Week 7, Fourth Nine Weeks

Reading: The students will continue practice creating, using and looking for figurative language.  We've learned it really is everywhere!  There will be a quiz on Friday on figurative language.  Students should be able to identify the different types of figurative language (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration and idiom) as well as write their own and describe its meaning.  The students really enjoyed this cartoon last week, showing just how much we use figurative language and how odd it would seem if taken literally:


Symphony in Slang from Lee Presson on Vimeo.

Language: Were you persuaded?  The students will finish up their persuasive letters to you (if they haven't already) and then begin writing persuasive letters to people here at school.  (This means, I, too need to be on the look out!)

Math: We will be working on finding lines and angles in 2D shapes as well as finding lines of symmetry this week.

Science: We will be looking a little deeper into the classification of animals.

Alabama History: The projects are due on Wednesday, so much of our time will be presenting those.  We will also be looking at the three branches of government as we prepare for our field trip next week!

Friday's Math Lesson

Friday's math lesson was a little unconventional, but a true real-life math situation and very practical!  These fourth graders diligently spent well over an hour counting the nearly $800 that was raised on Friday through "Crazy for a Cure" day to raise money for Relay for Life and cancer research here in our local area.  I was so proud of how hard the students worked together and how carefully they counted each and every coin and bill that was collected.  Well done!

If our calculations were correct, there were over 5,000 pennies.

Nickels

Dimes

Bills

Quarters

Character Partners

These 1st and 4th graders have been very busy over the past few weeks (and it is going to be even busier in May!) planning and implementing projects to make a difference here in the Birmingham Community.  Check out what some of them are doing:

These students are making bookmarks to be passed out in the Shades Cahaba library when students check out books.  One group is making bookmarks to advertise for the Greater Birmingham Humane Society and one group is giving more information about homeless shelters and food kitchens in Birmingham.

This group of students is planning a bake sale for right after school on the afternoon of May 6th.  The funds raised at this bake sale will be given to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.  We will be asking for donations of baked goods and/or containers of lemonade.  More information will go home next week.

These students have been working with Mrs. Miller to create a video that will be shared around the school, advertising for the canned food drive we are having the first week of May

These students have been planning meals for us to prepare and serve for the women and children at Jessie's Place on the evening of May 8th and May 12th.  One letter about this is going home today!  

Geo Boards

This morning, we pulled out the geo boards to create angles, lines and polygons with specific requirements!  I think the kids have got these concepts down pat!

Olivia shows her obtuse angle

Suzanne shows her acute angle

Giancarlo shows his right angle

Liv and Samantha show their perpendicular lines

Daniel shows his parallel lines

Eno shows her intersecting lines

Week 6, Fourth Nine Weeks

Reading - This week, students will be working on vocabulary words they have chosen in their book clubs, as well as figurative language.  Students are continuing to make inferences about characters as they read and discuss their books in small groups.

Language - Students will begin writing persuasive letters to you this week as we work to perfect our persuasive techniques.

Math - We will be continuing to practice identifying right, obtuse, acute and straight angles as well as parallel, perpendicular and intersecting lines.  There will be quizzes on both of these things later on in the week, so look for homework coming home that should help students to practice these.  Later on in the week we will begin looking at symmetry.

Alabama History - We will be finishing up the Reconstruction era this week so that students should be ready to complete their Alabama History projects which are due next week.  We will also be deciding on our parts for the Wax Museum this week!  Look for letters to come home on Wednesday about what role your child will have in this exciting culmination to Alabama History.

Science - We will continue to classify living organisms into kingdoms this week and then look at animal classifications in more details.  The Kingdom Quiz will be on Wednesday and there is a StudyStack to help prepare for that quiz.

Character Partners - I just wanted to give you a heads up that we have been working very hard with our character partners in Mrs. Crimi's 1st grade class to plan several service projects.  I realize that they will make the already busy May even busier.  Just know that your support and participation in any of these events (bake sale, food drive, serving meals at Jessie's Place) would be appreciated, but is in no way mandatory.   There will be more information coming home in a week or so.

Week 5, Fourth Nine Weeks

Reading - This week the students will be learning about figurative language and looking for examples of it in their reading.  Today, we talked about similes, metaphors, hyperbole, and personification.  Later in the week, we will be looking at alliteration, onomatopoeia, and idioms.  The students will be on the lookout for examples of each of these as they continue reading with their book club.

Language - The students are continuing to work on their persuasive skills as we write persuasively about topics important to the students.  Today, students looked at examples of writing about school uniforms.

Math - The students have been examining different types of angles as well as how to measure angles.  Later this week we will be looking at different types of lines and then putting all of that collective knowledge into creating a "Geometry City."

Science - Students will be learning more about the 6 different kingdoms this week and categorizing different living things into each one.  We will have a quiz on the kingdoms late this week or early next week.  There is already a quiz on StudyStack to help!

Alabama History - We will be discussing Reconstruction this week as we look at the rebuilding of the Union and Alabama after the Civil War.

Week 4, Fourth Nine Weeks

It is great to see everybody back, refreshed and rejuvenated after Spring Break!

Reading: The students will begin a new book club this week.  As they read, they will be looking for interesting vocabulary words and discussing how the characters grow and change.

Language: Students are finishing their student treasure books (they look great!) this week and then we will begin looking at persuasive writing.  Don't be surprised if your child brings home some persuasive letters asking for certain freedoms or items... Sorry, but authentic writing is truly the best! :)

Math: The students are working on understanding how fractions and decimals are related to one another.  Students will be comparing decimals and giving equivalent fractions for decimals.  Later on in the week, we will begin geometry by looking at polygons and types of angles.

Science: We will begin discussing cells and animal kingdoms this week.

Alabama History: We continue our discussion of the Civil War this week, specifically focusing on Alabama's contribution to the war as well as beginning to discuss Reconstruction and what life was like here in Alabama after the war.