Mrs. Wagner's 4th Grade

I have a few students who want to visit the nurse every day. After contacting the nurse, these more "frequent" visitors will be asked to wait in the classroom until after lunch - to see if headaches or tummy aches get better with food. Sometimes, being dehydrated can lead to a bit of a headache. Let's make sure that everyone has plenty of water to drink. To do that, each student must have a waterbottle.

Also, any injuries or ailments that occur at home, will need to be taken care of at home. If medication is needed throughout the day - parents must bring it to the nurse so that it can be checked in and locked up during the school day. Also, if students have a fever at school - they must not return to school unitl 24 hours after their fever has cleared up. 

Hopefully, when we return to school - most of our ailments will have cleared up. Then, we will be able to get back to the business of learning and enjoying our fourth grade year!

Meanwhile, grab the Germex and the Chlorox wipes!

Enjoy your days off.

Can it be? Is it true? Are we already on our fourth week of school?

 

It is true!

 

Is is amazing, but we are still in the month of August and the students are doing a wonderful job of settling into the class schedule and following class routines. Now, we are even greeted with cool mornings - makes me think that Fall is just around the corner.

 

Don't forget to check the assignment books. I try to pack in as much as I can to every school day. Many days, I try to check off students books, but there are some days that aren't checked off. Be sure and remind your child to fill out the assignment book. The only days that I don't something down are days in which I am not here. So, everyday should have an entry.

 

The students sit in groups named for the days of the weeks. This allows the groups to go first, read around the room, and other special treats for their day. This week we started Reading Response letters. On their day of the week, the students are to write a friendly letter to me about the book they are reading. They can write about connections they make while they are reading, how they are like the main characters, or even what they dont' like about the book. Throughout the week and over the weekend, I will answer their letters.

 

By the end of the year, the students will have a large collections of letters.

 

Hopefully, we may be able to continue that with a blog on this website.

 

 

I am so proud of this class!

 

The students are into a routine now, and know how Mrs. Wagner's class does several activities. This is part of learning the routines of a new classroom. We take students from several different third grade classrooms, from several schools and meld them into a cohesive and supportive group.

 

It was very nice to see students at their cooperative learning groups sharing materials today as we worked on our Main Idea/Details charts. No bickering and arguing. I must say, for a young group of fourth graders, these students are very mature in dealing with materials and waiting turns.

 

I look forward to seeing these boys and girls each day. They have a terrific sense of humor. Which is a good thing for me as I do like a good joke and riddle from my students. Perhaps if a student reads this blog and comes to school with a good riddle, their group can earn a point? Or two?

This is the first year that I have asked students to purchase a set of multiplication fact cards, and already I can see the improvement in my students' learning.

 

We typically end the day with a round of "Math Around the World" where students in pairs call out an answer to a multiplication math fact card. the first to call out an answer "travels" to another partner. Today, several new students were able to "travel" around the room as they new the answers to several math facts.

 

By working at home on facts, and here at school when assignments are complete the students are able to build that automatic recall that will be so essential for learning fractions. In fourth grade, we will be adding, subtracting, multiplying, reducind and coverting mixed fractions. In order to be successful, the times facts must be automatic.

 

So, this is just a reminder to practice those multiplication facts. One way a child can practice alone is to draw a card and state the product. If correct - put that card in the "facts I know" stack. If incorrect, place that card in the pile for "facts I need to know." Work on that stack untill more cards make in into the "facts I know" pile.

 

Another way to practice is with games - especially with older siblings and even parents. A game of Math War, where the person who says the product first gets the card is an easy and fun game to play. Playing a game takes out the drill of learning facts.

 

Finally, search the internet for online multiplication games and challenges. Often these programs will keep score of facts learned and repeat those that are missed.

 

Lets have a great week and learn those multiplication facts. Our goal is to have them memorized and automatic by the end of September!

 

 

I am hoping that in this blog, I'll be able to model some narrative journal writing for my students as well as give myself some reflection time. Writing is a great way to organize your thoughts. A Weblog or "blog" is a way to share one's writings through the internet.

I don't know how often I will be blogging - as I never have before. For class news, I still have the "From the Classroom" link which goes home through email. So, we will see how this blog finds a purpose this year.