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Spelling: Students started making their Words to Learn lists by correcting words they missed on the last spelling test. Homework is to work on their Words to Learn list.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 54-56 are available and tomorrow.

Reading: Students practiced reading a selected passage aloud with good speed, tone and volume.

Writing: Students worked on drafting or revising today.

The next piece of writing is a fiction story, due Friday, January 13. Students should be drafting at this time.

Math: We reviewed adding today.

Science: We tried to answer the question, “What is matter?” We also tried to figure out if air is matter. We tested it by using syringes filled with air. Students noticed that, if air is in a syringe, the plunger cannot be pressed in all the way. The air takes up space. We also connected syringes to see what would happen if one of the plungers was pressed in. Watch our video below to see what happened! (See a larger version here.)

KPICASA_GALLERY(ScienceExperiments2012)

Social Studies: We talked about how cheaper materials, lower wages or better products from other countries can affect jobs, prices and quality in America.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 2
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 2

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

• Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Spelling: We learned that prefixes are attached to base words to make new meanings. Prefixes don’t change the spelling of base words.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 54-56 are available and tomorrow.

Reading: Students selected a passage and practiced reading it aloud with good speed, tone and volume.

Writing: Students worked on drafting or revising today.

The next piece of writing is a fiction story, due Friday, January 13. Students should be drafting at this time.

Math: We practiced adding today. Homework is to finish Journal P4-3.

Science: We wrote notes in our minibooks about these ideas:

• Light is one form of energy;
• Adding energy to something will raise its temperature;
• Metals are good conductors of heat.

Social Studies: None today due to our reading and math skills time.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

• Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Spelling: We learned that the letter r following a vowel creates a new sound. In the words girl, her and surprise, the ir, er and ur have been changed to all make the /er/ sound.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 54-56 are available and tomorrow.

Reading: We reviewed the idea that interesting oral reading fluency involves reading with good speed, tone and volume. We listened to a reading of the book, Polar Express, to see good fluency in action. This week, students will read a monologue to the class to practice reading with fluency.

Writing: None today due to technology.

The next piece of writing is a fiction story, due Friday, January 13. Students should be drafting at this time.

Math: We practiced estimating sums and differences by rounding. Homework is to finish Journal P4-2.

Science: None today due to our weekly math skills time.

Social Studies: We learned about how global competition can affect US jobs, product quality and prices. Homework is to finish the “Effects of Global Competition” organizer if not done in class.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

• Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.

Today was our Mexican Fiesta! We started by making farolitos (little lanterns) out of paper and reading a book called The Night of Las Posadas, a story about a Las Posadas procession in New Mexico that tells the story of Mary and Joseph looking for shelter.

We then started our own Los Posadas. We went to the cafeteria and the office, and they wouldn’t let us in for shelter, but Mrs. Dillard in our Literacy class finally gave us shelter and we started our fiesta! We sang Noche de Paz (Silent Night) and Cascabel (Jingle Bells). We then went outside for sparklers!

We came back in to take a whack at the piñata. It lasted long enough for everyone to take a swing! Then we headed back to the room to eat. The menu included:

• Mexican-style tacos on corn tostada shells;
• Spicy shredded chicken eaten with torn flour tortillas;
• Nopalitos (prickly pear cactus!);
• Pepinos (cucumbers with lemon juice and salt);
• Mexican hot chocolate (hot chocolate with cinnamon); and,
• Buñelos (fried flour tortillas with cinnamon and sugar).

Later, we played the Dreidel game and “Toma Todo,” a Mexican top game much like the Jewish dreidel. Students start with ten beans, then take or put in beans as the top says. The person with the winning amount of beans could select a Mexican pop.

We ended with the McGrath Holiday Sing-Along. Our class sang “Joy to the World” and taught the school how to sing it with motions.

A grande-sized thanks to the parents who helped prepare and serve food today at the fiesta, and for all the generous donations–we had more than enough food and everyone had their fill!

Feliz Navidad!

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 54-56 are available and due Monday after break.

Reading: Three final groups of students presented their Literature Circles projects today.

Writing: None today due to technology.

The next piece of writing is a fiction story, due Friday, January 13. Students should be prewriting at this time.

Math: We reviewed adding and subtracting using mental math today.

Science: We had a physical education and nutrition lesson today about  food advertisements.

Social Studies: None today due to our math and reading skills time.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 5

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at JupiterGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with JupiterGrades?

Notes:

• We are having a Mexican Fiesta tomorrow, Thursday, December 22 from 8:45-12:00. Family members are invited. Check our volunteer list to add your name to the list!
• Want to grab your favorite time for the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences in March? Do that here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.