Wednesday

The Family History Reports are due on Monday, January 31st. A sample bibliography is shown below. Most won't need to list a book as a source, but there is the format just in case. Tomorrow we'll work on the report covers in class.

No school on Friday...for students, that is.

Bibliography

1. Brown, Joe
December 21, 2010


2. Jones, Gina
January 1, 2011


3. Ireland, Its Land and People, Jones, Bill, pages 1-9

Friday

One of the traditions in Room 17, along with the Family History Report project, is making tea. This year, Wednesdays turn out to be the best time for our class to have a small cup (Mr. Coffee only makes about two liters so the portions are small but refreshing.) Several fourth graders have learned the procedures for making simple tea with tea bags, but next week they will have a chance to participate in our "loose tea workshop." They will learn the proper way to use a tea infuser with loose tea, a more economical and flavorful approach.

Next week we'll also learn how to make a bibliography for the Family History reports and the cover. Students should bring the red folders with all the report materials (cards, rough drafts of interviews, family trees, etc.) to class each day. The reports are due Monday, January 31st.

Thursday

We will sing the famous spiritual, "We Shall Overcome" while Judi Lindberg presents historic and biographical information tomorrow morning over Franklin's intercom so students and staff throughout the school will learn about the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement.

Equal rights for all citizens continues as a struggle in today's world, and making our students aware of the past can help them improve not only their own lives but also the lives of others. Those "others" are the people they will live and work with in their future.

Four of our Room 17 students are working on optional essays for the 'Martin Luther King Essay Contest.' Here is the prompt for this project: "Explain why Dr. King was special enough to have his own recognition day."

Interviews for the Family History Report project should be finished, and now the notes from those interviews should be written in sentences and paragraphs for the rough draft. Each of the three interviews should have its own page as a mininum. Maps and family trees come next so stay tuned and have a good weekend.

Thursday

Winter arrives in Port Angeles. Cold, wet, and rainy. Now here's the bonus question: What does the word "pewter" mean and what does it have to do with Winter in Port Angeles?

The students should be finishing their three interviews this week for the Family History Reports that are due at the end of the month.
They're also finishing the rough draft of another essay in which a character, either fictional or real is described using details about what the character looks like, what he or she says and does. Later this month mid-winter assessments in Reading, Math, and Writing will be given.

'Tis the season, and if antlers help you finish that essay about Saturdays...well, that's just alright. Some of the fourth graders think Saturday is the best day of the week so it makes a good topic for Writing.

Report cards went home with students on Wednesday, and we learned how to conduct interviews for the Family History Report Project. Here are some of the questions parents and other relatives may find themselves answering over the Winter Break.

1. Where were you born?
2. What were some of your favorite things to do when you were my age?
3. Tell me something about the schools you attended.
4. What are some of the jobs you've had?
5. Tell me an anecdote from your life.

The report isn't due until the end of January, but the interviews sometimes work best during the winter break when there are often more opportunities to talk to relatives. In January students will learn how to make a family tree, add pictures and collect a favorite family recipe among other things.

Join us for the Sing Along tomorrow afternoon in the gym.

Friday

Homework. Fifteen minutes (at least) of reading each day is required. Yes, it's that important because, like learning to play the guitar or any instrument, the skill doesn't develop without a lot of practice.

The other part of homework is finishing assignments from class to turn in the next day. Finally, there are occasional projects like the Family History report that we talked about at Back to School Night and conferences. The kids will learn how to conduct interviews next week when the project assignment is given. The holidays are often a good time to interview relatives. The project isn't due until the end of January (no need for more holiday stress!)

Bonus question: What is the capital of Iowa? Several students came in this morning with the correct answer: Des Moines. Well done!

Friday

Our fourth graders learn to write essays this year. This week they completed a rough draft on the topic Saturdays. Many chose the title: Why I Love Saturdays. Learning to write a strong opening paragraph followed by a few more paragraphs of elaboration, examples, and details takes time and concentration. Today we'll learn how to write a strong concluding paragraph to finish the rough draft. Then, next week, we move on to revision, editing and the final draft.

Below is an optional assignment for an essay contest.

Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest

Fourth Grade: Explain why Martin Luther ing Jr. was special enough to have his own recognition day.

Essays are due Friday, January 28, 2011.