Polar Express Movie Night

The Polar Express

When: Thursday, December 18th

Where: Alameda, Room 144

Time: 5:30-8:00pm

Who: Ms. Brown's students. No siblings, friends, or parents.  

What to Bring: Students may bring 1 pillow, 1 blanket, 1 small stuffed animal, and a beverage with a lid (no pop)! I will provide popcorn for the class, please do not send addition snacks with your child.

What to Wear: Pajamas! (optional)

*Please eat dinner before you come

Passport Explorer: Homework & Websites

Students will start having Passport Explorer homework once a week. They are to choose a country from the month's Passport Club to research. The following are good websites to research various countries. Students are not limited to the following sites, they are simply suggestions. Please talk to your child as you see fit about safely searching the internet.

National Geographic Kids
Fact Monster 
Ducksters (click on the corresponding continent/region then scroll down to find a list of countries)
Kids Science- Countries 
Our Africa (only African countries)
Easy Science for Kids (fairly good selection, poorly organized. Best to use the side bar "Find by Topic" and select the appropriate continent)
Kids World Travel Guide (somewhat limited selection of countries)

Student Post: Nov 17-21, by Alex Sahli

• On monday in math class everyone did something called find someone who....  We would go around the room with a piece of paper and ask other kids to fill them out.  There were problems like:

_________________________________________________________________
The rug is 12 feet by 7 feet.  Find the perimeter and area.  show your work!
__________________________________________________________________

• The class also did quick sketches to help them.  They look like this:

• We have been working on personal narratives, too.  For a while, the class worked on character description and setting description papers.  Then on monday we started on our rough draft.  We all worked on it more throughout the week.    
• On the calendar a triangle is going into either quaderant 1,2,3, or 4.  This is called translation, reflection or rotation.  We also have another work sheet during calendar:  cups, quarts and gallons. Every day we add a cup to a bucket that can hold a quart.  Once they are full, we add them to a gallon-sized milk carton.
• For homework and math class, we have ladybug math problems.  There is a group of ladybugs making a garden or a house.  The teacher wants us to work on area and perimeter.   
• This weeks' quick fact is 4.

By Alex Sahli

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Parent Teacher Conference Survey

Fall conferences are just around the corner. Conferences give us a chance to discuss academic, behavioral and social goals. I've posted a survey for you to fill out so that I can be better prepared for our discussion. I appreciate your partnership in helping your child have a successful 4th grade year! Parent Teacher Conference Survey
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Student Post: Our field trip to Tryon Creek

  Last week our class went on a field trip to Tryon Creek. At Tryon Creek we first went to a classroom and learned about water sheds. Then we went on a hike in Tryon Creek's beautiful park. On the hike we study Tryon Creek's water to see if it was heathy. One of the ways we tested it was to use ph. We used ph by using ph strips that had different shades of orange on it and we put  the colored end in to the creek's water sample for thirty seconds. Then we pulled the strips out of the water and it changed colors, last we held are strips up to the package they came in that had a legend on it to figure out how heathy it is. We also did a experiment where we put a can on top of a mole hill and put water in it and timed how long it toke for the water to sink in. We did the same on normal ground to see which one was faster. The mole hill was faster because the water had some where to go. We also tested the oxygen in the water by taking a sample of the water and put a tube of chemicals in the water and the water would go into the tube and the tube would turn a shaded of blue. Then we held up the blue tube up to a scale that would tell you how much oxygen is in the water.

by Miriam

Learning about water sheds.

   Learning about the history of Tryon Creek.

Testing how much oxygen is in the water.

A Look Into The Classroom

There has been a lot happening lately. Your students have been busy both inside and outside of the classroom.

Run for the Arts
Last Thursday, we had a very successful time Running for the Arts. Your kids did a great job and we were blessed with wonderful weather! Please remember to have your child collect the money pledged to them and return all forms and money by October 28th.

Math

We are one week into unit two of math. Our recent focus has been place value but we will soon go back into multiplication and learn strategies for larger number multiplication.

Science
Last week we  finished up our Land & Water unit. Throughout the unit students conducted experiments to investigate how land and water work together, react to one another and impact our environment. We learned about the water cycle, how streams are formed and the effects of erosion, as well and why dams are built and their effects on the eco-system. After learning about dams, students planned and built a dam to save their city from being flooded. Although many teams had to make adjustments, there was one group that engineer their dam just right and had success on the first run. Ultimately, there was success for most all groups. This unit not only addresses scientific inquiry but allows for students to grow in their abilities to work cooperatively and productively with others, exchanging and building ideas.

Tryon Creek
We had a wonderful time on Monday at Tryon Creek. This was a perfect extension to our Land & Water unit. Students learned about watersheds, walked through nature learning about their surroundings, and explored how water quality impacts nature.

Social Studies
Now that we are finished with Land & Water, we will begin studying Oregon Geography. This is a fun unit where students will explore and learn about the regions, natural resources, and landforms around our state. This unit will include map skills, research through informational text as well as information writing.

Reminder:
Parent-Teacher conferences are coming up Oct 29-30. A reminder of your scheduled time will go home with your child early next week.

Multiplication Web Sites

Multiplication Sites to Practice weekly Math Facts
The following are sites I've found to focus on practicing multiplication facts. There are a few sites that allow you to choose which fact(s) you'd like to practice, this is helpful when working on the fact of the week. Students are welcome to practice using web sites, apps, flash cards, card games, or by way of using fact sheets (I have these in class which they are welcome to take anytime).

Skill Builder (scroll down and click on multiplication)
Grand Prix
Penguin Jump 
Space Race
Times Tables 
Flash Cards 
Multiflyer
Math Baseball

Important Upcoming Dates

Make sure you mark your calendar for these upcoming events in October!

Oct 8th- Picture Day- We are first thing in the morning so make sure kids are on time

Oct 9th: Run for the Arts- We will be running at 1:10pm, please let me know if you're available and interested in volunteering. I will need about three volunteers to help mark cards

Oct 13th: Tryon Creek- We will leave at 9:30 and return around 1:30-2. Please make sure you send a sack lunch with your child that day, and that they are dressed in warm layers.

Oct 29 & 30th: Parent-Teacher Conferences

The Week Of 9/7/2014

 Last week was super fun! We were studying decimeters. 1 decimeter= 10 centimeters, and since 100 centimeters= 1 meter, 1 decimeter is 1/10 of a meter!

We also studied the water cycle. We built a model by first shaping dirt in a tub, then putting in hot water to form a lake. Before that evaporated we put plastic wrap on the tub and used a rubber band to seal in the water vapor. Then we put an ice pack over the land and waited.

Don't forget area! We did area too! So if you had a wooden platform that was 4 feet on one side and 3 feet on the other, what was the total area? Read on to find out!

Do you have some funny memories about, say, that time you set your neighbor's lawn on fire? Well, here in Ms. Brown's class, we are writing about those memories! Not to say that all of you have set lawns on fire... another fun writing activity (not ack-tivity, they're safe) is C.A.T., although it won't curl up in your lap and purr. It actually means character, action, thing. The C.A.T. that we selected was a puppy, playing soccer, and a rocket ship. The product? Astro dog!
(by the way, 4x3=12. Did you guess that?)

we zoomed past this week so quickly I sure had a lot of fun! I love the reading choices here! Really juicy...

Well, that's all for now. Bye!
By Edie

Sept 2-5

On the first day of forth grade we meet all the students. We did some poems one of them is I am one who and we got to do P.E and music. All of us organized our desks. We also started math we are doing area with hexagons, rhombus, triangles and trapezoids. There is ten jobs and 32 kids so many kids don't get jobs the jobs are lunch tubs, classroom keeper, librarian, teachers assistant. Thats what we did over the week and thats all we are going to post for this week so i hope you read the blog next week! Bye.
by Scarlett Jones
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Welcome Back

We are almost to the end of our second week and I can confidently say that I am very excited for the upcoming school year with this class.

Since school began, Alameda's back to school packet has been sent home with each student, as well as the TFK and planner letter. If you have not yet returned these forms or money please do so as soon as possible.

Cafeteria helper permission slips were also sent home. This is optional but a permission slip must be signed before your child is able to help.

Also, mark your calendar for Back to School Night, Sept 18th from 7-8pm. There is a meeting in the cafeteria prior to BTSN, from 6:30-7, for new families and those interested in hearing from Mr. Lurie and the PTA. I look forward to meeting you all and sharing with you about your child's up coming year!

Specials Schedule

Ms. Brown's Specials Schedule

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Day 1:      Music                 9:20-9:50
Day 2:      Library              9:00-9:50 
Day 3:      PE                      9:20-9:50 
Day 4:      Music                 9:20-9:50 
Day 5:      Computers        8:50-9:45 

Day 6:      PE                      9:20-9:50

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*On late start Wednesdays we will not go to that day's special
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Dismissal Procedures

Bus:

• Students who ride the bus need a bus tag. If there is not one already printed for your child on the first day of school, please fill out a blank tag. Bus tags need to be attached to the student’s backpack.

Walking Home:

• Please write a note, sign and date specifying it is ok for your child to walk home on a given day. If you’d like to send me an email please do so before school starts that day.
• If your child walks home regularly please send me an email stating which days will be regular walking days. If your child walks home on days other than regular walking days, please write a note for those occasions.

Parent or Guardian pick-up:

• 4^th grade dismisses by the tetherball pole on the east side of the playground.
• For safety, your child must check out with me before leaving, confirming we both see the adult picking them up.
• If someone other than you is picking your child up, I need a note, singed and dated by you, specifying who will pick up your child. I am ok with emails but they must be received before school starts on that given day (its not guaranteed I will check my email during the school day).

Please let me know if you have any questions about dismissal procedures.

Welcome Room 144 Families

Room 144 Families, 

I hope you are enjoying your summer vacation!  Its hard to believe August is already here - time sure does fly!

I created an email list using the email addresses provided by the district.  Please let me know if you received the email, and whether or not it is the address you'd like me to use throughout the upcoming year.

Also, a letter will be sent home to all families this week with some information about myself and our classroom.  Within the letter I have invited everyone to a class get-together at Wilshire Park on Tuesday, August 26th from 6-7:30, co-hosted by myself, Mrs. Caton, and Mrs. Largo.  I hope your family is able to join us.  It's a great opportunity to connect prior to the first day of school.

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer break!  I can't wait to meet you all, and am excited for our year together!

**Julie Brown

New Classroom Blog Address

Welcome to the new address of Julie Brown's classroom blog. If you would like to see previous posts from years gone by, please visit rm144.blogspot.com