In school, 4th graders typically face new challenges and expectations. For example, 4th graders are expected to have made the shift from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." ~Mike Anderson (Educational Leadership: Vol. 68, issue 7)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Trick or Treat for UNICEF

If you have visited our Blog before, you may notice the videos of Trick or Treat for UNICEF are no longer on the side bar. However, if you are still interested in UNICEF, there is a like to their home web site under Important Links, located on the side bar to the right.

Lewis and Clark students raised over $1,100.00 for UNICEF this year!!! This is more then $300.00 over last year's total.

I am so proud of all the students who went out and asked for donations. What wonderful students we have at Lewis and Clark.

Thank You!

BINGO Basket

It's Bingo time!

This year, our classroom basket is SPORTS!

I figured this would be an easy one for the students since most of them enjoy playing one sport or another. Here are some suggestions of items that we can put in our basket:
sport magazines
books
posters
hand-held electronic games
sport themed party supplies (plates, napkins, decor, etc.)
sports equipment (baseball, baseball bat, soccer ball, mitt, basketball, etc.)
sports cards
sports board games

If you don't have the time to shop, please consider donating $2.00 to the classroom BINGO basket and the shopping will be completed for you.

The PTSA will be picking the boxes up on Monday, November 30th, so we need to have everything turned in before Thanksgiving.

Thank you for helping make this a great BINGO basket!

Veteran's Day

No school today as we honor the men and women who have served in the armed forces to protect our way of life and the life of people from other countries.

Yesterday, during "Jaguar Literacy time," we had a very young veteran visit our classroom. His name is Shawn, and he is my 20 year old daughter's (Rebecca) boyfriend =), who has been a veteran for 9 days. He was stationed in Germany for several years, but he spent 15 months in Iraq during more troubled times. He talked to the students about when he joined the army, right out of high school, and how the army is a lot like school. You have to work for a common purpose whether you are friends or not. If one person in the platoon messes up then everyone in the platoon takes responsibility, a connection he made after hearing about a "strings" incidence where everyone had to take responsibility for the action of several students-too much talking.

The students "grilled" him for 20 minutes, and would have continued asking questions if I hadn't let the poor guy off the hook. Shawn did not talk about certain things, even though students asked the questions, because we felt and said they were not "fourth grade appropriate." Several of the students had connections to what he said because they have close relatives in the military.

Shawn did an amazing job with the students and I truly appreciate what he has done over the past 4 years and the fact that he shared it with my students.

After Shawn left, we talked a little more about his experiences and then talked about Veteran's Day and what it really means-who we are honoring. We discussed all the grandparents, brothers, sisters, and other family members who have served or are now serving our country in this way. I hope the students have a better understanding since his visit.

To my grandpa, dad, brother (who is in the Navy at this moment), many many cousins, Mrs. Osborn's son David, and all the men and women who have served (or are now serving) our country...THANK YOU.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Today's Homework

Math:
To your right is an array of onions. Can you tell me the dimensions? Now, multiple the factors (dimensions) and what is the product? Let me know the answer in class tomorrow.


Literacy:
Write one simile that discribes your "Special Place." It can be one you used in your writing already (or will use if you are in the Alligator group) or it can be a new simile.