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.