Week in Review: January 25-29

We worked on several things in writing this week. First, we wrote our final copies of our letters to our state representative protesting the destruction of the Brushy Creek Trails. The students were so fired up about this issue, and their letters turned out great. I made copies before I mailed them off, and sent them home in Thursday folders, so please take time to read your child's letter if you have not already. We also did some STAAR practice questions over revising, and next week we will focus on editing. In 4th grade, students will have to take a writing STAAR test, so this is just some good early practice! Finally, we began brainstorming ideas and planning out a fairy tale, legend, or tall tale. Each student chose one of those genres and we be writing an imaginative story over the next couple of weeks. In reading, we read several myths and legends, and continued to talk about themes in these types of traditional tales.

We met with our kindergarten buddies on Friday during reading time. Third graders helped their buddies finish a writing assignment and then learn to navigate a new app on the iPads called Chatter Kids.

In math, we are continuing to work on equivalent fractions. As always, the best way for them to learn is hands on, so we have spent a lot of time working with fraction bars and/or circles, and even making our own set of "fraction bricks" so that we can learn about decomposing fractions. For example, students should know that 1/2 is the same as 1/4 + 1/4.

In social studies, we are studying the economy and free enterprise system. Students are learning about wants vs. needs, as well as supply and demand and how those things effect price changes.

In science, we are learning about organisms in their environments, and how environmental changes can effect a population's growth. Ask your child about the armadillo game we played on Wednesday! Also related to science, we built biodegradable pots out of newspaper on Friday. We will plant seeds in them once they have had time to dry out and the students will get to take them home.

Just a reminder that next Wednesday is an early release day, with students leaving at 12:45pm. Have a great weekend!

Week in Review: January 19-22

This week in math, we wrapped up our geometry and area unit with a district common assessment on Thursday and then jumped back into fractions on Friday. We'll be focusing on comparing and ordering fractions now, especially those with different denominators.

A dry erase board review of 2D shapes

Noticings and wonderings about fraction questions

Using Cuisenaire rods to examine the relationship of part to whole

We learned a lot about Martin Luther King, Jr. during social studies this week. Students read several articles about him, and completed a couple of assignments that will be coming home next week.

In science, we spent our time on PBL related projects. We joined with Mrs. Swyers class for a few days so that students could partner up to plan and create projects of their choice. Our only requirement was that they create something to educate others about the problems of habitat destruction. Project include posters, Google slide presentation, Google drawings, and even some 3-dimensional models with globes. We hope to finish these up next week.

Working on PBL projects of their choice!

In language arts, we have begun reading various forms of traditional literature such as fables and folktales. We will expand this to myths and legends next week.

Folktales with reading partners

Our writing was focused on planning for a newspaper feature article about their PBL research topic. Students will be working in pairs or small groups over the next couple of weeks to complete this writing assignment. We took a detour from this article writing on Friday after I was made aware of a timely opportunity to write persuasive letters. As Wildlife Warriors, we are looking for ways to reduce habitat loss for local animals and there is currently an effort to stop the LCRA from ruining the Brushy Creek Trail System with a new power line system. On Friday, students wrote rough drafts of individual letters to our local representatives opposing the big LCRA project. If you and your family use the Brushy Creek trails or parks, I would encourage you to visit www.savebrushycreektrail.com to educate yourself about this. I hope you will also take the time to email the people listed and make your voice heard. Ask you child about this today! They seem to be pretty passionate about putting a stop to this potential devastation.

Students will be coming home today with their new Wildlife Warrior t-shirts, and we hope you like the design. There will be specific days that I ask them to wear them to school (assemblies, field trips, etc.) , and I will always let the students, and you, know in advance. Students wore them proudly today as we took a brief walk to see the road construction behind the school, and the site of the futre middle school.

Nice smiles!

Silly faces!

Have a wonderful weekend!