12.6.10

Were we living with these guys today?!?

BRRRRRRR....WAS IT COLD TODAY or WHAT?!!!? Yowza!


Because of "Release Day" (a day where teachers are at school to work on projects or tasks with other teachers, but are not in the classroom), I was at school...but not at school; therefore, we had a sub.  We are so lucky we were able to have Ms. French again; she is really on it with things!

In reading, we took our Spelling test that was postponed from Friday due to our Mystery game and turned in our packets.  We also took our definitions test.  New 'Wordly Wise' packets were administered (Lesson 7) and will be due Friday.  If the entire class earns an 'A' on this Spelling test (like I am 100% certain you all can, if you study and prepare), then there will be a special treat in store for you!  I just want you to all give yourself the credit you deserve and realize your capabilities.  We are ALL capable of nothing less than the best and I'm ready for us ALL to see it as I see it! 

I BELIEVE IN YOU!

Next, it was time for us to have some reading skills practice.  There were 3 activities that all groups rotated to participate in: BINGO with our spelling words and group; Reader's Theater; and a Scavenger Hunt for our group's chapter books.  Homework is working on your 'Wordly Wise: Lesson 7' packet.  Get yourself prepared!!!
In math, we began...MULTIPLICATION!!!  Multiplication is basically, repeated addition.  It is the grouping together of numbers and adding those groups.  We will be diving into the concept of Multiplication over the remaining days of 2010 and will be engaging in activities to help us understand the process so it is IMPERATIVE (so, so, soooooooo....IMPORTANT) that you practice, practice, practice your multiplication facts (times tables) as much as you can.  Go through your 2s, 3s, 4s, etc... while you are in the car going somewhere, at the grocery with your parents, while you're cheering on your sibling at his/her soccer/ basketball game, or basically anywhere you have some down time.  These MUST be memorized ASAP!!!  You HAVE to go 4th grade with this skill MASTERED!  I KNOW you/ WE can do it!!!

Finally, our class is back to having SCIENCE with ME!!!  YAY...I LOVE us!!!  We have some catching up to do and will be moving through Life Cycles, Energy Transformations (Food Chains) and ecosystem life process rather quickly.  We will even have an individual animal project/ report that will be coming home tomorrow (more details to follow).  Today, we began looking at Food Chains and creating some of our own.  To study and interact with these at home, there are literally THOUSANDS of sites to visit (check out some at the bottom of our blog under links) but some that I really like are: 

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/index.cfm
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/food/food_menu.html
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.htm
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html

I can't wait to spend time with you tomorrow!!!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

19 days until Christmas!!!
11 days until Winter Break AND 9 school days left in 2010!