2018 Gazette issue 1

8 The fourth graders were very excited to start the 2018-2019 school year in the Delta Building! The promise of having their own lockers, sitting in desks filled with books, being assigned a laptop, and choosing their own seats at lunch time was quite thrilling! With these privileges though, also comes responsibility and dedication, which these students have already exhibited. By the second day of school, they showed they are serious about their roles as fourth graders. The students have enjoyed reading The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling. They also watched the Chocolate Fever video for similarities and differences to The Chocolate Touch. This will culminate with writing a compare/contrast essay. But they had the most fun with the follow-up to the book, which was eating vanilla fudge ice cream with chocolate syrup. Yum! Everyone is very comfortable working with Saxon math, and they really like the format. In addition, they enjoy the opportunity to work in small groups with the teacher. The children are learning about perseverance as they work on logic puzzles and math challenge exercises. It’s always so rewarding to see them stay the course and not give up!! Playing Multiplication Scoot is a class favorite and always lots of fun! In grammar, the students have been kept busy learning about nouns and verbs. In addition to their daily practice, they have written noun poems and have acted out verbs. They are looking forward to ending this unit with a game of Verb Scoot. Studying about cells and plants was very interesting. . . and challenging too! Everyone learned a lot! The students have been introduced to using Spelling City. They log in to complete fun activities that incorporate their weekly words. They can also take practice tests throughout the week. On Friday, the post test is taken on line in class. During snack time, students listen attentively to Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech. They are always anxious to know what will happen next and often beg for another chapter to be read aloud. What a pleasure to see their love of reading!!! All the students were excited to learn how to play Sparkle, Password and the Bucket Game. It is fun to witness their enthusiasm and cheering for one another! This awesome group of students has enthusiastically accepted the responsibilities and challenges of being a fourth grader! What a great way to begin the new school year!