Reagan, Volume 30: April 7, 2015

Sometimes discovery means looking at something familiar in a completely new way. Above Reagan and Olga examine an artifact and deeply wonder about it.

Overall, this week has been fabulous and hysterical! Our study into artifacts has challenged the way we think, organize the world, and express ourselves. A big debate was had over whether or not a living thing, such as a human being, is an artifact. We determined it is not, and added the idea that something that is naturally happening in the world/nature is usually not an artifact. Eventually, we defined an artifact as something made by a person or people. When we return from March break, we will be visiting a local pottery museum! It will be a fantastic follow-up to Ms. Shahknoza's sharing of Uzbek pottery and ceramics today. We will be seeing actual potters in Samarkand as well!

Our study of place value and number sense will culminate this Friday in the form of a glorious test! Students have worked hard practicing and digging deeply into how our base 10 number system works and how to manipulate it. When we come back from March break, we will be begin a new math unit in patterns and functions. I can't wait!

We had a super fun time as a grade 4 community sharing and reading our weather myths. Past and present teachers, administrators, and teachers from the school came to our rooms and experienced our weather myths for themselves. They even left fantastic comments- ones that we hope to share later during Student-Led Conferences. Have a great week and safe March break!

April is reading month. Ms. Sayyora has posted on our community blog. Check it out!

Owl: Reagan

Homework:
Monday: No School
Tuesday: Grammar activity
Wednesday: IXL Math Grade 4 H.1Input/output tables with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division You only need to get 80% accuracy. Also, L.1Geometric growth patterns. Have fun!
Thursday: Read because it is ridiculously nice outside. Then play.
Friday: Read a book!

 Exploring artifacts to determine the five attributes:

Physical Features, Value, Construction, Design, Function.

 Books can help use learning vocabulary about Artifacts as well!

 We created our very own artifact museum filled with drinking vessels:)

 Ms. Shahknoza came in to share Uzbek drinking vessels. Such a great long tradition and history.

Sometimes math word problems are a team effort and sometimes we tackle them on our own:)

 Here we are sharing our math thinking in a fish bowl activity!

 Reading each other's weather myths!

Ahhhhh! There's a monster in our room! It has eaten Anthony's hand!

April is Reading Month

April is Reading Month

April will highlight the pleasure of reading for the annual April is a Reading Month celebration in the elementary school.  Students, parents and teachers will enjoy a variety of fun activities that will begin in April and continue to May. The events will range from traditional bookmark competitions and Books Open doors to a Family Reading Night which will take place on April 30, 6-7 pm.

We are also looking for parent volunteers to read stories to children in their home languages. This activity has been very popular for a few years now and we would like to be able to continue offering it. If you are interested in reading in your home language to elementary school children, please contact the library staff.

Finally, parents can promote a love of reading by participating in the Community Reading Photo Exhibition.  Upon return from Spring Break, send in to Ms. Sayyora print quality photos of your family or child reading.  The photo can be serious or silly. On a plane, in a tree, on a horse, by the sea….send photos of great places to read!

Braelyn, Volume 29: March 23, 2015

Owl of the Week, Braelyn doing his morning work and comparing fractions.
Apparently, this activity required he stick his tongue out:)

What a cool week it has been! We have been tackling place value math centers with zest and humor, carefully crafting our published copies of our weather myths, looking for details to revise and edit in our typed final copies of our Same Day in March weather report, reigniting our passions for reading together in our new book clubs, and starting a new unit of inquiry into How We Express Ourselves. This unit is fascinating as it asks students to look at themselves and the things created around them in new ways. Students will learn to look at and study objects from 5 viewpoints: Physical Features, Construction, Function, Design, and Value. Moreover, under the guidance of several lines of inquiry, we will explore and discover how Artifacts Tell As about the People that Created Them (central idea). I have had a few parents inquire into Samarkand, the 4th grade field trip for this unit. Yes, we do attend a day trip there. More information will come as the trip nears.

The weather is changing and our bodies are adjusting. Think back to when you were a child and spring was happening. How did you feel? Excited to the point of almost wanting to jump out of your skin to play outside! This is how some of our community members are feeling. Thankfully, we have recess and so many opportunities to move around during our learning, so that we can get our "ya-ya's" out! At home, keep doing the same things - bed times, homework time, play time, etc. Keep the structure you have because it helps our children focus on having fun, while learning at school! This is especially important now because of the changing weather and March break coming up! I hope you have as much fun looking at the pictures from this week, as we did posing for them!

Owl: Braelyn

Homework:
Monday: Math Activity
Tuesday: Math Activity
Wednesday: IXL Logical Reasoning Grade 4 K.1Find two numbers based on sum and difference
Thursday: Math Activity
Friday: Enjoy reading a book over break and relaxing!

 We literally trust in others with all we are!

Centers morning work (above).

It is clear that math centers were full of fun and learning this week! (Above)

We kicked off new book clubs this week as well! (Above)

At this point, I should really stop adding pictures but these just tell a story of what pure joy it is to be a learner, a child, and have fun here at TIS! (I added them anyway!)