WELCOME TO WINTER
I realize it has been a while that I have updated our web page. I think one of my New Years
Resolutions is to keep up better with it. In the mean time, please carefully read this month’s news.
There is a lot of important information.
MATH
We are headed into Unit 5 of math. During this unit we will be continuing our study of multiplication,
division and estimating. As we work with these basic operations we need to be sure our answers
make sense and we do that through estimating. This is a concept I was never REALLY taught during
my elementary math instruction, I was always taught to follow the steps and I could be done. For
our children, I want them to follow the steps but I also want them to THINK about their answer.
READING
We are presently working in historical fiction, learning that authors sometimes write about fictional
stories about REAL times. We are working to sort out what is fiction and what is historical. We are
reading Sign of the Beaver for our read aloud and will be starting a series study of the “Sarah Plain
and Tall” books. Sarah is a strong woman who moves out west during the American westward
expansion to help a widower with his children.
WRITING
We have been writing and writing and writing! We wrote a research report about Sarah Hale, a
prediction/comparison/judgment essay about and absurd invention, and LOTS of friendly letters.
While reading Sarah, Plain and Tall we will be practicing writing about our reading. Our big focus
continues to be writing a good paragraph.
SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES
We had a GREAT trip to the State House and Supreme Court. We even got to meet someone from
each branch of the government including the Governor! Before went we did some study about what
each branch of the government does and even developed power point presentations to help explain
what we learned to Mrs. Croteau’s class.
VOLUNTEER AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Thanks to all of you who volunteered to come in and are coming in on a regular basis.
Remember if there is a day that you get a surprise day off from work and would like to come in
please give me a call or drop me an email. I could put you to work!
BOOK ORDERS
I sent home book orders last week and if you would like to order PLEASE get the order in for
tomorrow (Dec. 11). I thought you might want to do some Christmas Shopping. Also for our Holiday
party I like the kids to do a book exchange rather than other gifts for each other. Scholastic book
orders are great because you can get some in expensive books. If I order them on the 11th or 12th
we should be able to get the books in time for the last day of school before vacation. If you would
like me to hold the books and let you know when they are in just put a note in with your order.
PARENT/STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parent/student/teacher conferences are coming up! These are extremely important so please sign
up early. During the 3rd week of January your children will be reflecting on the first half of their 4th
grade year, writing things that they have done that has made them proud, areas where they need to
work, and setting goals to make themselves better 4th graders. I will start scheduling conferences
for the 1st week of February and would like to have them done by February break. Your children will
be very anxious to share their thoughts and hear YOUR thoughts as well.