Summertime!

I know that some of you want to keep in touch over the summer. So here is a test to see who is looking at the blog! What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I am looking forward to reading new books, golfing, playing with my dog and going to the beach. And of course, teaching math for summer school!

CHOICE TIME!

You have one (half) day of school left as a fourth grader. We will spend some of the day watching the Don Edwards movies you all made. We will also try to finish Chasing Vermeer. Finally, we have to CLEAN the room.

With the leftover time, you have choice time. Obviously, we all have to be in the same place!

Here is your chance to discuss, pick and choose...

How would you like to spend your choice time? Why? When writing your comment, imagine you are trying to convince your classmates to choose what you are suggesting. After you post, if you read others' comments and you want to change your choice, you can repost. I will tally them all up in the morning to determine what we will be doing!

Change Starts with Me

All this year we have been learning how to be respectful, stand up for each other and fill each others' buckets (as well as our own!). Today we made a video about some of the things we learned.

What was your most memorable part of Project Cornerstone/Expect Respect/ABC/Non Name Calling? Please explain why!

Finally ready for Fifth!

WOW! Days away from being fifth graders! Watch out world, here we come! What are you most looking forward to in 5th grade?

Fourth is Fantastic

All year we have been reflecting on our accomplishments. What is your proudest accomplishment from this year and why? What did you hope to accomplish but didn't? What do you need to help you accomplish it in the future, if it is still a goal? Finally, what is your favorite memory from 4th grade?

You've got mystery mail!

What would you do if you received a copy of the mysterious letter? Explain!

Mysteries and Coincidences

Petra thinks that we are surrounded by coincidences and overlapping ideas, but that we fail to notice them. What do you think about this?

Chasing Vermeer is a mystery filled with patterns, clues and yes, math!

Please respond to at least two of these prompts by June 2.

1. Why are Calder and the other students fascinated by Ms. Hussey and the way she conducted her class?
2. How did Calder relate his pentomino pieces to Ms. Hussey’s first assignment?
3. Why was Petra upset by her encounters with Calder and Ms. Hussey at Powell’s Used Books?
4. Why was Petra unhappy at home?
5. Why did the author describe both Petra and Calder as “hybrid kids?
6. What is being compared in the following sentence? “Petra’s household was a tornado where life swirled in noisy circles? What is the real meaning of the metaphor?

thanks to Baldwin-Woodville School District for these questions.

Chasing Vermeer

Have you every gotten a memorable letter? Does anyone send letters anymore or do they just email, tweet and text. What do you think?

By the Great Horn Spoon! The Sequel!!

Ruination! The book is over and we have nothing to read! It's up to you to come up with a sequel to the book by Sid Fleishman. Your job is to write a summary of the "new book" to interest readers. Be sure your summary is about 200 words and that you proofread your work. You are writing historical fiction that is age appropriate for fourth graders. I can't wait to read your ideas!

Wetlands Field Trip

We had a wonderful day today at the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso. Please respond to at least one of these questions about our day.

1. What was the most interesting thing you learned and why?
2. What can you do to help save the wetlands?
3. Which center did you like best and why?

New Almaden Quicksilver Mine

Today we went on a field trip to the New Almaden Quicksilver Mine Museum. We learned about life in the 1800s and even walked on a brick sidewalk put there for the miners' schoolchildren.

What do you think life was like for children back then? What challenges do you face that they did not? How was life harder and easier for them? What do you think they might have worried about? What might they think of our class learning about their lives in a museum? Can you imagine what school children might be learning about YOU 110 years from now? What would you want children of the future to know about?

By the Great Horn Spoon!

Jack and Praiseworthy are on an adventure. Answer one of these questions thoroughly (be sure to make clear which question you are answering), meaningfully respond to at least one other post and remember to edit your work!

Your posts are part of your grade so work carefully and do you best!

1. Why would someone want to be a stowaway?
2. If your ship became becalmed, what might you do?
3. Describe what you might see if you were sitting in the crow's nest of the Lady Wilma.
4. In a letter home, Jack states that although he isn't in school, he is learning every day. What is Jack learning on the Lady Wilma?

How to Help Your Daughter Understand Today’s Math

How to Help Your Daughter Understand Today’s Math

Swamp Rivals, The Mute One - The Talking Earth

Billie Wind is on a journey of self discovery. As she travels, she makes many thoughtful discoveries about herself, her heritage and the world she lives in. Write about a time when you realized something important or significant about yourself, your heritage or the world. Describe your discovery and how it affected you.

Chinese New Year

Petang and Cooottchobee

In The Talking Earth, Billie Wind is having quite an adventure. Please comment thoughtfully on one of the 4 questions below. Please, please remember to proofread your work!

A. Billie's experience in the cave changed her. Describe how and give evidence from the book.

B. What messages has Billie received so far from the animals? What more might she learn from them?

C. After Billie leaves the cave, bulldozers arrive and flatten the area for an airport. Why do you think the author included this scene? What effect did it have on you?

D. Why didn't Billie fear the animals in the swamp? What did this reveal about the way she has changed since her adventure began?

Educational Games on the Web

There are hundreds of wonderful educational computer games on websites out there, and even better, many are free! Let's share our cool finds with each other! Provide the URL (link) name of the game, what educational area or skill it helps with, and how much it costs. Then review the game for us! Tell us what you like about it or any problems or issues you have with the app. Do you think your classmates will like it? How about older kids or younger siblings? Remember to proofread and only use your initials.

DS Users Unite!

After riding the bus to Sacramento, I saw that lots of you have DS games. There are lots of wonderful educational games out there!

Let's share our cool finds with each other! Provide the name of the app, what educational area or skill it helps with, and how much it costs. Then review the game or app for us! Tell us what you like about it or any problems or issues you have with the app. Do you think your classmates will like it? How about older kids or younger siblings? Remember to proofread and only use your initials.

iPeople Users Group!

Several of us have iPads, iPods, or an iPod touch. There are hundreds of wonderful educational apps out there, and even better, some many are free! Let's share our cool finds with each other! Provide the name of the app, what educational area or skill it helps with, and how much it costs. Then review the game or app for us! Tell us what you like about it or any problems or issues you have with the app. Do you think your classmates will like it? How about older kids or younger siblings? Remember to proofread and only use your initials.

Here is a screen shot showing free apps we'll be using on March 23.

The Talking Earth

Please respond to one of the following questions with a short essay. Please remember to use evidence from the text and/or your experiences to support your opinions. Proofread your work before submitting. Comment meaningfully on at least one other student's post. Due Feb. 3. Remember, these posts are part of your grade for language arts.

A. Billie Wind's father suggested that once the Earth became too

polluted, people would have to move to another planet. Tell whether you think this is a possible solution to Earth's environmental problems.

B. Why do you think it is important to the elders that the young retain their faith in the old beliefs?

C. Billie Wind wouldn't let her sister wave the 3 white heron feathers over her dugout canoe as she began her trip. What does this tell you about Billie? What might this event suggest (foreshadow) about the trip Billie was about to take?

San Juan Bautista

Website Evaluation

When researching information on a website, what clues should you look out
for to make sure it is a trustworthy site? (Hint: the 5W's of website
evaluation=who,what,when,where,why)

Remember to answer in complete sentences, use example to explain your answer and proofread your work. Sign only your initials. No initials, no credit.

Comments should be posted by January 19th at 9:00 am.

Happy New Year!

We just got back from two weeks off school. Please write about your family celebration, vacation, a favorite gift or activity...write about anything you want to share with your classmates. You need to write at least 125 words. Please write your first draft using WORD or another application so you can count your words, edit your work then cut and paste into your blog comment. To get your word count in MS Word, go to tools-> word count and it will tell you how many words you have typed. Be sure to check for spelling, grammar and punctuation. In addition to your post, please add a thoughtful comment in response to a classmate's post. Finally, remember to only use your initials. (This post is 126 words.)