May at a Glance

Literacy
WCO: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

• In writing, we'll be writing persuasive essays. To start, students will write an essay to persuade you to take them to a vacation destination of their choice. They'll work on supporting their claim as to why it's a perfect vacation for your family and use counterarguments to strengthen their argument. We'll end the year with a second persuasive piece with a topic of their choice.

WCO: Create meaning strategically in writing.

• This week, we'll conference on their spring break narratives. Students have been trying new techniques in their writing (such as using effective leads, sensory details, strong verbs, and circular endings), and they'll meet with me to get individual feedback and editing support. 
• We'll end May with more work in writing groups based upon strengths and areas of growth in their persuasive pieces.

WCO: Create meaning strategically in reading; Evaluate how authors create meaning.

We end the year with a shared reading of The Lightning Thief. As we read, we discuss allusions, author's style, and plot development. After each chapter, we analyze the text more in partnerships or small groups to think critically about the text. 

• Students are also reading many Greek myths so that they can understand allusions better. After reading each myth, students work on various literacy skills (character traits, theme, allusions) to evaluate the text more deeply. 
• You should see many examples of this work coming home in each week's Thursday Folder.
• Students will be independently reading The Chocolate Touch in class. This is another novel that uses Greek mythology as inspiration.
• In DLT groups, students are reading City of Ember. Each week they learn new vocabulary, answer some comprehension questions, and then meet in small groups to discuss the text further. 

Math
WCO: Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

• Students will explore more geometric concepts involving: area, perimeter, symmetry, and tessellations. 
• We'll use some unique materials, such as Cheez Its and toilet paper, to model area and perimeter.
• We'll end the year designing a zoo to apply what we've learned in math this year. 

Science
WCO: Analyze the interaction within and between systems.

• We end the year learning about magnetism and electricity. Students will learn more about magnetism concepts like: attract, repel, induced magnetism, and force. In electricity, students will build parallel and series circuits to light bulbs and run a motor. They'll learn about conductors and insulators and draw schematic drawings.
• We'll work with Mrs. Blair on snap circuits and Cubelets to apply electric energy in new, innovative situations.
• Students will use the scientific method to do experiments throughout the next month. 

Calendar
Monday, May 2- Final date for Hardware Hustle donations
Friday, May 6- Hardware Hustle Prize Day
Friday, May 6- Muffins with Mom
Friday, May 6- Homework Due
Friday, May 13- Jump Rope for Heart donations due
Friday, May13- Homework Due
Monday, May 16- MAPS Testing
Tuesday, May 17- MAPS Testing
Thursday, May 19- Performance Night
Friday, May 20- MAPS Testing
Friday, May20- Homework Due
Tuesday, May 24- Field Day
Friday, May 27- Homework Due
Monday, May 30- No School
Tuesday, May 31- Field Trip
Thursday, June 2- Last Day of School

April News #2

Literacy
We will continue with our read aloud of Charlotte's Web with a focus on author's craft.

In our traditional tales unit, students will read fractured fairy tales and write their own. We will also read fables and compare their story elements.

Students will begin drafting a multi-paragraph personal narrative. We will focus on paragraph structure, figurative language, using correct punctuation, and writing with voice.

In writing groups, we will write about what we've read in Charlotte's Web. We'll practice how to use evidence from the text to support our thinking about literary elements. Then students will write independently about literary elements in their book club book, City of Ember.

Science
We will begin the week by wrapping up our rotation/revolution work. Then we'll learn more about the moon, the lunar cycle, and tides. We end the week learning more about gravity and mass. (Your child will need to know his/her weight to do Friday's mass lesson.) If students can bring their flashlights again on Tuesday, that would be great!

• This week in science we're answering the question: "Why doesn't the Moon always look round?" We’ll talk about how the moon reflects the light of the sun, learn the phases of the moon, and experiment to figure out what causes the change in the moon’s appearance.If you spot the moon in the sky, point it out to your child. If you have binoculars, let your child use them to look at the moon. The best time for moon-gazing is when the moon is half-bright/half-dark. The line that divides the dark (night side) of the moon from the bright (day side) of the moon is called the terminator. Along the terminator, shadows make it easier to see craters and mountains. If you feel like comparing what you see to a map of the moon, there’s a great map of the most visible craters here and a map of the dark gray areas known as seas here. If your child asks, the moon’s seas are dry flat plains created billions of year ago by flowing lava. But early astronomers thought these dark gray areas might be filled with water and called them seas or maria (Latin for seas), and the name stuck. 

Math
We will continue our work on measuring angles by tackling real-world problems in collaborative groups. Students will also practice more geometry skills at their own levels using Front Row. If you would like additional geometry practice, please use these links to print practice pages:

• Classifying Angles
• Naming Angles
• Reading a Protractor
• Drawing Angles

Homework
We corrected homework in class, and students who did additional work were awarded bonuses. Look in your child's homework folder for this week's homework, which is due on Thursday, April 21st (since there is no school on Friday next week).

Field Trip
If you still need to register your child for our last field trip, here are the directions:
FIELD TRIP LINK:
https://dcsdk12.revtrak.net/tek9.asp?pg=prairiecrossES

1) Click on "Registration"

2) Click on "Field Trips"

3) Find "PCE-Gr 4 - Museum of Nature and Science - Click on Teacher to Register" - underneath that, you'll see all 4th Grade teacher names...click on  Ms. Tucker.

4) Then in the right box click "Register for this class" and then you either login or set up a new account.

If you have questions/problems with the online registration/payment, please contact:

RegWorks directly at 1-888-848-2194 or Kathy in our office at 303-387-8200 or Kathy.Klancic@dcsdk12.org
If you are having trouble with the link - we have found that it works best in the  GOOGLE CHROME BROWSER.  Other browsers were not working consistently.

School News
The Hardware Hustle is on Thursday, April 21st during our specials time (1-1:40). Don't forget it's Crazy Hair Day for our class to show additional spirit. Thank you for your support.

No School Friday, April 22nd

The fifth grade classrooms are on a mission to help find our PE teacher a kidney as part of their living systems studies.  Molly Wright has suffered kidney failure due to a complication while delivering her son last May.  She is currently on the kidney transplant list and going to dialysis 3 times per week. Please check out the PCE website for more information.

April 15 News

New Homework
Starting today, we have a new homework program to finish out the year. The purpose of homework is to reinforce skills already taught, practice time management, and to build responsibility. Your child has the homework sheet for this week in his/her homework folder. It requires students to read every night, complete a math sheet, and practice grammar. There are also opportunities for extension and to earn bonuses. Please have your child explain the new homework policy to you and ask to see this homework sheet. Homework sheets will be given out each Friday and are due the following Friday.

Hardware Hustle
Information was sent home in this week's Thursday Folders. We will participate in the Hardware Hustle on Thursday, April 21st during our specials time (1-1:40). There are prizes for the most class spirit. I thought it would be fun for our class to have Crazy Hair Day to show some class spirit during the HH.

CMAS Testing
Students have finished their PARCC testing, but fourth graders need to take CMAS this coming week, which tests social studies content. We will be testing on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday first thing each morning.
We'll have a party on Friday to celebrate the completion of the standardized testing. Students will watch a movie (which ties in with what we're doing in literacy next week) and enjoy a sweet treat.

Literacy- Create meaning strategically; Evaluate how authors create meaning; Construct a viable argument.
We begin our final unit of the year, which focuses on traditional literature. This includes: fables, folk tales, myths, legends, fairy tales, and tall tales. This week students will learn the characteristics of each genre. We'll read read many folk tales and fairy tales to compare different stories and genres. We'll also spend some time reading Cinderella stories from cultures around the world to analyze their common traits.

Science- Systems Thinking
This week we will start our study of the solar system. Students will learn about the inner and outer planets, the sun, rotation and revolution, and the seasons. We will focus on the interaction within and between systems.

We're answering the question: "Why does the Sun rise and set?" We’ll talk about the rotation (spin) of the Earth and watch video footage from space that shows the Earth spinning. If you have the chance to watch the sunset or sunrise with your child, be sure to turn around and check out the super long shadow you both cast when the Sun is low in the sky. For a spectacular view of the sunrise, I recommend you and your child watch this time-lapse video of Earth. It was created by putting together photos taken from the International Space Station. You’ll see the yellow lights of human civilization, the flashing white of lightning in the clouds, and in the end, a brilliant sun rising above the curve of our planet.

We're also answering the question: “Who set the first clock?" We’ll make shadow clocks (sundials), learn about telling time by the Sun, and find out how (and why) people first divided the day into hours. When your child brings the sundial home, I suggest you help set it up in the sun with the north-pointing arrow pointing to north. When you and your child watch the shadow move over the course of the day, you might point out that the shadow moves clockwise around the dial. That’s no coincidence. The first clockmakers patterned the movement of the clock hands on what people were used to: the shadow clock. And here’s a fun fact to share with your child: back before there were clocks, people used the word “sunwise” to describe the direction we now call “clockwise.

For this activity, we need flashlights. If you can, please send in a flashlight with your child on Wednesday. 

We're exploring how the sun’s path changes with the time of the year. Students will learn that on summer days the sun comes up earlier, rises higher in the midday sky, and sets later than it does in winter. If you find that your child is curious when the sun rises and sets, Google now provides sunrise and sunset times simply by typing "sunrise" and "sunset" in Google. Many weather apps for smartphones (such as iPhone) also feature this information included with the day's forecast.

Math- Geometry
We begin our last unit of math for the year. This week, students will be learning how to identify, draw, and measure different types of angles.

Social Studies
Click here to see photos of the final social studies projects that the kids completed this week. I am so proud of how focused the kids were as they collaborated with their partners all week. They really took this project seriously and devoted such great effort to it each day.

Specials- Music

Performance Night- Information about this year's Talent Show is in the office for students to pick up if interested.

Important Dates

Conferences

If you would like a spring conference, please sign up for one time slot per child below. 

Field Trip
Students will need a completely disposable lunch and drink on March 17. They are not permitted to walk around the museum with drinks or lunch boxes.

FIELD TRIP LINK:
https://dcsdk12.revtrak.net/tek9.asp?pg=prairiecrossES

Follow these directions:

1) Click on "Registration"

2) Click on "Field Trips"

3) Find "PCE - Gr 4  Colorado History Museum - Click on Correct Teacher to Register" - underneath that, you'll see all 4th grade teacher names...click on correct teacher 

4) Then in the right box click "Register for this class" and then you either login or set up a new account.

If you have questions/problems with the online registration/payment, please contact:

RegWorks directly at 1-888-848-2194 or Kathy in our office at 303-387-8200 or Kathy.Klancic@dcsdk12.org
If you are having trouble with the link - we have found that it works best in the  GOOGLE CHROME BROWSER.  Other browsers were not working consistently.

PARCC/CMAS

This morning Mr. Rainford came in and showed the kids all of the tools that will be on the PARCC tests this year, and they had a little time to do some practice test problems. If you'd like your child to practice at home, here are the links to the PARCC and CMAS practice tests. There is also a practice test that guides the kids through how to answer questions on the math test. The practice tests do not work in Chrome, so please use Safari/Firefox/Internet Explorer. Be sure to choose the Grade 4- Computer Based Practice Test.

Students need headphones/earbuds for PARCC testing. Please make sure your child has working headphones/earbuds at school. 

PARCC/CMAS tests are the state mandated tests that your child takes once a year. More information about PARCC/CMAS will come out via the weekly email blasts from the school, but here is our testing schedule so that you can plan accordingly. Please note that we start testing the first day back from spring break.

Monday, 4/4

1. English Language Arts, 9-10:45
2. Math, 12-1:15

Tuesday, 4/5

1. English Language Arts, 9-10:45
2. Math, 12-1:15

Wednesday, 4/6

1. English Language Arts, 9-10:45
2. Math, 12-1:15

Thursday, 4/7

1. Math, 12-1:15

Tuesday, 4/12

1. Social Studies, 9-10:35

Wednesday, 4/13

1. Social Studies, 9-10:35

Thursday, 4/14

1. Social Studies, 9-10:35

February News

What are we learning this month?

In social studies, we continue to focus on three World Class Outcomes: Evaluate how environment and culture influence sustainability. Evaluate the relationship between cause and effect. Evaluate the relationship between decisions and the impact on available resources in the community. 

The content we'll use to understand these WCOs include:

• The Native American tribes that have lived in Colorado

• How Spanish explorers affected the native people

• Colorado history to include: fur trappers, mountain men, the gold and silver rushes, Westward Expansion, pioneers, homesteading, ranching, the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, Sand Creek Massacre, Camp Amache, and Lincoln Hills

In math, we'll spend the month focusing on decimals. Students will learn how to model, understand the place value relationships, order and compare, round, and compute addition and subtraction problems with decimals.

In literacy, we are focusing on a new WCO: Construct a viable argument and critique the reasoning of others.

• Students are synthesizing information from multiple sources to draft a report to support a claim they've made about the person they read about in their biography book.
• We are wrapping up their first book clubs with presentations to convince the class to read (or not read) the book that they read.
• We'll start our next round of book clubs with novels that take place in Colorado during different time periods in our state's history. Students may have another fourth grade teacher for this novel study. Mrs. Thistleton will be teaching Blizzard, Estes Park; Mrs. Everett will be teaching Little House on the Prairie; Mrs. Williams will be teaching Hard Gold; and I will be teaching The Secret School.
• In writing groups we are writing opinion pieces based upon articles that we've read.

Snapshots of our Learning

 

Each group read about a tribe and took notes on their food, method of getting food, traditions, shelter, location, and clothing.

 

Then, they planned out what was most important to teach the class about their tribe.

 

Next, they divided up the work.

Finally, the groups created a poster to share their learning with the class. 

Sharing out with the class how the Cheyenne made decisions based on their environment

Teaching the class about the Arapaho's culture

Explaining how the Ute used their natural resources for a sustainable society

The Stink book club is creating a poster for their presentation next week. 

The Nest for Celeste book club is collaborating on a Popplet for their presentation.

Homework

Please be sure that your child is reading nightly. Your child should finish two books at home this month. 

My favorite websites for math homework are Front Row and Ten Marks Jam Session. These websites give your child practice at his/her skill level and will push them to learn new concepts as well. 

Spelling for this month:

• Testing Friday, February 5: per
• Testing Friday, February 26: multi

January News

Tomorrow we embark on a three month journey that integrates many World Class Outcomes through literacy, math, geography, and history content. 

WCOs 

• Create meaning strategically. 
• Evaluate how authors create meaning.
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
• Create knowledge through the process of inquiry.

Students will be: 

• Learning how to read a biography book, take notes to determine important information, synthesize what they've learned about the famous person from the book and other sources, and write a report to justify why this person is worthy of study.
• Writing multi-paragraph essays. These will include: a personal narrative about winter break, responses to opinion pieces that they've read to critique the author's opinion and support their own reasoning, and blog posts about current events. 
• Analyzing the five different text structures present in nonfiction text: description, sequence, problem/solution, cause/effect, and compare/contrast. By reading a lot of nonfiction texts, students will analyze the author's organizational structure to evaluate the important information. 
• Integrating all four of these WCOs in their first book clubs of the year. Each reading group has chosen a novel to read. They'll read a portion of the book each week, analyze the text, and meet to discuss it each week. 
• Beginning their first DLT project. They'll choose something that they want to learn more about, and through inquiry, create a project to showcase their new learning. 

WCOs 

• Evaluate how environment and culture influence sustainability.
• Evaluate the relationship between cause and effect.
• Evaluate the relationship between decisions and the impact on available resources in the community.

Students will be: 

• Deconstructing the WCOs so that they actually understand what they mean! As you drive around town, have dinner conversations, talk to your child about school, you may want to talk about:
• What is sustainability? Why is it important to consider when making decisions?
• If the town of Parker doesn't think about the environment, what effect would that have on our city's sustainability?
• If the town of Parker thinks about the environment over culture, what effect would that have on our city's sustainability?
• How has Colorado thought about resources when making decisions?  
• How do you make decisions? How does cause/effect manifest itself in your daily life? 
• What decisions has the community made that you agree/disagree with and why? 
• Learning about the geography and regions of Colorado. We'll focus on: how the geography of Colorado has affected where people settle and the jobs they have; how decisions can have positive/negative effects on our state's resources and sustainability.
• Analyzing the history of Colorado. We'll focus on: the cause/effect relationships in historical events; how environment and culture have influenced sustainability over time; and how decisions are made for our state based upon the available resources in our state at the time.

WCOs

• Create a process to solve a problem.
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

This month, our focus will be on fractions. Students will work heavily with simplifying, equivalent fractions, and adding/subtracting fractions. Through number talks, we'll continue with sharing our thinking as we solve problems mentally for efficiency and accuracy. 

Homework This Week:

• Spelling: gram
• Reading: Students will choose a biography book to read this month at home. The notes are posted in Google Classroom. We will have gone over the assignment's expectations in class on Monday. 
• Math: I'd suggest Ten Marks Jam Session, Front Row Fractions, or these Equivalent Fractions games

December News

MONTH AT A GLANCE

World Class Outcome Focus: Analyze the characteristics of effective citizenship & Appraise the interaction between individual and societal activities

Some things to talk with your child about might include how you are an effective citizen and your thoughts on how an individual can impact society (think of the presidential election, charity work, service to a community).

Content/21st Century Skill Focus: Civic Responsibility

• Branches and Levels of Government
• Branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial
• Levels: Local, State, National
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Citizenship
• Student Council
• Officers will be elected (5th & 6th graders)
• Our representatives will be elected in class
• Field Trip to Colorado Capitol
• If you've not registered yet, please see the previous blog post with details on this field trip.

Ongoing WCO: Create meaning strategically & Evaluate how authors create meaning

• Best Christmas Pageant Ever
• Using this novel, we'll be analyzing plot and character development. How does the society impact the individuals in the book? How do the individuals impact the society? 
• We'll be applying new vocabulary into blog posts that show our critical thinking about what we've read. 
• Students will communicate digitally about what they've read and analyze what others have communicated to collaboratively understand the novel on a deeper level. 
• Integrating the 21st Century Skill- Global Awareness
• Students will participate in many choice activities that have them analyzing winter holidays celebrated around the world. 
• Creativity- Students will have choice in their independent writing, which includes prompts that require them to hit writing targets and communicate their thinking with creativity.

Ongoing WCO: Create a process to solve a problem.

• Math will focus on standard 4.3- Visual displays are used to represent data. 
• Analyzing data to find: mean, median, mode, range
• Line plots with fractions
• Probability: likelihood and outcomes 
• Students will continue to practice their flexibility, accuracy, and efficiency in our number talks. 
• We'll delve deeper into multi-digit multiplication and division with word problems. 

If you can donate supplies for our holiday activities, please click here. 

December Events

November 20 News

Holiday Adoption Information

Last year during the holidays, 70 families (over 184 kids) were adopted within the Douglas County community. These families came from Renaissance Expeditionary Outward Bound Magnet School, Fox Creek Elementary, Pine Lane Elementary, and Prairie Crossing Elementary.  These families received clothing gifts for each family member and toys for each child.  The program was very successful, and the families that were adopted were grateful and appreciative of the kindness and support of the Douglas County community.

This is the 9th year Prairie Crossing has participated in this program. Fourth grade would like to be a part of this community service building activity, and you are welcome to participate. We, as a grade level, will be adopting one family. Please visit the Bring It sheet to sign up for a gift if your family wishes to participate. Once you've purchased the gift, please wrap it, put a sticky note on it with the letter/number code listed on the Bring It sheet (ex. C4e), and send it in to your child's teacher. All wrapped/coded gifts need to be at school by December 8th. 

**Also, because of the sheer number of families that Alison Armour (the school social worker organizing this outreach) has, she'd rather our class not go beyond what is asked, but rather have parents that want to give more, contact her (719-232-7803), and you can help another family.  Sending in gift cards is another option. She always needs gift cards for food.  King Soopers is best, but she will take Target and Walmart as well. She first uses gift cards to make sure all families in our community have been adopted.  Then extra gift cards are used for food for the families.  Anything extra is used throughout the year for those families that come to us in crisis.*

Capitol Field Trip
As part of our upcoming study on government/civics in Colorado, we will be taking a tour of the Colorado Capitol building. Please follow these directions to sign your child up for this field trip. 
https://dcsdk12.revtrak.net/tek9.asp?pg=prairiecrossES

1) Click on "Registration"

2) Click on "Field Trips"

3) Find "PCE - Colorado State Capitol Building " - underneath that, you'll see all 4th grade teacher names...click on Ms. Tucker.

4) Then in the right box click "Register for this class" and then you either login or set up a new account.

If you have questions/problems with the online registration/payment, please contact:

RegWorks directly at 1-888-848-2194 or Kathy in our office at 303-387-8200 orKathy.Klancic@dcsdk12.org

December Needs
If you can help contribute to supplies for our holiday party, please sign up here:
 

November 15 News

Homework
Spelling: tele list
Math: Front Row, Ten Marks Jam Session, AbcYa, or Games Linked On Math Google Classroom
Reading: Your child should be finished with at least 8 books by the end of November

Talk with Your Child About...

• Inflation- Beware! Using the Consumer Price Index Calculator, I showed them how our $2/week allowance in the 80s would be $4 a week in 2015. 
• The choices you make when purchasing good and services, how you compare prices, and how you budget your family's money
• The perspective/point of view of the different characters in the book your child is reading
• How you use your bank/online banking system to track your money
• How your family "gives back" (We read stories in reading group about how people/businesses give back to their communities.)
• How you use tables/graphs in your job or personal life
• The Lemonade War
• The One and Only Ivan

Snapshots from the Week

Researching Flights to Vacation Destinations to Create a Table to Compare Data

Collaborating to Create our Stories

Using the Consumer Price Index Calculator to Figure Out the Price of Goods in 1932 versus 2015

Calendar Reminders

November 16: Small Business Owner Presentation to 4th Graders

November 16: Fire Drill 

November 23-27: Thanksgiving Break

December 4: Shelter in Place Drill

December 14: Fire Drill

December 16: Field Trip to Colorado Capitol (more info coming soon)

December 18: Winter Break Begins

On days that we have indoor lunch recess, I'll be allowing students to stay in the classroom to play board games (instead of going to the library to watch a movie). If it looks like it's going to be a day that we'll have indoor recess, feel free to have your child bring in some games to play. We did this last week, and the kids had a great time, and it was so fun to watch them play so well together. Please know that I am not the one making decisions about whether we go outside, so always send your child with warm layers to wear just in case. 

November 7 Update

Homework

• Math- Continue using websites. I also showed the kids how to use Ten Marks Jam Session, which is a great option if your child is looking for a different website. If you preferred written homework, please let me know. I am happy to provide written math homework for your child each week. I'll differentiate it based on what your child needs to practice, but I don't want to print out work if you/your child prefers the internet based practice.
• Spelling/Vocabulary- de 
• Reading- We recently used Read Theory in class. Students are welcome to do Read Theory as their nightly reading homework. (It is linked on the Links page of our website.)

Talk with Your Child About...

• The positive incentives and negative incentives in: your life, your family, your job
• The goods and resources (natural, human, capital) that you use and/or want
• How your family budgets your money and your opinion on credit cards
• Data tables that you use/encounter in daily life
• The figurative language in the book your child is reading
• The flat and round characters in the book your child is reading
• The plot and characters of the story that your child is currently planning to write
• The science fossils assessment that your child completed this week

Snapshots from the Week

Getting Feedback from Classmates as We Plan our Stories

Building our Writing Fluency by Planning and Drafting in Writing Group

Learning some Idioms Related to Thanksgiving

November News

Please check out your child's Science and Literacy pages on their eportfolios. We recently posted their Animal Reports and Bee Bots videos. I'm super proud of the kids' hard work on these projects and how they were able to show some of what they learned in October. 

Homework for November 2-6

• Spelling -logy. These are HARD words this week. It would be helpful to work with your child to break them into syllables or chunks in the word to help them remember. 
• Math Worksheets- Have your child do several problems each night. Please check your child's work each night so that they aren't practicing incorrectly. (Due Friday, November 6th)
• Reading- Read nightly. Your child should finish two books this month. 

What are we learning in November?

WCOs: Analyze how perspective is a catalyst for change and how multiple relationships cause change. As we learn about economics and work in literacy, we'll focus on how perspective and relationships can cause change.

• Literacy
• We will be reading The Lemonade War focusing on: figurative language, using the text to support our thinking, writing in response to what we've read, and evaluating how the author strategically created meaning. 
• Students will be writing stories. Each day's lesson will guide the students in ways to create meaning strategically to improve their writing. 
• We will continue to write paragraphs in writing groups. We'll work on word choice, conventions, organization, and elaboration to create meaning strategically.
• In reading groups, we will do close reads to focus on vocabulary, determining the main idea, finding proof in the text, and synthesize our reading to create meaning strategically. 
• Social Studies- Economics
• Students will learn a lot of new vocabulary and apply it to economics. Concepts include: incentives, resources, opportunity cost, goods and services, inflation, choices, comparing prices, credit cards, budgets, and debt. This is a great time to share your financial decision making with your child. 
• We will have a local entrepreneur visit the fourth grade, and students will be able to apply all that they've learned in the real-world through her visit.

WCO: Create a process to solve a problem. 

• We will test on chapter three (multi-digit multiplication and long division) on Monday, November 9th. Then we will move onto data as students learn about tables and line graphs.
• Students will work in collaborative groups to solve inquiry based problems as they evaluate plans for a birthday party. 

Important Dates

• Tuesday, November 3: No School
• Friday, November 6: Book Orders Due
• Friday, November 13: Doughnuts for Dads (See PCE email for details)
• Monday, November 23- Friday, November 27: No School, Thanksgiving Break

October 18

Homework

Spelling: pro

Math: normal work but practicing multi-digit multiplication is highly suggested

Reading: nightly reading, Bunnicula done and document submitted by October 30

Week at a Glance

WCO: Analyze the interaction within and between two systems & Classify patterns using models

- Classification of animals

- Using Bee Bots to explain classification of an animal (look for a video of your child's work at the end of the week)

WCO: Create meaning strategically in reading, writing, speaking, and listening & Evaluate how authors create meaning strategically

- Finishing body paragraphs of animal reports, adaptations paragraph

- Paragraph about Fall Break

- Personification

- Plot Structures

- Using evidence from the text to support our analysis

WCO: Attend to precision

- Inquiry unit on multiplicative comparisons

- Spiral review of previously taught concepts not yet mastered

Specials: PE

Quick Info

- Please see previous week's blog for info about the Halloween party. We still need some teeth and Skittles :) 

- I will be out Tuesday for a Gifted and Talented conference in Loveland as part of my role as the co-GT coordinator for PCE. I'll also be out Thursday afternoon to get my daughter's braces put on; boy do I feel your pain as parents with the time and money this involves! My lesson plans have not changed with these absences, so learning will go on as if I were here.  

- Article from our School Psychologist

October 2

Bunnicula
Our next required home reading book is Bunnicula. I passed the books out on Wednesday and explained the assignment to the class. We've been working a lot on using evidence from the text to support our thinking and crafting good responses to questions. The home reading log (which is posted in Google Classroom) requires students to answer one comprehension question per chapter with a Great Short Answer. Great Short Answers require students to respond in complete sentences with the question in the answer and use evidence from the text signaled by Evidence Based Terms ("because", "for instance", "for example", "the author stated", "according to the text"). We've worked on this in class, so now I'm asking the kids to be able to do this on their own to prove they can do it independently. Bunnicula is a short read at only 98 pages and needs to be completed by October 30th.

Conferences
I look forward to seeing you this week. If you've forgotten your date/time, here's the link to the sign-up sheet. Help keep me on time by entering the room at your scheduled conference time. Thank you!

Week at a Glance
WCO: Create Meaning Strategically & Evaluate How Authors Create Meaning

• Planning and Drafting Life Cycle Paragraph in Animal Report
• Figurative Language: Metaphors, Idioms, Onomatopoeia
• Evaluating the Theme of Short Stories

WCO: Attend to Precision

• Multiplying Multi-Digit Numbers by 1 and 2 digits

WCO: Analyze the Interaction Within and Between Two Systems & Classify Patterns Using a Model

• Build Your Wild Self assignment to evaluate how an animal's adaptations help it to survive in its ecosystem
• Interim assessment to analyze how an animal outside of its natural ecosystem may be in danger and propose a solution to the problem

WCO: Appraise the Interaction Between Individual and Societal Activities

• Students will pay their first payroll taxes, pay rent, and participate in their first auction

Specials: Music

No Spelling this week 

Halloween Party
On Friday, October 30th, we will have our morning Halloween party. The kids may come to school in their school appropriate costumes but will need to bring a change of clothes. The party will be the first hour of the day, the kids will change out of their costumes at recess, and then we'll have Junior Achievement. Here are our party needs.

September 25

Spelling
Some estimates are that 75% of the English language is derived from Greek and Latin roots. They truly are the building blocks of English and present an extremely powerful framework to nurture students' vocabulary development. All of our spelling words focus on Greek and Latin roots and affixes. On Mondays,  I teach the vocabulary to help familiarize the students with the words' meanings and spelling. Vocabulary is an important component of reading comprehension. Readers cannot understand what they are reading without knowing what most of the words mean. As children learn to read more advanced texts, they must learn the meaning of new words that are not part of their oral vocabulary. It's imperative to your child's vocabulary development and reading comprehension that you take the time each week to help your child learn the spelling and meaning of their weekly Greek and Latin affixes and root words. This week's words have the trans- prefix (meaning across).

Conferences
Because we have a low class size of 22 students, I was able to schedule 20 minute conferences (many classrooms only have time for 15 minute time slots). Please help me keep on schedule by entering the classroom at your scheduled start time. I could talk about your kids for longer than 20 minutes, but I want to honor your child's conference by not running over on time. If you have yet to sign up, here's the link again to the sign-up sheet.

Portfolios
When you get a moment this weekend, please have your child show you his/her portfolio, which now has the Animoto and Voice Thread projects that we completed this week.
Alisa
Amber
Ashlyn
Bailey
Caden
Chase
Chauncy
Cole
Colin
Haleigh
Isabella
Keaton
Lauren
Lucy
Maddy
Natalie
Nathan
Reese
Sam
Siena
Spencer
Trystan

Week at a Glance

• Literacy
• Read Aloud of The Hundred Dresses- focusing on applying the reading strategies that we've learned and responding to reading in writing using evidence from the text
• Planning and drafting animal reports in writing groups
• Writing a paragraph to a prompt independently
• Writing similes and metaphors
• Read Aloud of The Good Dog- discussing characterization, plot development, and inferences
• Shared reading of "Escape from Alcatraz"- using evidence from a nonfiction text 
• Science
• Food Webs and Adaptations
• Math
• Test on chapter two on Wednesday (estimating, factors, and multiples)
• Beginning chapter three on Thursday (multi-digit multiplication and long division)
• Specials: Art

Book Fair

*Be a MONSTER Reader and come to the Scholastic Book Fair!

October 5-October 8 in the PCE Library
Book Fair Hours:
Monday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Tuesday: 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 
Thursday: 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
Join us for the Monster Photo Booth, Monster Cookies, and Monster Fun!

Click here if you would like to Volunteer for this Fun event.

September 13

What are we up to this week?

• Create Meaning Strategically & Evaluate How Authors Create Meaning
• Students are learning how to determine importance in what they read. We'll specifically learn how to find the main idea, summarize, use what we've learned from a text to determine what's important, use evidence to support an opinion, and synthesize what we've learned. 
• We're continuing to work on improving our organization and details in our paragraph writing. This week, students will revise and edit a paragraph that they've written. They'll put this paragraph into Voice Thread (an internet based program) that will allow them to get feedback from their peers. Then they'll do another revision/editing of their paragraph before publishing it. They'll also practice writing similes/metaphors and meet with me in writing groups.
• Demonstrate the Inquiry Process & Create a Process to Solve a Problem
• Students will chose a health topic that they want to more about. They'll research the issue and create an Animoto (a web based slideshow program) to share what they've learned and propose a way to solve the health problem. 
• Analyze the Interaction Within and Between Two Systems & Classify Patterns Using Models
• We begin our next big science unit this week, which was kicked off by our Denver Zoo field trip. This week, students will focus on living/nonliving factors, biotic/abiotic factors, biomes, and ecosystems. 
• Math- Number Theory: Rounding, Estimating, Factors, Multiples, Prime & Composite Numbers
• This is one of the most challenging math units of the year. I encourage students to practice factors, multiples, and prime/composite numbers using links provided in class, links from our website, and Splash Math as part of their homework. 
• Your child's math placement is fluid with each unit and is based on MAPS scores, classroom performance, and learning style. Many kids will be in a new math class starting tomorrow so that we can make sure your child is in a classroom whose pace matching his/her math strengths. 

Homework

• Read Nightly- Your child should have two titles on the 20 Book Challenge Reading Log by now. 
• Spelling- Our spelling is also a way for us to teach vocabulary, so the words will be challenging from here on out. Students get some time to practice in class, but practicing at home is essential to learn the spelling and meaning of these words. Here is the link to this week's words. 
• Math- Options include: Ten Marks, Splash Math, Front Row, Moby Max, & links from Google Classroom or our class website

Snapshots of our Learning

Important Upcoming Dates

• Tuesday, 9/22: Lockdown Drill 
• Wednesday, 9/23: Picture Retakes
• Tuesday, 9/29: Fire Drill
• Monday, 10/5- Thursday, 10/8: Scholastic Book Fair in Library
• Tuesday, 10/6 and Thursday, 10/8: Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Friday, 10/9- Friday, 10/16: Fall Break

August 28

Quick Curriculum Notes

Evaluate How Authors Create Meaning and Create Meaning Strategically in Reading & Writing

• This week, we are focusing on the reading strategy of visualizing. Good readers are able to picture in their heads what is happening in the story. As your child reads at home this week, ask your child to tell you what he/she visualized while reading. 

• In writing, we are learning how to write complex and compound sentences with correct punctuation. Students will also learn a new plan that will help them to write better paragraphs. 

Create a Process to Solve a Problem and Demonstrate the Process of Inquiry

• In health, students will learn more about how exercise keeps their bodies healthy, dental health, and hearing. 

• In math, students will finish up chapter one (place value concepts) and apply these concepts to real-world situations as they try to solve problems though inquiry. 

DLT

For thirty minutes every day, we have differentiated learning time. Based on assessments, I've identified areas in which your child needs further challenge or extra practice. Each day, your child's learning is personalized to your child's needs. This week, our DLT gets into full swing. Students will be working in groups with me, Mrs. Surritte, Mr. Martin, Mrs. Maslanik, Mrs. Messana, and/or a parent volunteer based on this personalized learning plan. (These groups are focused on reading, writing, and math.) If students are not working in a group that day, they will be working on a computer program that helps them to improve their language and vocabulary skills (which is based on their individual level). 

Field Trip
To kick off our next big unit, we will be headed to the Denver Zoo on Friday, September 11th. If you would like to chaperone, please email me. To register your child for this field trip, please follow these directions:
FIELD TRIP LINK:
https://dcsdk12.revtrak.net/tek9.asp?pg=prairiecrossES

1) Click on "Registration"

2) Click on "Field Trips"

3) Find "PCE - Denver Zoo Registration" - underneath that, you'll see all 4th grade teacher names...click on correct teacher 

4) Then in the right box click "Register for this class" and then you either login or set up a new account.

If you have questions/problems with the online registration/payment, please contact: RegWorks directly at 1-888-848-2194 or Kathy in our office at 303-387-8200.

Homework Corner

• By now, your child should have completed at least one book at home as part of the 20 Book Challenge.
• This week's spelling words are harder than the last two weeks, so your child may need to practice a little bit each night at home.
• Keep practicing those math facts. Xtra Math, Moby Max, and Front Row (Fact Practice) are all websites your child can use to improve their fact fluency. 1s, 2s, 5s, and 9s should be mastered by Labor Day. 
• When your child passes all of his/her math facts, I reward them with their own bag of popcorn right then. They get to brag, and stink up our classroom to make us all jealous, that they've "popped through their multiplication facts". I've already used my current popcorn supply (This is a good problem to have!); so if you can donate some individual-sized bags of microwave popcorn, we'd greatly appreciate it! 
• Your child can also login to his/her Ten Marks account at home (same username and password that your child uses to login to their email) to do some Jam Sessions or complete work that was not finished in class. 

Book Orders

This month's Scholastic Reading Club flyer is ready for you to explore with your child and was in this week's Thursday Folders, which were sent home on Friday this week. This month's book orders will be due Friday, September 11th. Children read more when they choose their own books, so I encourage you to look at the flyer together. Each flyer is filled with grade-specific, affordable titles.  Books make wonderful gifts! Please let me know if your order includes a gift, and I will contact you when it arrives. Remember, for every book you order, our class earns FREE Books and supplies.
Ordering online is fast and easy and provides more choices beyond what you see in the flyer. 

•  VISIT scholastic.com/readingclub
•  ENTER the one-time Class Activation Code MHWJW
•  SHOP from a carefully curated selection of the best books and value packs
•  SUBMIT your order and earn FREE Books for our classroom
•  All book orders will be shipped to our classroom so we can celebrate the joy of reading together!

August 22

Back to School Night
BTSN is Wednesday, August 26 from 5-7pm. The classrooms will be open for you to visit with your child from 5-6pm. From 6-7pm there will be information from administration and the PCEA, along with treats, at the front of the school.

Free National Park Pass
Want to get into national parks for free? Check out this article for details. Wish I still had a fourth grader; I love Rocky Mountain National Park.

Volunteers
We will be starting classroom volunteers shortly. If you are able to help out, please click here to see this year's opportunities.

Classroom Jobs
Students applied for their job the first week of school and were hired and trained on Monday. They've started earning money. Each student's job will not cover the rent of their desk ($1000/month), so students are awarded bonuses to help them cover rent. (Payday and rent are on the first of each month.) When you visit us at Back to School Night, check in with your child to see how much money they've earned so far.

What are we learning?
Last week we spent some time discussing what World Class Outcomes are and figuring out what they mean. If you'd like to read more about the WCOs, you can visit the district's website.

To start the year, we are focusing on the following WCOs:

• Create meaning strategically in reading, writing, speaking, and listening and Evaluate how authors are strategic in creating meaning with more complex elements and complex text
• As we focus on this WCO, students are practicing strategies that good readers use and learning how to write quality sentences and paragraphs.
• Last week, students focused on making connections as readers and determining a text's theme as ways that readers can evaluate how authors strategically create meaning. 
• They also learned: the elements of a sentence, run-on and sentence fragments, capitalization rules, types of adjectives, and how to write more detailed sentences. These are all ways to create meaning strategically in writing. 
• Demonstrate the process of inquiry and Create a process to solve a problem
• Students are using the scientific method as one process to solve a problem and will be using the inquiry process through health content. 
• To practice the scientific method as an inquiry process, students did a paper airplane lab. 
• On Monday, we start a health unit, which will include exercise, hearing, the digestive system, and dental health. Students will choose a topic that they want to learn more about to practice the inquiry process. 
• In math, we are focusing on the WCO- Look for and express reasoning in repeated reasoning. 
• Last week, we focused on strategies to memorize our multiplication facts by looking at number patterns to help us with memorization tricks. This week, we begin chapter one in the math book, which focuses on place value concepts such as expanded/word/standard form and using place value knowledge to recognize patterns in numbers. 
• Your child may have a different teacher for math. We determined math classes by looking at math pretest scores and the math assessments your child took at the GTKY meetings. Math class placements were based on where your child will learn best based on the pacing of instruction. All classes are learning the same content; classes are paced differently to best match the learners in the classroom. 

Homework Reminders

• While most students did well on their spelling tests this week, there were a handful who didn't do so well and admitted they did not practice at home. Here's a link to this week's words. 
• The kids have been doing really well with their multiplication facts. They're working toward having their 1s, 2s, 5s, and 9s memorized by Labor Day and their 3s, 4s, 6s, 7s, and 8s memorized by conferences. Two kids in our room have already passed all of their multiplication facts. Congratulations Spencer and Natalie!

Here's a Quick Look at What We've Been Doing

- Playing "There are Rules"

- Making our PRIDE Posters

- "I've Been in  Your Shoes" to Learn More About Each Other

- Deconstructing the World Class Outcomes

- Sharing our Literacy Journals

- Marshmallow Tower Challenge

- Making Connections by Reading Kevin Henkes Books

- Paper Airplane Inquiry Lab

August 13

Pictures
Individual pictures are tomorrow. Your child should have brought home the picture order form after his/her GTKYM. Our pictures are scheduled for the afternoon. A little reminder slip will be in today's Thursday Folder.

Volunteers
We are in need of volunteers. If you are able to help out, please see our needs and sign up using this form. Thank you!

Headphones
All students need headphones. Many kids did not have their headphones at the GTKYM. Please check with your child that his/her headphones are at school.

Specials
Students will have art next week and will be making their duct tape wallets to hold their classroom money.

Choir
Choir forms are in the office for all interested students.

Cell Phone Numbers
If you texted me your cell phone number this summer, I texted you a picture of your child on the first day of school. If you did not get the text from me, and you gave me your number, will you please text me that so I can make sure to add you to my texting list. If you would like me to text you quick updates or pics of your child randomly throughout the year, you can still text me your phone number at 303-720-2130.

Orange Leaf Fundraiser
Head to Orange Leaf from 4-8pm tomorrow and put your receipt in the bucket. 15% of every receipt will go toward PCE. Hope to see you there.

Homework FAQs
Q: Does fourth grade have homework?
A: Yes. There is a label inside of your child's Homework Folder that states homework expectations. We went over these expectations at Get To Know You Meetings. Your child should be reading, doing math, and practicing spelling as needed.

Q: What's with the Frindle book that was sent home today?
A: We have several required books for your child to read at home over the course of the year. Having a common book that we've all read helps us to have more meaningful discussions about reading strategies in class. Frindle is the first book that is required this year. It was chosen for it's easy readability, high interest, and character development.

Q: Is there a required activity to do with Frindle?
A: Yes. Students were shown a quick sheet to summarize each chapter of Frindle as they read. We did chapter one today in class. They'll submit this doc in Google Classroom when they complete the book.

Q: What if my child already read Frindle and does not want to re-read the book?
A: If your child already read the book (not that your child listened to someone else read the book), and remembers the plot well, then I can provide an alternative novel to read.

Q: When is Frindle due?
A: Simply put- when your child finishes the book. That may be this weekend, or it may be the end of the month. When the book is completed, your child should submit the summary document and return the book to school. Be sure to have your child add Frindle to his/her 20 Book Challenge sheet.

Q: How will my child know what spelling list to study?
A: Links will be posted on Google Classroom each Monday to that week's list of words. We will not have spelling on short weeks.

Q: Where can I find detailed information on this year's homework?
A: See the Homework page of our website.

Book Orders
Book orders are being sent home in today's Thursday Folders. If you'd like to order books, you can send in the order form with cash or a check. You can also pay by credit card by ordering online. There's a link to order online on the home page of our website. Orders are due next Friday. Scholastic Book Orders are a great way to get new books in your kids' hands, get them excited about reading, and they're tax-free. I'll be sending home book orders about once a month.

Donations
If you have a few extra dollars to spend at the store, here are some of our classroom's current needs.