Inspired!

May 27, 2015

Well 4th graders,
We've done it! We have successfully completed a year together. We have seen so much academic progress and grit. We've shared many laughs and a few tears. One thing we learned for sure, "We all do better, when we all do better!"

We know you can work hard. We know you can play hard. This summer take all that goodness and help change the world! Take action in your community... Use your good for good!

A Letter From Future Kid President

Have a super summer, almost 5th graders!!

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.

Last Book Talk Tuesday

May 26, 2015

Good Morning Fourth Graders! This is our last Book Talk Tuesday.  The book featured today is called Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss.

All of you are moving to Fifth grade and think about all the knowledge you have gained in Fourth grade.  Continue to grow as learners and do your very best next year.  This book has a great message about determination and that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Believe in yourself! Work hard and don't give up trying.

Enjoy the book! 

Read-a-Loud

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity. 

(Be good. Be nice. Behave.)

Final Friday!!

May 22, 2015

Happy Friday fourth graders!
We had the perfect day for our boat trip yesterday. Hopefully you gleaned some knowledge about the new bridge and made some engineering connections. Our speakers talked a lot about the St. Croix River's impact on not only Minnesota, but also its local community.

Today will be another beautiful day. We still have a lot of work to do in school. Work hard so you can play hard!

This is our final Get Fit Friday!!! Get up, make some room, and move your bodies!

Brain Gym

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.
be good. be nice. behave.

St. Croix River

May 21, 2015

Hello adventurers!
We will embark on a journey down the St. Croix River today. Think of everything you've learned about rivers, settlement, climate, and how people affect the river. It is a gorgeous day to be outside enjoying the river ride. Keep in mind your classroom essential agreements and how you will transfer them to our field trip.

One of my girls' favorite bands is the Okee Dokee Brothers. They went on an adventure similar to ours, but very different! They canoed down the entire Mississippi River! Do you know where the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers connect? Why do you think when the rivers join together and continue south, they become one river called, Mississippi? Not St. Croix? Lots of things to wonder about!

Enjoy a video of the Okee Dokee Brothers canoeing down the Ol' Miss!

Can You Canoe?

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.
Be good. Be good. Behave!

Gratitude

May 20, 2015

Good morning citizens,
Yesterday we celebrated being the grade that raised the most food in the LC/SSP food drive! Way to go!! We had so many risk takers that were zany enough to celebrate with you. We hope you had a great time watching several teachers, including our very own, Mrs. Brown get 'pied!'

As we wind down the year, think about all the people that make a successful school year. So many people help us throughout the day that we don't even think of as being community helpers. Each day Cathy and Vanessa take phone calls, collect mail and lunches, call students, and really run the show! Day after day, the lunch ladies prepare healthy food for us and make sure we have a variety of choices. People like Larry, Ed, and many others clean up after us and make sure our building is not only tidy, but safe. Today find at least one of the people we often forget to thank, and somehow make them know they're appreciated.

Your teachers appreciate you!

Be principled. Be caring, Have integrity.
be good. be nice. behave.

Last Monday!

May 18, 2015

Good morning!
We had so many accomplishments last week! I'd like to congratulate all the fourth graders that finished testing! I am proud of the determination and dedication you showed throughout MCA and NWEA testing. On Thursday the Girls on the Run ran their first 5k (3.1 miles) in the pouring rain! No one complained ~ they all just kept moving forward! Finally a big shout out to all the teachers, way to go with your SMART goal!

We have another busy week ahead! Be ready to work hard so we can enjoy playing hard!
Monday ~ Miracle Mile
Tuesday ~ Food Drive Winners Celebration
Thursday ~ St. Croix River Trip, Talent Show
Friday ~ Lucy Appplequist's 4th birthday. Oh wait... that's just Mrs. Applequist's busy Friday! ;)

Congratulations to Olivia Bonk! Olivia accepted Ms. Anderson's book talk challenge...
From Ms. Anderson's book talk, "Oh, a bonus prize will be given to the first student in your grade who comes to me and tells me their favorite scene from the book that has the line, “My dear reader.” 

Oliva read Flora and Ulysses and The Tale of Despereaux to start out. The scene Ms. Anderson was looking for came from The Tale of Despereaux! Olivia won a gift card to Barnes and Noble!

 

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.

(be good. be nice. behave.)

Get Fit Friday

May 15, 2015


It's Get Fit Friday!!! It is time to get your bodies moving.  Move chairs, move desk, and find space to move around.  What other activities do you do to get exercise? What sports do you play during the summer? Discuss with your class.

Just Dance


Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.
(be good. be nice. behave.)

Team Work!!!

May 14, 2015


Hello Thinkers and Inquirers! You all have been working hard on your Landforms Projects.  All of you have been working as a group.  What does it mean to work as a group? What PROFILES and ATTITUDES should you have? As a group member, think about what works well, and what could you do to improve.  What make a group successful? Discuss with your class.


It is important to work as a team and everyone do their part for a school project. How are you working together? How are you dividing work? How can you help one another if there are questions?



Watch this video clip about NOT so good team work.  Discuss with your class why this is NOT good team work.

 Video Clip

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.

(be good. be nice. behave.)

Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages

May 13, 2015


Good Morning Fourth Graders! In Math, you have been learning about Fractions , Decimals and Percentages. When do you use fractions in daily life? Can you think of examples when you use fractions? Where do you see decimals in daily life? How about percentages? Think about when you are at a store...do you see percentages? Discuss with your class.

Watch this video on Fractions, Decimals and Percentages.
Fractions, Decimals, & Percentages


Check out this song about Fractions, Decimals and Percentages. Enjoy!
Song


Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.
(be good. be nice. behave.)

Book Talk Tuesday

May 12, 2015
Hello Fourth Graders! Today our Book Talk Tuesday features our principal's favorite book.  The book is called Crash by Jerry Spinelli.

My favorite author growing up was Jerry Spinelli.  He has written many books over the last 30 years and is a Newbery Medalist.  I started reading his books when I was your age.  The first book I read by Spinelli was, Maniac Magee.  It was super popular with my friends, and I continued to read his books into junior high.  

    When I started teaching, I worked with another teacher who used the book, Crash, for read aloud with his class.  I borrowed his copy and fell back in love with Jerry Spinelli books.  I used this book as a read aloud with almost every single class I ever taught as a 5th and 6th grade teacher.  

    Crash, is about a 7th grade football star.  While he is the main character of the story, he is actually considered the story’s villain.  He would definitely be considered a bully.  Throughout the story, he is confronted with a family medical emergency that leads him to question how he treats others.  

What I really love about this book, and all of Spinielli’s books that I have read, is how he is able to create great characters.  It is easy for me to relate his characters to myself or other people I know.  His stories are easy to read, but they really make you think about why people are the way the are.  He also finds very engaging ways to help you gain perspective on the lives of others.

Spinelli is a favorite author of mine because he finds a way to discuss tricky topics like bullying, friends, and poverty in a way that is helpful to readers and very entertaining.  Some of his books, like Fourth Grade Rats, and Report to the Principal’s Office are really funny.  Others like, Stargirl, share great messages like how important it is to be yourself!

Thank you Mr. Fugazzi for sharing!

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.

(be good. be nice. behave)

Maps

May 11, 2015

Good Morning Fourth Graders,

In class you have been learning about maps.  Think about maps and what you need to include when creating a map.  Discuss with your class what your map needs in order to read it and know what it is about. What are some types of maps? Look at the map below. What type of map is it?

Notice that this maps has a key.  Why is it important to include a key with your map?  What else could you include on this map?

Speaking of maps....do you know where Stillwater is for our field trip coming up? What is the name of the river? Look it up, and see what you can find.

Watch the Brain Pop video on Map Skills.
Brain Pop

Have a great day!
Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.
(be good. be nice. behave.)

Fit Friday!

May 8, 2015

Hello!
It has been a busy week! We certainly have accomplished a lot but still have a lot of work to do. With the weather being so "iffy" today, we need to MOVE our bodies now!

Get up! Get moving!

Kid President + Pep Talk + Dance = Ah yeah!!!

Be principled. Be caring. Have integrity.
(be good. be nice. behave.)