Ms. Gelzer’s 4th Grade Blog

Dear Families,

We are sad to say goodbye to Yanrun Wang, who has been such a great teacher in our class. We will miss her Chinese lessons, her help in academics, and her kind personality. Yanrun returns to Beijing to finish her degree.

We are surviving the flu season. A reminder for students to wash hands frequently or have them use hand sanitizers, small pocket size containers.

If your child is absent due to illness, I will try to gather materials for home completion. If you’re taking a trip with family, please have your child write daily  journal entries, read a book (maybe the one we are reading if student is responsible for it), and use IXL math with the topic if possible.

Topics:

• We will take a trip to the Hult Center on Friday, Feb. 8th from 9:30-11:30am to see the Eugene Ballet Company perform parts of Swan Lake. The bus is being paid for by the ballet company. Tickets are $5.00 and there are limited scholarships. We have tickets for only 4 adult chaperones who will ride the bus with us. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested.

• Reading: We’re halfway done with Castle in the Attic and the students are learning much about architecture of castles, and codes of chivalry.

* Our math units of learning about money, giving change, and has moved on to perimeter and area. We are just starting to find area by using the array method to multiply double digits i.e.. 34cm. x  19cm=   sq. cm.  Check out the IXL topics under geometry. Ask your child to show you this strategy.

• Homework: There is a small but strong group of students that complete their homework: 10/32. We are using an assignment sheet to make sure the work is understood later in the afternoon. Please ask to see the Orange HW folder and assignment sheet to help your child complete their work. Thanks. In 5th grade, the HW amount increases, so practicing now makes it easier later.

• Science: Motion and design is where students explore how vehicles work using small K’nex pieces. If you work with mechanics or know about vehicles, we’d like to hear about your work.

• Report cards will be sent out on Friday, Feb. 8th, 2013. Please return the envelope with your signature so that I know you received your child’s report card.

• Valentine’s Day party will be in the afternoon, Thurs. Feb. 14th. Please avoid sending large amounts of candy. Cards are wonderful and appreciated. The class list is in the directory, with a few extra names: Jasper Geddes, Brendan Scribner, and Owen Jones. Thanks for making sure everyone gets a card.

Bonne semaine et buenas semanas,

Debra Gelzer

Hi Edison Families,

Here are a few topics to share for this week:

Thank you so much to Tim (Bailey’s dad) and Jenny (Sydney’s mom) for presenting the art of Mary Cassatt, from “Meeting the Masters” program. The students learned about art history of the Impressionists in France, and how Mary’s work was composed and accepted during this time. The students then made portraits topped with fashionable hats. Come see them in our hallways.

This week, all grades at Edison will be taking the Winter EZCBM tests in reading and math. Our testing will start on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Please make sure your child has a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast and snack to take to class.

Language: We’re at the “rough draft” stage on our essay, “In 20 Years.” Students are writing about education, future jobs, families, hobbies and accomplishments. It’s great to see the variety of ideas.

This week we will discuss the contributions Martin Luther King, Jr. made in his very short life. Our spelling words this week deal with the civil rights movement and the concepts  that make this time period in America so important to study. MLK’s birthday is a federal holiday observed on Monday, Jan. 21st, next week.

Reading: Students will complete their Animal Unit, having read two or more books, and writing two summaries. We will start a new class novel called Castle in the Attic.

Math: We briefly studied about money: the value of coins, decimal use in money, and how to make change. This was difficult for some students but can be practiced in the real world when going to the stores, movies, restaurants, and places that use money. This week, we will start a unit on perimeter and area.

Science: Our next unit of study is called “Motion and Design.” Students will be in groups to work on projects designing vehicles, study how laws of motion work, and how to build successful vehicles that fits a particular need.

Music: Due to generous funds from the Parent Council, the students will be taking a music class on Mondays, from now to Spring Break. The class will be conducted on Wednesday, when there is no school on Monday.

We are sad to say goodbye to Yanrun Wang, our Chinese Intern. She has been so helpful in the class, assisting students, teaching Chinese and its culture. She will return to China to continue her studies in language.

Stay warm this week and bonne semaine y buenas semanas,

Debra, Cassidy, and Yanrun

Dear Families,

Welcome back to Edison after all your adventures, activities, and rest. I am looking forward to hearing the students share their vacation favorites. Once we get in gear, there will be EZCBM tests in January and Writing Assessment. I know the students will be well prepared with all their hard work.

Topics for January

•  Writing: I was able to send the students’ thoughful poetry for the Honoring our Rivers anthology. Thank you to all those who returned a parent permission form. We will be starting on a few new topics for writing: “In 20 Years,” where students will imagine their road in education, careers, family, friendships, and of course dreams! We’ll also begin our State Writing Assessment, in which the students will compose and complete writing without peer or adult editing.

• Reading: This week, students will finish their last summary for the last animal book they finished. It’s disappointing when a novel doesn’t meet one’s expectations. Let me know what you think of The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. Our next class novel will be a time travel adventure set in Medieval Times called Castle in the Attic.

• Math : Our unit of study will be dealing with Perimeter and Area concepts, how they are different and how they are related. The multiplication unit that we have worked on will be such a strong foundation for students to use in problem solving with the array model and distributive law. Division drills are ongoing.

• Science: We packed up all the soil, sand, tubs, and now welcome Motion and Design unit using K’nex to build vehicles. If you have knowledge in physics, car mechanics or vehicle design, please come and share with us your interests.

• Social Studies: We will participate in the National Geography Bee with all four 4/5 classes this month. The student with the most correct answers during this bee, may be able to represent our school in the state  bee. So keep looking at maps, read the papers, and look at National Geography online. We’ll also start learning about the first people in Oregon and other American Indian nations.

• Nutrition and Yoga continue for the next month.

So wishing you a very Happy New Year!,

Debra, Cassidy, and Yanrun