Monday, February 6, 2012
Science Class
In Science class we are making "Quiz Boxes". We are working in groups of 3 and writing questions that go along with "Electricity and Magnetism". If an answer is correct a buzzer will ring. Everyone is doing a great job. We presented these last week and invited parents and other classes to see them and to test their knowledge.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Quiz Boxes
The fourth graders created Quiz Boxes as a culminating activity for our "Energy Transfer" unit in Science class. We worked in groups to write questions, decorate boxes and put together simple circuits run by 9 volt batteries. When questions were answered correctly a buzzer went off. This was a fun and educational activity for the kids.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Happy December!
November sure did fly by fast. We have been busy, busy, busy! We've written friendly letters, set goals for our reading, increased our reading stamina to about 35 minutes on a daily basis, are learning the distributive property in math class, learning about The Three Fires in Social Studies, and started a new unit in Science called "Energy Transfer".
We have made some "shocking" discoveries through experimentation, like how to create a static shock, what materials work well to create static electricity and how long a balloon can stay attracted to various places in the classroom. We are beginning to learn about current electricity as well. Students get to explore and experiment how to light a light bulb using a battery, one wire and a mini light bulb. They have to use trial and error to figure out not just one way to get the light bulb to light, but 3 ways it can light and a few ways that it won't light and then figure out what makes a light bulb light-how do the materials have to be connected to each other to get the light bulb to light.
We have been reading some Patricia Polacco books and thinking about story parts and creating story maps. One book we read was called, Thunder Cake, so naturally, we are making a Thunder Cake to eat too! I'll add a link under ELA with the recipe!
We are trying to increase our vocabulary too. We look for longer, interesting words in our reading, try to use longer, more interesting words in our writing, and try to use them when we talk. Students pull out their Spelling Booklets all the time to ask how to spell an interesting word to use. I am loving this! At my own house, with my own family, when someone uses a wonderful word we always say "Oh, that's a two point word for sure!" Sometimes the words are very impressive. My kid's friends also try to get in on the action and when they think they say a really great word they'll ask me if it's point worthy. If it's not, they keep trying! So, I started to do that in class too. It's fun to hear and see all the fabulous words the kids come up with!
Check out the "shocking" pictures below!
We have made some "shocking" discoveries through experimentation, like how to create a static shock, what materials work well to create static electricity and how long a balloon can stay attracted to various places in the classroom. We are beginning to learn about current electricity as well. Students get to explore and experiment how to light a light bulb using a battery, one wire and a mini light bulb. They have to use trial and error to figure out not just one way to get the light bulb to light, but 3 ways it can light and a few ways that it won't light and then figure out what makes a light bulb light-how do the materials have to be connected to each other to get the light bulb to light.
We have been reading some Patricia Polacco books and thinking about story parts and creating story maps. One book we read was called, Thunder Cake, so naturally, we are making a Thunder Cake to eat too! I'll add a link under ELA with the recipe!
We are trying to increase our vocabulary too. We look for longer, interesting words in our reading, try to use longer, more interesting words in our writing, and try to use them when we talk. Students pull out their Spelling Booklets all the time to ask how to spell an interesting word to use. I am loving this! At my own house, with my own family, when someone uses a wonderful word we always say "Oh, that's a two point word for sure!" Sometimes the words are very impressive. My kid's friends also try to get in on the action and when they think they say a really great word they'll ask me if it's point worthy. If it's not, they keep trying! So, I started to do that in class too. It's fun to hear and see all the fabulous words the kids come up with!
Check out the "shocking" pictures below!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The BFG
In class we are reading the book "The BFG" ( Big Friendliy Giant) . The author is Roald Dahl .This book is about a giant that is not a man eating giant he is a dream giant. He goes out at the witching hour and he puts dreams in the kid's rooms. Sophie stayed up during the witching hour and the big freindly giant captured her because she saw him walking down the street and putting dreams into kid's room. So he tock Sophie to Giant Country where all the bone crunching, blood drinking giants that eat 8 to 10 human beans every night live. Sophie was trapped there forever and all they had to eat there was snozzcumber. The witching hour was over and the Bloodblottler was coming back .
The Bloodblottler came into the BFG's cave and said, "What are you doing little twerp? You are talking to a human bean aren't you?"
"No", said the BFG but he was talking to Sophie. She was so scared that she hid in the slimy gooey disgusting snozzcumber. The BFG had no idea that she was in there so he asked if the Bloodblottler wanted a little bit. He did take a bite. A little bite and he said it the most disgusting thing he had ever tasted. He spit the snozzcumber out and Sophie flew out with the spit.
Stay tuned for more about the BFG next week.
The Bloodblottler came into the BFG's cave and said, "What are you doing little twerp? You are talking to a human bean aren't you?"
"No", said the BFG but he was talking to Sophie. She was so scared that she hid in the slimy gooey disgusting snozzcumber. The BFG had no idea that she was in there so he asked if the Bloodblottler wanted a little bit. He did take a bite. A little bite and he said it the most disgusting thing he had ever tasted. He spit the snozzcumber out and Sophie flew out with the spit.
Stay tuned for more about the BFG next week.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
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