McFarland-Mayberry-Begley Bulletin
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Reading Workshop
This week, we started working toward a significant reading goal of staying accountable to the text by using details from a text to support an idea. Our ideas revolved around our first read aloud, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. The Begleys used the idea, “Peter is polite,” and the McFarlands’ idea was, “Peter is helpful.” Table groups then brainstormed specific parts of the story that show Peter’s character traits of polite or helpful. We used a graphic organizer in the boxes and bullets structure to write about the ideas and supporting details. We’ll use this structure to organize our thinking all year long for a number of projects. I also made copies of a chart for each child to tape into their reading notebooks, explaining what it means to be accountable to the text. On the chart, I including sentence starters, such as, “I know this because…” “One part [or, another part] of the story that shows…” “The author says…” This kind of thinking will be practiced through the year and will be applied to many reading responses, projects, and even literary essays much late this year!
Writing Workshop
The students are right in the middle of the final drafts of their narratives! Next week, we will finish those up, and I’ll assess the stories according to the 4th grade Narrative Rubric. We used the 4th grade Narrative Checklist, a shorter version of the rubric, to help us to decide what to revise. I’m excited to read the strongest stories our writers have written to date! Next up: ESSAYS!
Math
This week, it was all about geometry! Students learned about the following: points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles. They also learned how to label and name these geometric figures. In addition, we covered how to find the perimeter of a rectangle.
We will soon be moving into the second unit of Everyday Math 4. This unit will cover multiplication in a big way. Please continue to support your child by practicing basic math facts at home. We have used this site (http://goo.gl/GTe6fl ) in class, and I encourage students to use it at home as well. The settings in the upper left hand corner can be set for level and time. In addition, a little further down on the left students can select the operation they need to work on. Please encourage your child to focus on basic subtraction and multiplication facts. Using this site does qualify toward their weekly requirement for fact practice.
Spelling
This week students explored patterns for the /s/ sound. We learned /s/ can be spelled s, ss, sc, ci, ce, and cy. Due to the short week (and next week’s short week), I am not starting a new unit on Tuesday. There will be no spelling homework next week. The unit review for unit 4 will be given next Friday.
Theme
This week students learned about different types of fossils and how they are formed.
We watched two videos and read an article in National Geographic Explorer. Students also learned about how ice core samples, like fossils, can help us learn about events that happened in the past. Students have been exploring the idea that the deeper the layer/fossil, the older it is (unless plate tectonics have raised the crust).
Please save the date! We will hold our play, “Geology Rocks!” on Wednesday evening, October 21st, in the GMS gym. The Mayberrys will perform at 6pm, the Begleys at 6:30pm, and the McFarlands at 7:00pm. Students need to memorize all lines by October 16th.
I didn’t hear from any costume volunteers, so I’m counting on parents to help their own child pull together a costume. Below are the roles and what we’ve decided that character should wear.
Student 1, 2, Rosie, and Jenn: normal school clothes
Sherlock Holmes: trench coat, detective hat
Watson: vest or suit coat, shirt, and slacks
Volcanoes: red top, black bottoms
Ferns: green top, tan or khaki bottoms
Earth: green and blue (If someone wants to get creative, you could cut out continents from green felt/fabric and glue to a blue shirt.)
Seashore: blue outfit (possibly flowy like waves)
Valley: green outfit
Canyon: tan/neutral outfit
Mountains: gray top / black bottom
Sedimentary: top w/ stripes in neutrals, reds, oranges, or yellows
Metamorphic: gray top
Igneous: black top
Professor Rock: button down and pants (I have my lab coat to lend)
Due Dates / Upcoming Events:
Monday, October 12th - No School - Columbus Day
Tuesday, October 13th - Reading logs, Home link, and Planner sheet due / Newspaper and Chorus after school
Wednesday, September 14th - Full Day
Thursday, October 15th - Color Guard 3:00-4:00pm
Friday, October 16th - Home link due
Wednesday evening, October 21st - The McFarland, Mayberry, Begley team presents “Geology Rocks!”
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