Donze's Details 8-29-14

Another great week!

Writing: In writing this week we began our realistic fiction unit.  Students were given writing partner to met with and began to develop the internal and external characteristics of their characters.  I am so impressed by their creativity!  These are going to be terrific stories!

Reading: All week we have continued to build our reading stamina and learn reading workshop routines. We will begin meeting in reading groups next week.  Today students met with their reading groups to come up with a name. Ask you child which they chose for their group name.

Math: Students had their first test today.  They did a terrific job!  Look for the tests in the assignments folders on Monday.  Next week we will move on to  Chapter 2- Addition and Subtraction.

Social Studies: We finished learning about land forms and map with our Hand Island Project. Students had a great time creating their own islands. We are now learning about the regions of Missouri and the states that border Missouri.

Details:

• No school on Monday-Labor Day!
• Friday homework was sent home today. It is a math assignment due next Friday.
• Book orders are due on Wednesday, September 3.  

Have a great weekend!

 

First Full Week!

We had a terrific first full week of school!  Our regular routines are beginning to get established and students are settling in.  In reading we are working on building stamina during silent reading.  This class loves to read and students are doing a great job reading for extended time.  In social studies we are studying land forms and continents and oceans.  During writing time, we have been doing lots of prewriting activities.  I enjoy hearing what the students interests are when writing small moment ideas! In math we are working on place value and next week we will work on rounding. We also began our math stations this week.  Students played addition war and logged on to Xtra math to practice their facts. Great way to start the year! Check out our pictures below! 

Other information:

• Students will have a Chapter 1 Math test on Friday, August 29. 
• We have a Strings schedule! Students participating in the Strings program will meet on Mondays and Thursdays from 12:45- 1:15 with Mr. Livesay.  They will eat lunch from 1:15-1:30.  
• The first "Friday Homework" assignment was sent home today.  This week it is a reading passage.  It is due next Friday.

First Week

We had a terrific first two days of school! I enjoy getting to know the students interests and personalities. Our days were busy learning new routines and organizing materials. Check out our team building activity pictures below. Students had to work together to build a cup structure. Have your fourth grader tell you about it!

Next week:

• Curriculum night is Wednesday at 6:30 in room 35 (our classroom). Hope to see you there!
• We will have a spelling quiz next Friday. All students will have the same list for the first quiz. The lists will be sent home on Monday.
• If you have not sent in the forms given out at Ice Cream Social, please return them as soon as possible. Thank you!

Have a great weekend!

Ice Cream Social

Thank you to all the parents who came to our Ice Cream social! We even had a special visitor! Looking forward to a great year!

Welcome to Mrs. Donze's Class!

Welcome to fourth grade! I hope you have had a great summer and are ready to get back to school and LEARN! I look forward to meeting you. I am confident we will have a fantastic year!  I have been busy getting our classroom set up and planning lessons and activities that will be fun and challenging. Remember, Ice Cream Social  is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 12 from 6-7:00 p.m. Please stop in to meet me, visit our classroom, drop off your school supplies, and get acquainted with your classmates!  I look forward to meeting you!

Egg Drop

Today students had to work in teams to create a device that would protect an egg when dropped off a ladder. Students were given a set amount of materials to use. They had a blast! There were terrific ideas, but only one team emerged victorious :) 

The materials and instructions...

Planning and creating devices...

Time to test their creations!

The drop...

One egg remained in tact! Way to go, girls!

Book Trailers 2014

After finishing book clubs, students had to create a book trailer for their book!  Students used the iMovie app and their creativity to come up with the trailers.  They had a great time making their trailers and worked very hard to come up with the descriptions, backgrounds, and characters.  Check them out!