updated October 22, 2018

Parents Welcome

This Thursday morning OLG school will gather for mass. Many of our fourth graders will lead the congregation in music ministry as Chorus members! Parents are welcome at any mass, but I want to make sure you feel wanted and appreciated, especially if your child is in Chorus. You are also welcome at our Veteran’s Day Assembly, November 7, 9:30 – 10:00 AM in the school hall. Grandparents and other friends are welcome too. Fourth graders will begin this week, reflecting on our Veterans and how to lead the school in appreciation. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Science:

In Science fourth graders continue to learn measurement skills using the metric system. Our current focus is volume. This week fourth graders practice measuring volume for containers of various sizes and then design their own investigation to answer an important question: Does a can of pop hold 355 ml or not? This task helps students explore metric measurement, volume and capacity using graduated cylinders. We will also discuss a mind -boggling topic: the difference between mass and volume.

Social Studies, A Rare Find:

Fourth graders know geography is the study of location, places, culture and how they interact. These elements interact so beautifully in the story of Washington State’s most ancient skeletal remains. Location: North America, United States, once the tribal land of the Umatilla and Colville. Place: the banks of the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington. Culture: sacred burial practice, scientific investigation, federal law. Fourth graders are fascinated with the Kennewick Man. I don’t blame them. The story has everything: a skeleton found on a riverbank, controversy as science clashes with spiritual practice, a look at a life 9,000 years ago. We’ve read what our textbook has to offer. I’ve done my best to keep students informed with recent updates. There are several interesting video clips on Youtube taken from documentaries, but again, updates are needed and students need prompting to see multiple perspectives. I like these articles from the Burke Museum and npr.

http://www.burkemuseum.org/blog/kennewick-man-ancient-one

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/05/05/476631934/a-long-complicated-battle-over-9-000-year-old-bones-is-finally-over

Dates to Remember

Thursday, 10/25: Picture Retakes (bring free dress to change), All school mass, all blues

Friday, 10/26: Half day, noon dismissal

Saturday, 10/27: Halloween Carnival

Wednesday, 10/31: Halloween, Class party in the afternoon, fourth graders do not dress in costume but are welcome to wear Halloween colors.

Thursday, 11/1: All School Mass, all blues

Friday, 11/2: OLG Spirit Gear dress day

Wednesday, 11/7, 9:30 AM: Veteran’s Day Assembly, led by fourth grade, Half Day

Thursday/Friday, 11/8 and 11/9: Conferences, No School, more information to come

Monday, 11/12:Veterans Day, No School

Thursday, 11/15: Fourth attends daily mass, all blues

Wednesday, 11/21: half day, Thanksgiving Break Begins

11/22 and 11/23: No School

Homework

Monday: Read for 20 minutes

Spelling worksheet – Complete one side. Silently read the flip side.

Religion assignment (from last week) due Friday

Give newsletter to parents.

Tuesday: Read for 20 minutes

Read spelling article out loud. Ask an adult to help you pronounce any words you don’t know.

Reading assignment

Math worksheet

Wednesday: Read for 20 minutes

Social Studies assignment

Math worksheet

Thursday: Read for 20 minutes

Read spelling out loud. Be ready to read a portion of this to Mrs. Wilson. Have spelling to turn in.

Study for spelling test and weekly quiz.

Helpful Websites

Cursive Writing Resources

http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/animation/lowercase.htm

To see the animation, move your mouse over a letter. Lowercase

http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/animation/uppercase.htm

To see the animation, move your mouse over a letter. Uppercase

http://www.donnayoung.org/penmanship/cursive-animations.htm

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for cursive letter animation video clips for each letter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PBUYzWXEIQ

Continuous video clip, capital letters first, then lower case… not exactly how OLG teaches them, but clear and concise.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cursiva-lite/id976052613?mt=8

One of several free apps… Try them and share your experience with the rest of us.

Social Studies

Youtube clip guides you to create a map of Washington State. We call the “Puget Sound Lowlands” the “Western Lowlands”. Otherwise, this is perfect for helping us learn our state’s geography.