Unicef

October 31, 2014

Happy Friday Fourth Graders,

You will receive from your teacher a Unicef box along with a green information sheet.  Unicef stands for United Nations Children's Fund.  Take the Unicef box with you while Trick-or-Treating and people can donate coins or bills.  The money will go toward helping other children around the world in need of food, clean water, medicine, or who have been caught in a natural disaster.  Bring back your Unicef boxes to school on Monday, November 3.

Sometime today, your teacher will show you a video that explains what the money can do to help other kids around the world.  After watching the video, discuss with your class and reflect why it is important to help. How can you take action?
                  
Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Geo Bee with Mrs. Held

October 30, 2014

Howdy 4th Graders,
Yesterday Mrs. Held, LC 1st grade teacher, started an after school program called "Geo Bee." This is a club that studies geography. Geo means "land," and graph means "study of." What do you think geography is?

Here is a presentation from Mrs. Held.

Geo Bee Presentation

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Pourquoi Tales

October 29, 2014

Greetings Fourth Graders,

In class you have been discussing Pourquoi Tales.  Did you know that Pourquoi means "why" in French.  Pourquoi tales are stories that explain why something is the way it is pertaining to nature.

In your class you have read the Pourquoi Tale called How the Kangaroo got its Pouch.  How did the Kangaroo get her pouch? What was the cause and effect?

Watch this video of another Pourquoi Tale called, Why Koala Has a Stumpy Tail. After the video, compare and contrast the two Pourquoi Tales with your class.  Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itszep0duwI&list=PLAhS7aHIGeFQ0qneHmwlRHkyd68Yu-04Y

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Music and Fractions

October 28, 2014

Good Morning,

Do you play an instrument? If you do, then you read music. You read whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes.   Mix the notes together and you create a musical melody.

Now, think about what you have learned with Fractions in Math.  Do you see how Music can be connected with Fractions? It is really neat that you can take your Fraction knowledge and apply it in other content areas.

dd

What other connections can you make with Fractions?

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Hobbies

October 27, 2014

Hello Fourth Graders,

Think about the things you enjoying doing.  What are some activities you like to do outside of school? Do you have a hobby? Do you like to play sports, read, collect anything or create something?

A hobby is defined as an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for fun. Think about your hobby, and discuss with your class. This is a great way to learn something new about your classmates.

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Fire Drill

October 24, 2014

Hello Cautious 4th Graders,
We had a fire drill yesterday to practice walking outside calmly in case there really was a fire emergency. It was a coincidence that we had the drill the same day our blog was about line basics. It became even more obvious to the teachers that our grade needs to work on line basics. Straight up, back to the basics, LINE BASICS!

Talk with your class about what the basics are, and why each is essential. Reflect on the fire drill yesterday and how we can improve.

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Dismissal Reminder

October 23, 2014

Dear Fourth Graders,
As we continue to reflect on our progress at school, it is important to think about parts of our routine that are not necessarily in our classrooms. Most classes are very good at Line Basics throughout the day at school. One time we all need to work on this is at dismissal. By now, we each know where we need to go when we leave our classrooms shortly before 3:00.

Mr. Frischmann takes children to Kids Choice.
Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Applequist take children to the gym to wait for busses.
Mrs. Larson takes children to Door 2.
Mrs. McAlpine and Mrs. Laliberte take children to Door 1.

When you leave your classroom, make sure you are walking to the teacher that will dismiss you. Do your best to walk in line basics until you are where you need to be. We need to make better, safer, and quieter choices at dismissal time. Starting today.

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Fractions

October 22, 2014

Happy Middle-of-the-Week!
We have been working with fraction circles in fourth grade. Fractions are all around us. Think of somewhere outside of school where you might find fractions. I know I used fractions this past weekend when I baked muffins. The recipe was filled with fractions of this and fractions of that!

Here is a real world math problem for you. There are about 160 fourth graders at Lincoln Center. Three-fourths of them eat hot lunch everyday. How many fourth grader bring their lunch from home?

Here's another. Half of the fourth grade teachers eat hot lunch everyday. How many of them bring their lunches from home?

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

You Can Learn Anything

October 21, 2014

Hello Active Learners,
Before our fall break we had an incredible all school assembly. We shared our classes' Hopes & Dreams, as well as our classes' Essential Agreements. We symbolized these with birds that flew into the air! We also shared classes' excuses that easily get in the way our our learning. Why is it sometimes easy to give up? At conferences we set goals to help with successful learning. Our bushy brains tell us, We Can Learn Anything!

Watch the video clip with your class. Reflect on your goals and how you can be an active learner!

You Can Learn Anything!

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Trace Fossils

October 20, 2014

Welcome back to school!
This is such an exciting time of the school year. We really had a fantastic start to our year and were able to reflect with families on goals to make the rest of the year successful. Think about our conferences and goals that you set. If you weren't able to come to conferences, think about what you can do to make a positive change.

Remember reading about trace fossils? We read about how the traces different animals leave can become fossils. This weekend, I thought of you all when I was out hiking. I saw two downed trees with super cool trace fossils. Look closely, and you will see them too!

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Friday!

10/10/14

Happy Friday!

We've had an incredibly busy six weeks of school! Each classroom community established essential agreements, hopes and dreams, daily routines, and had lots of fun. We've come together as a fourth grade community during WIN and at recess/lunch. We are definitely off to a great start.

Today will be busy for all of us. Have you ever had to clean and organize your house before company comes over? That is what today will be like at school... Last minute cleaning and organizing before families come in for conferences. Be ready to be busy all day!

Enjoy next week. Take time to play and time to relax. Be safe.

Be good. Be nice. Behave. 

Book Fair

October 9, 2014

Howdy!
We've been reflecting on the last six weeks of school and preparing for conferences. It is hard to believe it is already time to come together as a team with your parents to map out the next couple months of school. We will talk about the good... the bad... and the...

During conferences there will be a Book Fair set up in the gym. This is like having a huge book order right here in our school. It is an opportunity for you to shop for books with your families. When you buy a book at the book fair, you get to take it with you instead of waiting for it to get here! (Unless of course you order the Diary of a Wimpy Kid... that will be shipped as soon as it is printed!)

Here is a link with more information about the book fair.

http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/fallESvideo/

Does this look familiar to you? It was found in the girls' bathroom. If it is yours, ask your teacher to email Mrs. Applequist.

One more thing!! Mrs. Gerber, the bushy brain lady, told us that the homing pigeons made it home to Bell Plaine before the trainer got there! It took him about an hour to drive from Lincoln Center!

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Homing Pigeons

October 8, 2014

Hello Thinkers,
The all school assembly yesterday was fantastic. It is such a special opportunity for our entire school community to come together at the same time. At the conclusion of the assembly our hopes, dreams, and growth mindset were symbolized by three birds flying free into the air! After the assembly those birds flew straight home to Bell Plaine, Minnesota!

I did a little research on how those homing pigeons will get home. Scientists know an awful lot about these birds and agree that they have incredible inner compasses. There are two theories on exactly how the birds know how to get home. Some scientists believe the birds' mapping skills have a magnetic relationship with the earth and others believe it has to do with the birds' sense of smell. Whatever it is, it is amazing!!

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Walls and Bulletin Boards

October 7, 2014

Good morning 4th graders,
Have you ever wondered about the walls and bulletin boards at school? If not, I want you to take a minute to think about them. Think about who puts them up and why. Think about how much time it takes to put stuff up. Think about why a lot of kids can't seem to not touch them. It makes me very sad to walk down our hallway when I look at the walls. I have noticed paper ripped off boards near Mrs. McAlpine's room. I have noticed papers and posters wrinkled and torn near Mrs. Larson's and Mrs. Brown's rooms. I have also noticed borders and fabric ripped near Mrs. Applequist's room.

Fourth graders, you are making a mess everywhere you go. We expect you to be more respectful with our environment. Remember to keep your hands to yourselves. This does not just mean do not touch other people... It means KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF... DO NOT TOUCH WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU.

How can we make this better?

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Conferences

October 6, 2014

Buenos Dias Estudiantes,
What a beautiful morning! The sun is shining, and the air is brisk! Although it was a chilly morning, the weather at recess should warm up a bit.

Can you believe we are already preparing for conferences? Next week your families will come to school to meet with your teachers. It is a time to reflect on Hopes & Dreams and to set goals for a great year. We do conferences early in the year to get you on the right track to be a successful learner.

Reflect on what has gone well and what you want to improve.

Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Conferences

October 3, 2014


Hello Thinkers,


We have been in school for six weeks now.  You all have learned so much already in Fourth grade.  You will get a chance to think about and show what you have learned so far in school at conferences.  The week of October 13th to 17th you will have no school due to school Conferences and the Education Minnesota Conference.  You will have the opportunity to show families what you have learned by reflecting on your school work.


Some things to think about when you are reflecting on your school work:
1. What are your strengths in school? What is a subject or concept you feel like you really understand?


2. What is something you think you need more practice with? What is something you need to improve?


Have a great weekend!


Be good. Be nice. Behave.

Internet Safety

October 2, 2013

Hi Fourth Graders,

Yesterday Mrs. Larson, Mrs. McAlpine and Mrs. Laliberte's classes all had internet safety.  Today Mrs. Applequist, Mrs. Brown and Mr. Frischmann's classes will participate in the internet safety presentation. A big THANK YOU to Mrs. Spreigl, our Media Specialist, for putting together a great presentation for all of the Fourth graders.

Some things to think and talk about with your class:
* Why is it important to talk about internet safety?
* What is Cyberbullying?
* Why is it not safe to click on an ad that pops up on your computer screen when on the internet?
* Can text messages be misread? Why?

Enjoy the day!

Be good. Be nice. Behave.