Electrical fun!

Today in science, we experimented with electricity as part of our Electricity Module! Students were given only three items: a glass light bulb, a wire, and a battery- and they had to make it light with NO instruction from me. This was strictly these smart students using what they already know, and have learned already about electricity. The first student to figure out how to complete the circuit was Jackson. Here he is showing off his light bulb...

Pretty quickly, our whole class got theirs lit and we had our very own light show - we even tried to see who's light lasted the longest! 

Oooooh, aaaaaah! 

Way to go kiddos! Science is AWESOME!

This Week in Reading (Jan 28th)

Our story this week is...

Seeker of Knowledge

By: James Rumford

Genre: Biography

Target Skill: Graphic Sources

Strategy: Ask Questions

Grammar: Possessive Pronouns

Vocabulary

Strategy: Word Structure

• ancient: of times long past
• link: anything that joins or connects as a loop of a chain does
• scholars: learned people, people having much knowledge
• seeker: one who tried to find, one who searches
• temple: building used for the service of worship of God or gods
• translate: to change from one language into another
• triumph: victory or success
• uncover: to make known; reveal; expose

For extra vocabulary practice, click here.

Spelling Words:

village, except, explain, quick, charge, bridge, knowledge, question, equal, queen, excited, expect, Texas, fudge, excellent, exercise, quart, liquid, quilt, expert, expedition, aquarium, inquire, frequent, advantage

For extra spelling practice, click here.

Pennies for Patients

Our Mitchell Beta Club is sponsoring a school wide fundraiser called Pennies for Patients, to raise money to go towards the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Students have until Feb 1 to bring in as much as they can raise (any coin, cash, or check). The class that raises the most will recieve a pizza party!! Keep it coming, boys and girls!

This week in reading (Jan 22-25)

This week we are reading
"The King in the Kitchen"
by Margaret E. Slattery

Question of the Week:
How can a mistake turn into a success?

Genre: Play

Comprehension Skill: Character and Setting

Strategy: Monitor and Fix Up

Grammar: Pronouns and Antecedents

Vocabulary Words:

• duke: nobleman of the highest title, ranking just below a prince
• dungeon: a dark underground room or cell to hold prisoners
• furiously: with unrestrained energy, speed, etc
• genius: person having very great natural power of mind
• majesty: title used in speaking to or of a king, queen, emporer, empress, etc.
• noble: high or great by birth, rank, or title
• peasant: farmer of the working class in Europe, Asia, and Latin America
• porridge: food made of oatmeal or other grain boiled in water or milk until it thickens

More Words to Know: exiled, inferior, treasury

Spelling Words: brother, together, dinner, popular, center, calendar, similar, regular, summer, clever, supper, pitcher, filter, hangar, never, shelter, cellar, caterpillar, theater, deliver. Challenge: character, singular, receiver, spectacular, binocular

For Spelling Practice click here. For Vocabulary Practice click here.



For Mrs. Rogers

Welcome to the world baby Jefferson!
Love, Mrs. Holland's class

Graphic organizer fun...

A few more pictures from the groups that finished today...

Clay, Jackson, and Caleb comparing the Bush Dog to the Racoon Dog

Nice face, Matthew!

Destiny and Katelyn's diagram...good job!

Take a peek at what we're up to!

We have some hard workers in fourth grade! Check out what we're up to this week... 

Practice pages are way more fun with a teammate. 

Our skill this week is Compare and Contrast...Eoin, Emma, and Juliana did a great job on the dry erase chart! 

We LOVE to use BrainPop at stations! 

Another GREAT Venn diagram from Jayelan, Kayce, and Eunique! 

More comparing and contrasting...

We are studying MLK JR this week in honor of his upcoming birthday! 

Researching Pink River Dolphins of the Amazon from our story "Endantado"...

Charting our research findings...

More iPad and graphic organizer fun! 

Around our Classroom: Jan. 14-18

This week we are reading 

"Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon" by Sy Montgomery. 

One of the most mysterious animals on the planet is the pink dolphin. In our story, we will meet this unique and fascinating creature as we explore the rain forest with the help of our South American guide. 

Genre: Expository Non-Fiction

Comprehension Skill: Compare and Contrast 

Comprehension Strategy: Visualize 

Review Skill: Generalize

Vocabulary Words: Multi-meaning Words

• aquarium- building used for showing collections of live fish, water animals, and water plants
• dolphins- any of numerous sea mammals related to the whale, but smaller.  Dolphins have   beaklike snouts and remarkable intelligence.
• enchanted- delighted greatly; charmed
• flexible- easily bent; not stiff; bending without breaking
• glimpses- short, quick views or looks
• pulses- regular, measured beats
• surface- the top of the ground or soil, or of a body of water or other liquid

Extra Vocabulary Practice: Vocabulary Games

Spelling Words: 

chicken, eleven, given, jungle, national, several, natural, needle, single, citizen, threaten, diagonal, paddle, animal, spiral, marble, oval, mumble, tangle, frighten, strengthen, knuckle, individual, cubicle, three-dimensional

Extra Spelling Practice: Spelling Games

Have a great week! 

December Field Trips

During the last couple of weeks before the holiday break, we took a trip to the Alabama Children's Theatre to see a performance of Peter Pan and attended the Water Festival at GSCC. We had a great time at both! ( I apologize for the scattered pictures, I did this post from my phone and can't fix them!)

At the Water Festival, learning how to filter water...

Ewwww.....

Sweet friends! 

Waiting for Peter Pan to begin! 

Learning how we get our water.

Cheese! 

In this activity, students learned about groundwater and how the well system works. 

Anxious for the show to start! 

More water fun...

Christmas Time in Our Class

Jolly the Elf came to visit our room to keep an eye on the students for Santa. He was a pretty good little elf to have around! He only caused trouble a little bit...

Jolly was actually quite generous...

...and helped us with our math...

...he even read stories to them! 

He had a little fun and gave us some laughs...

...tried to help trim the tree...

...and certainly left his fair share of messes for us to clean up! 

But THESE are my favorite little elves! 

Merry Christmas from Mrs. Holland's Fourth Grade! 

American Village

At American Village, in Montevallo, Alabama, we learned all about the pilgrims and Indians in their re-enactment of The Thanksgiving Story.

Anti-Litter Symposium

Congratulations to Kayce Copeland for earning FIRST PLACE out of all area schools in the "Keep Etowah Beautiful" poster contest. Way to go, Kayce!

Her winning poster is the one directly over her head. 

Montgomery Trip

Here are some pictures from our field trip to our state capital, Montgomery, Alabama! We had a great time!