Time to schedule Conference for this November!

Below you will find the steps to signing up with VolunteerSpot.  It is quick and easy.

I am looking forward to getting together to discuss what I am seeing in the classroom and to share goals for the upcoming months.  Thank you in advance for taking time to schedule a meeting.

Please sign up for Fall Conferences - here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

   1. Click this link to go to my invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/zUtrqX
   2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot) 
   3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

October's Tech Connection

This is the first "tech connection" post of the year.   My hope is to share what we are doing in the classroom in regards to technology.  I also hope to provide you with enough usable information that will help spark conversations at home.

 Read and Write Extension for Google Docs

Found at the Chrome store

This is an extension that we added to our Google Docs today.  It allows any doc to be read aloud to the students.  It can be their own writing as well as any document shared with them.  It will be a great tool for revising their writing as they will be able to listen carefully to what they have typed.  Students enjoyed selected the voice that would read their work.  We especially liked the English accents.  It makes our work sound rather fancy!

Voicenote speech to text app at the Chrome store

This is an app that students can use to record their speech and it will type for them.  They can then copy and paste their work into their Google documents.  Similar to Dragon speak but with better voice recognition.  I think it works really well and can be extremely useful when looking to get a story or writing down quickly.  Then students can go in and revise and edit their work.

The Chrome store is loaded with a lot of great apps and extensions for the Chrome browser.  In order for your children to access these, you will need to download the Chrome browser to your desktop.  Lots of apps and extensions are free and quickly downloaded.  Students found flashcards, typing programs and math games today.  We will continue to look at the Chrome store has to offer throughout the year.

*We are currently working on a global project with our second grade buddies from Mrs. Rushia's class.  3' x 3' squares were marked out just off the trails behind school.  Together teams worked to identify and record data regarding what they found and observed.  That data was entered onto the "Square of Life" online project where our teams will be able to compare/contrast their data with that of students around the country and world.  Together they will choose an online tool to create a visual representation of their findings.  Lots of great collaboration going on.

Upcoming:  We are anxiously awaiting a connection with a classroom somewhere within the US to match up with us for our first Mystery Skype.  This is a great program where classrooms ask each other yes and no questions in order to identify where each classroom is located in the US or World.   Students each have specific jobs during our skype meeting and together work to solve the mystery.  They use their social studies and science knowledge, as well as maps, ipads and computers to prepare questions and pinpoint locations.  We can't wait for our first Mystery Skype.  I'll keep you posted.

Calling all recycled pizza boxes!

As our unit on weather is winding down, we have been talking about the power of the sun and the energy it produces.  I would like to have the students create a "pizza box oven" tomorrow that will utilize the sun's power (solar energy) to cook s'mores outside.  (It will also be a great way to celebrate our first completed week of testing! Yeah!)

If you have a pizza box sitting in your recycling bin, would you help us by sending it in tomorrow.  We will be lining them with tin foil, so a little grease won't bother us.

Thanks for your help with this fun, (tasty) and educational  learning opportunity!

Our final week of September!

Can you believe that this is the last week of September?  It has gone by so quickly.  We began the month with incredible heat and are waking up this morning to quite a "chill".  With that said, this is just a reminder to send in your children with sweatshirts or jackets each day as we never know what the weather will be like for recess or even as we send them home.

In 4B, we have been building a strong classroom community.   We have started our Open Circle meetings where we are learning about what we have in common, how to listen to one another and how to share our own thoughts and ideas in a safe and welcoming group.  It is in building this foundation that our classroom becomes a place where children feel safe to ask questions and take risks with their learning.

In math we have been reviewing different concepts; place value, addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers (with and without regrouping),  as well as area and perimeter.  Math time includes math stations, ipad integration, small group work as well as "Flipped Friday's" where students are working on Khan Academy.  

Our writing workshop is developing nicely.  We are learning how to develop our paragraphs through "Paragraph of the Week."  We are focusing on brainstorming, developing 3 ideas with explanations, as well as creating topic and concluding sentences.  In addition, we are looking at transition and concluding words and phrases to strengthen our work.

Reading workshop routines are also getting developed.  We meet each day for a mini-lesson on a skill or to discuss a reading habit and then we go off to practice; independently or in small groups.  This workshop concludes with all of us meeting back together to debrief, discuss and review the lesson.  Our current read aloud is Wonder, by Patricia Palacio.  It is a fabulous book with a wonderful theme.  Ask your children about it.

In addition to our reading workshop, your children are also participating in our first "book challenge." All of us pick a number of books we believe we can read during the first quarter.  We post this number for all to see and then we document each book along the way.  The number selected should challenge each reader but not be unreasonable.  Those students who chose a low number most likely will surprise themselves by surpassing it!  That always feels good!

Science - Continuing with weather and then we will move on to photosynthesis and our Part 1 of

plants.  Students have completed their first group projects on "wild weather."  This is the first of many projects this year.

Social studies - focus on the history of New Hampshire and prepare for our trip to Strawbery Banke.

As you can see, we are certainly busy in 4B!  Take care and enjoy this beautiful fall week!

~Lisa

Fantastic First Week!

What a wonderful week we had as we participated in STEM Camp.  So many great conversations as well as a lot of fun, hands-on learning opportunities.  I think the groundwork has been set for a great year of science, technology, engineering and math!

I wanted to remind everyone that tonight is back to school night for 4th grade.  We will all be meeting in the gym at 6 pm and will begin with an introduction by Mr. Kew, our principal.  We will then head down to our classrooms where I will share with you an overview of the year.

Finally, I wanted to share a link with you.  I have been using Khan Academy in my classroom for four years now.  I feel that it is a wonderful tool that allows for differentiation and independent learning.  Students are able to access learning at their own pace and progress through lessons at their readiness level.  We will be using Khan this year on Fridays.  I am calling it "Flipped Friday!"  because we flip our day around as well as flip the way instruction is given during math.  The video link I am including is only 3 minutes long and is part of a program that is called TEACH which will air this Friday on CBS at 8pm.  This will give you a little insight as to what your child will be working with on Fridays as well as have the ability to access from home.

Khan Academy video link

I look forward to seeing you all tonight.

~ Lisa

Welcome to 4B!

Back to School is just 7 short days away!

Hello 4B Parents,

I wanted to welcome you all to fourth grade with my first blog post of the new school year.  Blogging is the way that I will share what is going on in 4B (fourth grade, Mrs. Brown.  That is what we are called!)  It is my form of a newsletter and it will come to your through your email.  I have entered in all the email addresses I have, however, if you would like to receive this email elsewhere, please feel free to visit my blog and you can add an additional email on the "subscribe to this blog" line.

First I would like to ask all of you to take a moment when you can to look at our fourth grade website, https://sites.google.com/site/4bclassroomconnection/  Mr. Schroeder, Mrs. Wilson and I all use this website to post our nightly homework, as well as: links, pictures, student work, and video tutorials.  Your children will use this site often and get very good at navigating through it.  You may wish to cross reference their homework, as I will often add a bit more detail than they may in the homework planners.  Just scroll over my name and a drop down menu will appear.

If you need to contact me throughout the year, email is best, as I will check it throughout the day.  My email is lbrown@sau16.org.  If you wish to call, please make sure to leave a detailed message and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.

I look forward to meeting everyone at Meet and Greet on Thursday at 2pm.  

See you soon,

~ Lisa Brown