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Friday, December 13, 2013

Popplet

 We've been working hard on analyzing characters in order to further understand stories that we are reading. The students have learned a lot about empathizing with characters, making predictions based on choices the characters make, looking at how other characters interact and view them, and the objects that the characters might use or have.  I've been very impressed with the deeper thinking that students have been using.


 Today I asked them to synthesize all that knowledge to do a character study. They chose one character that we've read in class, or that they have read in one of their individual books. They used the online organizer known as Popplet to describe their character and prove their thinking.  We will finish this activity next week, and I'll be sure to share some of their finished work.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Gingerbread Houses

 What fun we had today decorating our gingerbread house!  In true Mrs. West fashion, our house is crazy and loud. I love it. The kids had free reign to decorate as they wanted, and their personalities certainly show. The houses will be on display next week at DBS, and then given to a fundraiser in Norwich for the Family Place. The kids truly enjoyed this activity, and many talked about creating their own at home. I highly suggest making your own at home. What a great family activity for the holiday season.



Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Active Reading

The students have spent the last two days learning to actively participate in their reading. I'm trying to get them to understand that every time you open up a book you open up to a magical place or time. We practiced "becoming" the character, and sometimes that means acting out exactly how they are feeling, or what they are doing. Take a look at this funny video of my students actively reading!


Friday, November 8, 2013

Germs and Bacteria

This very short week, the students learned about being healthy. We had two Dartmouth Grad students come in and do a hand washing lab. The students tested the bacteria on their fingers: first with a finger as a test level, then with just washing with water, then washing with soap and water for various times throughout the class and finally a few students tested using antibacterial soap. For fun the students were also given swabs to test for bacteria in random locations around the room.

We let the bacteria grown for 48 hours before getting a chance to look at the petri dishes. The Dartmouth students brought in a high tech powerful microscope where the students could look closely at the colony of bacteria that were living on their hands. Most all of the students were totally grossed out by what they saw living on their hands and around the room. Check out some of the pictures below.






Thursday, October 24, 2013

Unity Day

Today was Unity Day. It was one of the most phenomenal days of my teaching career. I am so blessed to work in a place where students are celebrated, where the community comes together as a whole, where the pride runneth over. Today was a day of celebration for a place where kids know and understand that bullying is not okay, where they stand up for one another, where they know to tell the teacher, where bulling actions are simply not accepted. Thank you to my students who try every day to model a bully free zone.

Here are a few pictures and even a video from today's assembly.





Friday, October 11, 2013

VINS Field Trip

 Thank you to all the parents who joined us today at VINS. The students had a great day learning about the adaptations of different animals and checking out the unique raptors. I am sure that they are tired out tonight after such a busy day. 

Thursday, October 3, 2013

NECAP Testing

NECAPs!
Well today is the day! It is the day that we've all been waiting for. It is the day that students and teachers both anticipate with bated breath.The students have been really great practicing and getting ready. We've been reviewing third grade material, practicing responses to text, going over test taking skills. They are ready! I encourage you to talk to your child about how the test went today. Allow them a few extra minutes to play outside and run around as well. Three hours of testing takes a toll on them.  We will be testing again next Monday and Wednesday. Due to these days of testing, homework will be limited next week. Please make sure your child goes to bed early the night before and eats breakfast that morning. Thank you for all of your constant support.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Crayfish Experiment

 This week was such great fun. We had so many exciting things going on.  Not only did we go to the White River to collect and sample crayfish, but we also brought them back and did our very first scientific inquiry.

Students learned how to develop a scientific question that was investigable.  They learned how to think about the ethics of the question, whether or not we had the materials to do it, whether it was age appropriate, or if the question was too vague.

Once we had our question, "Do crayfish prefer open water or rock caves?" we began to plan a fair test.  Using a race between Mrs. Thompson and myself as an example, students learned that it is important that there is only one variable in a fair investigation, and that we would not get scientific data if we altered any other variables during the experiment.

Once we had all that amazing knowledge, it was time to proceed with our investigation. The entire fourth grade piled into my classroom on Thursday afternoon and did timed trials with the crayfish. We were abuzz with activity and excitement.

I must admit that the results came out different than most predicted, and so now in the aftermath we are analyzing our data and drawing scientific conclusions based on the information we collected.

Overall the experience was extremely positive for the students.  Now the students are ready to create their own investigations based on the animals that they find in their territories by the brook.  This coming week we will spend time planning and preparing for this next adventure!


Just a reminder: NECAPS START ON THURSDAY!!!!


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Crayfish Field Trip

The fourth graders had an amazing day at The White River today. Thank you to the many parents who came out to help. What a wonderful community we have at DBS. Here are some photos from our day.

















Friday, September 20, 2013

Learning on Site

  We are scientists!

What an incredible week. The fourth graders have come so far from the first week.  They have been observing animals, and even did an observation of real dragonflies earlier this week. Yesterday my little scientists went out and chose their territories by the brook.  We spent a half hour outside drawing maps and getting the lay of the land.  As you can imagine, being out in the field was exciting. 


 On Tuesday, Emily from White River Partnership  came to teach the class about crayfish. The class learned the four classifications and how decipher male vs. female. The students are excited to head to the White River next Tuesday to do some actual, real, data collection. We have five parents signed up to attend. If you are still interested, please let me know. The more the merrier!

Remember that the fundraising is due on Monday!
                                                                                                                   

Friday, September 6, 2013

Seeing the World Differently

   This week students have been transformed into scientists, mathematicians, writers, and readers. We are beginning to look at the world through different eyes.  We are seeing that everything can become is a story, and we all have stories to tell.  We are using people and places to inspire the stories within us.  We are looking at the woods and seeing them as a habitat filled with possible new discoveries. Rotting logs are now homes to ants, worms, beetles, and even a salamander or two! We have looked at area and seen that it can be measured not only in square units, but by using hexagons, rhombi (a new word we all learned), trapezoids, and triangles. We've started looking at our reading lives, and learning from past experiences. We have to ask ourselves what works for us and what doesn't? We even made new resolutions to improve our reading this year. The world of learning is opening up to us, and we are excited to jump in with both feet. What a week!

Some important things to remember for the coming week:
1) Students need boots or old shoes for their exploration of Dothan Brook.  Please put your child's name somewhere inside the shoe, and put the shoes inside a plastic grocery bag with their name on it as well. These will hang on their hooks for the next few weeks while we explore the brook.

2) Open house is Tuesday, September 10th. I encourage all families to come and share in their child's "home" for the next nine months. I look forward to meeting you all that evening.

3) The annual PTO Fundraiser was sent home today with your child. I can't stress enough how important fund raising is for DBS. I know it isn't much fun for anyone, however it is crucial in order for the PTO to continue to offer the many extras that benefit your children. Besides the many fun evenings such as Movie Night, Brain-a-mania, and the Ice Cream Social, the PTO also supports classrooms financially. If every child sold just one thing we would be able to start the year out strong and offer many more extracurricular opportunities for the DBS students.  Orders are due on September 23rd.  So, please look in your child's backpack for the packet that went home today.

Friday, August 30, 2013

The First Week- 2013/2014

      The first week of school is always filled with nerves, excitement, and a little anxiety.  Everything is new, and there is a world of possibilities at our fingertips.  New faces, new learning styles, new room, and new relationships make for a whirlwind of a few days.  It also makes for some exhausted students and a worn out teacher.
     This week was about learning the routines, reviewing Dothan Brook's expectations, and just getting back into the swing of learning. I was amazed at how quickly my fourth graders stepped it up.  In the matter of days, I saw them really following the rules, listening to directions, and already becoming higher level thinkers.
     Fourth grade is such a year of progression.  Most students are at the point of reading pretty confidently and so reading becomes a tool that they use to do more learning. We move from basic math facts and concepts to building upon their knowledge to make connections. Writing becomes a method of translating their thoughts and ideas. Technology is embraced in order to further students' thinking. Is this progression easy? No.  It requires work, stamina, and great effort on the part of your children.
    This first week we have been trying to form the building blocks to make this transition happen smoothly.  For example, students started to learn how to become "real" scientists.  We've been discussing observations, and what it means to really look at something through a scientist's eyes.  We have been on two nature hikes, and students have been discovering the world around them. In math class the fourth graders have been recalling their knowledge of the past four years of school to describe basic shapes as mathematicians would. I encourage you to ask your child to describe to you the qualities of a rectangle, square, triangle, diamond, or trapezoid.  Students have been pushing themselves to write and to be descriptive. They have begun to write their very first poems about themselves. These will be fine tuned and available to share at open house night. But above all else, they are learning how to be a community of learners, sharing thoughts and ideas in a safe and productive way.  In the picture above you can see an activity where students are putting post-it notes on each other's work. They are making comments and adding their own knowledge to help one another.
    Fourth grade is a time of discovery. It is an incredible journey, and I am so thrilled to be sharing it with your child.  Please help me make this the best year for your student. I encourage your comments, your thoughts, your suggestions, and above all else your discussions with your child about the importance of what we do every day in the classroom. Here is to a fantastic school year!

Friday, June 7, 2013

Theme iMovie Project

Check out theses awesome Theme Videos that my class made this week!  They have been learning about theme in reading class, and these videos mimic the Pass It On Campaign that I used to teach what theme was. Last Friday, Ms. Paquette came in and taught a lesson on how to use iMovie, and the kids just took off.  The videos really came out great!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Science NECAP Time

Students writing observations during a science experiment.
  Today the fourth graders are hard at work.  The wall is open and they sit in straight rows facing me.  Their pencils are moving, their faces are focused, and the room is deathly silent. It can only mean one thing, Science NECAPs.
  We have been working hard all year in preparation for these tests.  We've been doing experiments, we've kept science notebooks, we've learned how to observe like scientists, we've mastered the art of note taking, we have written scientific conclusions until we are blue in the face.  When I look out at the sea of students in front of me, I see confidence and assurance. Last week we practiced with some previous NECAP tests so even the format is familiar to them.  They've got this!
  Nothing is more rewarding for me as a teacher than to watch my students succeed.  I like the slight smiles that cross their faces as they know an answer. I like walking around the room and seeing them using testing strategies that we so carefully went over.  I like the look of their bodies when their brains are hard at work.  I am excited for them.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Turn Off The Screen!

  Tomorrow is the kick off to my very first Brain-a-mania. I am very excited. One year ago I came to DBS for the first time to interview for the fourth grade position. On that day the school was a buzz with activity and excitement. My two student escorts told me all about this amazing event, Brain-a-mania that was to take place that very day.  So I've been waiting for this moment all year. 

  What I am most excited about is the possibility that for the next week my students and I will be making a great effort to really spend more of our free time away from a screen.  This will be just as hard for me (with my iphone, ipad, television, netflix, playstation, etc) as it will for my students.  We all will be committed to this effort.  Why you ask? Well, it is important! In fact, each year of my teaching I've seen more and more students who have less and less of an imagination. I ask them to play, to pretend, to imagine, and they are simply incapable.  That is scary.  I'd like to spend the next week making sure my class plays, uses their brains, spends time outside, moves around. 

  I'm hoping you will join me on this journey for the next seven days. Please encourage your child to limit their screen time for the next week, and help them to find other things to do.  A great way to kick off this week would be to join in on the activities tomorrow night at Brain-a-mania.  Remember it starts at 6:00!  I've heard of some pretty incredible things happening.  Another opportunity next week would be for your child to work on a cardboard arcade.  During class counsel this week, the entire school watched a video about a child who is truly using his imagination (see below, it is definitely worth the watch!). The kids were so excited when the challenge was posed for them to create their own cardboard arcade game.  They have this week to use their brains and their creativity to come up with a game made out of cardboard. They will then bring them into school and DBS will then have their very own cardboard arcade for students to play at.  Again, I highly encourage you to watch the following video. It will blow your mind, and probably make you smile as well. 

  So, I hope you will join us in turning off the screen this week. Let's hope it is an adventure for all DBS families.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U

Monday, April 22, 2013

The Home Stretch

  Believe it or not, we have just over 7 weeks left of school.  This is the final stretch of fourth grade. My first year here at Dothan Brook has gone so quickly and has been such a wonderful experience.  However, I can't feel like my job is done.  Seven weeks is a long time and a lot of learning is yet to happen.  Sometimes when the weather gets nice kids forget that we still have work to do. 

  I would like to continue to encourage you to work with your child at home on their multiplication facts.  This is a huge responsibility for our children, and one of the basic requirements of fifth grade.  I still have about five students who are really struggling and a few who just need constant review so they don't lose the progress that they have made. 

  We have one more book project this year.  Students have been asked to find a fantasy novel by the end of this week. I would like to approve all books, and students must check with me by Friday.  They should be reading at home on a nightly basis. Reading 20 minutes a night is part of their homework, and it should be done every night.  Over the next few weeks please make sure your child is reading their fantasy novel.  The project will be sent home toward the beginning of May. 

  Fourth graders will be planting the DBS Garden this spring as well. Dartmouth students are coming in weekly to teach the kids about healthy living, and part of that process will be planting the vegetables in our garden.  To start the process, students will be planting individual basil plants this week, and taking care of them in our classroom nursery.


Friday, March 15, 2013

Water Cycle, Spam, Geometry, Book Clubs...Oh My!

  This has been one busy week.  The students have been learning up a storm.  In reading class students have begun to form book clubs. They are in the process of setting up the rituals, regulations, and rules for their groups. Next week they will be writing constitutions for their clubs.  To say that the kids are excited is an understatement. They will be diving into historical fiction novels.  This has been a new world for them lately, and they are loving stepping back into time and learning about historical events through fiction stories.
  In math class we've been focusing on geometry. This is like learning an entirely new language. There is a great deal of vocabulary that goes along with this area of mathematics.  Besides the many names of shapes, there is also all the terms that reference angles, lines, parts of a circle, movement and spatial relationships.  This can be overwhelming for the students. We have a huge wall of vocabulary in the front of the room. I encourage you to talk with your child about what they are doing in math.  Help them to use the vocabulary outside of class and these words will become part of their internal dictionary. 
  In science we are finishing up our most recent unit on matter, the water cycle, weather.  This week we spent a great deal of time learning about the earth's water and how it cycles from the planet, to the clouds, and back again.  We currently have a mini atmosphere of cups of water sealed in plastic bags hanging from our classroom window. Next week students should be able to see the entire water cycle take place.
  Today we spent some more time discussing technology smarts.  Our focus was on spam.  Students know so much already about their email accounts and the dangerous world that is at their finger tips.  However, there were many misconceptions about what they could open and what they couldn't.  Hopefully today's lesson helped.  Students are in the process of writing Spam songs/raps to teach other students what they can do if faced with spam.  We will finish these up next week and share with the class.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Taking It on the Road...

    The Bully Machine hit the road today, and what a day it was!  The kids were incredible, and the message that they shared with South Royalton was just awe inspiring. I couldn't have been more proud of the fourth graders at DBS.  Their knowledge, expertise, and professionalism shined through.  The students at South Royalton sat glued to their seats as they watched the fourth graders depict the effects of bullying. 
The Welcome sign at South Royalton.  They treated us like royalty that was for sure!
After the show, a few students impressed everyone with answering many question,s not only about their performance, but about bullying in general.
The students took a final bow to screaming fans!

The entire audience came by and gave our 4th graders high-fives for their incredible work!


Afterward, the fourth graders listened to the praises of their teachers and the principal at South Royalton.



The true high light of the day, at least for the kids?  South Royalton arranged for a police escort for our bus leaving their town. The kids were just a little excited as they watched cars pull off to the side of the road for our bus! Talk about feeling like royalty!  


Thank you South Royalton for such a warm welcome!