October 16th weekly news

Dear Families,
Good Afternoon. This week has flown by just as the others have…The quick version of some of the good learning we’ve done this week:
Students practiced and performed their reader’s theater skits this week. Each skit had a message about character education. The students enjoyed the reading exercise and the performance aspect of it. We will practice and perform reader’s theater many more times throughout the year. It really makes reading fun and helps students to learn how to read fluently and with expression.

In math we’ve been exploring geometry. Students are learning about and drawing and labeling lines, polygons, rays, angles, and lots more. We will continue learning about geometry, polygons, circles, and even some measurement through the end of October. Additionally, Mrs. Kloeckner will be coming in to teach students about saving money! Considering what’s going on in current events, this is a very appropriate time for such a discussion.

Speaking of current events, next week we will be focusing on the election process. The students will be learning the 4th grade version of politics through read-alouds, TFK, and some interactive games and activities. Additionally, we will be participating in 2 mock elections. Next week the students will be logging onto www.nationalmockelection.org to learn about the voting process and will then get to vote online. Parents may participate too! If you would like to come in and vote with us, we’ll be voting early – Next Wednesday between 12-1:00 in the library. Let me know if you plan to attend so we’ll know how many people will be voting.

This week we continued to use Discovery Education Science to help us learn about the Human Body. We’ve also started studying the skeletal system. Thank you to Alice Brown for coming in to support us in the computer lab! If your child would like to explore DE science at home, they can access the link via the school’s website. Here’s the link - http://www.scsvt.org/LIBRARY/Cooltool.htm#Online-Sub

And finally, we’re just getting a roll on our first official writing piece. Students worked on the first draft of their memoirs at home this week. We’ll be editing and improving them over the next few weeks. We are using 3 picture books as “mentor texts.” Each student chose one to be their individual example. They will study it to emulate the author’s effective and descriptive writing. I look forward to the final pieces. We have some great writers in here!

Reminder: Next week is a short week. There will be no spelling and a slightly different schedule because of our election studies.

This weekend a friend of mine will host “John Dewey Day” in Burlington. (John Dewey is a famous educator and philosopher that was from Vermont.) We start at the Fletcher Free library in Burlington with mask making. Afterwards, we wear our masks and join in a parade on Church Street with a giant puppet resembling John Dewey. Here is the blurb from the library website:
John Dewey Day. Saturday, October 18th, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 (parade starts at noon). Join artist-educator Frank Gonzalez and his friends for paper mask making and a parade down Church Street at noon to celebrate the birth (in Burlington in 1859) of educator and philosopher John Dewey. Free. All ages. No preregistration needed.

Enjoy your weekend!!
Cara :)