Friday, February 27, 2015

Figurative Language

IT'S REPORT CARD DAY!

NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY.

TUESDAY is our Agriculture in the Classroom field trip.  We will be gone from about 9:00-11:30.  Students will have a pizza snack, but this will not be their lunch.

TUESDAY is also an "End of the Second Trimester" reward day.  Students will have an afternoon game activity where they are allowed to play a board game from home in the classroom.  IF your child chooses to bring an electronic device, they are the ONLY one that can use the device, and school rules must be followed (no internet, no phone usage, no texting, no photos), and a permission slip MUST be sent to school.

Today we worked hard to learn about figurative language.  Figurative language includes similes, metaphors, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and idioms.  See the link below for examples of each.

Figurative Language - definitions and examples

Figurative Language Games

Social Studies Chapter 5 tests were returned today. This will be the first Social Studies grade of the new trimester.  Students were reminded that putting answers in complete sentences and using details could mean the difference between an "A" and a "B" on the written portion of the test.  Since students WERE allowed to use their books, I did expect quality answers.  

We will next be learning the states and capitals of the Southeast.  Here's a puzzle game your child can play at home to help them learn.  Be sure to click on the map of the Southeast if you are making the map specific to this area. 

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video  (This is a huge classroom favorite)

Our Spelling test next week will be over unit 22.  

Spelling Lists


PARCC TESTING:

Students WILL need headphones for our March PARCC test, the week of March 23.  You can look at at examples of the PARCC test that we will be taking at the end of March.  You can find PARCC examples and games under the Nelson Ridge Essential Links.  This test will be very important and challenging for our students.  Here are 4th grade LANGUAGE ARTS PARCC GAMES:

PARCC 4th Grade LANGUAGE ARTS GAMES

Here is a sample PARCC test for 4th Grade:

PARCC PRACTICE TEST

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Snow, Social Studies, Spelling, and Southeast States

Today we took our Chapter 5 Social Studies test.  This will be the first Social Studies grade of the new trimester.  We will next e learning the states and capitals of the Southeast.  Here's a puzzle game your child can play at home to help them learn.  Be sure to click on the map of the Southeast if you are making the map specific to this area.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Tour the States Video

Our Spelling test tomorrow will be over unit 21.   This unit is a bit difficult, but hopefully studying in the words by categories (-ant, -eer, -ian) will make preparation a bit easier.  We completed a review workbook page in class to gel us prepare.  This unit is a bit difficulty.  We tried to study the words by categories of word endings to help us group them together.

Spelling Lists

Students read a Time For Kids magazine today.  These weekly magazines help us to learn about and discuss current events.

We also read the mystery called The Case of the Too Hot Apple Cider in our Storytown books, pages 525-529.  Students love these Readers' Theatre productions.

PARCC TESTING:

Students WILL need headphones for our March PARCC test, the week of March 23.  You can look at at examples of the PARCC test that we will be taking at the end of March.  You can find PARCC examples and games under the Nelson Ridge Essential Links.  This test will be very important and challenging for our students.  Here are 4th grade LANGUAGE ARTS PARCC GAMES:

PARCC 4th Grade LANGUAGE ARTS GAMES

Here is a sample PARCC test for 4th Grade:

PARCC PRACTICE TEST

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Chapter 5 test TOMORROW in Social Studies

Social Studies Test Tomorrow (Chapter 5)

We will plan for a Chapter 5 Social Studies test TOMORROW.  Study guides/practice papers have been sent home.  I will have students bring home their red Social Studies book tonight so that they can look over the chapter at home, and study the blue study guide.  IMPORTANT:  You can click on this link to practice Social Studies Chapter 5 vocabulary and terms at home:

Chapter 5 Social Studies Review Vocab.

States and Capitals Puzzle

Our Spelling test will be over unit 21.   This unit is a bit difficult, but hopefully studying in the words by categories (-ant, -eer, -ian) will make preparation a bit easier.  Our test is on FRIDAY.

Spelling Lists

Students WILL need headphones for our March PARCC test, the week of March 23.  You can look at at examples of the PARCC test that we will be taking at the end of March.  You can find PARCC examples and games under the Nelson Ridge Essential Links.  This test will be very important and challenging for our students.  Here are 4th grade LANGUAGE ARTS PARCC GAMES:

PARCC 4th Grade LANGUAGE ARTS GAMES

Here is a sample PARCC test for 4th Grade:

PARCC PRACTICE TEST

Monday, February 23, 2015

Social Studies Test Thursday (Chapter 5)

We will plan for a Chapter 5 Social Studies test on THURSDAY.  Study guides/practice papers will be sent home by Wednesday.  Today we read pages 168-171, Section 5 in Chapter 5 of Social Studies.  I will have students bring home their red Social Studies book tonight so that they can look over the chapter at home, but the majority of our test preparation will be done on class on Wednesday.  You can click on this link to practice Social Studies Chapter 5 vocabulary and terms at home:

Chapter 5 Social Studies Review Vocab.

We also completed Spelling Unit 21 workbook pages 83-84.  This unit is a bit difficult, but hopefully studying in the words by categories (-ant, -eer, -ian) will make preparation a bit easier.  Our test is on FRIDAY.

Spelling Lists


In the computer lab today we worked on some social studies states and capitals matching games. We also looked at examples of the PARCC test that we will be taking at the end of March.  You can find PARCC examples and games under the Nelson Ridge Essential Links.  This test will be very important and challenging for our students.  Here are 4th grade LANGUAGE ARTS PARCC GAMES:

PARCC 4th Grade LANGUAGE ARTS GAMES

Here is a sample PARCC test for 4th Grade:

PARCC PRACTICE TEST



Friday, February 20, 2015

Playing "Catch Up" from Cold Day!

Today we had to play "catch up" a bit for our Cold Day.  We did some spelling review searches and then took our test.  Next week we will be on Unit 21.  The words are on the back of your child's newsletter.

We will plan for a Chapter 5 Social Studies test on THURSDAY.  Study guides/practice papers will be sent home next week.   Today we read Lesson 4 in Chapter 5 of Social Studies.  

In the computer lab today we worked on some social studies states and capitals matching games. We also looked at examples of the PARCC test that we will be taking at the end of March.  You can find PARCC examples and games under the Nelson Ridge Essential Links.  This test will be very important and challenging for our students.  Here are 4th grade LANGUAGE ARTS PARCC GAMES:

PARCC 4th Grade LANGUAGE ARTS GAMES

Here is a sample PARCC test for 4th Grade:

PARCC PRACTICE TEST

We watched several of the examples of different types of narrative literature listed below, and we used our chart to identify what kind of story each example represents.  We have many copies of these stories in class for students to read, and we read several examples aloud together.   

Folktale

Fable

Pourquoi  (Why?) Tales

Tall Tale

Myths

Fairy Tale

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Narrative Forms

Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life

Today we reread "Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life" on pages 466-489 and took our story test. We are discussing many different literary forms, such as tall tales, fables, and folklore.  We watched several of the examples of different types of narrative literature listed below, and we used our chart to identify what kind of story each example represents.  We have many copies of these stories in class for students to read, and we read several examples aloud together.  

Folktale

Fable

Pourquoi  (Why?) Tales

Tall Tale

Myths

Fairy Tale

This week's Spelling Unit 20 is a Review Unit.  We completed workbook pages 79 & 80.

Spelling Lists

We will plan for a Chapter 5 Social Studies test on THURSDAY.  Study guides/practice papers will be sent home in advance. 

Six Flags reading forms (OPTIONAL) are due on FRIDAY.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life

Today we read "Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life" on pages 466-489 and we are discussing many different literary forms, such as tall tales, fables, and folklore.  Students completed Practice workbook page 102 for vocabulary, and our story test will be tomorrow.  Students are expected to reread the story as tonight's homework.

eBook

This week's Spelling Unit 20 is a Review Unit.  We completed workbook pages 79 & 80.

Spelling Lists

In Social Studies we are learning about "Growth and Change" in the Northeast (Lesson 4 , p158 - 163)  We will plan for a Chapter 5 Social Studies test on Tuesday, February 24, one week from today.  Study guides/practice papers will be sent home in advance.

Six Flags reading forms (OPTIONAL) are due on FRIDAY.


We also studied different types of Narrative Tales.  These are some examples of each kind of narrative tale that you can view at home:


Folktale


Fable



Pourquoi  (Why?) Tales



Tall Tale



(8 min.)

Myths

(Medusa)


(meet Olympiads)


Fairy Tale


Friday, February 13, 2015

Happy Valentines' Day and Presidents' Day Weekend

Have a great Valentines' Day weekend.  Students can study for next week's spelling test by using the word list on their Friday newsletter.  We are off school Monday for Presidents' Day.

We are continuing to learn about the history of the Northeastern states.  We will most likely have a test over Chapter 5 at the end of next week, possibly on Friday, February 20.  

States and Capital Practice Web Sites:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm

http://www.yourchildlearns.com/mappuzzle/us-puzzle.html ( This one has a specific section to focus on states in the Northeast)

http://www.funbrain.com/where/

http://lizardpoint.com/geography/usa-caps-quiz.php

Here's a link to some fun States and Capitals songs.  Many students learn very quickly by listening to music.  Try this link at home to find a song that your child enjoys!

States & Capitals Songs

Tour the States
Tour the World

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Spelling Test Tomorrow




This weeks Spelling Unit 19 test may be challenging for some students, as the key will be to listen closely to the sentences provided on the day of the test.  The test is tomorrow.  We completed Spelling workbook pages 77-78 to practice singular, plural, and possessive words.  Students will need to be very good listeners during our test tomorrow in order to know which word is being used in each spelling sentence.  

We also continued working on short autobiographies and self portraits which we will type and display at school.  

Spelling Link

Today we took our States & Capitals test over the Northeast region.  We also read pages 152-157 in our social studies book as we learned about the "Birthplace of our Nation."  We took our section quiz over these pages as well.  


States and Capital Practice Web Sites:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm

http://www.yourchildlearns.com/mappuzzle/us-puzzle.html ( This one has a specific section to focus on states in the Northeast)

http://www.funbrain.com/where/

http://lizardpoint.com/geography/usa-caps-quiz.php

Here's a link to some fun States and Capitals songs.  Many students learn very quickly by listening to music.  Try this link at home to find a song that your child enjoys!

States & Capitals Songs