Welcome back!!!

It's another year of sharing, blogging and fourth grade!! We are rekindling old friendships and forming new ones with the new students who joined our class. We are adjusting to construction noises and new avenues for traveling around the building while work is in progress. Keep checking this blog for updates, links to cool places and info about fourth grade.  

The Island

Meet the characters, take the survival quiz... would you make it on The Phoenix as part of the crew of CNC? Click below and find out.


http://scholastic.com/titles/island/

While you are there, check out the other series By Gordon Korman.

HOLES

Have some fun exploring Camp Green Lake!

Clink on the link below to try and make it across the dried up lake. Will you survive the yellow-spotted lizards and extreme, intense heat??

http://www.scholastic.com/holes/treasurehunt.htm

Salmon Release

This Thursday, our class will be venturing out to Osgood Brook in Wendell Depot to release our salmon fry. The baby salmon seem ready to go and it is predicted to be a beautiful day. Stay tuned to find out exactly how many fry we released.
Students must remember for Thursday:

• boots or sneakers
• extra, dry socks
• bag lunch from home
• USE BUG SPRAY at home

Mathematics MCAS

Mathematics, sessions 1 and 2, of the MCAS will take place in our class on Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13. We will start right away at 8:45 a.m..
Students are encouraged to remember:
   * get a good night's sleep. Go to bed early!!
   * eat a healthy, hearty breakfast;
   * bring extra snacks on test days!
 Most importantly, feel good about what you know! You have worked hard all year, you can do it!!!!

Another blog challenge

This week students need to do some writing. Using the web site "Kid's Poetry Page"(from our link list), create a story or poem on the background of your choice. Try printing it out or copying it down so you can turn in for a reward! I can't wait to read what you have done!!

Weekly Blog Challenge!

Every Tuesday, look for the next blog challenge. This weekly question will be about something from our blog site. It can be investigated at home, the library, or during free moments at school. All responses from the week are due by the following Monday morning. Correct answers will be rewarded! Be sure to become a follower of "The Room" so you'll be in the loop to new additions to our site. Happy hunting!!

Be like the King: Make some glue!

After reading the play today called "The King in the Kitchen", some students might be inspired to have a hand at making their own glue. Here are some simple directions. Be sure to share your results!

How to Make Glue
The simplest glue is that made from a paste of flour and water. You may remember making this in kindergarten. It is easy, non-toxic and great for working with paper that needs gluing, including papier-mâché projects.

Steps
1. Assemble the "Things You'll Need."
        * Flour
        * Water
        * Bowl
        * Mixer
  
2. Put plain white flour and water into a bowl. The amount is up to you, as it depends on how much glue you need for your project.
  
3. Mix the flour and water together until a smooth paste is achieved. It should not be too thick or too drippy.
  
4. Use it soon after creating it. It can be used to stick paper together for a variety of craft projects, such as making paper mâché.
  
5. You can only use it for weaker stuff as this glue may not be strong enough. But you can add Vaseline shampoo to it so it makes more sticky :D
 
Tips
    * Get young children to wear an apron to protect them from glue spills on their clothes.
    * It is great to get children of any age making this for themselves, as it is non-toxic. However, be sure to help younger ones to get the lumps out or the glue will be too lumpy to use.
    * If the glue seems too drippy, add more flour. If it seems too thick, add more water.
    * If you want, you can also sift the flour before you mix the paste


Warnings
    * Make sure to dry thoroughly anything stuck with flour and water paste. If it stays damp, it may go moldy. If it's moldy, you will have to waste it and start again!

Andrew's visit!

What a wonderful visit we had with Andrew Staruk last Tuesday afternoon. He spent the afternoon talking with other classes and then came to our room to finish his day. He told us about his job, his family, his favorite things (ice cream and candy flavors, music, restaurants, etc.) and how to write a good letter to a soldier. He told us how math and writing have helped him in his jobs, and different things he might do in his future. He left us all with some special gifts and the possibility of another visit someday. What an inspiring, kind person we met in Andrew!

and... we're done.

Yay!! As of today, March 30, we have completed the Reading Comprehension portion of our fourth grade MCAS. It is quite a relief to be done with this part. I can't believe how hard our class worked. Everyone should be so proud of themselves.  Our next sessions of MCAS will be math and will not happen until May. Phew! The break will be nice. Back to work caring for our salmon and learning about the regions of our country.

Welcome!

I have created this blog to connect my students and their families to necessary info about our class, cool web sites and games, and as a starting point for projects and research. As for most everything in life, this is a work in progress. I will be adding to it all the time and welcome any posts, recommendations and feedback that you are comfortable sharing. I hope this a helpful tool for everyone involved with the fourth grade.