IMPORTANT News

• Our room is currently in the process of being completely packed into boxes.  The movers will arrive Friday after school and transfer all of our belongings to the new building. Then I will spend the weekend and early next week attempting to unpack and organize our new space.  It will be a big job, but I am truly looking forward to working with the kids to create an inviting learning environment.
• Conferences are quickly approaching...  Please check out the attached schedule and let me know if you need to change your current time.   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16iLvlURgik4wwnbPpvOAoNHVNtAUOH_fCA_bTGMOJFM/edit?usp=sharing

Global Read Aloud 

We have joined thousands of teachers and students from around the world in an exciting adventure called Global Read Aloud. Together with countless others we will be reading Fish In a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  This story is a heartwarming tale of a girl with dyslexia and how this impacts her daily life.  Over the next few weeks we will be busy reading, communicating with other classrooms, and even hearing from the author herself. We are excited about this reading opportunity!

Geography 

We are busy exploring Missouri geography.  We have been learning about the importance of rivers and caves in Missouri, recognizing major cities, and identifying resources of our state.  We also planned and calculated a trip around Missouri. We will have an open-note test on these topics in a few weeks.

Weekly Update

Fourth grade is a busy place! We are continuing to work hard to master our multiplication facts and use them to solve larger, more complex problems.  In order to practice our skills we designed, created, and purchased Lego pieces to create Lego cars. The bumps on Lego's are arranged in arrays. Students had to pay for each Lego they used to build their car.  For example, if the Lego was a 2 x 6 array, it would cost $12.  If they needed 6 of these blocks, the total cost would be $60 or $12 x 6. It was a very engaging activity and the students created some amazing vehicles.  

We are also progressing in Genius Hour.  Most students have selected their topic, submitted their proposals, and will now start researching. We have a wide range of topics and I look forward to seeing what the students discover and create. 

In Social Studies, we have been studying different types of government and the ways in which states are organized.  In order to apply and prove their understanding, students worked individually or together to create a state.  They picked a state name and motto.  They also designed a state flag, seal, money, and described their leadership setup. Many students choose to accept additional challenges of organizing the military, creating programs for the common good, and more. We look forward to sharing our state books with you very soon. 

Cruisin' Along

Thank you to all of the families that attended the Parent Luncheon last Friday.  We had a fabulous turn out and the kids showed an immense amount of leadership and pride.  

In math, we are continuing to explore multiplication. This week we wrote word problems, practiced multiplying by multiples of ten, and planted array gardens. Students need to continue to practice their math facts at home as it will pay off greatly in their ability to accept larger math challenges.  

We are currently studying government.  In order for students to build their understanding of government, they are creating their own state. This week they created their state flag, motto,  seal, and leadership setup. Next week we will begin designing laws, state symbols, and more.  All of these designs and creations will be shared by creating an informational book about their step.  We look forward to sharing these with you soon!

Quick Reminders:
- We are collecting Box Tops - Please be sure to send any you have collected by October 30th.
- We hope you will join us at the Stallion Stampede on October 17th. It should be a fun and interactive fundraising event!