Lynn Leighton's Newsletter 1.27.12
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- Category: Fourth
- Published on Friday, 27 January 2012 15:21
- Written by Lynn_Leighton
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4th Grade News
Lynn Leighton’s Class
January 27th, 2012
The highlight of this week was the sharing students did of their Independent Projects. During Personal Reading time many students have chosen a topic of interest, read about it, and our putting together a classroom presentation where they share their expertise. This week we have enjoyed a presentation on Basset Hounds by Madel, Coco Channel by Maya, Sharks by Courtney, and Bird Wildlife by Nikita.
Another one of the highlights of the week was watching our classmates participate in skits at School Sing. Alexandra was adorably funny dressed as Fred the Gecko, our school mascot, in a grass skirt & lei hoola dancing and encouraging everyone to join in our next School Spirit Day. Maya and Alexandra also did a fantastic job making a public announcement about a project that the 4th Grade Garden Program did this year collecting money to help Vermont farmers after Hurricane Irene. We raised $131.07 to send to the Vermont Farmer Emergency Fund!
Again everyone really enjoyed their Winter Sports activities and returned back to school bubbling with excitement. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately each Wednesday for the activity they are participating in.
Upcoming events:
- Thursday, February 2nd: Green Street School’s Spirit Day
Hawaiian Day!
Come to school dressed in Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts, leis….
Social Curriculum:
Green Street School is placing a school- wide focus on the concept: RESPECT. The staff is looking for examples of respect as well as safe and responsible behaviors to award with Bug-gets. Come see Green Street School’s gumball machines where students have been receiving sticker for their respectful behavior in the main lobby!
This week we began working on “BILL #3, which states:
We will have a QUIET Classroom.
We will especially work on having a QUIET classroom environment during:
- Morning Work Time
- Snack
- Lunch
Last week Melissa Johnson and Tamara Evanson, school counselors, visited our classroom and worked with us in the area of social skills. We brainstormed ideas about what makes a good friend and then assessed our friendship skills.
Literacy:
During Shared Literacy time I continue using the Good Habits Great Readers curriculum to teach your child reading & comprehension strategies. This week the children continued learning to understand how stories work. Using the story The Renaissance Kids children began examining how characters change over time and what caused them to change.
This week we continued both Word Study Lessons & Guided Reading Groups! During our Word Study Lessons and Guided Reading Groups your child is working in a small group with one of the 4th Grade teachers. Teachers include: Lynn Leighton, Ms. Shifflette, Ms. Superchi, and Ms. Fremeth/Ms. Broom/Raquel Moreno. Ask your child who they are working with and what they are learning and reading.
In Writers Workshop we continued working in our writing unit: Writing a Procedure. This week children worked on developing a materials list and wrote the sequenced steps of their procedure. We worked hard at adding specific details and personal advice to our writing.
Everyone continues to be mesmerized by our read aloud story, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C.S Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best-known book of the series.
Math:
This week we continued to work in our Math unit called Size, Shape, and Symmetry. During this geometry unit your child will be learning about polygons, measuring angles, and finding area. This week students began working on describing and measuring angles. The students used Power Polygons, a Math manipulative, to make right angles. They compared the measure of acute angles to right angle and used what they know about 90 degrees to determine the measure of these angles.
We looked at 30, 45, and 60 degree angles.
Please continue helping your child learn the basic multiplication facts 1 – 12.
Science Unit: Force & Motion:
In December we began a science unit on Force & Motion. During this unit your child has been learning about the physical science concepts of force, motion, friction, and gravity. This week your child continued to be involved in a hands-on experiment/simulation titled Sled Pull. Sled Pull is a 4th Grade NECAP Science Released Task where the children conducted an experiment using science process skills. In Sled Pull the children measured the force needed to pull a container (the sled) and then added weights to the container and observed the change in force. Everyone enjoyed the experiment and did a great job making scientific predictions, collecting date, using data to analyze their results, and applying what they learned to concepts about force and motion.
Health Unit: Immune System:
This week in Health we read a series of article about staying healthy and developing healthy habits. Each child created a pamphlet for younger children to inform them about everything they should know about germs. Their pamphlets addressed what is a communicable -disease, types of germs and illnesses they cause, and how people can protect themselves from germs and stop the spread of germs. We are looking forward to sharing these area Pediatricians.
Next week we will be learning about the Immune System and playing Immune System vocabulary BINGO.
Woods Time:
Just a reminder that we will be continuing going to the woods each Friday for a special recess where children have the opportunity to play creatively in a natural setting. It is important that your child comes prepared to school on Fridays to hike and play in the woods. Once there is snow, each child must bring a warm coat, snow pants, boots, hats & gloves in order to participate.
Homework Schedule:
Monday Night- Literacy
Tuesday Night- Math
Wednesday Night - Math
Thursday Night - Writing
Friday Night- Newsletter & Parent Communication Page
* Each Night: 15 Minutes Personal Reading
5-10 Minutes Practicing Multiplication Facts
Special’s Schedule:
Monday- Art, Library (return books), & Band (instruments needed)
Tuesday- PE (sneakers needed)
Wednesday- Music
Thursday- Sing
Instrument Lessons (instruments needed)
Friday- Woods Time (dress for hiking & being in the woods)
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I can be reached at Green Street School: 254- 3737 ext. 120.