Lynn Leighton's Newsletter 2.3.12

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Category: Fourth

Published on Friday, 03 February 2012 13:17

Written by Lynn_Leighton

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4th Grade News

                                                        Lynn Leighton’s Class

                                                                     February 3, 2012

One of the highlights of this week was having 4 Winds last Friday. In this workshop Rachel, Alexandra’s mom, continued teaching us about adaptations as we learned about teeth and skulls. Everyone really enjoyed looking carefully at a “mystery skull” observing its traits. Each group answered a variety of questions about their skull; ie: number of teeth, types of teeth, length of skull, positioning of eye sockets… and presented their skulls to their classmates. Everyone did a great job identifying what animal the skull came from. A special thank you to Sarah A, Sarah G, and Nikita for performing this month’s 4 Winds puppet show.

Another 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 presentations on Cesar by Sarah A, Snakes by Chris, Ghosts by Danaysa, and Horses by Tiffany.

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.

Next week will be the last week of Winter Sports.

Upcoming events:

No School: February 20 -24^th Winter Break

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

   This week Melissa Johnson and Tamara Evanson, school counselors, visited our classroom and worked with us in the area of social skills. We worked on an activity called “It Takes Courage” where children thought about what they can do when they witness others who are not acting in a safe, respectful, or responsible manner.

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 4^th 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 putting together all the parts of a Procedure; opening, materials list, steps, closing and worked on creating a final copy of the procedure they wrote about. We are now working on a second Procedure piece where each child is working in an independent manner.

   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 continued working on describing and measuring angles. The students used Power Polygons, a Math manipulative, to measure and build angles of 60, 120, and 150 degrees. We also began working on finding area by building a symmetrical design using triangles, trapezoids, hexagons, and rhombuses. The children then measured the area of their designs using triangle as the unit of measurement. Everyone has been really enjoying creating a book titled, Angles Everywhere where they are creating pictures of everyday objects that have right, acute, and obtuse angles.

Please continue helping your child learn the basic multiplication facts 1 – 12.

Abenaki Studies:

This week we began a Social Studies/History unit on Abenaki Indaians. During this unit of study your child will be learning about the pre-history of Vermont, the Abenaki culture during contact, and present day Abenaki life. This week we began our studies with a classroom simulation where the children entered our imaginary classroom wigwam. In the wigwam they participated in a variety of Native American chants, songs, poetry, and legends. Everyone really enjoyed listening to Abenaki music while they silently looked at a series of photographs depicting Abenaki life. Later in the week we read Knots On A Counting Rope, a Navaho story that introduced the Naming Ceremony. Each child picked their own Native American name that we will use throughout our studies. Ask your child what name they chose.

   On Friday we began reading Finding Ones Way, which is the story of an Abenaki child living currently in the Swanton/Highgate area of Vermont.

Health Unit: Immune System:

This week in Health we reviewed inherited traits verses learned traits. The children enjoyed playing a game called Stand Up/Sit Down where they were given a trait and decided whether it was inherited or learned. We also read an article together about the Immune System and played BINGO with all the new vocabulary from the article. Next week we will continue learning about how the Immune System works.

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

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