Updates

 

Hi All!

We have been very busy these last few weeks.  Here are some things happening in the classroom:

Math- We are finishing unit 3 and have been focusing heavily on fractions.  Students have learned to find equivalent fractions, order and compare fractions, and place fractions on a number line.  We have also discussed the relationship between fractions and decimals and have learned about tenths and hundredths.  We reviewed today and will continue reviewing tomorrow and will have our math test on Wednesday.  Students will bring home their review sheets tomorrow.  After vacation, we will start unit 4 which focuses on multidigit multiplication.

Writing- We started our informational writing unit by brainstorming a list of topics that we felt we were experts on.  From there students thought about subtopics for each of their bigger topics.  We have worked on organizing our facts into paragraphs with headings and have practice stretching our sentences to make them more complex.  We also have worked on writing introductions, conclusions, and adding text features to our writing.  We will continue with informational writing after vacation, but will learn how to research a topic and use our research in our writing.

Reading- We started our unit by identifying characteristics of nonfiction text and then learned about text features and how they help us read and understand informational text. We also have practiced finding the main idea and supporting details.  After vacation we will work on summarizing and text structures- compare/contrast, sequential, description, cause/effect, and problem/solution.  

Social Studies- We are finished with our Vermont history unit and students will be bringing home a coloring book that they made to show some of our state's history.  We will continue learning about Vermont in the spring in our land and economy unit.  After vacation we will be starting our unit on regions of the United States.

Important Dates and Information-

Winter Break- Students have no school from December 23rd -January 2nd.  Students come back to school on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Homework/Spelling this week- Students do not have any spelling or homework this week.  Students are however, encouraged to read each night!

School Celebration- As a school, we filled Oscar to the top and earned a school wide celebration!  Thursday will be PJ/comfy clothes and movie day.  After lunch students will choose to watch one of three movies- Monsters Inc., Brave, or Despicable Me.  There will be movie theater popcorn being served as well.  More information went home today in the MBS Buzz.

Stay warm!
Mrs. Carney

Greek Plays Today!

Hi All!

Just a reminder that the Lighthouse 4th graders will be performing our Greek Mythology plays this afternoon in the cafeteria from 1:45-2:45!  Feel free to join us or check our blog for a recording of the play later this afternoon!

This Week

Happy Monday!

I hope you all enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine over the weekend.  It looks like we will have another nice day today as well : )

The fourth grade has been studying Greek Mythology during reading and will be performing short 15 minute plays this week.  The lighthouse 4th graders will be performing in the cafeteria on Thursday, November 17th from 1:45-2:45.  You are welcome to join us or check out a recording of the play that I will post on our blog. Let me know if you have any questions.

If I don't see you this week, I will see you next week at conferences!

Mrs. Carney

Updates

Here are a few updates and reminders:

Conferences- The pickAtime link on the MBS homepage is now open to sign up for parent/teacher conferences on November 21st and 22nd. Let me know if you have questions about signing up.

Book Orders- Book orders are due November 11th.  If you are interested in ordering, you can place an order online by clicking on the book order tab above.

Math Test- Students are coming home tonight with a review packet that we worked on in class yesterday and today.  The unit 2 math test will be tomorrow.

No spelling this week- There will be no spelling words this week because of all the end of trimester assessments happening this week in the classroom.

 

Hi Everyone!

How is already the end of October?!  This month has flown by!  Here are some things happening in our classroom:

Math- Students are working hard with factors, multiples, multiplication facts, multidigit multiplication, and finding the area of rectangles.  Next week we will learn about properties of triangles and quadrilaterals and discuss lines of symmetry.  We will have our unit 2 math test either at the end of next week or the beginning of the following week.  I will keep you posted on the blog!

Writing- Our narrative writing is going strong!  Over the last few weeks we have worked on writing memorable endings, adding transition words, figurative language, and editing/revising with peers.  Next week we will work on one more practice narrative before our final assessment.

Reading- This week students practiced a variety of reading responses that showed their thinking around literary elements.  We also worked on summarizing using somebody, wanted, but, so, then, finally, to help us organize our thinking.  Next week we will begin Greek Mythology and will start comparing characters and themes.

Science- Students have been learning about force and motion concepts and conducted experiments that tested the relationship between mass, acceleration and force.  We will be learning about Newton's 3 Laws of motion this week.

Upcoming Dates and Information-

Monday, October 31st- We will not have a Halloween party tomorrow, however we will spend time in the afternoon finishing our jitterbots from Genius Hour last Friday. We will also be watching The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tomorrow as well and will compare similarities and differences to the play that we saw at the Flynn Theater earlier this month.  If you have any concerns about your child seeing this movie, please email me and let me know.

Book Orders- Book order forms went home in Friday folders.  Book orders are due Friday, November 11th.  If you would like to place an order online, please use the Book Orders tab above.

Conferences- Parent/teacher conference are Monday and Tuesday November 21 & 22nd.  Sign up information should be going out this week in the MBS Buzz newsletter. I will also add a link to our blog once the sign up portal is open.

Thanksgiving Break- Students are off for Thanksgiving break from November 21-25th.

Genius Hour- Students are enjoying Genius Hour time on Friday afternoons and are in the middle of exploring circuits with their jitterbots.  If you have any tools that are not being used and would like to send them in to the classroom, we will take them!  We could use, screwdrivers, pliers, hand held wire cutters, hammers, and awls. Thanks for your support!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!  Let me know if you have any questions.

Mrs. Carney

Upcoming...

Thursday, October 13th- picture retake day

Friday, October 14th- Flynn field trip money and permission slips due

Hi Everyone!

Happy October!  As the weather starts to shift and more sweatshirts and jackets are coming to school, please remember to write your child’s initials inside.  We have already brought quite a bit of belongings to lost and found!

Here are some things happening in our classroom:

Math- We finished unit 1 this week and will begin unit 2 on Monday.  Unit 2 focuses on multiplication and geometry.  Any additional practice at home with basic multiplication facts will be extremely helpful.

Writing- Students have worked hard this week on a variety of narrative writing components.  We have practiced writing about characters and the setting, using descriptive writing, speaker tags and dialogue, and starting with a ‘catchy hook’.  Students started to plan their narratives and will begin their drafts next week.   

Reading- Literary elements has been the focus during our reading workshop.  We have learned about characters, character traits, setting, plot, and theme in literary texts.  Students have been practicing the ‘stop and jot’ strategy and recording their thinking about literary elements while reading independently.  Next week we will dive a little deeper into literary elements and will start comparing and contrasting different stories.  

Science- We wrapped up our mini unit on the scientific method with an experiment testing whether a skittle would dissolve faster in warm or cold water.  Students are becoming experts at reporting their results like scientists!  

Yesterday we incorporated some dance into our science class.  Students moved around the room to music and then when it stopped, they chose a table and wrote on the chart paper everything they knew about some vocabulary words for our upcoming Force and Motion unit. Their vocabulary words were potential energy, kinetic energy, gravity, mass, variables, and force.  We will continue with force and motion next week.  

Upcoming Dates and Other Announcements-  

Field Trip to the Flynn Theater- The lighthouse 4th grade will be going to the Flynn Theater on Monday, October 17th.  We will be leaving school around 8:35 and will be returning by 11:30.  Permission slips went home yesterday and are due Friday, October 14th.  Please let me know if you need another one.  

No School- A reminder that there is no school for students on Friday, October 21st.

Remind.com- If you haven't signed up to receive text message notifications and updates from our classroom and would like to stay connected, follow the link and sign up! https://www.remind.com/join/carneycrew

Password Cards- All students have a password folder in their google drive.  Inside the folder is a document with all of their usernames and passwords for programs that we are currently using in the classroom.  We will add to that list as the year goes on.  Please refer to it if your child needs help with remembering login information. Please let me know if you need a hard copy of this form.

Homework- Thank your for your help with dreambox and cloudk12 from home.  Homework expectations can be seen by clicking the homework expectations tab above.

I think that is it for now!  As always, please do not hesitate to call- 264-6909 or email kari.carney@colchestersd.org with any questions.

Mrs. Carney