Weekly Update

We had another great week in fourth grade. The girls are really working hard and figuring out the routine and expectations. They did well with the two ERB Milestone tests we took in the middle of the week. As I reminded them, the purpose of these tests is to gain some experience taking a standardized test. It also shows me areas in which I can focus my instruction. We will take them two more times this year, in the winter and the spring. Thank you to Dabney Morris for supplying the girls with some yummy snacks. Here are some curriculum updates and reminders:

Reading: The girls finished their collaborative project on examining the story elements from Because of Winn Dixie. This was an interesting project because they really needed guidance on working totgether. I guess with the way things have been in school the last few years, they have lacked more collaborative opportunities. Their slideshows look good and here they are. Please ask your daughter to share her groups' slideshow with you.

Characters

Setting

Plot

Problem and Solution

Theme

Math: The class completed their first chapter test and I am pleased with their results. The tests are coming home in today's Friday Folder. Out next unit focuses on adding and subtracting large numbers. This is a strong skill for most girls so we may move quickly through this chapter. The chapter Home Link is listed below in the reminders section.

Social Studies: We started discussing how our government works by watching a catchy, but dated, video about Washington DC. They loved it! We will continue next week with focusing on the three branches of government.

Next Friday, October 7, will be the Blessing of the Animals chapel. Here are the details:

Blessing of the Animals

Oct. 7, 8:15-8:45 a.m., the Green

One of our favorite Fall events is happening next week! During the Blessing of the Animals, pets will receive a special blessing from our School chaplains. 

Parents must have their animals on a leash or in a carrier and are responsible for their pet during the service. Girls can bring in a stuffed animal or picture of their pet to be blessed in lieu of bringing their pet on campus.

Reminders:

• Carpool helper next week: Anna
• Special Week: Meriwether
• Fall 2022 Conference Sign Up Form
  
• School pictures: order form in Friday Folders
  
• Scholastic Book Order due by October 3 
• All School Pink Out on Thursday, October 6 - wear pink to support breast cancer awareness
  
• Homelink for chapter 2 in math 
• Swimming from 8:00 - 8:45 on the following days: October 24, 25, 26, 27, 31 and November 1, 2, and 3  
• Remember to check SeeSaw for updates from Specials teacher
• Scavenger hunt question - answer this!

Weekly Update

Bravo to the girls on a fabulous chapel! Thank you for attending if you were able. They read so well and didn't seem nervous at all. Well done to the girls!

They have earned 25 class compliments and we celebrated Friday afternoon with a tea party. Thanks so much to Allison Spiller and Aly Croft for making this happen. After today's chapel, they have earned many more class compliments and are well on their way to the next class goal of 50 class compliments.

Much of this week was practicing for chapel but here are some things we worked on as well.

Math: We spent time reviewing and practicing rounding to finish up the place value unit. We will review the skills from our unit early next week, and have our unit 1 test on Thursday, September 29.

Reading: The groups have almost finished their story element project on Because of Winn-Dixie. Our current class novel is James and the Giant Peach, which always is a fun book read. Roald Dahl was a fabulous author who wrote with such amazing descriptive language as well as wicked sense of humor.

Last Friday, the girls took their first Wordly Wise (vocabulary) quiz and first spelling quiz. These are coming home in today's Friday folders so you can see what these assessments look like.

The girls have designed their dresses as a culmination to reading The Hundred Dresses. They turned out fantastic! Here they are...

Reminders:

• Carpool helper next week: Eleanor
• Special Week: Ashby 
• School pictures: order form in Friday Folders
  
• Scholastic Book Order due by October 3 
• Homelink for chapter 1 in math 
• Swimming from 8:00 - 8:45 on the following days: October 24, 25, 26, 27, 31 and November 1, 2, and 3  
• ERB Milestone Testing: next week on Tuesday and Wednesday - please limit appointments
• Remember to check SeeSaw for updates from Specials teacher
• Scavenger hunt question - answer this!

Weekly Update

 

Wednesday was a special day because the girls officially became Fourthies. As a grade level, we discussed what it means to be the leaders of the Lower School, they signed a contract, and received their hats. We will keep the hats here so they may use them when we have field trips or they are a carpool helper. They may bring the caps home at the end of the year! It was a fun day.

Along the lines of leadership, our class will be leading chapel on Friday, September 23, at 8:15 in the Lower School Assembly Room. You are invited to attend if your schedule allows.

Today I am sending home Friday Folders. It includes some written work the girls have completed over the last several weeks. Please take a look through it, empty the folder, sign the form, and send it back in with your daughter by Tuesday.

Here are some curriculum updates.

Math: We are working through our place value unit and will be wrapping it up next week. We did a fun activity this week called 2 Truths, 1 Lie, but mathematics style. This activity requires the girls to respond to maths in written form, which a great skill. Here is an example of one we did as a group.

 

 

 

 

Reading: To follow up from summer reading, the girls have been working in groups to explain an assigned story element from Because of Winn-Dixie. It has been interesting to watch them work collaboratively, which is a skill in itself. Each group is making a Google Slide and I will share them on next week's blog post. 

In addition, we started a new routine where the girls read a brief article of the day based on a central theme. They then write something they learned on a BOK (book of knowledge.) Their first BOK will come home in their Friday folder. 

Lastly, we finished a class read aloud of The Hundred Dresses. This a timeless story that shares messages about of bullying and discrimination in a straight forward manner. Children can learn about dealing with tough decisions like standing up for friends, fitting in, and ultimately how to show forgiveness. It is a fabulous story and encourages great class discussions. After completing the last chapter, the girls will create their own dress design with a special message of compassion hidden somewhere within the design. They are very excited about designing the dresses!

Writing: For this week's 3WT (Three Word Thursday), the girls worked in pairs to write a script using the words and the challenge and they then recorded themselves on Flip. Making videos is always a favorite activity. Here are the videos if you want to watch them.

Anna and Sanaa

Queen and Wallis

Virginia M. and Holloway

Virginia H. and Ashby

Meriwether and Eleanor

Amelia and Hampton

Anela and Vivian

Jane Randolph and Gabby

Reminders:

• Carpool helper next week: Jane Randolph
• Picture Day - Tuesday, September 20 at 8:00 am!
  
• Homelink for chapter 1 in math 
• Swimming from 8:00 - 8:45 on the following days: October 24, 25, 26, 27, 31 and November 1, 2, and 3  
• ERB Milestone Testing: Week of September 26 - please limit appointments
  
• Remember to check SeeSaw for updates from Specials teachers
  
• Scavenger hunt question - answer this!

Weekly Update

 

Thank you for coming to Parents' Night last night. It was great to see so many people and talk about our wonderful school year. The partnership between parents and teachers is so important so I am excited to work with you this year.

 

This post will be brief since we just spent time together last night. I want to include the special week sign up for you here.

For girls not in band, they learned about club opportunities this afternoon. This weekend, we asked them to think of three they are interested in and then on Monday, they will fill in a form with their first, second, and third choices. We will make sure they get into one of their three choices.

Reminders:

• Carpool helper next week: Virginia H.
• Specials video from Parents' Night
• Parents' Night slideshow and important dates handout
  
• Homelink for chapter 1 in math 
• Remember to check SeeSaw for updates from Specials teachers
  
• Scavenger hunt question - answer this!

Weekly Update

 

Welcome to fourth grade! Your Fourthies have had an awesome first week of school. We have worked on getting to know each other and establishing routines and expectations. 

I will update this class blog each week with important reminders and curriculum updates. There are helpful links on the side of the page as well as pages with information along the top. One of the pages explains what it means to be a carpool helper. This is a leadership opportunity offered to all Fourthies. Please complete this form so we know who is able to participate and who cannot. We will start carpool helpers the week of September 12.

I look forward to seeing you at Parents' Night next Thursday night, September 8.  This is the schedule for the evening:

Early Learners and Junior Kindergarten: 5-6 p.m.

Kindergarten and Grade 1: 5:45-6:45 p.m.

Grades 2-4: 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Specials: 5:30-7 p.m.

• Music (Ivens and Sprenkle) - Basement B02
• Technology (Hamilton-Dixon) - Basement B03
• Spanish (McDermid) - Basement B04
• PE  (Brooks, DiGiacomo, Gillbride, Horn, Marshalak, Spears) - Basement Multipurpose Room B01
• Dance (Coleman and Wyatt) - Basement Multipurpose Room B01
• Religion - Basement Multipurpose Room B01
• Art (Both) - Room 200
• Science (Mastin) - Room M05
• Library (Irving)
• Chinese (Dorion) - Loft 1
• Guidance Counselor (Sterling) - Guidance Office
• Resource 
  • Applewhite - Math Resource Room beside M04 (across from clinic)
  • Chalifoux - Resource Room beside M02
  • Houston - Resource Room beside Library
  • Seabolt - Resource Room beside Applewhite

Fourthies lead the Pledge of Allegiance each morning to the Lower School and raise the flag for the school and these are both leadership opportunities. We rotate through the girls so everyone will have chances to do these jobs. 

This week we learned and explored two websites using their individual laptops. One site is called Pixton and they each created an avatar to represent themself. The other site is called Gimkit, which they all loved. It is game based site and we use it to practice math facts, vocabulary, and many other things.

I am excited for this year ahead and love this sweet group of girls already. Here are the 2022-2023 Hiscock Fourthies!

Reminders:

• Parents' Night - Thursday, September 8 - information above 
• Homelink for chapter 1 in math - This gives you an overview of what we will study in this chapter
  
• Scavenger hunt question - answer this!