This week in our classroom

WOW!  We just closed the doors on the 2^nd quarter (wrapped-up the 1^st semester) of the school year.  Let me just say that these 4^th graders are ON FIRE!  Seriously.  We started our STAR tests and the results so far show good growth.  We went a little deeper with our classification of living things sort.  We created a foldable to show the scientific classification of an animal of our own choosing.  Next week we will begin to do some animal research to lead up to an animal report.  As I evaluate each and every day there are some common themes for the good days and common characteristics of the not so good days.  See if these make sense: 

1-      We want our days to be HAPPY!

2-      We want to be part of the group.

This week we had some days that I left school celebrating---like floating on clouds celebrating.  There were also a couple of days where I left thinking, “what do I need to do differently because we cannot have another day like that?”  What happened on the days that we all left feeling happy?  It wasn’t that everything went our way.  We just chose to remember the good pieces.  I really believe this.  There were still rough parts of the happy days but somehow I chose to celebrate the way that Student A said, “thank you,” for something.  I chose to appreciate the time that Student B had worked on quality work.  I chose to acknowledge the great STAR scores and XTRAMATH progress that we had in our classroom.  What about the part of the group thing?   Well….that is definitely a little trickier with 4^th graders.  I saw it happen in an amazing way this week.  Students were so excited about learning how a scale works on Monday.  Then we had more questions about other electronics and things with circuit boards.  Students were excited to offer things from home:  tools, broken electronics, hangers, yarn, etc.    There was evidence of mutual respect and excitement about learning.  Everyone was included and students felt like they needed to do what was being done.  In Native American cultures belonging was so important.  Ella Doria, anthropologist, said, “Be related, somehow, to everyone you know.”  We are a family in this fabulous 4^th grade classroom.  The good days are definitely the ones where we choose happy and we include everyone.  Enough of my rambling---get out there and enjoy this LONG weekend!

Get the digital copy of the newsletter HERE

Here's What's Up This Week

Check out the newsletter HERE

Newsletter This Week

Check it out HERE

Newsletter This Week

Check it out HERE

Math - Division Using Place Value Sections Model

This week we worked really hard to understand division using what we already know about multiplication.  Here are a couple of the powerpoints that we used during class.  They are a great way to review over the weekend.

Lesson 3-2

Lesson 3-3

This Week's Newsletter

Check it out HERE

Time for Some Reflection

There are so many days that I take pictures at school to remind myself of all the things that we are doing.  There are other days that I get to the end and realize that I haven't taken a single photo.  Some days I am just in the moment and other days I really get to sit back and watch as these amazing 4th graders learn from each other!

Today we stopped our math lesson just a little early to play Factor Captor.  It's one of my favorite math games.  Once students realize the strategy behind it, it's a great challenge!

We didn't get to play for too long this afternoon (about 20 minutes) but those 20 minutes were amazing.  There were conversations about the numbers that were being chosen.  Thinking was happening so naturally.

I assigned the partners and I never heard anyone complain (they should know better than to complain, right?).I used our lunch card color partners to assign partners.  It worked out perfectly.

Did I tell them the rules and expectations ahead of time?  Yes.   Did they play by the rules and expectations.  Uh huh.   And then they got a chance to just play and build and create with the unifix cubes.

It was a great way to quickly review math facts (factors and factor pairs).

It makes me realize that I need to plan in Game Day Fridays for math.  I know that today wasn't Friday but it felt like one since I won't see the kids tomorrow.  This was a great way to finish the week together.

Some great thinking was happening!

We did have to do some work before we could "play".  It was great to have student leaders to share their thinking with the class.

I am telling my day backwards a bit.  We finished up our scarecrow so that we could hang it with all the others.  It turned out pretty well!  Lots of creativity and an excellent team-building activity.

Before we headed to the computer lab, we took a second to pose with our straw pal.

Now let's back up to Tuesday.

Myleigh accepted our Golden Spoon Award at the PBIS assembly.  Our class earned this honor by being polite in the cafeteria.  The next goal is to earn the Golden Slipper.  We have quite a bit of work today to practice our walking silently in the hallway but I know that we can earn that award soon!

Before the PBIS awards began, Kendra was honored with her award.  What a wonderful treat that her grandparents could be there!

As I reflect on this week, I have so many things that I am proud of.  I am proud of the good friends who see when their peer is sad and cheer them up.  I am proud of the students who do EVERY assignment.  I am proud of the kids who go above and beyond my expectations.  We aren't prefect but we are working every day to be better than yesterday.  Here's to the 2nd quarter of the school year. :-)