Fiction vs. Non-Fiction

We have been working to finish and type our Compare/Contrast paragraphs about a classmate, and we have been reading and comparing examples of Fiction/Non-Fiction Text. This week we read a fiction story about a vegetarian restaurant, and we read a non-fiction story about meat analogs. 

Next week's reading skill will focus on "Conflict" as we read "On the Banks of Plum Creek" from Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series. 

Our spelling test this coming week will be on THURSDAY due to Friday's field trip. We will be on Unit 6.   Tests from Friday are returned on the following Monday. 

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

*** Monday is "Wear Blue" for Bullying Awareness.

**** Tuesday we will be visited by Robert Crown to learn about drug safety.  

https://www.robertcrown.org

***  Wednesday is Picture Day!

***  Thursday is our Spelling Unit 6 Test

***   Friday is our field trip to Big Run Wolf Ranch.    

Here's a link to see what types of exhibits we will viewing on this fun trip:

http://www.bigrunwolfranch.org

We are still working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Safe and Caring Classrooms

Today we talked about Safe and Caring Classrooms/Schools with Mrs. Foley.  Students also talked about preventing and being aware of Bullying and Cyber Bullying. 

We have been working to finish and type our Compare/Contrast paragraphs about a classmate, and we have been reading and comparing examples of Fiction/Non-Fiction Text. 

Our spelling words are a review unit.  It should make for easier studying at home! Our test is tomorrow. 

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

***   Don't forget that field trip forms for the Wolf Lodge are due soon.  The trip is next Friday.   Here's a link to see what types of exhibits we will viewing on this fun trip:

http://www.bigrunwolfranch.org

*** Next Wednesday is Picture Day!

**** Next Tuesday we will be visited by Robert Crown to learn about drug safety.  https://www.robertcrown.org

We are still working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Many Upcoming Events

We are reading Pedro Puts on a Play.  It is about family heritage and traditions.  Today we worked in groups to practice the play before taking our story test.  Miss Gilbert, our Lewis University Clinical Student, will be helping in our class every Wednesday.  Today she enjoyed reading the play with small groups.

Our spelling words are a review unit.  It should make for easier studying at home!

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

***   Don't forget that field trip forms for the Wolf Lodge are due soon.  The trip is next Friday.   Here's a link to see what types of exhibits we will viewing on this fun trip:

http://www.bigrunwolfranch.org

*** Next Wednesday is Picture Day!

**** Next Tuesday we will be visited by Robert Crown to learn about drug safety.  https://www.robertcrown.org

We are still working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Review Unit for Spelling

We worked hard today to type our comparison/contrast essays.  We will share a copy of our hard work with you as soon as they are printed and ready!

Tomorrow reading story is a play called Pedro Puts on a Play.  It is about family heritage and traditions.

eBook

Our spelling words are a review unit.  It should make for easier studying at home!

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We are still working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Comparison/Contrast

Today was a busy day!  We had our library class and learned about the Dewey Decimal System.  Students are able to select three library books each week.  We also practiced an intruder drill this morning.  I reminded students that practicing drills is just as important for teachers as it is for students.  It's always my priority to keep everyone safe!

We are currently working on Comparison/Contrast skills, and we are writing an essay (2 paragraphs) to hi light the similarities and differences between ourselves and another student. 

This spelling unit is (hopefully) a bit easier than last week's unit.  We talked about the -ed / -ing word ending rules.  Test will be on Friday. 

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We ware working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Compare & Contrast

Today we reread Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain before taking our story test.  We also reviewed the vocabulary that was used in the story.  Students ARE allowed and ENCOURAGED to use their Storytown book to verify test question answers and to check the meaning of vocabulary words.  We worked on writing an Extended Response answer to an essay question on the test.  
To go along with the skill of  "Comparing and Contrasting," we are interviewing a classmate and will be starting an essay based upon similarities and differences.  Students are in the beginning stages of their assignment. 

This spelling unit is (hopefully) a bit easier than last week's unit.  We talked about the -ed / -ing word ending rules.  Test will be on Friday. 

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We ware working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain

TWe are reading Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain.  It is about the 1930's experience of a young boy who travels from China to stay with his father in California, but first he must go through immigration at Angel Island.

Here is a link to information about Ellis Island:

Ellis Island

eBook

This spelling unit is (hopefully) a bit easier than last week's unit.  We talked about the -ed / -ing word ending rules.  Test will be on Friday. 

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We ware working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Spelling Unit 4

This spelling unit is (hopefully) a bit easier than last week's unit.  We talked about the -ed / -ing word ending rules.  Test will be on Friday.

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We ware working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Tomorrow we will be reading Kai's Journey to Gold Mountain.  It is about the 1930's experience of a young boy who travels from China to stay with his father in California, but first he must go through immigration at Angel Island.  

Poetry for Fluency

Today we worked on practicing fun poems for fluency.  Check out Shel Silverstein's web page to see some silly poems that are fun to read orally.

Shel Silverstein Poems and Activities

Here are some spelling links for our test over Unit 3 on Friday:

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We are working on subjects and predicates, as well as working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Narrative Poetry

We enjoyed rereading Danita Brown Leaves Town and presenting the poems to the class for fluency practice.  The students all did an excellent job of using expression and rhythm.  

We also worked on our spelling workbook pages to prepare for a difficult unit.  

Here are some spelling links for our test over Unit 3 on Friday:

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We ware working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Danita Brown Leaves Town

We are also working on the skill of Comparing and Contrasting.  Our story Danita Brown Leaves Town is a comparison of the summer between two best friends.  The poems/letters sent between the two girls are rhythmic and fun to read aloud.  This is tonight's homework.   

ebook




Here are some spelling links for our test over Unit 3 on Friday:

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

We ware working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Spelling Vowel Sounds

This is a difficult spelling unit.  Please set aside a bit of extra time at home to practice.  We completed our Spelling Workbook pages today and practiced silly sentences to help us learn the vowel sounds.  Our test is Friday.

Here are some spelling links:

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games
We are also working on the skill of Comparing and Contrasting.  Tomorrow's story Danita Brown Leaves Town is a comparison of the summer between two best friends.  The poems/letters sent between the two girls are rhythmic and fun to read aloud.  This will be tomorrow's homework.

ebook

We ware working on our four sentence types  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Here are some great grammar games:

FunBrain Grade 4 -  try playing "Grammar Gorillas"

Story Test

Today we took our story test over the Jackie Mitchell biography.  We reread and discussed the story first, and the homework assignment of rereading the story was due today.  Students may use their books during the test to verify answers, so good grades are expected!

We had a practice evaluation drill today to Prairie School.  Students were well behaved.

We will be working on our four sentence types and we will fill in cartoon bubbles using different kinds of sentences.  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Our Unit 2 spelling test is on Friday.    Here are some spelling links:

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

Jackie Mitchell

Jackie Mitchell Story

Today we read Jackie Mitchell the Strikeout Queen on pages 58 to 70 in our Storytown book.  Rereading this story is tonight's homework.  The purple sheet is due back tomorrow.  Students enjoyed this biography very much, and tomorrow we will watch a short video of the story, including the clip that shows Babe Ruth being struck out "by a girl."  There's also a song that retells the story.  You can listen to these both by clicking below:

Jackie Mitchell Song

Jackie Mitchell Biography Video

ebook

We aslo learned the Robust Vocabulary words from this lesson and completed Practice workbook page 7.  Tomorrow's story comprehension test will include these words.

We will be working on our four sentence types and we will fill in cartoon bubbles using different kinds of sentences.  Here's a game about the four types of sentences:

Sentence Games

Our Unit 2 spelling test is on Friday.    Here are some spelling links:

Spelling Lists

Spelling City Games

Assembly Day

Today we had a fascinating assembly presented by a 1996 Para-Olympian who participated in Team USA Volleyball.  He spoke about overcoming obstacles and character growth.

We also took our spelling test (they will be returned on Tuesday), we practiced sentence types, and we worked on alphabetical order.

Students have a weekly newsletter in their folder.  Unit 2 Spelling words are on the back of the newsletter, and the raffle ticket on the newsletter can be returned to school on Tuesday.

Have a good Labor Day weekend!

Spelling Test Tomorrow

Tomorrow is our first spelling test.  Here's a link to the unit lists, as well as a link to play some spelling games:

Spelling Unit Lists

Spelling City

Today we learned how to find books in the library in alphabetical and call number order.  Students were allowed to check out two books today.  They have a note from Mrs. Drews in their folder.

We also worked today on the four sentence types.  Students completed several classroom activities to practice using interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, and declarative sentences.