December 8 - 12

This week the fourth grade: 

• Learned all about tectonic plates in Earth's crust
• Performed an experiment to demonstrate tectonic plate movement with candy bars
• Participated in a webquest all about tectontic plates, earthquakes, and volcanoes
• Reviewed rules for forming plural nouns
• Identified and correctly formed possessive nouns
• Practiced multiplication strategies in Topic 6
• Continued our second quarter book clubs
• Discussed the Missouri Compromise and how Missouri became a state
• Learned to read population density maps
• Studied the unique landforms found in the Southwest
• Wrote a Christmas story by "rolling" a character, setting, and conflict with dice

Next week we will:

• Participate in a Christmas buddy activity
• Review layers of the Earth and tectonic plates for our quiz on Wednesday
• Review nouns for our Test on  Thursday
• Take a test on Topic 6 in Math over multiplication
• Students will be given a study guide on Monday, and we will review in class beforehand
• Finish 2nd quarter book clubs
• Publish our Christmas "Roll a Story"
• Discuss slavery and abolitionism and their role in Missouri history
• Learn about the natural resources and products of the Southwest as we explore its economy
• Find the latitude and longitude of locations on a map
• Use latitude and longitude to plot coordinates

Upcoming dates:

• Thursday, 12/11:  Science Club, 7:30 am in Mrs. Van Maren's classroom
• Friday, 12/12:  Book Clubs, 12:30-1:00
• Wednesday, 12/17:  Math Club, 7:30 am in Mrs. Stephenson's classroom
• Wednesday, 12/17:  Science Quiz over Earth's Layers 
• Thursday, 12/18:  Nouns Test, Math Test over Topic 6
• Friday, 12/19:  Book Clubs, 12:30-1:00
• Friday, 12/19:  Ice Skating trip in the morning, homeroom parties at 2:30
• Students may bring up to $3 for the purchase of snacks on our trip
• Please send a wrapped gift (that costs $5 or less) for a "White Elephant" activity during our homeroom parties (gifts may be brought as early as Monday, December 15)
• Tuesday, 1/6:  School Resumes following Christmas Break
• Friday, 1/9:  End of Second Quarter

 You can order books for your child through Scholastic Book Clubs!   

Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub
One-Time Class Activation Code: HFWTD 
Every online order earns three free books for our classrooms!  We use these free books for classroom libraries and as a punch card reward.

Here's to another great week in the fourth grade!

Mrs. Stephenson and Mrs. Van Maren