17

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Things to Know!

Carpool Helpers: Cora Coulbourn and Meredith Ford

Ambassadors: Maisie Nelson and Madison Rector

Christmas Gift Service Information

Gift Service at Reveille UMC Wed. Dec. 19, 9 a.m. Dismissal at St. Catherine's Immediately Following. Extended Day Students will go on the bus to St. Christopher's. Please make sure you have signed up for this at Extended Day if you plan on using their services.

January Community Service Class Project for Shepherd's Way Information

The girls are busy hustling and bustling to practice readings, dances, getting costumes and choreography for the Gift Service, but we still have a little time for the academics as well. 

We are just

as busy adding and subtracting like fractions and beginning to look at whole numbers and mixed numbers in fractional terms as well. For some it has been an eye opener to remember back to when looking at the whole number 1, and seeing that it can also be seen as the fraction 5/5 or 2/2 or 27/27. This has been a moment of great realization for some.

The classroom has been a virtual winter wonderland as students have been creating their frosty baggie wreaths for the holidays. 

Our Magazine Cover Illustrations and personal interviews are complete and ready to be shared next week with Mrs. McCallum's class.

 

We had a remarkable Personalized Learning Presentation by two of our very own classroom polar bears, Carter Torrence and Madeline Taliaferro. They presented information, a kahootit game and fascinated us with incredible researched information on polar bears, all done in full polar bear costume. It was sensational!

*There will be no homework this week. We will work on Spelling and Wordly Wise in class, but we will not test on these lessons.

   Rehearsal Schedule for The Gift Service

      Dismissal begins at St. Catherine's School directly after buses return to campus.

16

Another Snow Day!

Dear Girls,

It looks like we are in for another Snow Day! I will have some snow work for you and have taken homework off of the homework site today.

     We will be practicing a new poem that most of you are familiar with and we will be working on it in class as though it were a readers theater piece, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Please read it aloud two times. We will be practicing it daily in class and you will be assigned particular parts as soon as we are together again.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

     Create a fresh googledoc and title it First/Last Name WordlyWise 8

On the Document Page Title it with your Name in upper left hand corner date below: 12/11/18, Title in Middle and in Caps, Something about Adventure with Snow Day Friend, feel free to create your own title. Your story must have wonderful adjectives, please use some abstract nouns, and make sure the beginning, middle, and ending are strong. How long? Long enough for a good story... 3 fourth grade paragraphs sounds great, 2 if you are aching to go outside. Don't forget to add your pic from yesterday. Remember to do this last, as googledocs can be persnickety about adding photos. If you have problems click below photo to keep it from floating.

 
 Go to visit my friend at Math Antics and watch the video about like fractions. 

Mathantics Like Fractions

     Now, get a piece of paper and add 5 like fractions and subtract 5 like fractions for a total of 10 equations in all. If this is new and seems difficult, please do a couple of each. Bring to school tomorrow and we will put some on the smartboard and discuss them.

*Enrichment Activities: If you would like to do some invisible homework, please practice your 13s basic facts, read a newsela article and take a quiz, no summary, go on to spellingcity and quizlet to practice flashcards for spelling and vocabulary, matholia practice C with fraction games, or enjoy a good book.

     

In the Lane, Snow is Glistening!

Things to Know:

Carpool Helpers: Madeline Taliaferro and Ada Mathews 

Special Week Share: Clare Coleman

Ambassadors: Maisie Nelson and Madison Rector 

Big/Little Gathering: Tuesday, December 11, 8:30-9:10 for Holiday Poem and Craft

Christmas Gift Service Information

This was a whirlwind week! The girls earned their 25 compliments and we took a trip to the Cafe and purchased a few treats and watched a short video in celebration of their good manners and hard work!

We have been comparing fractions, finding missing numerators and denominators, putting fractions in order from greatest to smallest and smallest to  greatest. Students are becoming more adept at finding equivalent fractions and will have a quiz this Friday. We will be practicing all week in class. 

BigHugeLabs is a great site that the girls are using to create magazine covers for their collaborative

interviews with Mrs. McCallum's class. They will be completing  interviews and sharing them with their partners this week.


The girls have been watching papercut videos of a variety of fables on the smartboard. We are in the midst of preparing to choose one to retell and illustrate.

Friday, the girls truly surprised me with the most magnificent birthday party! It was such a wonderful day and they showed such great spirit, organization, and love. I was awestruck!

First official Snow Day, Monday, December 10th!

School Work: Enjoy your First Snow Day!

 Homework: No Homework today!

14

The Season of Cool Weather and Warm Hearts!

Things to Know:

Ambassadors: Ada Mathews and Lillie Mayer

Carpool Helpers: Kate Williams and Natalie Richards

Special Week Share: Meredith Ford

   *The girls have earned twenty-five compliments from Special and Classroom Teachers and I am very proud of them. They have agreed that they would like to go to the St. Catherine's Cafe 2020 this Tuesday and may bring $3.00 to spend. We will celebrate in the classroom and watch an episode of "Just Add Magic".*

We have begun to read our new classroom novel, Fish in a Tree, which is teaching the class that people are smart in so many different ways and that the impossible suddenly can become possible when a teacher is willing to help a student explore these possibilities.

The students in 4-C have been working with classmates to develop interviewing skills. We have recently partnered with Mrs. McCallum's class to interview students in her class and are in the process of creating posters of  students being interviewed as part of a collaborative project during personalized learning time.

Students have just begun taking a look at finding numerators and denominators in equivalent fractions and are enjoying searching and finding patterns in math.

A few students are finishing up Presidential Reports and others will be presenting theirs this week and next.

 

Our Outreach Project this week is to find gifts for a fifteen year old girl and we have done some good brainstorming in class. The girls came up with nail polish, costume jewelry, make up, a sweater, and so much more. Please know that these gifts and contributions are always greatly appreciated by Outreach and the children who receive these gifts during the Holidays!

13

Give Thanks

Things to Know:
Book Fair : November 28, 12-4 pm. Nov. 29, 8 a.m.-4p.m.  Nov. 30 8a.m.-4 p.m.
Our 4-C Book Fair Time is: Wednesday, November 28th, Please join us from 2:30-2:50 p.m in the Lower School Library
Classroom Ambassadors: Meredith Ford and Nicole Makris this week and next
We have no Carpool Helpers this Week!
Field Trip to St. Christopher's for the Fourthies Math Expo on Tuesday, November 20th We will be back to St. Catherine's before Lunch. Please wear Field Trip or Performance Attire. Please dress for the weather, as we are walking.
Monday is the last day to bring in canned goods for the St. Stephen's Food Pantry!
No Homework this Week!


ERBs went smoothly this week. The girls have shown confidence and focus throughout the testing sessions. We have one more test this coming Monday morning. Many thanks to the families who graciously volunteered to send in healthy snacks for the girls; the Bonnells, the Fords, the Spaldings, the Torrences, and the Mayers. The delicious treats cheered us on.

We have been invited to St. Christopher's to join the fourth grade boys in our yearly Math Expo. We will walk over to St. Chris in the morning or if there is inclement weather, we will take the school shuttle. There, we will play math games, share a snack, and then we will get back to St. Catherine's School before lunch. Please make sure that your daughter wears fieldtrip or performance attire, a warm jacket, hat and gloves. This should be great fun.

Most of the girls have completed their first research reports. They will be sharing information on their Presidents in oral presentations to the class when we get back from Thanksgiving Break.

There will be no homework until after the holiday!

Students are reviewing Unit 2 Math concepts in class on Monday and Tuesday. 

The girls have completed their novel study of Number the Stars and will begin a new novel, Fish in a Tree, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt after the break.  

  

12

Hurray for the Red, White, and Blue

Things to Know:

Monday, November 12, Veterans Day, is a regular school day.

Special Week Share: Monday, 11/12 Lillie Mayer 

Carpool Helpers: No Carpool Helpers from 4-C this week.
Class Ambassadors: Clare Coleman and Cora Coulbourn
How To Videos for Parents
Monday, November 12th Lower School students will have a Veteran's Day Chapel and have been invited to wear red, white, and blue. The girls may wear blue jeans.

ERB testing practice will take place this Monday and the girls will begin testing on Tuesday. No more than two tests are scheduled on a given day and there will be no homework this coming week. Good rest and a bite to eat in the morning is the best way you can prepare your daughter. The girls may bring in slippers or socks to wear on testing days for a little bit of extra comfort. Thank you for volunteering to send in snacks to cheer the girls on. They will be greatly appreciated. 

Monday 11/12	Tuesday 11/13	Wednesday	Thursday 11/15	Friday 11/16	Monday 11/19
		11/14
9:00-10:00	9:15-10:15	9:15-10:10	8:15-9:10	8:15-9:10	9:10-10:00
Practice Test	Auditory Comprehension	Math Part 1	Math Part 2	Quantitative Reasoning	Writing Concepts and Skills
		11:40-12:20	9:50-10:50	1:10-:1:55
		Verbal Reasoning	Writing Mechanics	Reading Comprehension	Make Up Tests 11/27,11/28

Students are enjoying their Storybird Writing Lab. They are using strong adjectives and challenging vocabulary to create a story about fall.This site allows students to choose from a variety of incredible illustrations to serve as a background for their creations. Ask your daughter about her story.


The girls continue to show insight and development of the math concepts being taught. We are practicing daily in our journals on double digit multiplication, long division, and bar model word problems. This is giving students a good foundation and lots of practice using basic math facts. The more proficient the girls are with their basic facts, the easier it is for them to use them when working on more complex math concepts.

Students have completed their nonfiction book report study and you can find these colorful fact packed creations on the bulletin board outside the classroom.

11

Celebrating Thankfulness





Things to Know:
Special Week Share: Next Monday, 11/12 Lillie Mayer 
Carpool Helpers: Victoria Carter, Betsy Spalding, and Carter Torrence 
Class Ambassadors: Victoria Carter and Courtney Carter

We started off last Monday by celebrating our Big Sisters. We hosted a read-in at the 4-C classroom with our eighth grade buddies. I read aloud The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, retold by Tomie de Paola. The girls discussed their "dream visions," things that they are interested in accomplishing in their lifetimes. We ended our time together by designing beautiful bookmarks.

Wednesday was a blast. We began the morning having a wrap the mummy contest, which the girls really enjoyed. In the afternoon, we shared in the joy of creating Halloween crafts and sharing a delicious snack. Great fun was had by all.

Students are investigating how to estimate division problems and have been thoughtful about following the appropriate steps to get accurate answers to long division problems. The magic is in following the steps consistently.

The girls have begun their nonfiction book report watercolor poster and will be writing down ten facts to place on their posters this week. Students will be enjoying reading for pleasure during the months of November and December. In December students will be reading and discussing fables in class and will have an assignment to work on in class only.

Fall Book Fair for 4-C will be on Wednesday, November 28th. Please feel free to join our class in the Lower School Library from 2:30 - 2:50 p.m. You will receive a reminder closer to the event.

10

Autumn Days and Halloween Night

Things to Know:

Special Week Share:  Ada Mathews Monday, 10-29-18

Carpool Helper: Campbell Taylor
Class Ambassadors: Parker Birdsey Emmie Bonnell
Details for Wordly Wise Dress Up Day on Halloween, October 31st.  Wordly Wise Dress Up

Last Friday was the last day of the First Quarter of School. Please have your girls clean out their backpacks and tidy their binders to get ready for this new quarter.

Wednesday, afternoon on October 31st, the Fourthies will celebrate with Halloween crafts and snacks. Fourthies may come to school dressed as  a Wordly Wise Word, but may bring a change of clothes if they like. We will be starting the fun at 2 p.m. The girls will celebrate with Halloween crafts, games and snacks.

In mathematics, the girls have enjoyed the learning and working with the traditional double digit multiplication algorithm and will continue to practice daily. These girls have become experts in single digit multiplication!

Innovations Day, last Thursday, was a wonderful experience and also an eye-opener about adaptive P.E. Students expressed how enjoyable the Sportable activities the Sportable team set up in stations. The girls understood and expressed how important these activities are in making sure that everyone has an opportunity to share in athletics. The girls showed much compassion for the many different physical challenges people deal with on a daily basis. Ask your daughter about the amazing time she had. You can view and explore the Sportable Website here.  

Students are immersing themselves in the early 2000's on the History 4 Fourthies website and will be reading about the impact of severe weather during Hurricane Katrina. They will be using bighugelabs to create a magazine cover of their presidents.

They are learning and sharing many marvelous facts about their presidents and continue to develop their research reports. 

The girls will be creating a watercolor fact poster for their 2nd Book Report Project on  a non-fiction book. 

9

Things to Know:
Thursday, October 25th is a Late Start Day for Lower School.
Special Week Share: Natalie Richards Monday, October 22nd
Carpool Helpers: No Class Carpool Helpers this Week
Class Ambassadors: Carter Torrence and Kate Williams
Details for Wordly Wise Dress Up Day on Halloween, October 31st.  Wordly Wise Dress Up


Students will be completing their classroom novel study on All of a Kind Family this week. The novel will be summarized and questions answered on Thursday. We will begin our next novel, Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry. This historical novel centers around Annemarie Johansen, who lives in Copenhagen in 1943. She and her family help Annemarie's Jewish friend, Ellen, and her family escape from Denmark.

Most of the girls have created and edited their Halloween stories. We are placing them on the bulletin board outside the classroom, along with our fall tree geometry and art project.

In mathematics, we continue working on rounding large numbers and estimating for both addition and subtraction. Estimation is a great way for students to see if they have enough money to purchase more than one item. This is one of the skills that can make life easier with a little practice.

The girls did a superb job presenting their chapel last Wednesday. Here is the Link if you would like to view the 4-C Chapel on Sharing our Gifts.

8

Sharing our Gifts

Things to Know:

Fall Conference Sign Up

Special Week Share Natalie Richards, Mon. October 22nd

Class Ambassadors: Madeline Taliaferro and Campbell Taylor

Carpool Helper: Clare Coleman

The girls are practicing rounding to the nearest hundreds and thousands in mathematics. They continue to work with large numbers adding and subtracting. Students are multiplying very large numbers by 10s and 100s and reviewing multiples and factors. The girls will be receiving a Greg Tang Halloween Math Challenge that is a fun but optional enrichment challenge activity. It is due October 31st.

The 4-C girls have been very busy putting forth creative effort to create a wonderful chapel on the gifts each of us have to share. The 4-C chapel has been rescheduled for this coming Wednesday, October 17th, at 8:30 a.m. in the Lower School Assembly Room. We look forward to seeing you there. If you are unable to attend, you will be able to view it on next week's blog.

We will be designing and setting up for our upcoming book report activity. Books should be completed and notes will need to be turned in by October 30th. 

Students will be excited to begin our Halloween Writing Lab and create a spooky or not so spooky story!

The girls will be dressing up for Halloween!  They may choose a word from their Wordly Wise Lists 1-5, and dress up as that word. This is a fourth grade privilege, as this is the only grade that may dress up. Here is more detailed information on Wordly Wise Dress Up. 

7

For This is the Fall of the Year

Things to Know:

No School Monday, October 8th

4-C Class Chapel

 "Sharing Our Gifts" will be on Friday, October 12th 

in the LSAR at 8:15 a.m.

Science Atom Project due: Friday, October 12th

Fall Conference Sign Up

Special Week Share Natalie Richards, Monday, October 22nd

Class Ambassadors: Tuesday, October 9-12 Natalie Richards and Betsy Spalding

Carpool Helpers: Madison Rector, Nicole Makris, and Maisie Nelson 

Students will be completing their book report projects this coming week on their fiction books and sharing them with the class.

The girls will begin a new unit in Singapore Math this week, after we have reviewed the Unit 1 Assessments in class. They will be adding and subtracting using a variety of algorithms; finding unknown numbers; using mentalcalculations;

adding and subtracting large numbers; estimating in addition and subtraction; and continuing to solve multi-faceted word problems.

We learned about the different Branches of Government and practiced our skills on determining what tasks are performed by the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches. Ask your daughter to play the game with you and test your ability.

Branches of Government Game

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/branches_government.htm

6

A Little Help for Our Friends

Things to Know:

Blessing of the Animals: Monday 10-1 on the Green at 8:15 a.m.

Fall Conference Sign Up

Special Week Share Please sign up for a time to bring in your Special Week Poster. Emmie Bonnell

Science Atom Project due: Friday, October 12th (Project guidelines in Student Science Binders)

Class Ambassadors: Monday, October 1st-5th Maisie Nelson and Madison Rector

Carpool Helper: Lillie Mayer 
Parent Tutorials are under Pages. 

We will begin our first Outreach Project collecting items for animals in need. There are many ways to assist these creatures great and small. You will receive a note home about this project.

The girls have completed their Swim Unit in P.E. and had great fun this past Friday celebrating with a Free Swim Day!

In Mathematics, we continue to work on Order of Operations using GEMS. The girls will be working diligently on word problems and Bar models this week to complete our Unit 1 Review. Keep up the good work practicing basic multiplication and division skills.

Our completed writing lab on Mystery Fourthies is on the Bulletin Board outside the classroom. Students walking by have been reading information about the girls and are putting their heads together to figure out each of the "Mystery" Fourthies.

Thursday 4-C hosted Eighth Graders in our classroom for Ice Breakers and a paper roll owl craft

which was enjoyed by all. It is nice to see how our younger girls so easily make connections with the older girls and enjoy being together.

Students continue to work on their Presidential Research Projects and are collecting information about their presidents' early years.