12.08.2012

12.01.2012

Follow the Culinary Adventures of our Class Pumpkin...


Our pumpkin has become: White Pumpkin Coconut Whip Cream
Pumpkin pancakes
Pumpkin bread 

11.11.2012

Storybook Parade


Election Crash Course

We had a crash course in the Electoral College, learned a bit about the issues and the candidates, then chose a candidate to support. Check out our posters!




After the President was decided on Election Day, we watched his speech together!


11.06.2012

Election Day Cube Challenge!

Earn 15 cubes! 

Have an adult print out this map (click it to make it larger). Watch the election coverage on the news or check this link right before bed time.

Shade the states President Obama wins blue!  Shade the states Romney wins red! (Use another map or an adult to help you identify the states, if need be.)

Bring in the sheet tomorrow to school to earn your cubes! Don't worry if you have to go to bed before all states report results. 

Bonus opportunities:
* Choose a candidate. Add up all of the electoral college votes that candidate won. How many more would he need to make it to 270?

This challenge expires on Friday, November 9.

Publishing Party This Friday!



10.22.2012

Our October Birthdays!


Happy Birthday Mattia and Honoha!

Math Strategy Alert: Our Friend 10!

   When we multiply we can break apart numbers to  "start with" what we know. 9 out of 10 fourth graders agree that the 10 times table is easy as pie! So why not start there?! Our Good Friend 10 multiplication strategy is an efficient way to work. Try one out yourself!

7 X 17
Gee, I am no good at the 17 times table...
but I know:

7 X 10 = 70!

If I take away 10 from 17, I am left with 7. I just need 7 more sevens!

7 X 7 = 49
I know my square numbers. 

So now I need to do easy addition to get my final answer.
100 + 49 = 149
(7 X 10) + (7 X 7) is the same as 7 X 17

This Week's Spelling Words

{Week of October 22}

List 1: r-influenced vowel patterns 
shark 
porch 
birth 
stir 
burst 
north 
swirl 
harm 
first 
sharp 

List 2: Long vowel patterns in accented syllables 
afloat 
poodle 
trooper 
goalie 
approach 
slowly 
owner 
below 
bloated 
gloomy

Remember you can use Spelling City for one of your Word Study activities! Remember to have Mom or Dad sign your log. Click here to go to Spelling City.

10.17.2012

Our Skype Meeting with Tom Angleberger, Author of Origami Yoda!

What a great treat to meet two published authors in one day! One, the part of our P.S. 58 parent community, the other, live via Skype. That's right: Michael Buckley introduced the class to Tom Angleberger, author of Origami Yoda! He gave us some background on his awesome book series inspired by the characters of Star Wars. Then we all made our very own origami Yodas!

Check out Tom's books here! They are available at the Scholastic Book Fair going on in the school's lobby.

10.12.2012

What Good Note-takers Do:

- use bullet points 
- make information "short & sweet" 
- use headers and section 
- skip lines in between big facts 
- emphasize information (circling, stars, underlining, etc) 
- use abbreviations, symbols, or numbers when it makes sense 

Use the colored sheets in your S.S. folder as a guide!

10.07.2012

Picture Day is October 10!

Break out the black plastic combs! It's picture day on October 10th!

We will be snapping our pictures in the afternoon this coming Wednesday. Please make sure your photo order and payment comes in before then. 


Recognize the girl in this picture?