Laboring on Labor Day?

No, thanks!!!  Although the rest of the family was busy cleaning out the garage, basement and carport, Cooper wanted no part of it.  He opted to stay inside, in the air conditioning, snacking on a few hors d'oeuvres.  He also wanted me to give you a link he found: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-dont-we-work-on-labor-day/

 

What did you do on Labor Day?  Sounds like we were crazy busy! Erika, Ruvim, and Jayden were at the lake. Adisyn was at the beach. Connor and Keira were at picnics or parties. Nazarii and Joseph visited Gravitopia.  Joseph, Jayden, Jonathan, and Connor went to the movies.  Oh, and Carson and Keira got wet at the water park.

 

This past week we worked in our Writer's Notebook and brainstormed some things that were "Close to Our Hearts."  Here are a few pics I snapped while we were working on that page.

We tried to put the most important things in the center. 

 



 

 

Here are a few things we will be focusing on this coming week:

 

• Building Native American homes on Tuesday and Wednesday (Don't forget to bring any materials your group still needs!)
• Science Process Skills Test on Tuesday
• WONDER Vocab Test on Wednesday (study flashcards for  Tuesday's homework)
• Multiplication Fast Facts Test on Friday 

Check out WHO is "Making a Splash" and already mastered their facts with 90% or better:
Erika
Connor
Chloe
Kara
Keira
Donnell
Olivia 

Did you know? Every week we sit in teams and try to compete for showing KINDNESS, RESPECT, and ORGANIZATION.  The two teams that collect the most "rocks" (marbles) earn a trip to the treasure box and have "Challenge Time."  Here are a couple of snapshots from
one of our Challenge Times:

Nazarii, Keira, and Erika playing "Cool Math."

Brooklyn, Chloe, and Jayden challenging each other in a game of Jenga.

Stay tuned to next week's blog when "Brave Cooper" will share our Native American homes from the Pacific Northwest, Eastern Woodlands, Great Basin, Plains, and Southwest Regions.

 



Dive in on Three...1...2...3!

                         Catch of the Week:
(or... what's going on in 4th grade this week!)

Social Studies-We will be reviewing our 7 continents and 5 oceans and finding out what the "Land Bridge" theory is all about.

Reading-We will be exploring KINDNESS by creating our own class acronym and designing kindness bracelets as a kick off to our "Choose KIND" PBL.

Language-We will be comparing two "What If" poems about the first day of school and trying our hand at writing our own version.

 

Math-Multiplication Fast Facts!  Practice sheets will be corrected in class.  Check out your misses and practice just those at home.  Remember success with division and fractions depend on these facts.

Science- Our first unit is all about "Process Skills" and "Inquiry."  We will be doing some exciting, hands on activities such as...

The Thing!  Each group had an observer, relayer, buyer, and constructor.  Only the observers from each group were allowed to get a close up peek at the THING inside the shoebox.  They had to use their quantitative and qualitative observations in order to report back to the relayers.  The relayers had to be outstanding listeners so that they could pass on the detailed observations to the buyers who had to remember what they were to buy (how many toothpicks & gumdrops).  The buyers then brought back the materials to the constructors who were the only ones allowed to actually TOUCH the materials and build according to specific instructions from the observers.  Very challenging!! 

Check out our 1st place winners! Theirs was identical to the shoebox version.

Gummy Bears Taking a Dive:

Day 1- Each group had 4 different solutions (plain water, vinegar, baking soda water, and salt water). Here is Ruvim, Connor, and Zachary getting ready to drop their unsuspecting, gummy bears into their different solutions. Next, back to their notebooks to predict what changes may or may not happen in each solution.  Now there's nothing left to do but WAIT! Check back with us tomorrow for the results.

Stay tuned for more inquiries to come:  Elephant Toothpaste...and Color Changing Milk!

What Keeps YOU Sailing?

 

We all want to get to know each other...and that will happen real soon!  When I meet you on Wednesday, I'll give you a packet of information, a surprise bag : ) and your first homework assignment.  I've gotten a head start on mine.  Check out my boat above.  You'll get the outline of your sailboat and you will think of all the people, places, hobbies, activities, and things that "keep you sailing." It isn't due until the second day of school, but you might want to get a head start on it.

 

 

One of the important family members on my sailboat is Cooper. Here's his picture. Can you see why he keeps me smiling everyday?  When he greets you at the door he has to have at least one toy in his mouth first.  He has two sisters that he likes to boss around...I'll show you pictures of them soon.

 

 

 

Meet Jillian, my talented daughter, who lives in Chicago.  She loves the stage and writing.  I try to see her as much as possible.  Now, you know why "Chicago" is on my sailboat!

This is my husband, Ray, in his new sunglasses.  My sailboat would definitely not stay afloat without him!  We love coffee at our house and he is the expert coffee maker and does about a million other things to keep everyone happy.

.
And, last but not least, here's a picture of me building a sandcastle just for YOU!  I can't wait to meet you in person and hear all about you and what keeps your boat sailing.

Love,
Mrs. Johnson