Wednesday

We had an interesting day as the children learned about Christmas around the world. This afternoon students practiced for the Christmas program.

Students will have their Christmas party tomorrow at !0:45 and then we will have the program in the afternoon at the Dahle Performing Arts Center. This begins at 1:30. Hope you are able to come.

Tuesday

This morning we used Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, to compare and contrast two different versions. Students wrote the setting, characters, plot, conflict, and resolution. We will watch one more and then compare the movies to see which parts are the same and different. It is seasonal and meets the requirements for the Common Core Standards. We also worked through divisibility rules again today.

Tomorrow will be Christmas around the world and practice for the Thursday Christmas program.

Monday - Christmas reading papers went home

Today, as students asked questions about the tragedy in Connecticut, we talked about it as a class. We discussed the emergency procedures that our school has in place, we talked about how to be a helper instead of a hurter. I hope that we were able to calm any fears students might have had.

A homework reading sheet went home today, it is Christmas green. It explains what is happening this week, and it has a place for parents to sign as students read over the holidays.

Friday Test Day - Tragic Day

Friday has turned into a very tragic day with all of the heart-break and heroism in Connecticut. By Monday, most of the children will know about it, and if they don't their friends will make sure they do. I would encourage you to discuss it with them so that they don't first hear about it on Monday. Mr. Rogers, one of my heroes, said that when something bad happened when he was little, his mother said that he should look for the helpers. She told him that there were bad people, but there were many more helpers and that most of the people are helpers. I thought it was a good way to explain insanity to a child and still give them hope.

Next week we will be having some party time, but students still need to stay on task and get their work done. Wednesday is Christmas around the world and practice for Thursday's program. Thursday we will have reading in the morning, party after first recess, (10:45) where children will exchange gifts, and then the program in the afternoon. May you have a very Merry Christmas and may our country be blessed with peace throughout the new year.

Thursday - Tests and White and Maroon day

We went to the auditorium today so the students could do a quick run-through of their Christmas program. The students did pretty well. We are singing, "I'm Getting Nothing For Christmas," and signing and singing, "Away in a Manger." The children did pretty well. The program will be next Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the Auditorium.

Today we talked about Coming of Age, meaning a time in your life when you must make a good decision and by making it you grow up, even just a little. The students then wrote a story of a time that they made a good decision, even if it was difficult. Then we played jeopardy to help students study for the reading, spelling and vocabulary tests tomorrow.

In math we studied for our test tomorrow. It will cover the normal things and also include double digit division. We will also have a six times table test. The students have got to put the time in to get these down. I am explaining to the children that doing a division problem is a lot like a video game, you have to guess the best way to go, sometimes you go the wrong way, then you have to back up and try again. The test is tomorrow.

Finally we had a treat for Hannukah, learned the dance Hava Nagilla and danced Mayim too. They did a lot better today and seemed to enjoy it more.

Wednesday

We took our spelling test today. Then students got in groups and re-read the story aloud together. This team reading should help with fluency. In math students has a pre-test on their 6 multiplication tables. We need to continue working on these so we can move on in math.

In math we also started using two digit divisors. The students worked on their white boards and then in teams to figure out the answers. We will continue with this tomorrow and then do a worksheet, while I take students aside to work on the questions they missed on their tests.

As we have been celebrating Hannukah this week, we learned the dance, "Mayim." It is a traditional Israeli dance and is quite easy to learn and fun to do. We also lit the fifth candle on our menorah.

We will be having our Christmas party on Thursday, next week at about 10:50 p.m. If your student wants to participate in the present exchange, please have them bring a wrapped gift. If it is something specifically for a boy or a girl, please make sure that is marked on the gift so our boys don't get hair bows.

Tuesday - Spelling test tomorrow

Today we learned about Hannukah and why the Hebrew nation celebrates it. Tomorrow we will be learning a dance and Thursday and Friday we will taste some of the food used to celebrate Hannukah as we continue to learn about the holidays of different cultures.

We covered the spelling words to prepare for tomorrow's test. Students then worked in their workbooks. We learned about metaphors like, "His stomach is an empty pit," or "She has an iceberg for a heart." Next we reviewed the story that we read on Monday and students wrote about one of the characters in the story.

In math students continued working on dividing by multiples of ten. Students should have taken their Friday tests home yesterday. Parents were to sign these and then make sure I get them back. This way I can keep track of where each student needs help and parents can see what we are doing.

Monday - book orders due tomorrow

We read a new story today called, "Bridge Dancers." It told how a younger sister, who had paid attention, was able to help her older sister when she cut her leg. It is a good story. We also started working on our spelling words.

Homework pages went home today. Students will be learning their 6 multiplication tables this week. They must get these down. We are also learning about dividing with multiples of ten. It is fairly easy, and the children seem to be getting it.

If you want to order a book for your child online, you can use the code L8J7V to order.

Friday - Book orders due Monday L8J7V

We took our tests today, made snowflakes and learned Spanish. It was fun. Christmas is coming soon. Students are asked to bring a wrapped gift to exchange with another student. Please keep the gifts inexpensive.

Book orders need to be in on Monday. This can be done online using the classroom code L8J7V. If you do not want your child to know you have ordered a book for them, let me know through email or a phone call and I will keep the book for you to come and pick up. My email is cwinward@wssd.k12.id.us

The Christmas party will be at 10:45 December 20th. In the afternoon the children will do their Christmas program at the Dahle building at 1:30.

Thursday - Tests tomorrow

Students took the Star test again today to see where they are in reading. All students were told the color dot that fits with their score. However, I am encouraging them to make sure they are reading books they find interesting. Dot colors are a good indicator, but enjoying your reading is more important. We played Jeopardy today to give the students the opportunity to study for their reading tests tomorrow. Students started reading the story, then they asked each other questions, finally we played Jeopardy. In math we reviewed dividing with a three number dividend. The students practiced dividing with a multiple of ten divisor. This will not be on the test tomorrow as we just started doing it. Adding and subtracting four digit numbers could be something you could work with to prepare your students for their tests. In Idaho History we wrote a diamante poem and finished our limerick about Louis and Clark. It was fun, then the students ran to music. The school is having a food drive asking students to bring in canned foods for the hungry. If you feel you are able to help, please send a can of food with your child.

Wednesday

Students took their spelling test today and did quite well. We also started on our next five paragraph essay. If they didn't finish these, they are homework. Ask your child and see if they brought it home.
In math today we returned to dividing three digit numbers, 345 / 4 = The students are mostly getting this. However, if you have a few minutes, you might be able to sit down with your child and ask them to do a similar problem just to make sure they are comprehending the process. In Social Studies we read about the Spauldings and Whitmans as they traveled west. It must have been a difficult trek for them.

Tuesday

Today in reading we finished the story, "Sewed Up His Heart." It is a very interesting story. We then reviewed our spelling words. Remember there is a spelling test tomorrow. In math we are talking about what a remainder really means. One problem we did was: If you have 86 students to move in vans with 6 seats each, how many vans will you need? The answer is a surprise to the students because the actual answer is not the answer to the division problem. The quotient is 14 with a remainder of 2. But if you have two students left over, you need one more van, hence the answer, instead of being 14 remainder 2 is 15. Some of the children didn't finish their work and they need to do it as homework. The page is 385 doing problems 3-10. In Social Studies we learned about the different groups of missionaries that came to Idaho. Then the children went to P.E. We are working hard on our A.R. reading. Please encourage your student to take tests on the books they read. Cole has fixed the problem so this should be working at home. Make sure your child is reading books they enjoy. Reading at their level is important to progress, but also reading something pleasant and not as difficult is important to enjoying reading. As the year is coming to a close, we need to thank the parents that come in every week to help. If there are any others who want to come, let me know and we will figure out a schedule for you. Thanks for all you do.

Monday - Homework - fix test

In reading today, we read about the first heart surgery. The story was interesting and the children saw a movie based on the life of Daniel Hale William. We reviewed the spelling words. These have gone home as homework. In math we reviewed the math test. Students took their math test home to fix the problems they got wrong. Then they need to bring the tests back so I can put it in the evidence file for each student. In Social Studies we learned a limerick about Lewis and Clark. Then the students were supposed to make up their own limerick about Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery.

Thursday - report cards tomorrow - finish essay

Students will be taking home a regular report card and a new type of math report card. These reports are based on individual areas that the students are required to learn. We think we have figured out how to best do this and hopefully we will see improvement in all of the areas. Today we reviewed our stories and vocabulary words. We also worked on doubles in multiplication. Did you know that if you take 2 x 6 = 12 and 4 (double of 2) x 6 = 24 (the double of 12) You can also double the 4 to eight and the answer doubles again! This also works with 3 and 6. It makes it a fast way for students to be able to figure out multiplication answers. We are learning two songs for the Christmas program. We are singing with the other 4th grade, "I'm gettin' nothin' for Christmas," and then signing, "Away in a Manger." Students need to finish their essay tonight.

Tuesday - spelling test tomorrow

Students had time to re-read our story this morning. If they brought the book home we are reading pg 208-221. Then they worked on their spelling and learned how to figure out what words meant using context clues. Some students got started on their essay about thankfulness. In math students reviewed division. More are getting it everyday. We just keep doing problems until the light goes on. The hard part is that the students are still struggling with their multiplication facts. Once they get those down, division is much easier. Remember, tomorrow is the spelling test.

Monday

We were back to work today. We read an interesting story about how medicine has changed over the past. We started reviewing our spelling words. In math we began working on division again. I have sent home problems for all four operations. The children are struggling with all of these. Please help them, there are just four per night. If you watch what they are doing, perhaps that one-on-one will get them through this struggle. All is going well. We will start grading the homework pages this week. Please encourage the students to write on their reading, it is required. Thanks!

Tuesday Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Remember to be grateful and to read, read, read.

Monday

We got a lot of reading done today. Students also got to go to the gold card store. We reviewed five great rules in math that help in dividing by 2, 3, 5, 9, and 10. Then the students practiced doing this. We also wrote our spelling words in cursive. Students will take a test tomorrow which reviews past spelling words. Tomorrow afternoon we will have a little Thanksgiving Party. I hope to encourage them to pay attention, more to their blessings, and not so much on getting out of school.

Thursday

We had our Direct Writing Assessment today. The students worked very hard. We reviewed for our math test tomorrow and will also take the spelling and reading test. Then we will discuss Thanksgiving, figure our AR points for next trimester, and set goals. Discuss these with your child and see what they need to do to set a goal that will stretch them, but not be too difficult.

Wednesday - Direct Writing Assessment tomorrow

Thursday all 4th and 5th grade students will be doing the Direct Writing Assessment. We have been diligently practicing, and hopefully, all will go well. If you want to practice with them, use the paper I sent home last week and have the student talk through an idea for an essay. Today we took our spelling test, practiced vocabulary words and worked on how to brain-storm for a five paragraph essay. In math we are starting division. We separated students out into groups of two, three, four etc. to see if we would have a remainder. Next we did the same thing with blocks. Tomorrow we will start the dividing on paper.