September 15, 2017

Students focused on respect for a second week during class meetings.  They learned about the power of using "ma'am" and "sir" when speaking to adults, how it's a quick and easy way to convey respect.  

• Monday, September 18th 
• Happy birthday, Maggie! 
• Library Day 
• Pizza Lunch in the classroom!   
• Tuesday, September 19th  
• Girls on the Run @ 3:30-4:30 pm 
• Wednesday, September 20th 
• 
  
• Thursday, September 21st 
• Moms & Muffins @ 8:00 am 
• Girls on the Run @ 3:30-4:30 pm 
• Friday, September 22nd
• Professional Development Day for teachers, NO SCHOOL 

• Click here to check out the Crestwood PTO page!

William & Ethan try "FACE the Math," a fun activity that allows kids to solve a problem, then follow a direction to illustrate a specific part of a pictures. 

Landon, Lydia, & Will practice rounding & expanded form using FACE the Math.  

In Writer's Workshop, students are planning their personal narrative stories.  Students worked with their writing partners to create a Beginning Middle & End table to plot out the important events of their narrative.  

Writing partnerships review their BME table together, then ask clarifying questions to help each other add more detail.  

In Reader's Workshop, we have been participating in a whole class book club with Kate DiCamillo's The Tiger Rising. In our Reading Journals, we created character maps to help us better understand the traits and motives of the main characters.  We also harvested, or collected, several words DiCamillo used in her writing.  

September 7, 2017

Our character focus for the week was respect.  Students shared that this means treating people, spaces, and items as best as you.  Since we had our first substitute this week, kids shared many ways to show respect to a guest teacher, to make him/her think, "I can't wait to come back to that classroom again!"  We agreed that being helpful, adjusting to a different adult's style, and following the regular classroom & Crestwood rules are great ways to show respect.  

• Monday, September 11th 
• Dining to Donate, Chipotle @ 4:00-8:00 pm 
• Tuesday, September 12th  
• Girls on the Run @ 3:30-4:30 pm 
• Boy Scouts @ 6:30-8:30 pm 
• Wednesday, September 13th 
• Early Release @ 1:40 pm 
• PTO Meeting @ 6:30 pm 
• Thursday, September 14th 
•  Mrs. Kleitsch visits for a counseling lesson.
• Girls on the Run @ 3:30-4:30 pm 
• Friday, September 15th 
• Scholastic Book Orders due 
• Staff vs. 5th Grade Kickball Game @ 2:00 pm 

After learning about plate tectonics and how they affect Earth's surface, students did a demonstration using graham crackers and Cool Whip to model three changes that can occur. 

Maggie & Will use their graham crackers to demonstrate how plates on the Earth can move apart, causing molten rock to emerge (volcano).  

Violetta & Alex create mountains by moving their crackers together and earthquakes by sliding their crackers against each other (see their incredible explanations below!).   

After learning about the 4 layers of Earth, students used food to create and label each part to demonstrate understanding.  

Josiah shoes off his model Earth. 

Alexa works very hard on her personal narrative.  Students did a 30 minute "on demand" story about a personal experience.  An on demand writing helps to show Miss Dausmann what students already to well and what she can teach them within this genre in the coming weeks. 

Sophia & Violetta reflect on their personal narratives using a checklist to set specific goals for this Writing unit. 

Nick & Noah found their writing flow; each wrote TWO short personal narratives!  

Ethan & Noah, Math partners, work together to practice multiplication facts.  

Math partners Lydia & Alexa work together to write numbers in expanded, standard, & word forms.  

Molly & Maggie discuss different strategies for rounding large numbers.  

September 1, 2017

     In Class Meeting this week, students discussed honesty.  We brainstormed reasons practicing honest can be difficult.  Students listed avoiding consequences or not missing out on fun things, protecting a friend, and not being known as "the kid who breaks stuff," which they then agreed is better than being known as "the kid who lies about stuff."  We all agreed that telling the truth takes courage when we don't know how the other person will accept it.
     We used the game of Jenga as an analogy;  every mistake we own up, every time we ask for help, every time we tell the truth, it's like laying a brick of truth in our relationship with a person.  It takes awhile to build this trust.  On the other hand, even though we can sometimes get away with one or two dishonest moments or bricks removed, all it takes is someone catching us in one lie to crumble the whole tower.
     We worked really hard this week to be honest about forgotten homework and speaking up when something is confusing or unclear.   In room 36, we want to be known as "those kids who tell the truth." 

• Monday, September 4th 
• Labor Day, NO SCHOOL 
• Tuesday, September 5th  
• 
  
• Wednesday, September 6th 
• 
  
• Thursday, September 7th 
•  
• Friday, September 8th 
• Library Day 

• Click here to check out the Crestwood PTO page!

On August, 21, 2017, Cooper, William, Violetta, & Dezamiah get ready for the solar eclipse. 

Emmanuelle, Lydia, & Molly use their glasses to watch as the moon begins to eclipse the sun.

August 25, 2017

We use our class meetings to share with our classmates.  On Mondays, kids share weekend news and tell about one fun or interesting thing they did over the weekend.  On Tuesdays, we give a compliment to a classmate or ask to receive one.  On Wednesdays, we tell one thing/person/activity we are grateful for.  On Thursdays, we share our favorite...this week it was song. On Fridays, students voice one joy or one concern.  This practice helps us become more comfortable speaking in front of our peers.  Here's some of what was said:

 - "I want to give a compliment to Ethan for coming in quietly and getting right to work."
 - "I want to compliment John for being a good friend."
 - "I am grateful for my friends and my family."
 - "I am grateful for a good school and for recess."
 - "I"m joyful because we have library today!"

• Monday, August 28th
• Strings begins (Monday/Thursday OR Tuesday/Friday)
• Tuesday, August 29th 
• Last day for chicken coupon collections
• LEAP begins
• Happy birthday to Sophie! 
• Wednesday, August 30th 
• 
  
• Thursday, August 31st 
• Mrs. Kleitsch joins us for a counseling lesson.  
• Scout Night @ 6:30 pm in the gym  
• Friday, September 1st 
• All cookie dough fundraiser orders due.  

• Click here to check out the Crestwood PTO page!

Students filled their book boxes with classroom library books & a Reading Journal.  Emmanuelle finds a cozy spot to read.  

Landon gets comfortable with a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. 

Ethan works on making progress in a chapter book to add to his Reading Log. 

In Writer's Workshop, Will & Sophie created personal maps of their basements & backyards, recording important memories they have in these places.  They'll use these maps to refer to when they need topic ideas.  

Molly & Noah share their heart maps, a brainstorm of things they love (or really like).  

Round 2 of the Marshmallow Challenge was awesome!  Students created expectations for working with a group.  

Group Expectations:  1. Focus on the task.  2. Everyone participates.  3. Consider all ideas.  4. Speak at a "Level 2."  5.  Use materials appropriately.  6. Be persistent (don't give up)! 

August 20, 2017

Our first two days of 4th grade were a lot of fun!  We spent time getting to know one another and reviewing some room 36 & Crestwood expectations.

• Monday, August 21st 
• Eclipse Day!  We'll be learning even more about this rare event and venturing outside in the afternoon to observe.  Students will watch this safety video and receive a pair of glasses to wear. 
• Tuesday, August 22nd 
• Fundraiser Chicken Coupon Collection 
•  4th Grade Curriculum Night @ 7:00 pm, room 36 (K @ 5:00, 1st @ 5:30, 2nd @ 6:00, 3rd @ 6:30, 5th @ 7:30), babysitting is available throughout the evening 
• Wednesday, August 23rd 
• 
  
• Thursday, August 24th 
• 
  
• Friday, August 25th 
• Fundraiser Chicken Coupon Collection  
• Back to School Movie Night @ 8:30 pm 

• Click here to check out the Crestwood PTO page!

Students used a foam math counter and a balloon to better understand a solar eclipse.  Alex squints one eye to see if his counter (moon) will eclipse a blown up balloon (sun).  

William & Noah work together to find out how many steps apart they must be for the counter to completely eclipse the balloon.  

Caroline & Emmanuelle agree that it's possible for a smaller object to eclipse a larger one if there is enough distance in between the two. 

Josiah, Landon, & Maddy work together to reinforce some spaghetti noodles before building their tower. 

Sophia, Violetta, Will, & Alex were a great team, reinforcing their noodles with masking tape. 

Despite being the tallest, the weight of the marshmallow caused Ian, Etan, Alexa, & Emmanuelle's tower to topple over.  They kept their great attitudes! 

Although it ended up being the lowest to the ground, Molly, John, Noah, & Lydia's tower turned out to be the only freestanding one!  Congratulations!