Hello, 4H families! Even with the addition of WKCE testing sessions during the past week, we were able to settle into some very productive and satisfying lessons this week. In Reader's Workshop, we got good, uninterrupted time with our favorite books and carried our study of 'character' and 'prediction' to deeper levels. We began our new unit in Writer's Workshop, which is essay writing. Our curriculum starts us off with small steps toward this largely unfamiliar mode of writing for our 4th graders, and we build up each day to a complete essay over at least 2 or 3 weeks. Every day our students figure it out a little more. In Social Studies we have finally been able to start studying about the Ice Age and Glaciers and the Ice Age Trail - and the kids are very enthusiastic about our discussions! We have all begun Unit 4 in math classes. In the 4th grade group we have jumped into decimal work and they have bravely held on with their attention as we practice some very new concepts - I am quite proud of our group. Like I said, it has indeed been a satisfying week of learning!
It has proven to be very beneficial to stretch out our WKCE testing over a 3 week period, using only parts of two days in each of the three weeks. None of our students appears to be feeling too anxious about the testing sessions, and all seem to be giving it their best efforts. They are being good troopers! Next week, our final week, we will be testing once in the morning on Tuesday, and once in the afternoon on Wednesday. Thank you, parents, for our students' excellent attendance!
An event coming up soon: We will be holding 7 rounds of individual classroom spelling bees over the next two weeks, in preparation for the School Bee sometime in December. Our students each get 7 chances to spell their word correctly in the class rounds, and then I send those scores to our Advanced Learning Coordinator, Ms. Weber, who will then choose the top 25 scores among all of our 4th and 5th graders to take part in the School Bee. The words being used for both Bees should be located in your student's Take Home Folder, and it is entirely up to the students, and you, to decide how much time and effort goes into preparing and studying.
Also keep in mind that our November Scholastic Book Orders are due November 15th. If you haven't tried to order online, give it a try - I was so pleased to find out it was quite user friendly when I started ordering for our class this way the first time in September. Otherwise, you may still feel free to send me your paper order form and check to Scholastic Book Club, and I can take care of it from there. I am just so thrilled at the opportunity we've had to grow our classroom library this way, using bonus points from our orders. We have quite the READING CLASS this year, and we use our books more this year than I have ever seen so far. We keep our awesome school librarian, Mrs. Dagitz, very busy as well, with requested books. It's impressive, and so much fun to share out about the great stories our students are discovering. Our students still ask to get as much reading time each day as I am able to provide - yay!
Upcoming events for our calendars are: NO school on Monday, November 11th, the new BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION contest starting next week and lasting till December 6th, parent conferences (including our 4th graders!) on November 19th and 21st, the Book Fair in our West Middleton Library during that same week, and NO school on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The first trimester ends with that holiday weekend - wow, how did we get to that milestone so quickly?! The first report cards will be ready about two weeks into December. Also, December 4th, Wednesday, is the annual West Middleton Winter Tea!
Stay tuned for continued updates and news notes, and please take time daily to look through your student's Take Home Folder with him or her. I will be seeing you all soon! Sincerely, Melanie Hannam
