Super I

Today started as just another day of learning. There was morning work. There was announcements. There was attendance. There were directions for Communications ... when the room started filling with fourth graders ... soon three classes of fourth graders fill our room.

Ms. Prose started sharing her concerns about some "puny i" when

Da-Da-DA-DAH! Who "flies" through the door?! 

Super I arrives

Super I is a super hero. She took charge immediately, even standing on table to explain her super powers ... our parents carefully selected our names ... they are very special. So only a special pronoun can represent each of us ... I ... in the beginning of the sentence, the middle of the sentence, or in some odd example that may not exist, at the end of a sentence, the pronoun I needs to be capitalized.

"puny i" - Super I's nemesis, rival, foe, arch enemy (synonyms appear to be part of Super I's personality ... as well as posing with her muscles ... and loudness ... ) is trying to take over fourth grade writing ... but it is up to all of us, to STEP UP, and eradicate (end, finish, stop ...) puny i's work ...

So we started by creating our own SUPER I emblem ... 

Then we went outside to pose in our best Super I stance ... (pictures to be loaded soon ... )

From this point on, students are expected to capitalize "I" whenever they write.  

Psssst!

For families who regularly check the blog ... the BIG news ... we are going swimming on Wednesday morning! YES! IN OCTOBER! We are heading to the pool! It is just one of the benefits of sharing a building with the high school! Students need to have their Responsibility Card. They need to have all of their work completed and turned into their teachers. AND, students need to have missed any Discipline Referrals since our last reward on October 5th (to my knowledge, that includes EVERYONE). So dig out that swimsuit, towel, and a bag ... the high school pool is calling all responsible fourth graders for some F.U.N.!!! (Permission slips will be sent home on Tuesday October 16th).

National Hot Lunch Week

We have some of the BEST parents at Milaca Elementary. This week was our annual, "National Hot Lunch Week". At Milaca Elementary, we invite parents and families to school to eat lunch with their student. Our lunch room services over 990 students! When you add guests ... that is an incredible undertaking!! The opportunity takes place over the week. Today was fourth grade's day! Here are some pictures of the event (note: some pictures ... not "pretty" ... poorly timed shutter ... ). We appreciate ALL the guests who were able to participate!

(Ms. Leom's mom came to lunch too!)

THANK you for supporting your children and being a part of our school experience!!!

Dinsinfect and Organize

When sharing a learning (and living) space with 26 others, it is important you take time regularly to disinfect and organize. Today was that day.

our cubbies need attention too

(Don't worry, Mr. G's parents ... the idea was stolen from Mr. G ... his room appreciated some TLC today too!)

Readers' Theater

The review weeks (Weeks 5, 10, 15 ...) in Reading are "readers' theater" (scripted) stories. Students were randomly divided into groups to read our story, "Pedro Puts on a Play" this week.

Inside Recess

Today. It. Started. Students who had missing work, were "invited" to stay inside for Recess. Ok, "invited" isn't quite the term ...

Ms. Leom sincerely CARES for her students. Yesterday, she printed up missing work. Students had a full day to get themselves organized, ask questions, and complete their work. Today, she SHOWED her students HOW MUCH she CARED by insisting students with missing work stay inside. It was not a punishment. It was an opportunity for TIME and SUPPORT (if needed). All students were sent outside the last ten minutes regardless if they finished their missing work or not.

Mr. Greninger also CARES. Today, he printed up missing work for Math and Science. He was also available during Recess to help students.  Interestingly, some of the same students were on both of our "concerned" lists. 

For some students, today was very painful. The fresh air, friends, and down time (that kids really need after a HARD morning of learning) was calling students outside to play. It is painful for Ms. Leom too ... it is usually her first opportunity to stop at the restroom, a chance to reply to emails to parents, an opportunity to make copies at the busy copier, time to organize her work space after four hours of straight teaching ... Today was Inside Recess. There were students who successfully used the time. They might of discovered a "no name paper", a forgotten paper in their desk/cubby/folder, or realized that seriously, that was a real assignment that needed to be turned in for credit.

This is what "Inside Recess" looks like for (Ms. Leom's) homework ... (this is after the hour prep at 2:00, and another 45 minutes after school ...)

Ms. Leom is working on her homework tonight, so tomorrow at Recess, she is ready to help any students who need the support.

If you have questions about your children's homework, learning, or support available, PLEASE contact your child's fourth grade teacher. WE SINCERELY WANT STUDENTS TO SUCCEED. We are available and willing to work with students and families.

Mr. Greninger 982-7116
Ms. Leom 982-7113

Subjects and Predicates

This week, we are talking about subjects and predicates in Grammar. Complete sentences are made up of two parts: the subject (the who or whom the sentence is about) and the predicate (the words that tell something about the subject or the "action" of the subject).

We started by taking some notes (students filled in the bold terms):

 Next, we watched a School House Rock video about subjects and predicates:

Then, we talked about why we need to learn about subjects and predicates (it gives us common vocabulary to talk about writing; it helps us communicate / write clearly).

Finally, we practiced our skills by identifying subjects and predicates in our Practice Books. We will be adding this step to our morning Daily Language practice. On the sentences we edit, we will underline the subject once and double underline the predicate twice.

Learning, one complete thought (sentence) at a time!