, questions we may have, new vocabulary, connections, and important evidence throughout.

Writing = We have been making some great progress within our narrative unit.  On Friday, we replaced "weak verbs" in our own writing with "strong verbs".  Check out the chart below that we brainstormed together to help us.  This week Team Meyer is going to do a mini-project to allow for some connections with the upcoming break.  They will complete a persuasive prompt imagining they are a turkey and Thanksgiving is approaching.  I can't wait to hear the claims, reasons, and, evidence they come up with tomorrow and Tuesday.

Math =  On Friday, we began to look at the Distributive Property and the Area Model in terms of two digit multiplied by two digit numbers.  We will work with this more tomorrow and continue to think about partial products on Tuesday.  The more Team Meyer can decompose and manipulate the numbers they are working with the more they can reflect on if their answers are reasonable or not.  We did another "Number Talk" last week (chart pictured below) that focused on using our landmark/friendly numbers with addition, but as we are learning in our current chapter we can do the same thing with multiplication.

Spelling = Since this is a short week (only Monday and Tuesday) we will not have a spelling list/test for this week.  Please be looking for words coming after Thanksgiving break.

Content = Social Studies - We will be continuing with the Bill of Rights.  Certain amendments we have looked at even closer than others (pictured below).  This week we will think about what our government would look like without these rules and regulations.

Highlights of the Week

Missouri Government is in full swing in Team Meyer

Mr. Greiner is beginning our exploration of Bullying.  Our first week we learned "R - I - P."  It is explained below.

 We are thinking of numbers in different ways within our "Number Talks".  This week's focus was Using Landmark and Friendly Numbers (finding the 10) to break apart numbers in a more efficient way.

 We were finally able to go outside after the harsh weather!

Plays of Week #14

Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Monday 11/17 = Chapter 4 Math Test and New spelling words get sent home

Tuesday 11/18 = Library Check-out

Thursday 11/20 = Chili Supper

Friday 11/21 = Spelling Test

Reading = We began our Unit #4 this past week where we are looking at the structure of stories we read: character, setting, and plot.  We looked at the books Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco and the Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane Auch.  This week we continue to look at the Princess and the Pizza as well as Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco.

Writing = Early this week we are going to wrap up our unit of looking at the six traits of writing.  What are the six traits? 1. Ideas 2. Organization 3.Voice 4. Conventions  5. Sentence Fluency and 6. Word Choice.  Then we will begin our next writing unit which will be a "Real Narrative"  which is a about a time in their life.

Math =  We reviewed at the end of last week and we will be testing over Chapter 4 on Monday.  Please have Team Meyer practice multiplication facts at home as well as look over the practice test we did on Friday.  On Tuesday, we will begin to turn our focus on Chapter 5 - Multiply with Two-digit Numbers.  We will be multiplying by 10s, estimating, using the distributive property and partial products with two-digit numbers.  This is a shorter chapter than the ones we have been working in lately so we will most likely be testing shortly after Thanksgiving break.

Spelling = New lists will be sent home on Monday and we plan on testing on Friday.

Content = Social Studies - Later last week, we began to look at Missouri's Government.  We thought about the three branches of government within it and compared it to the United States of America.  This week we will look at amendments, the Bill of Rights, and compare the government to the way our school and community works.

Highlights of the Week

Parkview Cares came for a visit on Thursday to help out with Team Portland and Team Meyer!  They were a huge help and were even related to our teammates :)

Ms. Dutton helped us think through Story Elements within our Reading Unit.  She helped us she the sequence in the Plot for our stories we are reading.

Plays of Week #13

Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Tuesday 11/11= Library Check-out and Field Trip to the Symphony

Thursday 11/13 = Tentative Math Test

Wear Green and Yellow for our visit from students from Parkview (our feeder school)

Friday 11/14 = Spelling Test

Reading = We are finishing up our unit 3 this week and beginning Unit 4 within our Reading: Analyzing Test Structure with fiction and Narrative Nonfiction.    We will explore text structure: character, setting, plot, and conflict.

Writing = This week we are wrapping up looking at our Mentor Writing piece.  I was impressed how well Team Meyer worked with ideas, organization, voice, and sentence fluency this past week.  We will begin this week with Word Choice and Conventions.  Then we will move to incorporating all the 6 Traits of Quality Writing in our own pieces.

Math = Within chapter 4 a large focus is on the Distributive Property of Multiplication.  There is a picture below of what we have been using to show our thinking.  This week we are working with the problem solving investigation and Multiplying Across Zeros.  Our plan is to Test over Chapter 4 Thursday (watch the assignment sheet for updates.).  We may move it to Friday if more review is needed.  Please continue to practice multiplication facts.

Spelling = New lists will be sent home on Monday and we plan on testing on Friday.

Content = Science/Ecology - On Monday, we will wrap up our Nature Unleashed unit.  In the spring we will take a field trip when we revisit these topics and travel to the Springfield Nature Center.  Later in the week, we will begin our Social Studies unit which focuses on Missouri Government.

Highlights of the Week

We are so happy to finally Officially Introduce our Newest Members of Team Meyer!  We are very lucky to have these three join us since the beginning of the year! :)

Working with graphic organizers for Organization of Ideas this week in Writing

Cursive Practice is in full swing for Team Meyer

The Distributive Property has been a huge focus this week in Math

Be sure to look over the newsletter that was sent home on Friday!  Donations begin on Monday so please send those pennies in!  Also, be sure to check out the bottom where Mr. Holt will have to do some fun activities when we raise the money.

Pictures were sent home on Friday!  Team Meyer looked great!

Adding some vocabulary after we finished reading Animal Senses.

We are impressed with our team members who finished Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

Plays of Week #12

Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Monday 11/3 = No School

Tuesday 11/4 = Library Check-out

Reading = Questioning within our reading is very important to make sense of what we are reading.  This week we are wrapping up the book Animal Senses by Pamela Hickman during whole group lessons.  We love how the book discusses  animals senses because it goes right along with our science.  The senses we are focusing on this week are smell, taste, and touch.

Writing = Comparing writing to a pizza!  We will continue to break down this analogy ans look at a mentor writing piece.  We will think about organization: having a strong beginning, middle, and end, voice: using emotion, sensory details, and figurative language, sentence fluency: using punctuation and thinking about sentence flow, and word choice.

Math = This week we are working with the final lessons of Chapter 4 and will most likely be testing around mid week next week.  We will be multiplying with regrouping, multiplying by a multi-digit number, multiplying across zeros, and problem solving.  As always be sure to practice multiplication facts at home to build confidence with any and all facts.

Spelling = New lists will be sent home on Tuesday (no school Monday) and we plan on testing on Friday.

Content = Science/Ecology - This past week in our Nature Unleashed program we received a visit from a Master Naturalist named Mr. Herman.  We learned so much about the specialized structures consumers have.  Please check out the pictures below to see the skulls Mr. Herman brought along with him.  This week we will be looking at how herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores interact in the ecosystems we have been studying (forests, ponds, and prairies).   

Highlights of the Week

We had several festive activities this week! 

 Thank you Mr. Holt!

 4th Grade received a visitor to learn about the specialized structures of teeth of consumers.  Mr. Herman (a naturalist) from the Missouri Conservation Department shared his knowledge with us and even brought his skull collection with us! The students learned so much!

Have you ever thought to compare quality writing to a Pizza?  Why not? :)

We are very proud of all the hard work this past quarter during Math Workshop