Day at the Museum

 Hello again!  We had another busy week here in Room 11!  In ELA this week we worked on Paired Passage essays in preparation for our New York State Test in a few weeks.  We went over the elements and layout of a paired passage essay and wrote one together.  Then, students worked independently on another.  I was so impressed with how the kiddos did drawing conclusions and backing them up with supportive details from two texts.  We also continued to read Save Me a Seat this week.  We worked on making and adjusting predictions while reading, as well as making personal connections to the text.  We are LOVING this book and the kiddos are always begging to keep reading!!

In Social Studies this week students finished and presented their New Netherland ads.  We had some very entertaining and persuasive commercials made!

In Science we reviewed a third grade topic, life cycles.  Students read about the life cycles of bullfrogs, bean plants and bluebirds and created models of them.  Then they used these models to draw conclusions and support claims.

We also had a visit from Mrs. Iannotti's tortoises, Wolverine and Climber, this week!  She taught the kiddos about tortoises and they got to pet them and observe them up close!  Thanks so much to Mrs. Iannotti for bringing them in for us!

We had our field trip to the New York State Museum this week.  We had an awesome time seeing so many exhibits that relate to our Social Studies curriculum!  Students got to participate in a program where they got to see lots of Haudenosaunee artifacts that the museum has.

As you can see we had an awesome week here in fourth grade!  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Here are some photos from our week:

Spring?

 Hello and Happy Spring!  We had a busy week here in Room 11!  In ELA this week we focused on nonfiction text structures.  We started by defining the 5 types of text structures used in nonfiction texts: Description, Problem and Solution, Sequence, Cause and Effect and Compare/Contrast.  We discussed how different texts about the same topic can have different text structures depending on the author's purpose for writing the text.  We also identified key words that may be found in each text structure.  We read 5 short passages about sloths and identified the text structure and compared it to the author's purpose.  Then, students read 5 different passages about video games and worked to identify the text structures.  We also continued to read Save Me a Seat this week.  We discussed how our perception of the characters is changing as we read more and more of this novel.  We also discussed how events in the text affected the characters differently depending on their perspective and prior experiences.

In Social Studies this week students worked on their New Netherland ad project.  They pretended that they were the Dutch West India Company, but with modern technology, and created ads to convince Europeans to move to New Netherland.  They had to identify the audience and provide at least 3 persuasive reasons in their advertisement.

In Science this week students wrapped up their unit on Motion Energy by completing an escape room using all they have learned.

As you can see we had a great week in fourth grade!  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

A few reminders:

• Our Field Trip to the New York State Museum is on Thursday, March 30th.  Students will need a brown bag lunch for this trip.
• Friday, March 31st is Ball Cap & Sports Jersey Day as well as Popcorn Day during lunch.

Happy Saint Patrick´s Day!

 Hello again!  I hope everyone had a wonderful, snowy week!  We had a great week here in Room 11!  In ELA this week we continued to focus on theme.  We read short stories in groups and worked to identify how the main characters changed throughout the story and how their thoughts and actions supported the theme of the story.  Students also reviewed cause and effect after reading an article called Black Sunday about a huge dust storm that hit a Kansas town in 1935.  We also continued to read Save Me a Seat and kept working on exploring characters, character change and character perspective.

In Social Studies this week, students learned about what life was like in New Netherland after it was claimed for the Dutch.  We discussed where people were coming from to live in New Netherland, why they came and how they got there.

In Science students explored how energy is stored, released and transferred in chain reactions.  They designed the beginnings to a chain reaction machine that included a lever and a ramp.

We ended the week with our St. Patrick´s Day House Challenge.  Groups were given pipe cleaners, straws, dixie cups and tape and were challenged to create a tower to help Larry the Leprechaun keep his gold safe from the other leprechauns in his town.  They earned points for each piece of gold their tower held.  There are some photos from our challenge below.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!  Please reach out with any questions!

A few reminders:

• Our field trip to the New York State Museum will be on Thursday, March 30th.  More specifics will be coming home in the next week.  We still have room for a few more chaperones.  If you would like to come please let me know!  We have 2 seats left on the bus, or you can drive yourself and meet us at the museum!
• STEM fair forms were due today, but they will be accepted on Monday if anyone forgot to turn them in.

New Netherland

Hello again!  We had another busy week here in Room 11!  In ELA this week we continued to read our class novel Save Me a Seat.  We continued to focus on characters while reading this book.  After finishing the Monday section of the novel, students chose one of the main characters and wrote about how they would rate their first day of fifth grade, using examples from the text to back up their answers.  We  also reviewed character traits and worked on identifying traits that describe one of the characters in the book and backing our trait up with details from the text, specifically things that the character says, does or thinks.  We have also been having some awesome discussions about how character perspective affects how we understand different events in the story!  We also focused on theme this week.  We started by defining theme and looking at examples of different themes in movies.  Then we watched two pixar shorts and identified the problem, how the characters changed and what the characters learned and used this information to help us come up with themes for the stories.  We also practiced this skill with a few picture books this week including one of my favorites, Mr. Peabody´s Apples by Madonna.  (Yes, Madonna!!)

In Social Studies this week students chose one of Henry Hudson´s four voyages and created an Instagram for him as if he had his cell phone with him on the voyage!  They made posts about who he was sailing for, what he was looking for, where he went and why he turned back (or didn´t!).  Then, students acted out a skit about how the Dutch West India Company settled in New Netherland after Hudson claimed it for the Dutch.  There are some photos of our fabulous actors and audience below!

In Science this week, students added to their roller coaster models and used them to explore how hills affect energy.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!  As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions!

A few reminders:

• Wednesday, March 15th is a half day for students.  They will be dismissed at noon.
• Forms for the STEM Fair came home this week.  Students who want to participate need to return the completed form by March 17th.

Let it Snow!

Hello again!  We had a great first week back from break!  In ELA this week we continued to work on using the RADD strategy by reading a passage called Call of the Wild about how zookeepers keep animals active in zoos.  We also started our next class novel Save Me a Seat.  We started by taking a look through the book to see how it is organized differently than other books.  This book is told from the perspectives of the two main characters, Joe and Ravi.  The chapters alternate between the two.  We discussed why an author would choose to write a book this way and how it would change how we as readers understand the characters and the story.  We will really focus on the effect of character perspective as we read this awesome novel!  We also focused on Cause and Effect relationships this week.  We defined cause and effect and worked to create and identify cause and effect relationships in our own lives.  Then, we looked for examples in our book, as well.  We also continued to work on opinion writing, and students wrote pieces about whether or not 4th graders should have smartphones! (Spoiler alert: most said yes!)

In Social Studies this week we learned about the Early European Explorers who came to the Americas.  We started by discussing why European countries were sending explorers out into the world (trade, finding raw materials and claiming land).  We discussed how these explorers were really trying to find a water route to Asia.  Students looked at a world map and found possible options.  After that, we learned about the Northwest Passage and how some explorers who were looking for it ended up discovering different parts of what is now New York.  We also read about Henry Hudson´s 4 voyages searching for the Northwest Passage.

In Science this week students started to create paper roller coasters that they will use to complete some activities that will help them understand the effect of hills on energy and energy transfer.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!! Enjoy the snow (or if you are like me, enjoy staying inside in your PJs while your children enjoy the snow!).

A few reminders:

• A permission slip came home this week for our field trip on March 30th to the New York State Museum!  There is no cost for this trip, but please return the permission slips by Wednesday and indicate if you would like to chaperone.  More specific details about this trip will come home as it gets closer.
• Report Cards will be coming home with students on Wednesday, March 8th.
• Please make sure your child has working headphones at school.
• Wednesday, March 15th is a half day for students.