April 11, 2024

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday!! What a week! It has been a good one. They have worked hard on ISASP testing. I feel like they have tried their best. I tried to instill the importance of these tests into them. It has also been a wonderful week of weather. We couldn't ask for better temperatures this week. Though this is when allergies kick in, which stinks. I spent one lunch outside in my car eating so I could enjoy the fresh air and sun. It was a nice break.

Language Arts

We are working on our last story in Module 6. Next week they will be taking the module 6 assessment which is similar to a unit test. I went over one of these with each of you at conferences. It is the longer test with the bigger score sheet with more points available.

The last story is about the Grand Canyon. I talked about it last week on the blog. Yesterday they read the story in partners focusing on some figurative language in the story. It was asking them about the use of similes and metaphors. I hope they know the difference between these two before they leave 4th grade because we tend to talk about them a lot. We will finish the story early next week and then we will test.

Math

This week we have learned how to use Partial Quotient to solve division problems. No this is not the way you learned math. Long division is very hard for students to grasp. Partial Quotient is the beginning to long division. I feel like if I get them to understand this they will move into long division a little bit easier. This strategy is much easier and makes more sense to their little minds. I know it does not make sense to you because you were never taught this strategy. If you were taught how to use it you would see that it is easier to use but may take more writing and more space on paper. If your child is having issues please have them talk to me about it. I do not expect you to help them at home. I am available from 7:50 - 8:10 in the morning, they can ask during recess and I can have them after school to help them. Please let me know if they are needing help and set up a time with me. Sometimes my after school times are filled up,

Social Studies

We have begun the next chapter. It is over the people in the Midwest. We began by talking about the Ojibwa which is a tribe that settled along the Great Lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The book focused on how they got food, what they traveled in. and then what it was like when the European settlers came in. I continued to have Social Studies this week since it is the first class of the day. We got settled by having this class then we moved into testing. I am now required to teach 4th graders a little bit of Iowa History and as we are nearinng the end of the year I am a little panicked. How do I get that in when I still have lots about the states to teach? Well, I have decided to make Friday's Iowa History Friday. Every Friday starting next week, we will learn about some Iowa History instead of what we are doing now. I hope this will help me to fulfill the standard yet continue to move a long through the states in the book.

ISASP Testing

The students are taking their last test this morning. Math was the last one they needed to complete. They have done a great job taking the tests and keeping themselves busy so others can finish also. I appreciate everyone being here this week. It can be difficult making up missed tests. Whew! What a relief they are done for another year. We will let you know when the results are here.

First National Bank Poster Contest

The students are working on posters for a contest. The poster is to reflect "Why is it important to know about money?". The contest is for 2nd - 6th graders. I know that 3rd - 5th at St. Malachy are participating. They are giving prizes to the top 3 winners. Prizes are: 1st place wins a Razor Electric Scooter, 2nd place wins a $75 Nike gift card, and 3rd place wins an Audi Crooks shirt + Iowa State basketball. Last year I think all three winners came from our school or at least 2 did. The posters are due April 19th. Voting will be on Facebook and Instagram April 22nd - April 26th. The winner will be announced on April 26th! Yes, if your child makes it as a finalist you can vote for them on social media. YAY! These posters can only be worked on at school.

Friday, April 19th

There is NO School on Friday the 19th. This is professional Development for the teachers. It is our Service day. This is where we do volunteer work. We will be filling bags for the Food Shelf first thing in the morning, then we will return to the school to do some much needed deep cleaning in some areas of the building. We will finish by working in our own rooms by doing some dusting. I also consider this a team bonding activity.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and do something fun. Mrs. Burg, Miss Surma, and I are going to Mt. Ayr to a book event on Saturday from 4-6. I think it is called Speed Date with a Book. It sounded very interesting and we are all about supporting small book stores. I hope its a lot of fun. I always have fun when I go to the bookstore here in Creston. I always have great book conversations.

• due to testing my blog is early today! YAY! That makes up for the day it was late>

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels