Winter Break has ARRIVED!!!

I am oh so thankful for this amazing class and their

sweet families!

We had such a fun party! 

Here are some of the brave volunteers 

that came to help us celebrate!!

We are so cool, that we were the only class with LIVE music!!!

Thanks for a super fun 1st semester and 

THANK YOU for the incredibly generous gifts!

I don't deserve all the love!

Have a glorious break with your families - enjoy every minute.

Julie

Multiplication in Math

Hello Families!

I wanted to send you an update on how we are doing with 

multiplying BIG numbers in math.

This is such a big skill and an important one to master!

We have introduced 3 methods for multiplying:

• Traditional Method (the way you and I learned!)
• Partial Products Method
• Lattice Method (taught in 3rd grade - most comfortable method for many)

Your child may use ANY METHOD they prefer.  

Here are some tips for each method...

Here is how partial products works:

49 X 32 =

40X30 = 1200 

40X2 = 80

9X30 = 270

9X2 = 18

Add these products together to get...1568

As for lattice....there are boxes and lines involved.

IF your child is able to draw these lines and boxes carefully and independently, 

that may be a good method for him/her.

I will send home a "cheat sheet" of each method today.

Please consider having a talk with your child about the method they prefer.

From this point forward, I will not require your child to use a particular

method -- they get to choose!

Thank you for your help!

I Am Thankful....

I Am Thankful for.....

Sydnee's desire to always improve.

Austin's enthusiasm for all things.

Josh's stories about his brothers.

Amber's friendliness.

Sylas's deep knowledge on all subjects.

Harper's fun conversations.

Lauren's quiet kindness and sensitivity.

Benjamin's laid back attitude.

Marcellus's return to our class!!!

Delaney's artistic talent.

Jackson's desire to please.

Maile's sweet smiles.

Josie's creativity.

Anna's motivation to do it well!

Gavin's shy playfulness.

Rosie's leadership skills.

Landon's desire to be helpful.

Sophie's attention to detail.

Nick's encouragement of others.

Will's balance of work and play!

Addie's constant positivity.

Erin's listening and learning skills.

Cohen's sense of humor.

So Thankful for this amazing group of kiddos!

We have so much fun learning, each and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Electric Circuits

Experimenting with Electric Circuits is always a favorite in fourth grade science!

Ask your child what they learned about:

Open and Closed Circuits

Conductors and Insulators

The Flow of Electricity

Parallel and Series Circuits

So.  Much.  Fun. Learning!!!!!

Important Reminders!

BIG Dates Coming Up:

• Fri.,      November 4:     Blue and Gold Spirit Day
• Tues.,   November 8:     Math Test
• Wed.,   November 9:     Veteran's Day Program for 4th Grade and 4th/5th Grade Choir
• Must wear Khakis and Choir shirt to school.
• Thurs., November 10:   4th and 5th grade Choir Field Trip:  10:00-1:30
• Must wear Khakis and Choir shirt to school.
• Mon., November 21:      Books MUST be finished for book report!!!!!
• WE will work on the reports in class!  You just need to make sure your child has finished the book!
• Wed.-Fri. 11/23-25:       Thanksgiving Break!  ENJOY!!!

Things are getting BUSY around here!!

Things to ask your child:

Have you turned in your reading contract for the big Book Report Project???

Have you reached a half way point in your book?

Do you need help with your math study guide?

What skills do you need to practice for the BIG math test on Tuesday?

Please let me know if I can help in any way!!!

1st Quarter Report

We have officially wrapped up the 1st quarter of 4th grade!

Here are some of the great highlights of learning:

• We worked through the first 3 units of math covering:  Geometric Figures, Numbers and organizing data, Multiplication and Division

• We completed a Writing Unit on Realistic Fiction!  Those books have been graded and are coming home today!  Enjoy!!
• We said "Good-bye" to traditional spelling to focus on learning the Morphology, parts, of words.  This will give us the tools we need to spell more accurately and learn the meanings of words at the same time.  

• We worked through the first 2 units of reading covering:  previewing and predicting text, monitoring and clarifying our understanding, making connections and determining main idea and details.
• We learned about the early settlers of Indiana and worked on our map skills in Social Studies.
• We have just started an exploration of magnets in science.

Here are some pictures of our most recent science exploration, 

where we measured the strength of the attraction between 2 magnets.

Most Importantly.....we have become a TEAM.

We work together, we have a class motto that is, "Lead with Kindness".

We love reading our book, Wonder after recess and talking about kindness, acceptance, friendship and making good choices.

We have established great routines and 

make the most out of each and every day!

Your child's report card will be available to you via MYCCS on Friday.

Have a wonderful Fall Break (Friday, 10/14-Monday 10/17).

We will be back together again on Tuesday!

Weekly Update!

This week FLEW by!!!!

We started Unit 2 in reading.  

You should have seen the Unit 1 tests come home

this week.

We will spend 4 weeks in Unit 2 working on 

reading strategies.  This week we started with analyzing character.

My favorite time of the day is read aloud time.  

We love getting LOST in a book together.

We just finished Flora and Ulysses by Kate Dicamillo

Everyone was so sad to finish that awesome book.

We are now starting the book Wonder.  

It is an amazing book about friendship and acceptance.  

It is about standing up for others!  

It is a tear-jerker, for sure!

I have encouraged your kids to dig into a great novel.

We will have a book celebration at the end of this unit (Oct. 17)

Your child will need to have finished a full novel by then, so he/she

can make an awesome project that will tell the class all about his/her book.

We are moving into multiplication and long division in math.  

These are BIG BIG BIG skills!

And......science starts next week!

We will take a break from Social Studies and work on Science for a bit.

Up first....magnets!!!!

Have a great weekend!

Social Studies

We are working in small groups to create posters and artifacts that 

represent the first people to settle in Indiana.

Here you see students synergizing to create posters.

They did the research.

They shared the jobs.

They created the posters.

Next....

They will create an artifact.

They will present to the class!!!!

Stay Tuned!

Update from Room 16!!

Hi Parents!

We have been BUSY!  

We are wrapping up our first reading unit in REACH and are trying out something new this year.  We are calling it:  Week 5.  Exciting, right?  Here is what we are planning on doing during language arts:

During reading, students are selecting a "just right book" to begin on Monday and read during class. We will apply our comprehension strategies, from Unit 1 REACH, with that book and other mentor texts.  Some of the strategies are making predictions, point of view, author's purpose and plot. I will be able to conference independently with your child to check-in throughout the week. I can't wait to see what their preference is!

For word study, we will take a break from REACH spelling lists, but will reintroduce our OG prefix and suffixes that kids have worked on in previous grades.  There will NOT be any turn in homework, but we will send home a list to work on memorizing the beginnings/endings. We have a graded activity at the end of next week to check their mastery.  We will also work on LOTS of grammar topics like types of sentences, relative pronouns, and compound subjects.

In math, we are going to be wrapping up Unit 2.  We are projecting our test date to be Tuesday, September 20th.  Study guide will be worked on next Friday, 9/16.

Students are wrapping up our first two chapters of Indiana history with a Native American project. Students will begin working in groups to focus on one Indiana tribe.  Each group will make a visual representation of the tribe, a poster, and present to the class.  Any additional support with research next week would be TERRIFIC!

Enjoy the weekend!

Reading Groups

We have started our BOOK CLUB!

Every 2 weeks, your child will be assigned a book that is "Just Right" for them.

We will read the book in class and discuss as we go.

For now, all groups are staying in their homeroom....but before long, 

we will be traveling to different 4th grade classrooms, 

depending on which book we are reading!

Your child will need to finish the book in 2 weeks, which means they may

need to do some reading at home.  IF they do not finish the reading in class,

it will become part of their homework at night!

Here we are....of to a GREAT start!

I wish you could hear some of their BRILLIANT discussions!

Math Test on Friday!

Your 4th grader (if they are taking 4th grade math) will have a 

MATH TEST

on Friday!

I have sent them home with these items to help you as you study with them!

• A study guide!  We started it in class and I was able to work with almost all of the students to go over correct answers.  IF you have an area that you and your child are unsure of, send me a note tomorrow!!!  We will talk about all "problem areas" tomorrow in class!
• A Student Reference book!  This test covers quite a bit of new vocabulary!  If you and your child do not know what a "concave polygon" or "Concentric circles" are....you can look it up in the Student Reference book!
• Exit Slips!  As we complete each lesson, each day, we do an exit slip.  It shows me that they understand the big skill for that day.  Go over these skills with your child and make sure they understand them!

Thank you for working with your child.  

They are learning how to study and prepare for tests 

and they need your help!

Feel free to send in notes, emails, questions, comments and concerns!

Thank you!

Julie

Week 2.....A GREAT Success!

We have had a wonderful week!

Here are some of the highlights....

MATH:

Completed MAP testing for math.

Learned about polygons, quadrilaterals, lines, segments, rays and parallel lines in math.

We even used a compass to create a circle.

Social Studies:

Learned a lot about the State of Indiana.

Worked on building a map of Indiana.  

Read about the landforms in Indiana.

Reading:

Our BIG questions for the next 3 weeks is:  "How Important are Traditions?"

We read about different cultures and their traditions.

We worked on previewing text and making predictions.

We worked on answering questions about text by restating the questions and 

using "Evidence STEMS".

Writing:

We have not yet started out unit on Realistic Fiction...next week! 

\Word Work:

Most of your kiddos did a fantastic job on the spelling test!  

If your child struggled, call me and we can talk about how I can help!!

Super Duper job keeping up with homework this week!  Almost everyone earned their PAT time this Friday!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Grades will be posted....as soon as I finish this BLOG!

Body Safety Program for 4th Grade

Carmel Elementary is partnering again this year with Chaucie’s Place, a child advocacy organization in Hamilton County, to bring Smart Steps™:  A Body Safety Program for Children to our Kindergarten, 2^nd and 4^th grade students.  Smart Steps™ is a child sexual abuse prevention and education program that empowers your child to say “NO!” to any unwanted touches that make them uncomfortable from anyone.   Carmel Elementary’s program is scheduled to take place on November 10^th during the school day.

We invite you to attend a Chaucie’s Place Parent Night to learn more about the Smart Steps™ program. Towne Meadow Elementary will be hosting from 6:30-7:30 pm on Tuesday, September 13^th and Cherry Tree will be hosting on Thursday, September 29th from 6:30pm-7:30pm and.   These meetings are open to all parents and/or guardians of Kindergarten, 2^nd and 4^th grade students.  Please be advised that Parent Night is not open to children.  To learn more about Chaucie’s Place visit: www.chauciesplace.org.

MAP Testing!!!!

We will be taking the NWEA Math test this Wednesday and Thursday.

We will take the Language Arts portion next Wednesday and Thursday!

Enjoy your weekend!!!!

I feel like I won the lottery with these kids! They are pretty awesome!! 

S.T.E.M. Activities....building Teamwork!!!

We have been getting to know one another by participating in 

some super fun STEM activities.

These activities incorporate 

Science

Technology

Engineering

Mathematics

into group projects!

We first talked about the best way to work as a group...

Then we went to work!

Our first challenge....

to build a bridge using

• clothespins
• binder clips
• popsicle sticks

Here is what our groups did....

We communicated, we cooperated, we negotiated and we created!!!

Such FUN!!

Another Year....a Great Group!

Welcome to 4th Grade!  

We are off to such a great start!

I was thrilled to meet almost all of you at the Ice Cream Social last night!

Your kids all came in with smiles and ready to go!

Here are some first day pictures for you!

How lucky am I to work with these smiling faces every day?

Pretty lucky!