Catholic Schools Week starts this Sunday.

 The Open House from  11:15-12:30. 

"Being Catholic is a great thing! You get to talk about God and learn about God through the mass."

"Being a Catholic is a great privilege. I love learning about God."

"What I love about being a Catholic is whenever you have a problem or are sad, I can pray."

"My Favorite masses are Christmas mass and the all-school mass on Martin Luther King's day."

SUNDAY

Pancake Breakfast 11:15

11:15-12:30 Open House

1:00 Musical-Singin' in the Rain Donovan Hall

MONDAY

Back to the Future Day-Dress up from any time period.
1:45 Geography Bee in Donovan Hall
TUESDAY
Domino Day Dress-Dress in Black and White (Church Appropriate)
1:00 The movie Sing in Donovan Hall (Please bring your own snack.  In addition,  students are welcome to bring pillow, sleeping bag or other item to snuggle with as they the watch movie.  Students will be on the floor!) 
WEDNESDAY
Wacky Dress Day-Students are asked to mix it up and wear stripes with polka dots etc... Be creative.
1:00 Spelling Bee in Donovan Hall
THURSDAY
Superhero Day-Dress as your favorite superhero or make up one of your own!
Students will be packing Sunshine Squad Kits.  This is student appreciation day!
FRIDAY
Pajama Day-Dress in your favorite PJs.
1:30 Minute to Win it Spirit Teams

Mr. Bradford

Reading 
This Thursday we will begin work on our realistic fiction book report essay.  Most of this will be worked on in the classroom.  Some of the final draft writing may come home.

We completed I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912.  
This week the kids are writing as a passenger from the Titanic.  Students received a "ticket" on the White Star Line with their name, age, which class they are on, and where they are from.  We will use this information and the story to accumulate information for a narrative biography they will write about that person.  In conjunction with this we are reading a nonfiction book on the subject.
No Spelling this week.

Science
I apologize for the song about animal parts.  At least 1/2 of my students were singing the song this morning before class.  I am still trying to define that line between funny and annoying.

Invertebrate Olympics start this week!  Pick your animal and event.  Personally, I would stay away from the "yummy" phylum as they tend to get eaten up at the finish line.

The countdown has started, Feb. 9th.

Social Studies

The children did a nice job on their Ch. 5 test. They will receive the results on Monday. Next week we will look at the four SW states and do some preliminary work on their state reports. They picked their states on Friday.


Math
This week we will learn how to calculate Least Common Denominators by using Least Common Multiples.  We will then use LCM to compare and order fractions.


Language Arts/Writing

Working on compare contrast paper.
using adjectives to describe our nouns!

Religion

St. Paul's conversion was this past week.  A little more dramatic than Brett Farve's conversion to becoming a Viking, but change is never easy unless we have faith.  

This week we will start looking at what people must do to convert to Catholicism.  

We periodically listen to or watch a video on the Parish's website, Formed.com 

Other stuff -  We are reading a series called Island, about a group of children that have to survive many things including being on a deserted island.  
In 43 days, we will participate in The Last Great Race.

We are trying to figure out how we can watch some animals starting Feb. 9th.

4B Mrs. Kuhnmuench

Reading

This Thursday we will begin work on our realistic fiction book report essay.  Most of this will be worked on in the classroom.  Some of the final draft writing may come home.

No spelling this week.

Science.

I apologize for the song about animal parts.  At least 1/2 of my students were singing the song this morning before class.  I am still trying to define that line between funny and annoying.

Invertebrate Olympics start this week!  Pick your animal and event.  Personally, I would stay away from the "yummy" phylum as they tend to get eaten up at the finish line.

The countdown has started, Feb. 9th.

Social Studies

The children did a nice job on their Ch. 5 test. They will receive the results on Monday. Next week we will look at the four SW states and do some preliminary work on their state reports. They picked their states on Friday.

Math
This week we will learn how to calculate Least Common Denominators by using Least Common Multiples.  We will then use LCM to compare and order fractions.

Language Arts/Writing

Grammar: Unit 3 Verbs and helping verbs
Vocabulary: Students will begin chapter 10 this week.  Next Friday will be the chapter 10 test.
Writing: Students completed their research and note taking for the compare and contrast paper.  They are working on an outline to organize their notes.  Next, they will then begin their rough draft and editing.  We will discuss, as I model, thesis, "hooks", transitions, and conclusions.  

Religion

This week Children are writing a letter to a family friend or relative. They will be asked to bring a stamped envelop to school addressed to that special person.  We will work on letter writing in school so that a nice draft is sent.

The countdown to Catholic Schools week has started and the agenda looks like it will be full of wonderful events.

4A Mr. Bradford

Reading 
Continue reading the realistic book chosen in preparation for the book report we will work on beginning January 31st.
Reading Logs are due Monday!

We are working on I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912.  Throughout the novel students will identify with a passenger on the Titanic's journey.  Students received a "ticket" on the White Star Line with their name, age, which class they are on, and where they are from.  We will use this information and the story to accumulate information for a narrative biography they will write about that person. 

We are coinciding this reading with a nonfiction picture book on the subject, which will give kids a little more insight into the actual event.
This week we will watch some short scenes of the Titanic movie, really just to get a view of the historical time then; what people wore, how they took of on their journey on the Maiden voyage, and the excitement surrounding it all.  We will also watch some clips of Robert Ballard, the scientist who discovered the Titanic on the ocean floor.

Spelling Lesson 15: Changing final y to an i: tiny = tiniest
* All words that are misspelled on post tests, your child will see again on future tests, along with high frequency words they should know that I find misspelled in their writing. They are put into an individualized word bank as extra words. 

Science
We will start with the animal kingdom and move off to the individual phylum and some of the characteristics that each of these animals possesses.  Ultimately, what is the great meaning of the backbone?
We are trying to figure out how we can watch some animals starting Feb. 9th.

Social Studies
We finished Chapter 5, Becoming Wisconsin:  From Indian Lands to Territory to Statehood. The students received a study guide for a test on this chapter today. The test is on Thursday, January 25.


Math
Our next unit continues with fractions.  This week, we will learn how to manipulate improper fractions and mixed numbers. Next up will be Least Common Denominators.  


Language Arts/Writing

Working on compare contrast paper.
using adjectives to describe our nouns and verbs!

Religion

The chosen apostles were just 12 of the 45 million people in the world at the time of Christ.  How can this class of 23 spread the "Good News" to the world of 7.5 billion?

We periodically listen to or watch a video on the Parish's website, Formed.com 

Other stuff -  We are reading a series called Island, about a group of children that have to survive many things including being on a deserted island.  
In 43 days, we will participate in The Last Great Race.

We are trying to figure out how we can watch some animals starting Feb. 9th.

4B Mrs. Kuhnmuench

Parents, if anyone has a CD player they could donate I would be most appreciative!  We use one for audio books and for our religion music and meditations.  

Reading
Continue reading the realistic book chosen in preparation for the book report we will work on beginning January 31st.
Reading Logs are due Monday!

We completed our novel Sarah Plain and Tall.  This week we will focus on mini lessons for cause and effect and author's purpose.

Spelling Lesson 15: Changing final y to an i: tiny = tiniest

* All words that are misspelled on post tests, your child will see again on future tests, along with high frequency words they should know that I find misspelled in their writing. They are put into an individualized word bank as extra words. 

Science.

We will start with the animal kingdom and move off to the individual phylum and some of the characteristics that each of these animals possesses.  What is the great meaning of the backbone?
We are trying to figure out how we can watch some animals starting Feb. 9th.

Social Studies
We finished Chapter 5, Becoming Wisconsin:  From Indian Lands to Territory to Statehood. The students received a study guide for the test today. The test  is on Thursday, January 25.

Math
Our next unit continues with fractions.  This week, we will learn how to manipulate improper fractions and mixed numbers. Next up will be Least Common Denominators.  

Language Arts/Writing

Grammar: Unit 3 Verbs and helping verbs
Writing: This Monday students will begin researching their topics to compare and contrast.  Kids have had GREAT ideas! I am picky, I want topics they can learn from that they must research facts for.  Students will take notes, then fill out an outline to organize their notes.  Next, they will then begin their rough draft and editing.  We will discuss, as I model, thesis, "hooks", transitions, and conclusions.  Their final will be a 4 paragraph essay. 

Religion

Students are making posters with examples of Spiritual and Corporal works of Mercy.  One way to practice this will be writing a letter and sending it out to a loved one, such as a grandparent.  Children will be asked to bring a stamped envelop to school addressed to that special person.  We will work on letter writing in school so that a nice draft is sent.

Welcome Back!

4A Mr. Bradford

Reading 

Realistic Book Report coming up!  Please help your child chose a good book to read in the next 3 1/2 weeks, in which they will write a detailed book report, with my guidance, in class.
Monday a letter will come home that lays out the report form and asks for your signature.  Several kids have already found a book in my room or at home.  I ask that you guide them with their time management in completing this book on time.  No Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Stink books for this one.  I want to see something new with my readers.
Monday we will finish our Journey's non-fiction text on Antarctica.  This week we will begin a new novel.

Spelling lesson 13:  More words ending with -ed or -ing and when to drop or double a consonant at the base word. 


Science
About 7 students received Christmas gifts off the 25 Best inventions list, sorry.
We still have a few things to finish up with electricity including how do we actually use electricity, heat, light, work, ect.  Test next Friday.

Social Studies
We started Chapter 5, Becoming Wisconsin:  From Indian Lands to Territory to Statehood, this week. We will cover the treaties made during this time, the Wisconsin Lead Rush, and the Black Hawk War.


Math
We have been determining GCF's of two numbers by listing and comparing Factors or creating Prime Factorization trees.  We will now move into Fractions.  First, we will calculate equivalent fractions.  Then we will apply this to simplifying fractions.


Language Arts/Writing
Verb test next Tuesday.
Working on compare contrast paper.

Religion

With the Christmas season still upon us, we are working this week on how what we want to do for the upcoming year to be better individuals in our faith.

We periodically listen to or watch a video on the Parish's website, Formed.com 

4B Mrs. Kuhnmuench

Parents, if anyone has a CD player they could donate I would be most appreciative!  We use one for audio books and for our religion music and meditations.  

Indoor recess all week...no problem!  Let the lego ship building begin.

Reading

Realistic Book Report coming up!  Please help your child chose a good book to read in the next 3 1/2 weeks, in which they will write a detailed book report, with my guidance, in class.
Monday a letter will come home that lays out the report form and asks for your signature.  Several kids have already found a book in my room or at home.  I ask that you guide them with their time management in completing this book on time.  No Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Stink books for this one.  I want to see something new with my readers.
Monday we will finish our Journey's non-fiction text on Antarctica.  This week we will begin a new novel.

Spelling lesson 13:  More words ending with -ed or -ing and when to drop or double a consonant at the base word. 

Science.

About 7 students received Christmas gifts off the 25 Best inventions list, sorry.
We still have a few things to finish up with electricity including how do we actually use electricity, heat, light, work, ect.  Test next Friday.

Social Studies

We started Chapter 5, Becoming Wisconsin:  From Statehood Lands to Territory to Statehood, this week. We will cover the treaties made during this time, the Wisconsin Lead Rush, and the Black Hawk War.

Math
We have been determining GCF's of two numbers by listing and comparing Factors or creating Prime Factorization trees.  We will now move into Fractions.  First, we will calculate equivalent fractions.  Then we will apply this to simplifying fractions.

Language Arts/Writing

Grammar: Verbs:  Unit 3 beginning with action verbs and present-tense verbs.
Vocabulary:  Lesson 7 test next Thursday 1/11
Writing: We begin formal lessons on writing a compare and contrast paper.  

Religion
Review of the Feast of the Epiphany
Unit 2, Session 8: Jesus Our Redeemer-
Jesus' death, Resurrection, and Ascension
The importance of praying the Apostles' Creed.