Mosaic Moments
Mrs. Eaton and Mrs. Parker's Third and Fourth Grade
Monday, May 28, 2018
Mosaic Moments and a Move!
The construction is ahead of schedule which meant an early move for Mosaic House. We seized the opportunity to celebrate our team on moving day with a day of fun at Maple Street Park. Students and adults enjoyed a gorgeous day filled with friends and activities. By the time we returned to school the Mosaic hallway had been completely moved and ready for us to head into the last few weeks in our beautifully renovated spaces in the brick hallway. Many thanks to all who helped make this possible!
We are enjoying working with new students in our team-wide Changing Perspectives unit of study. Each small group is learning about a different type of disability, what it is, how it affects people, and how we can show empathy and support towards others by having a new perspective on difference.
We look forward to showcasing our understanding at our Disability Awareness Day on Tuesday, June 12th. Please join us for a presentation in the auditorium and simulations in our classrooms. We will start promptly at 8:30 WCS Auditorium and wrap up by 10:00. An official invite will also come home this week in your child's Friday Folder.
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Erosion Experts
In our most recent science unit students have been working in new groups of third and fourth graders learning about how forces like weathering and erosion shape our earth. This week we headed to the Allen Brook to observe how this land form has changed over time. Some of our big take-aways were how the shape of the river is a direct result of the river banks eroding and how the river is considerably wider then it was even two years ago.
Students then used models to investigate how wind affects sand dunes. We collected data of dunes with just sand and dunes with sticks used to represent plant life. Students will use this data to represent their findings in graphs and think like engineers to solve the problem of erosion washing away land and homes in areas like Cape Cod. What would you do to reduce the impact of erosion and weathering if you home was in a vulnerable area?
Next week students will be taking the SBAC assessment starting Monday, May 14th and wrapping up Thursday, May 17th. Students can feel free to bring extra snacks to school with them during these days. This assessment is a way to provide schools with a big picture view of what students understand and how they show this understanding in a test setting. The results help us to think about instructional goals and objectives at the district, local, and state level. With that being said, they are not the only way that we assess your student's growth and they cannot measure things like confidence, creativity, perseverance, and critical thinking. We ask for students to try their best, but the SBAC shouldn't cause any unnecessary stress.
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Researchers To Reporters
Helping Hands |
Teamwork on those finishing touches |
Proud presenters |
Who knew their Halloween Costumes would inspire their Passion Projects?! |
This coming week students are choosing their Red Clover favorites! The following are the options: Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer
Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton
Dragon was Terrible by Kelly DiPucchio
Frankencrayon by Michael Hall
Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood
Penguin Problems Jory John
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
Otters Love to Play by Jonathan London
The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes by Duncan Tonatiuh
Continental Math Students celebrate their hard work |
This upcoming week we will also get to see the "Top Secret" dance choreography that students have been working on in P.E. class. We can't wait to see their dance moves. We will also be saying farewell to our wonderful interns, Zoe D'Olimpio and Tori Barrows as they complete their internships. Mosaic won't be the same without them and we wish them both a bright future as teachers!
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Passionate Researchers
The fourth graders have officially finished Because of Winn-Dixie! This week, we have been exploring theme in the text as we have come to a close with reading. In this theme unit, students were able to infer many impressive themes based on the plot of the text. We thought about how we could use mentor texts to help us come up with themes, we thought about why Kate DiCamillo may have chosen certain themes to write about, and we even thought about how we could creatively illuminate themes that we have read.
To conclude this unit, students created a comic strip or poem about plot and theme in Winn-Dixie using metaphors, creative illustrations, and strong sentences about the plot to show what they know about theme in Winn-Dixie. Many of the themes students inferred were about friendship, loss, inclusion, and loneliness. Comic strips and poems about themes in Winn-Dixie We have also been working away on our passion projects. Students have finished their research on the topics that they are most passionate about and are now in the process of creating their projects. The passion project breakfast is from 8am-8:45am on Friday, 4/13. We hope that you are all able to make it to this event!
In math, we have started a new unit on geometry. Students have been using pattern blocks and rotations on a clock to help them think about angle measurements in a variety of ways. Through this hands-on approach to teaching geometry, students have been able to work towards
conceptualizing the concept of measuring in degrees. As we continue this unit, students will explore protractors, how to measure the circumference of a circle, and more!
Pattern blocks are a great tool to help students identify angle measurements.
This Friday, many of our fourth graders participated in Jump Rope for Heart. Thank you to all who helped to make this event a success. Both Williston Central and Allen Brook raised $20,000 for the cause! To celebrate this enormous success, a teacher was slimed and the whole group got to cheer on.
Next week, the Williston Safety Committee will be hosting an open house/meet and greet for families at 7:45am-8:30am in the WCS dining room. This is an opportunity to become more informed about school safety and the efforts that are in place to ensure school safety. We hope that you are able to attend this event!
Theme cartoons and poems |
To conclude this unit, students created a comic strip or poem about plot and theme in Winn-Dixie using metaphors, creative illustrations, and strong sentences about the plot to show what they know about theme in Winn-Dixie. Many of the themes students inferred were about friendship, loss, inclusion, and loneliness. Comic strips and poems about themes in Winn-Dixie We have also been working away on our passion projects. Students have finished their research on the topics that they are most passionate about and are now in the process of creating their projects. The passion project breakfast is from 8am-8:45am on Friday, 4/13. We hope that you are all able to make it to this event!
In math, we have started a new unit on geometry. Students have been using pattern blocks and rotations on a clock to help them think about angle measurements in a variety of ways. Through this hands-on approach to teaching geometry, students have been able to work towards
Using familiar tools to measure angles |
This Friday, many of our fourth graders participated in Jump Rope for Heart. Thank you to all who helped to make this event a success. Both Williston Central and Allen Brook raised $20,000 for the cause! To celebrate this enormous success, a teacher was slimed and the whole group got to cheer on.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Reflective Readers
Presenting our Symbolic Heart Art |
Dyad partners wrestle with two different solutions |
Using tile to help build our calendar pattern and create a generalization |
If you haven't signed up for a spring conference there are still spots available. We look forward to chatting with you about your child over the next couple of weeks.
Word Study partners working with Long i patterns (write/right, live/live) |
It looks like winter is going to stick around for a while, so please continue to send you student in with all of the gear they will need to play outside and stay warm and be dry and comfortable in class.
Think Spring!
Liz and Jess
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Because of Book Clubs
Kelly Clark |
Cavin Coolidge |
Ethan Allen |
Book clubs discuss their "reading tracks" |
Grace Potter |
Groups practice growing their conversations using unifix cubes |
In mathematics we have moved into Unit Four. After taking the preassessment students set goals for themselves for the unit. Some of the goals that we are working on are around converting measurements from one unit to another, using place value to compare numbers into the hundred thousands, and using the standard algorithm and other efficient strategies for multi-digit addition and subtraction problems.
Students are looking forward to Valentine's Day this week and list of names have gone home if your student is interested in making valentines to exchange. Please remember to include all students in your child's homeroom class.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Deciphering Decimals
Some friendly fraction competition |
Using tools to build decimal numbers |
Student writers give each other feedback to polish their writing pieces |
In our January Four Winds Nature studies activities this week we learned about how animals like bears, snakes, and frogs survive during the winter. These hands on activities were an engaging way to thinking about the natural world around us. Thanks so much to our parent volunteers!
Report cards are coming home today (1/26) and we would appreciate it if you could send the signed envelope back to school so we can reuse it in the spring. Thanks!
Fondly,
Jess and Liz
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