Happenings September 22-26

Our vocabulary words this week are lush, vast, approach, partial, portray, and establish.
Check out the Spelling /Vocab Info page for spelling words for the week of Sept. 29- Oct. 3.

In reading we are working on "I wonder" statements based on the nonfiction books we are reading. We will be discussing turning them into questions this week.

In English we are working on revising our chosen draft.  We will finish revising, edit it, and publish it to share with our class.  We will continue reviewing subject and predict and introduce verbs.

Our schedule this week looks like:
Monday: Day 4: Guidance and Art
Tuesday: Day 5: P.E.
Wednesday: Day 6: Music
Thursday: Day B: STEAM and Music
Friday: Day 1: Art

During our class meeting we brainstormed ideas for making our classroom library run more smoothly. The students expressed a need for more time to AR test and book shop.  We changed our morning routine to add more time for this.  Students also wanted to be able to write book reviews over books they have read. I have put together a book review sheet and bulletin board from them to hang on. We will begin completing reviews this week.

My Favorite Activity by Connor Owen

My favorite activity is dodge ball because I like throwing things in P.E. My second favorite is art because I like to draw. My third favorite is music because I like to play the cups. My fourth favorite is in the classroom because I like spelling.  

My Favorite Books! by Connor Owens

My classmates should read Black Lagoon books because they are the best. My favorite one is "The Science Fair from the Black Lagoon because it is sidesplitting. My second favorite is "The Field Trip from the Black Lagoon. My third favorite is "The Class Election from the Black Lagoon."

Introducing Connor Owens by Connor Owens

I have 4 little brothers. Their names are Colton, Cooper, Caden, and Carson. My dad used to race but he quit because he wanted me to race with him, so I can help. My mom works the night shift only when people call her to. I like to drive my go cart, play football, soccer, tag, my Wii, my Ipod, my PS2, and my extreme play tablet. 

Waiting to Go to the Homecoming Parade!

Weekly Spelling Menu

Students received a weekly spelling menu on Friday, Sept. 19. They are to complete 2 items on this menu by Friday, Sept. 26. They may turn their items in early. I highly encourage them to not wait until Thursday night to complete these items.  The spelling list for my group is on the Spelling/Vocab Info page on our class web page. On that page I have included links to Mr. Lind's and Mrs. Mayer's list. Students have been given a copy of their words and asked to write them in their planner. 

Meeting Our First Grade Buddies!

Our class is budding up with Mrs. Wiebesiek's first grade class.  We got together on Thursday and introduced ourselves to each other during a community circle activity. Today we attended the homecoming parade together. We look forward to getting together and having some fun throughout the year!

Skylar Enjoys Playing Colors!

An activity I think you would like is Colors. It's a game you play in the pool. You need 2 or more people. You hold the person like a baby then you dunk them under and say a color. Then you let them out of the water. Then they will guess the color. If they are right you flip them over. Then you switch people and do it again. If they get it wrong you dunk them back under and they try again.

Reminder: Spelling Homework is Due Friday!

 A spelling menu was sent home with 4S students last Friday. They are to have completed 2 items of this menu by this Friday, Sept. 19.  The spelling menu and items for the Word Work Word's Worth and Word Work Scrabble can be find on our class webpage:  https://sites.google.com/a/clarindacsd.org/sundermand/Home/spelling-vocab-info.

I Likes to Zumba! by Skylar Kelley

A classroom activity I like is Zumba. We do it about once a day, it is very fun. I love to dance so it makes us get our wiggles out. Sometimes we don't get them all out, though.

Introducing Skylar Kelley!

My name is Skylar Kelley. My parents are Trevor and Ingrid Kelley. I have one brother named Donevan. He plays varsity football and basketball. He is a sophomore in high school. I have one sister named Carissa. She is in her second year of nursing school. She has a dog named Mark. 

I love softball, cheerleading, and volleyball. I love shopping and playing football with my dad and brother. 

My mom works at Stanton Care Center. My dad works at NSK. My best friend is Kamryn McCoy. She is awesome.

Spelling Homework

Students received a spelling menu containing their spelling homework choices for the week of Sept. 19 on Friday, Sept. 12. Two items off this menu are due by Friday, Sept. 19. They are to use their current spelling words to complete the activities. They received these words on Friday, Sept. 12. Files for some of the activities such as Scrabble and Words Worth can be downloaded from the Spelling/Vocab Info page on my website. To download make sure you click on the arrow not the file name.  

The Ins and Outs of 4S Part 5: Spelling

Dear Fourth Graders and Families:
        Welcome to our classroom! This post is about one thing I think you might want to know about fourth grade. Make sure you contact me at 542-4510 or dsunderman@clarindacsd.org with any questions you have.
         Today I am sharing how spelling works in 4th grade. Spelling tests will be on Friday.  After taking your test, you will write your new list in your planner. Your practice list will consist of between twenty and twenty-four words. On Friday you will test over 10 of these words. The test will be worth twenty points. One point for each correctly spelled word and one point for each word which is written in the correct category. 
         When reviewing your practice words focus on the patterns you notice in the words on the list. Make sure you review all of your words, as you do not know what 10 might be on the test. See previous post titled "Words Their Way: Spelling" or the note that was sent home for suggestions on how to study for your test. 
         Sincerely,
         Mrs. Sunderman

My Favorite Subject! by Emily Jetton

My favorite subject is music. I can't wait until we get to start using recorders. I have a pink one at home. I wonder if using recorders will be hard or easy. I like doing the Christmas concert every year!

Vocabulary Test on Tuesday, September 16!

Students received a study sheet today to help them review for their vocabulary words test on Tuesday, September 16th. The words are bizarre, effective, ineffective, sag, creak, and get-up-and-go. 

Students can cut the words and definitions into strips to study by playing a matching game.  Parents can quiz them on the definitions of the words and ask them to use the word correctly in a sentence.  

My Favorite Books! by Emily Jetton

I like to read Animal Ark books, Stick Dog, books about science and books about animals. I like to read on my bed at home or at my desk at school.

Introducing Emily Jetton!

Hi, my name is Emily Jetton. I am 9 years old. My favorite color is pink or purple. I love drawing unicorns. I like to read science books, Animal Ark books, Stick Dog, and books about animals. My favorite thing to do at home is play with my friend, Makykiah.

Happenings for Sept. 2-5th!

During reading this week we learned about expository text and text features. Expository text are texts that inform or provide facts about a topic. Expository text features are clues that help us understand the text. Examples of expository text features include maps, diagrams, pictures, captions associated with pictures, and graphs to name a few.  We explored expository text with our partners and identified the text features we found. 

Our new vocabulary words this week were trim, reminisce, and transform.

Our featured author during writing time this week was Allen Say. Say writes stories about events and people from his childhood. After reading The Bicycle Man and Tea with Milk and Sugar we brainstormed a list of memories from our childhood and chose one to write a story about. 

In math we are continue to review our multiplication facts and are working on writing equations to help us solve word problems.  

Mayson's Favorite Class Activity

My favorite class activity is Math by Myself. I really like the games we play. They are fun. We are still working on math and get to use things like dice and dominoes. Math has always been fun for me and I really like it. Math can be challenging but if you keep trying you will get it!

Mayson's Favorite Book!

One of my favorite books is Jigsaw Jones and the Secret of the Valentines. If you like mystery books this is one you will like a lot. If you read this book you will find out who is Jigsaw's secret admirer.

Words Their Way: Spelling

Garfield Fourth Graders will  be using the Words Their Way program for spelling this year. All fourth graders took a pretest and using the Words Their Way criteria will be given an appropriate spelling list. Here are recommendation for ways to help your child study spelling each night.

Your child has a Ziploc bag with his/her word cards in it. This needs to come back to school each day.

Monday: Remind your child to sort the words into the categories we did in school. Your child should read each word aloud as they do this activity. Ask your child to explain why the words are sorted in a particular way- what does the sort reveal about spelling in general.  Ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible. You may want to time them, but you do not have to.

Tuesday: Do a blind sort with your child. Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child is to indicate where the word goes without seeing it. Lay the word down and let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.

Wednesday: Assist your child in doing a word hunt, looking for words in a book they have already read that have the same sound, pattern, or both. Try to find 2 or 3 for each category.

Thursday. Do a writing sort to prepare for the Friday test. As you call the words in random order your child should write them in categories. Call our any words your child misspells a second or even third time.

Thank you for your support.  Together we can help your child be successful!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Sunderman

Happy "September" Birthday!

Introducing Mayson Hartley!!!

My name is Mayson Hartley. I am 9 years old. I like tennis, track, dance, and riding my bike. I have won 3 tennis medals. My favorite subjects are math and reading. I like reading mysteries the best. In my free time I like playing with my friends.