March 19-23, 2012

This week we have Mrs. Atkins as our returning guest on the blog…

Watch her video on the left!

1.  Create a flow map to represent the sequence of events that occur in the following activity. Oh, and have lots of fun doing it!! Your teachers sure did :) 

Now all you have to do is follow the directions that appear in front of you on the screen!

2. Continue working on your Book Report!

3. Both assignments are due Friday, March 23.  

Thanks for having me as a guest this week on the blog! I miss all of you, and I’m already looking forward to the next time we’re together again!!

March 12 - 16th, 2012



·         Students did a fantastic job on CSAP testing this week.  I’m proud of their hard work and dedication to doing their best!  Thank you to all the many parents that provided healthy snacks.  Also, a big thanks to Mrs. Ranta for organizing snacks for us.

• Report Cards were sent home on Friday. Please sign and return the envelope. You may keep the report for your records.

·         Talent Show, Friday, March 16th.      

·         Spring Break:  March 26^th- 30th, 2012.

·         Comp Day, No School on April 2^nd.

·         Needed:  A good home for our birds over spring break!

MATH

Memorize the following basic measurements:

12 in. is 1 foot
3 feet is 1 yard
36 in. is 1 yard
5,280 feet in one mile
10 mm is 1 cm
100 cm is 1 m
1,000 m is 1 km
2 cups in 1 pint
2 pints in 1 quart
4 cups in a quart
4 quarts in a gallon
16 cups in a gallon
8 cups in 1/2 gallon

Practice some measurement conversions.

Be able to convert yards to feet...   6 yards = _____feet....6 x 3 = 18 feet

Be able to convert feet to yards...    24 feet = _____yards...24 divided by 3 = 8 yards

Be able to convert inches to feet...24 inches = ____feet...24 divided by 2 = 2 feet

Be able to convert feet to inches...6 feet = _____inches...6 x 12 = 72 inches

Be able to do basic metric conversions as well!

Review the math vocabulary from last weeks Blog one more time. 

http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/

Be able to identify perpendicular lines, parallel lines, and intersecting lines. 

Be able to identify and describe the basic geometric shapes: polygons, rhombuses, trapezoids, right triangles, and equilateral triangles.
Know the basic 3-d shapes: cone, sphere, cube, rectangular prisms, pyramids, cylinder, etc...

Be able to identify acute, obtuse, right, and straight angles.

March 5th - 9th

TCAP will begin on Tuesday.  The first two days are the Long Write component of the assessment.  The first day you will be given a prompt, time to plan using a FLEE map, and finally compose your rough draft.  Wednesday is the second day.  You will get a whole hour to reread your rough copy, revise, edit, and compose your final copy.  You all have worked very hard on your writing and you all are super ready for this task! 


The next four sessions are reading comprehension and writing.  The final three sessions are math. 


So, remember to get to bed early and eat a hearty, healthy, protein-packed breakfast.  Our testing time slot is 11:00 to 12:15 each day. A healthy snack will be provided.

 
March 16  Talent Show
March 21  PTSA 2:30 to 3:30, Vault 5:30
March 26 - 30  Spring Break
April 2  No School, Teacher Comp Day
April 11 No School, District closed
April 25  Early Release Day, dismissal at 1:10 pm
April 27th  Assessment Day #4
May 4th No School, District closed

MARCH BOOK REPORT

This month's book genre is Student's Choice.  The format is a Cereal Box Book Report.  It is due March 23rd. 


Directions for a Cereal Box Book Report...

Cereal Box Book Report

Due anytime the week of March 19, 2012

Supplies Needed

Cereal box

White paper (to cover front, back and sides of box)

Scissors, ruler, glue, markers, crayons, other craft supplies

Optional Supplies

Colored paper (to cover front, back and sides of box)

Format

Front Cover of Box

Ø  Title of Book

Ø  Author

Ø  Your Name

Ø  Label:  My Spring Book Report

Ø  Simple illustration or border

Side Panels

Ø  Detailed description of the setting(s)

Ø  Main character descriptions

Back of Box

Ø  PLOT…Write a detailed summary of your book, including any problem(s) and solution(s)

Ø  Keep the ending a secret, either leave it out or cover it up

Inside of Box

Ø  A fully colored picture of your favorite part of the book with an explanation of why this was your favorite part

Ø  At least 3 connections that you had with/to the book.

Ø  Collect artifacts that represent the book.  For example, if your main character loves Twinkies, you could put a Twinkie in the box.  One child read How to Eat Fried Worms and filled his box with gummy worms and ketchup packets to share with the class after presenting his book report.

MATH


Visit the ixl.com website every night and take advantage of the free minutes.  Stay in the fourth grade section. 


Focus on the following topics:

Measurement: Compare and Convert Customary Units (N.1)
                     Compare and Convert Metric Units (N.2)
Time: Elapsed time (O.5)
Geometry: P.1 to P.4, and P.6 to P.8
Decimals: T.2
Functions: H.1 and H.2
Data, Charts, and Graphs: J.1 through J.7

AND

Visit the on-line math dictionary and review all the geometry vocabulary from our last math unit.

http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/

Look up and review:

point, line, ray, line segment
horizontal, vertical,diagonal, intersecting, parallel, and perpendicular lines
right, acute, obtuse, and straight angles
polygons, quadrilaterals, rhombus, triangle (all types)
parallelograms, squares, rectangles, and trapezoids

February 27th-March 2nd, 2012

·         No word work/spelling tests for the next three weeks due to TCAP testing and preparation.

·         Early Release Day:  Wednesday, February 29^th, 1:10 dismissal.

·         Class party:  Wednesday, February 29^th. Students earned 40 paws and will bring a bowl, spoon, and favorite baggies of cereal to school.  I will provide milk. Students voted on cereal and read and feed in comfy, cozy clothes.

·         Report cards will be sent home Friday, March 9^th.

·         CSAP Dates and times:  Each day testing from 10:45-12:15

                        Tuesday, March 6 – Writing

              Wednesday, March 7 – Writing

              Thursday, March 8 – Reading

              Friday, March 9 – Reading

              Monday, March 12 – Writing

              Tuesday, March 13– Reading

              Wednesday, March 14 – Math

              Thursday, March 15 – Math

              Friday, March 16 – Math

Many parents have signed up to provide snacks during these two weeks of testing.  A final, updated electronic form will provided

·         Spring Break:  March 26^th – 30^th.

·         Comp Day, No school: April 2^nd. Students return on April 3rd

With a tape measure or yard stick, measure the heights of five different people.

You can measure parents, siblings, friends, or family members.

You can even measure yourself.

Make a chart to show the heights, in order from tallest to shortest. Your chart should include:

- Each person's name and a picture of each person's face. (Faces can be neatly drawn, or

photographed.)

- Each person's height in inches, as well as feet and inches. (For example, you might list

someone as 5', 9” tall and 69” tall)

- Each person's signature, to verify that you have measured them carefully and accurately.

(Everything else should be in your own handwriting.)

At the top of your chart, list the tallest person. Below that, list the second tallest. Then, list the

third tallest, and so on.

Yards, Feet, and Inches

Memorize this: There are 12 inches in a foot.

There are 3 feet in a yard.

There are 36 inches in a yard.

Complete the table. Then, use the table to fill in the blank lines below.

1 yard	2 yards	3 yards	4 yards	5 yards
3 feet			12 feet
36 inches	72 inches	108 inches

1. ____ yards = 6 feet = ____ inches

2. 4 yards = ____ feet = ____ inches

3. 180 _______= 5 _______ = _______ feet

4. 3 _______ = 1 _______ = 36 _______

5. 9 feet = 108 ______ = 3 _______



6 yards = ____ feet = ____ inches

Super Teacher Worksheets -

www.superteacherworksheets.com

Name: __________________________________________

Name: __________________________________________

Please complete the two measurement assignments:

Measurement Project

February 21 - 24th, 2012



• No School this next Monday, February 20th in celebration of President’s Day.
• Our school standards dictate that all students will know their multiplication tables by the end of third grade.  If your son/daughter has not mastered this skill, fractions, division, story problems and other fourth grade math will be difficult for them. Please take the time to support your child in this critical learning! By continued practice of the multiplication tables, these facts will be stored in long term memory.
• Report cards will be sent home Friday, March 9^th.
• TCAP Dates and times:  Each day testing from 10:45-12:15

              Tuesday, March 6 – Writing

              Wednesday, March 7 – Writing

              Thursday, March 8 – Reading

              Friday, March 9 – Reading

              Monday, March 12 – Writing

              Tuesday, March 13– Reading

              Wednesday, March 14 – Math

              Thursday, March 15 – Math

              Friday, March 16 – Math

Thank you to all the parents that have signed up to contribute a healthy snack during our two weeks of testing!

• Early release and class party:  February 29th. Students earned 40 paws! We voted and will have cereal and cartoon before specials and then a morning of reading until dismal at 1:10.  Way to go fourth grade for earning so many paws with outstanding behavior.
• Spring Break:  March 26^th – 30th.
• No school: Monday, April 2nd.

1.  Please read the following text and create a tree map and either a double bubble or bubble map.  You will be turning in two thinking maps on the reading selection.

Spitting to Survive

by

Liana Mahoney

Spit keeps our mouths moist and softens our food

when we chew. Without spit in our mouths, we

would have a hard time talking. We would find it

even harder to swallow. But for some animals, spit

works better after it has left the mouth. Some

animals are experts at surviving because they are

expert spitters.

Llamas are animals often found in petting zoos and

farms. These animals seem to like their personal

space. A llama that feels threatened or annoyed will

spit slimy gobs at you to get you to leave it alone.

Sometimes llamas even spit on each other to steal

food! This trick usually works, because llama spit

includes food from the llama’s stomach, and it can

be quite smelly. When a llama spits on another

animal, the animal usually loses its appetite and

walks away, leaving its food behind.

The archer fish is a very skilled spitter. This fish is like a

submarine with a loaded weapon. It takes aim and

spits jets of water at insects and other small creatures

to knock them into the water. Then it gulps them

down quickly. To create such a forceful stream of

water, an archer fish closes its gills, and uses its

tongue to form a tube in its mouth. Then the fish

sticks its snout out of the water and aims. Aim!

Launch! Lunch!

Spitting cobras are also known for their expert aim.

These snakes spray poisonous venom from their fangs

to protect themselves. Scientists believe that these

snakes actually aim for the eyes! When the cobra’s

venom gets into the eyes of an animal, the venom

causes terrible pain, and even blindness. This gives

the snake plenty of time to get away.

Spitting is considered to be rude behavior in people.

But for some animals, spitting can be a smart way to

get lunch –or a clever way to avoid becoming

lunch!

Super Teacher Worksheets -

www.superteacherworksheets.com

Name: _______________________

Spitting to Survive

by

1.

Liana MahoneyList the three ways spit helps humans.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2.

Which animal creates a forceful stream of water to capture insects?

a.

humans b. archer fish

c.

spitting cobras d. llamas

3.

Name two reasons a llama might choose to spit.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4.

How does a spitting cobra use its spit to protect itself?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

5.

What is the author's purpose for writing this passage?

a.

to tell funny stories about animals b. to teach the reader how animals survive

c.

to express opinions about animals d. to show how animals are different

Super Teacher Worksheets -

2.  Math:  Please answer the following math word problems.

1. Mom runs 2/3 of mile every day for 3 weeks.  How many miles did she run altogether?

2. Dad ordered a pizza for supper. Ron ate 1/3 of the pizza and Harry ate 1/5 of the pizza.  How much of the pizza did they eat altogether?  How much of the pizza was left for their little brother Herman?

3. Mrs. Germano needs to buy some more paintbrushes.  Each brush costs $0.68.  She needs to buy 9 brushes.  About how much money will Mrs. Germano spend on the new brushes. (Hint: about is code for....?)

4. Marissa has 16 baskets.  Each baskets has 28 bracelets.  How many bracelets does Marissa have altogether? 

5. Marcus collects bottlecaps.  He has 2,673 bottlecaps.  He wants to put them equally into 7 plastic storage bins.  How many bottlecaps will be in each bin?  Will there be any leftovers?

6. Karen and 4 of her friends want to share 8 apple pies.  How much pie will each girl get?

7. Bob has 781 baseball cards.  He gives 495 baseball cards to his best friend.  How many does he have left?

8.  Harvey wants a new skateboard that costs $129.00.  He has saved $36.57 so far.  He gets another $50.00 in his birthday cards.  How much more money does he need to get the skateboard?

www.superteacherworksheets.com

Name: _______________________