October 14, 2021

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday!! Here we are again! We have kind of had a rainy week. I know we need it, but it tends to make me sleepy!! We are back to a normal hard working week this week. I really do feel like routine is very important to kids this age. They are still working on understanding all the expectations but it is coming! I hope by January we are seeing a difference in all the students. I hope all our hard work shows by then!

Language Arts

This week we are back to reading a story in our textbook and completing spelling. The story we are reading this week is called Invasion From Mars. It is a fun "true" story of an event that happened on October 30, 1938. A radio was broadcasting a reading of "The War of the Worlds". A book written by H.G. Wells. The section they were reading that day was on an extraterrestrial object landing on earth. People who did not hear the introduction and turned on the radio in the middle of the broadcast became frantic. They were thinking the broadcast was really happening. It caused quite a panic for some. We have read the story. Today I plan to have them listen to the live broadcast of this. They will then see why some Americans thought it was truly happening. You can search it on Youtube and find it. My classes really love this story because there is a good story behind it. In grammar we have started working on verbs. We talked about action verbs, helping verbs and main verbs, then linking verbs. The vocabulary strategy was on the suffixes -y, and -ous. Tomorrow is a normal Friday. We have a spelling post test and end of the week test. Be sure they are studying their yellow packets tonight!

Math

We are moving through topic 2 quite nicely. I feel a lot of this chapter is review. Yes, I feel they should know how to add and subtract large numbers. It absolutely does not hurt us to review and fine tune some errors we commonly make, but I don't think we should spend a ton of time on it. We will finish up with this topic by the end of next week. We will then review and test the following week. I will give them a practice test, check it, hand it back and go over every problem with the class and what is expected so the actual test is no surprise! This is to help them be more successful. The practice test is just like the actual test. What they expect them to find in the problems is the same they just change the numbers in the problems. Again I want them to do well so I try to prep them the best way I know how!!

Social Studies

We are working our way through the Northeast Region. This week we have worked on a map skill using the compass rose. It reviewed cardinal and intermediate directions. We also looked at a cross-section diagram and went over their purpose and how to use them. Over the next week we will be talking about the resources of the Northeast. Grapes, Cranberries, and Granite are the main things we discuss. We will also spend an entire lesson talking about the importance of Chesapeake Bay and all the seafood harvested there. They are amazed to find out that being a fisherman is a job and not just a hobby.

Conferences

I have emailed all of you the conference schedule for Fall Conferences. Please choose a time that works for you. If you did not see it on your email here it is again.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0544A5A72CA1FE3-4thgrade9

Tomorrow is NOT a spirit day! I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler temps. I feel like we are actually having a FALL. When was the last time that happened?! The kids really need to pay attention to the weather forecast so they are dressed appropriately. Our room has been freezing! I finally just shut the system off completely. That has made a difference. I know the ability to wear shorts is coming to an end and they want to wear them but if it's going to be cold out I don't recommend it. Anyone have any fun plans for the weekend? I may attend a sale of the parents of a great friend. I like going to auctions to watch the people and what things go for. It can be very entertaining. Whatever you do this weekend, I hope it is super fun. To Kalvin and family, have a fabulous, safe trip through the Black Hills and Yellowstone!!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels