Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Want to Learn to Dance? Dominican Republic dancing by Odyssey, Khalia, and Waleska
Click on the link below, click on slideshow, and enjoy the show! The video of the girls dancing will be posted shortly. They are performing at this Monday's school assembly! Go girls!
Click Here to View Dominican Republic Dancing
Click Here to View Dominican Republic Dancing
Want to learn more about our Visual Arts program?
Be Inspired...
Check out Ms. Soeltz's Visual Art blog by clicking on the link below. You will see amazing work by 4th graders. Be sure to look at the Kinetic Sculptures. There is even a video of our class!
Click Here to Check Out Ms. Soeltz Visual Arts Blog
Enjoy!
Check out Ms. Soeltz's Visual Art blog by clicking on the link below. You will see amazing work by 4th graders. Be sure to look at the Kinetic Sculptures. There is even a video of our class!
Click Here to Check Out Ms. Soeltz Visual Arts Blog
Enjoy!
Power My Learning and Mangahigh~ Check out the new playlists and challenges
Team 16,
I added a new playlist for long division on Power My Learning. I also set new challenges on Mangahigh for multiplication and division. Check them! Play and Learn!
Let me know what you think!
Thanks!
I added a new playlist for long division on Power My Learning. I also set new challenges on Mangahigh for multiplication and division. Check them! Play and Learn!
Let me know what you think!
Thanks!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Long Division Games
Monday, March 25, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
PicoCrickets- Create~Program~Play
PicoCrickets~ Make Your Creations Come to Life
*A PicoCricket is a tiny computer that can make things spin, light up, and play music.*
Mrs. Lee, Porter Moody's mother, came in today to teach the students how to program PicoCrickets. The students made their own reaction games and designed a sculpture that dances as it twists. Ask your child what else they learned today.
Click on the links below to lean more about PicoCrickets:
http://www.picocricket.com/
http://www.picocricket.com/aboutpico.html
Thank You Mrs. Lee!
Interactive Parts of Speech Games
Team 16,
The link below has tons of fun interactive parts of speech games. Play some for homework this week to get ready for the MCAS reading test. The reading test is broken down into 2 days. We have the test this Friday, March 22nd and Monday, March 25th.
You can also watch the parts of speech videos/ songs posted on the blog. You can find them on the top link under language arts videos/ songs. If you scroll down through the videos, you will find various videos to watch and sing along with as you practice parts of speech.
If you haven't watched the Passage Attack video already, that is posted under the same link. It is a fun video to watch to help you remember how to "attack" a reading passage for the MCAS.
Click Here to Play Interactive Parts of Speech Games
Have fun learning!
The link below has tons of fun interactive parts of speech games. Play some for homework this week to get ready for the MCAS reading test. The reading test is broken down into 2 days. We have the test this Friday, March 22nd and Monday, March 25th.
You can also watch the parts of speech videos/ songs posted on the blog. You can find them on the top link under language arts videos/ songs. If you scroll down through the videos, you will find various videos to watch and sing along with as you practice parts of speech.
If you haven't watched the Passage Attack video already, that is posted under the same link. It is a fun video to watch to help you remember how to "attack" a reading passage for the MCAS.
Click Here to Play Interactive Parts of Speech Games
Have fun learning!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Fun Way To Practice Multiplication and Division Facts
Do you like to play games? Are you still working on mastering your multiplication and division facts?
Design a Chutes and Ladder game along with a spinner to play! See the sample below. How cool is this?
Share if you create one. This would be great for a play date too!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Team 16 Update
Team 16 has been busy! Highlights of the past week:
Math: Students are learning both the partial products and traditional method for multi-digit multiplication. I have polled the class and about half like the partial products way better and the other half like the traditional way better. My goal is for all students to get exposure in both methods. For the students who are comfortable with both methods, they have started a project while I can spend more quality time with a smaller group who need more direct modeling and instruction. This group will eventually move on to the project as well.
Math Project: Students are paired up. They come up with a multi-digit multiplication fact that they both agree on. One student will focus on teaching the partial product method and the other student will focus on teaching the traditional method. The students will work together to practice, rehearse, and ultimately teach a lesson using their chosen method. We will record the lessons. This will ensure the students understand all the steps in solving the problems and their thinking that goes along with it. This project will take some time and I believe the end result will be worth it.
Buddies: Our 2nd grade buddies finished their personal narratives. The 4th graders are teaching their buddies how to publish and record their stories using different technology tools. Different groups are using Storybird, i-Movie, Garageband, and Scratch. Next week, we will make the final editing. This seems to be an exciting and engaging project for all!
MCAS Prep: We are working hard on reading comprehension and open responses. We are also working hard writing persuasive pieces that include a topic sentence, 3 examples with 3 pieces if evidence, and a strong conclusion. The 4th graders are working hard to write bold beginnings, elaborating evidence, adding transition words, and vivid adjectives to their pieces. The students will be working on a collaborative writing piece on Monday about favorite seasons. We read and analyzed a strong student sample from Ms. Devlin's class and the students are looking forward to this.
Reading Groups: I am trying something new with reading groups. I have paired the students in smaller groups. They take turns leading the discussions, choosing the assignments, and inviting me to join in when they need me. I have created posters where the students record their assignments. This way I can check-in and I know what they are working on. In addition, if a students forgets the assignment, they can go and check the posters. This seems to be working really well and all the students seem engaged!
More to come later...
Math: Students are learning both the partial products and traditional method for multi-digit multiplication. I have polled the class and about half like the partial products way better and the other half like the traditional way better. My goal is for all students to get exposure in both methods. For the students who are comfortable with both methods, they have started a project while I can spend more quality time with a smaller group who need more direct modeling and instruction. This group will eventually move on to the project as well.
Math Project: Students are paired up. They come up with a multi-digit multiplication fact that they both agree on. One student will focus on teaching the partial product method and the other student will focus on teaching the traditional method. The students will work together to practice, rehearse, and ultimately teach a lesson using their chosen method. We will record the lessons. This will ensure the students understand all the steps in solving the problems and their thinking that goes along with it. This project will take some time and I believe the end result will be worth it.
Buddies: Our 2nd grade buddies finished their personal narratives. The 4th graders are teaching their buddies how to publish and record their stories using different technology tools. Different groups are using Storybird, i-Movie, Garageband, and Scratch. Next week, we will make the final editing. This seems to be an exciting and engaging project for all!
MCAS Prep: We are working hard on reading comprehension and open responses. We are also working hard writing persuasive pieces that include a topic sentence, 3 examples with 3 pieces if evidence, and a strong conclusion. The 4th graders are working hard to write bold beginnings, elaborating evidence, adding transition words, and vivid adjectives to their pieces. The students will be working on a collaborative writing piece on Monday about favorite seasons. We read and analyzed a strong student sample from Ms. Devlin's class and the students are looking forward to this.
Reading Groups: I am trying something new with reading groups. I have paired the students in smaller groups. They take turns leading the discussions, choosing the assignments, and inviting me to join in when they need me. I have created posters where the students record their assignments. This way I can check-in and I know what they are working on. In addition, if a students forgets the assignment, they can go and check the posters. This seems to be working really well and all the students seem engaged!
More to come later...
Friday, March 8, 2013
Math Pickle- Mimizu Puzzles Online
Do you like the Japanese Math Mimizu puzzles from Math Pickle? Are you up for a challenge? Click on the link below to create your own puzzles online. You can pick the size and level you would like to try. The best part is that you can solve the puzzles online and then you can check your work online.
Click Here to Challenge yourself with Mimizu Puzzles Online
Enjoy!
Click Here to Challenge yourself with Mimizu Puzzles Online
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Team 16 Update
Hello Families,
Team 16 has been very busy. Two weeks from today, March 19th, we have the long composition for the MCAS's. The 4th grade team has been working hard to prepare the students to do their best work! There will be an increase of homework over the next 2 weeks. I will do my best to send it home on Monday and it will be due back on Friday. This way, students can space out the work.
Reading Response:
Today, I sent home the reading response guide with 9 steps to write a complete essay. I went over these steps very slowly with the class. I also sent home a graphic organizer. Students can choose to fill it out or just use it as a reference to make sure they included all the parts. In the same packet, you will find the simple scoring rubric. This is for parents to understand how the writing is scored. Don't worry about scoring your child's writing this week, we are going to score them in school on Friday together. The students need to read the Teeth passage and answer the 8 multiple choice questions. Please remind them to read the captions and blurbs. Then they need to write the open response question. Parents, if you have time, please look over this with your child and see if all the parts are included. Remind them to go back and reread if needed. Some students like to underline or highlight important facts. Thank you for your help with this!
Writing:
There is also a persuasive writing paragraph due on Friday. Again, I included an organizer as a reference. Students have the option of typing this paragraph if they wish. Please share it with me at susan_cherwinski@wayland.k12.
Team 16 will be doing a lot of practice in school too. We also started a Word Wizard of the Day so students will start learning harder vocabulary words and the goal is for them to incorporate harder vocabulary in their writing. This also teaches students how to use a dictionary. The Word Wizard chooses a word from a list. Then they look up the definition in the dictionary. We have a poster where the wizards write down the word and the definition. Then they have to use the word in a sentence and come up with a synonym and antonym for the word.
I sent home a sheet about Mangahigh.com. Team 16 has the school's free package. Mangahigh offers an A+ Quest package that will give your child personalized recommended challenges, unlimited access to the 550+ math quizzes, and access to their own progress report which you can monitor at home if you wish. There is a fee for this. We do have a discount code that is listed on the sheet I sent home. Check it out and see what you think. I like Mangahigh because I can personalize student learning through offering different challenges. Also, I have a student who chooses her own challenges that meet her needs. I have offered this option to all the students. I am hoping more decide to do this.
I did add 2 new playlists to Power My Learning. I added an opinion writing and a reading comprehension playlist. Have your child check them out if they are more motivated by technology. These are great resources and practice to help prepare for the MCAS's. I also added several new math challenges to Mangahigh.
Please remember to sign-up for a conference. I sent the link yesterday. Come with questions/ concerns if you have any so I can address them. I will be sharing with you your child's assessment results in both math and reading. I will also be sharing their google sites which display the work they are most proud of. In addition, I will brainstorm ideas with you on helping me to get all students to put forth their best effort and be proud of the work they turn in. Finally, I am excited to share and celebrate your child's strengths!!!
I look forward to meeting with you.
Thank you,
Susan
Susan
*I also emailed you this update.*
Monday, March 4, 2013
Spring Conference Sign-Up
Please click the link below to sign-up for a spring conference. I also emailed you all the link to sign-up. I look forward to meeting with all of you.
Thanks,
Susan
Please click here to sign up for a spring conference
Thanks,
Susan
Please click here to sign up for a spring conference
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