I took a few moments this week to stop teaching and just observe our students at work. These days there is a steady hum of students discussing, reading, writing and problem solving. They go to each other for help, to talk about a new development in a book or work in partnerships on a math problem. I am always so impressed with the level of independence and self-sufficiency that comes with spring. At this time of year, it seems like they really don’t need me much anymore. They have all grown in so many ways over the past seven months and it’s wonderful to see them working as a community and independently.
We are more than halfway through our Andrew Clements author study. Students are preparing and then meeting in their book discussion groups every few days.
We have also reviewed the organization of narrative and essay writing in preparation for the English Language Arts MCAS next week. The testing will be online on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please ensure that your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast both days. They should bring their regular snack and a water bottle that we can refill in the classroom. Thank you to the parents who are sending in “reinforcement” snacks to be handed out during testing. These extra snacks are very helpful to keep kids on track.
We are also wrapping up Unit 7 in math, but because of the MCAS testing, we will have to push off the test until next Friday, April 13th. We will complete the study guide in school.
This week I introduced the Invention Convention! A letter went home to parents today with a general overview and some important dates. Like the Living History Museum, much of the writing for the Invention Convention will be completed in school. Next week, there will be two homework assignments related to the Invention Convention. Think like an inventor and start looking around in your daily life for problems that need to be solved with a new invention!
Ask a Fourth Grader
* Do you have an idea for a new invention?
* What is happening in “The WIld Robot Escapes?” What do you predict will happen to her on the farm?
*What does “U.P.S. Check” stand for and how does it help you solve a math word problem?
We are more than halfway through our Andrew Clements author study. Students are preparing and then meeting in their book discussion groups every few days.
We have also reviewed the organization of narrative and essay writing in preparation for the English Language Arts MCAS next week. The testing will be online on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please ensure that your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast both days. They should bring their regular snack and a water bottle that we can refill in the classroom. Thank you to the parents who are sending in “reinforcement” snacks to be handed out during testing. These extra snacks are very helpful to keep kids on track.
We are also wrapping up Unit 7 in math, but because of the MCAS testing, we will have to push off the test until next Friday, April 13th. We will complete the study guide in school.
This week I introduced the Invention Convention! A letter went home to parents today with a general overview and some important dates. Like the Living History Museum, much of the writing for the Invention Convention will be completed in school. Next week, there will be two homework assignments related to the Invention Convention. Think like an inventor and start looking around in your daily life for problems that need to be solved with a new invention!
Ask a Fourth Grader
* Do you have an idea for a new invention?
* What is happening in “The WIld Robot Escapes?” What do you predict will happen to her on the farm?
*What does “U.P.S. Check” stand for and how does it help you solve a math word problem?