Tuesday, May 14

writing project in 4y...

Students in Mrs. Yoder's class had an opportunity to flatten our world and write stories with students in Missouri.  We used google docs and shared stories with 4th graders in Sikeston, Missouri, a school we had previously mystery skyped.  Using The Harris Burdick Mysteries by Chris Van Allsburg as our starting point, we wrote the stories to go with the mysterious pictures left.  The link to each story is below.

The Third-Floor Bedroom by Gavin, Austin, Dalton, and Camille

The House on Maple Street by Joey, Amber, Hannah, and Matthew

The Seven Chairs by Paige, Emily, Donovan, and Lanie

A Strange Day in July by Jenna, Elizabeth, Gattlin, and Kendal

Under the Rug by Eli, Kennedy, Grant, and Paige

Missing in Venice by Chelsea, Kyra, Corey, and Maddy

Mr. Linden's Library by Aidan, Sophie, Taylor, and Dustin

Just Dessert by Kaitlyn, Connor, Marissa, and Jimmy

Uninvited Guests by Jordan, Sarah, Alex, and Myia

Captain Tory by Macey, Abbi, Brynn, Kyler, and Rebecca

READING--

The Last Dragon was a story we read in Theme 4.  In the story Peter had to spend the summer with Great Aunt in Chinatown, which he wasn't too happy about.  Once there Peter spotted a faded dragon without eyes and needing a lot of work.  Great Aunt purchased the dragon for Peter and he spent the summer bringing it back to it's original state.  Peter met many people throughout Chinatown, and in the end he planned to go back the next summer!  To celebrate this story we had a snack of crab rangoons, rice, and eggrolls.

We also learned to play a version of Mahjong that Great Aunt played with her friends.

Each student had the opportunity to make a Chinese Dragon of their own.  Mr. O'Brien helped us with our celebration.  A good time was had by all!

SUMMER DAY CAMPS

The Washington County Conservation Board will offer the following summer day camp that this year's fourth graders can attend:

Mink Camp for students entering 5th-7th grades.  This camp runs July 29-August 2.  Cost is $25.  Scholarships are Available
Volunteers are Needed
Pre-registration is required
Contact the Conservation Center at 319-657-2400 Or e-mail wccb@iowatelecom.net

READING

Today students are bringing home a bottle and directions to use for the following assignment.

Character Bottle Book Report

            1.  Choose a book that you did a book report on in

                  the third quarter.

2.  Decorate the bottle to look like the main

         character in your book.  Use cloth,

         paper, felt, whatever you’d like. 

         3.  Think about the character traits of your main

                  character and find examples of those traits. 

                  You might want to write them down to help

                  you when you present.

4. Practice telling about the book.  Use the form I

                  am using to grade you to

                  make sure you cover everything.

We will be presenting these in class on Wednesday, April 10^th.  Any late presentations will be given ½ points.  

FUN NIGHT BASKET

Fun Night is coming up on April 27th.  Again each grade level will be putting together baskets to raffle.  The fourth grade theme is Coffee and Chocolate.  (YUM!)  Please have your donations sent to school by Monday, April 22nd.  At this point we have only received two items.

Author Visit

We were fortunate to have author Heather Gudenkauf visit our classroom. She writes chapter books for adults.

Heather talked to us about  writing a chapter book.  We got to look at one of her books in many languages and compare the cover choices.  She also had quizzes and prizes of books for us.  The students had great questions prepared that Heather answered for them.

Heather is Myah Lugar's aunt!

We learned that an author needs to have patience because it takes a long time to not only write the book, but to edit it and get it published too!

Monday, March 4, 2013

KE Literacy Week activities...

This week's activities are as follows:  (for more specific details about each day, please read the prior blog)

Monday:  All the Places You'll Go! Day
Tuesday:  Community Reader Day...check with your child to find out who read!
Wednesday:  Staff Reading Relay
Thursday:  Hats Off to Reading Day and KE Family Literacy Night (free meal at 5:15, activities 6:30-7:30)
Friday:  Read and Feed Day

math news...

We have finished up our unit on multiplication, estimating, and comparing numbers.  We will focus on measuring angles and division for the next unit.  Division is a tricky concept and skill to master.  We will go slow and learn different methods of solving problems. 

social studies news...

While studying the regions, it made sense to start with what we knew...the Midwest.  Now that we are experts, we are moving back to where the US started...the Northeast.  We will learn about geography, landmarks, natural resources, climate, and activities in our new region.  Students will begin thinking about a project that will showcase what they learn.  

Mystery skyping is going great!  We try to have one scheduled at least every two weeks, if not weekly. It has been fun to learn about each state by actually talking to people who live there.  We are scheduled to skype with a school in...ooops, almost gave it away!  Below is an article that was published in the Kalona News, written about mystery skyping by Chelsea, Sophie, and Emily.

       Skyping is when you can talk to someone face to face on the computer. Usually people skype with other people when they live far away. Skype is really fun do to with your friends and relatives!

       Mystery skyping is when one class skypes with another class. Usually the other class is in another state. The classes do not know where the other class is.  The students who are skyping each other take turns guessing which state they are in. We ask questions, which are yes or no questions. For example, “Are you west of the Mississippi River?” If they were to say yes, then we would start crossing off states on a map that weren’t west of the Mississippi River. When we are done and have figured out each other’s state, we then might try to guess the city. Then we tell them about our school, town, and our state.

       The fourth graders at Kalona Elementary have mystery skyped a lot of states. We skyped Plymouth, MA, Orlando, FL, and Tuscola, IL. We hope to skype with students and schools from all of the regions of the US.  Fourth graders at Kalona Elementary think mystery skyping is really fun! If you ever try mystery skyping, we hope you enjoy it!

our field trip to UNI...

       The fourth graders at Kalona Elementary went to a play about Rosa Parks at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Arts Center in Cedar Falls. Rosa Parks stood up for what she believed in. She didn’t like segregated cities and states. Not many people were brave enough to do what Rosa Parks did at the age of 42. She was really just an ordinary woman who knew what was right and what was wrong.      

       Rosa Parks stayed in a bus seat that she was supposed to give up to a white man. Some people  decided to do the bus boycott in 1955 and it lasted for a year. The bus boycott was a peaceful protest when people did not ride buses because of what happened to Rosa. The boycott ended when the Supreme Court said buses could no longer be segregated.

         After the play we went to the UNI dome, and ate lunch there. After lunch we got to run around the track. Then that was the end of the field trip.  We had a great time and learned a lot.

by Kyra, Kennedy, and Kaitlyn

       

things to remember...

*Fun Night is quickly approaching.  Our silent auction basket is Coffee and Chocolate.  Feel free to send donations in any time. Use your imagination and get creative!

*Please check the time and date for your scheduled parent teacher conference and return the form as soon as possible.

*Live Healthy Iowa is going strong!  Remember to encourage your child to add activities to their day, and keep track of those minutes along with the speciality food of the week.  We log our amounts daily.

MP Girls' Basketball

The Mid-Prairie Girls Basketball team will be playing in the state tournament next Tuesday afternoon, February 26.  Due to the significant number of students, parents and staff members that would like to attend the game, school at Mid-Prairie will be dismissed three hours early on Tuesday.    Girls state basketball tickets can be purchased at each attendance center.  Cost:  $8 each.  If you write a check, please make it out to Mid-Prairie.  If you pay with cash, please try to have exact amount.

Kalona Elementary Read Across America Literacy Events

March 4 – March 8, 2013

MONDAY, MARCH 4 | STAFF READING RELAY

KE Staff will take turns reading with Preschool – 5^th grade classrooms at designated times throughout the day

TUESDAY, MARCH 5 | COMMUNITY READER DAY

·      Mid-Prairie community members will come “guest-read” to each classroom.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 | “OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO” DAY

Reading will take you places.  Students and staff will wear their favorite college, university, “place of higher education” t-shirt, sweatshirt, “attire” to school today

THURSDAY, MARCH 7 | HATS OFF TO READING DAY

·      Students and staff will wear their favorite hat to school today.

·      KE Family Literacy Night

ü 5:15-6:15 | FREE Meal provided in the Gym

ü 6:30-7:30 |Take this opportunity to come and listen to a guest author share stories and excitement of reading.

ü Bring your child(ren) to enjoy literacy activities while the speaker is presenting.

ü Free book give-away to every student who attends, plus door prizes for parents

FRIDAY, MARCH 8 | READ AND FEED DAY

·      Students will read and feed their brain with literature and popcorn today.

FFUN NIGHT BASKETS

FKalona Elementary Fun Night will be held  April 27th.  As always, our class will be putting a basket together for the auction.   The theme for our basket is Coffee & Chocolate.  Ideas would be different types of coffee, mugs, gift cards for a coffee shop, boxes of chocolate, etc.  I'm sure you can be more creative than I can!  You may send the items to school at your convenience.

Monday, January 21

field trip reminder...

On Thursday, January 24, we will be traveling to the Gallagher-Bluedorn Arts Center in Cedar Falls to see a play, "Walk On:  The Rosa Parks Story."  Please read the notes below.

*The bus will leave promptly at 7:45.  We will be in the front hall meeting students at 7:30.  

*If your child ordered a sack lunch from school, we will have those ready.  We will have a cooler for drinks (please label.)  We will be eating in the UNIDome.

*Breakfast will not be available that day.  If your child normally eats breakfast at school, please make other arrangements.  

*We are not allowing electronic devices (DS's, ipods, cell phones, etc.) to be taken.

*We are not planning on stopping along the way.  Please watch what your child drinks on Wednesday and Thursday morning.

*Your child is welcome to bring a snack to munch on.  Please, no drinks except for those with lunch.

*This is a unique opportunity for students to experience the true theater experience.  We are asking students to dress in "theater attire."  Keeping in mind that we will be on a bus for 4 hours, we are not asking for uncomfortable clothes, but we would like the kids to kick it up a notch.

social studies news...
We have spent a lot of time focused on civil rights this past week, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday and also as preparation for our field trip on Thursday.  We have had great discussions about Jim Crow laws, segregation, Rosa Parks, boycotts, marches, peaceful protests, and standing up for what we each believe is right.

We were also able to have another mystery skype, this time with a school in Orlando, Florida.  The questions asked were great...the kids are really catching on.  They also realized that they can use visual "context clues" when they noticed that the other students were wearing shorts and t-shirts and their room was decorated with palm trees.  We have two more skypes scheduled with classes in...ooops! You will have to hear that from your child.  We are going to try using "Today's Meet", a website that serves as a backchannel, allowing students to have a conversation with the other class while we skype.

math news...
We finished Unit 4 last week.  It was a difficult unit, focusing on decimals including tenths, hundredths, and thousandths.  Tests will be sent home on Friday.  Please review these with your child.  We will be moving on to multiplication, both single digit and multi-digit numbers.  Please practice basic facts at home as knowing these will make multi-digit multiplication much easier.

spelling reminder...
When spelling packets come home, please double check to make sure your child is following the directions for the writing portion.  The directions vary from week to week, often asking students to write a paragraph, but sometimes a list, a letter, a poster, etc.  This allows students to practice writing in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons.

Field Trip Information

On Thursday, January 24, we will be traveling to the Gallagher-Bluedorn Arts Center in Cedar Falls to see a play, "Walk On:  The Rosa Parks Story."  Below are a few bits of important information:

*We will be leaving school at 7:45 am.  This is before buses arrive at KE.  Everyone indicated in the form I sent out earlier that you will be able to make arrangements and you will have your child here by 7:45.  If this changes, please let me now as soon as possible.

*We will not be back to KE in time for lunch so sack lunches will be needed.  I will send a form home on Friday (in Friday folders) asking you to indicate whether your child will be eating a lunch from home or if you would like to order a cold lunch from school (your child's lunch account will be charged.)  Please return this form as soon as possible so we can inform the kitchen.

*I am looking for 3 chaperones from each class to accompany us.  If you would like to chaperone, please let me know as soon as possible.  Unfortunately, the numbers we can take are very limited so this has to be first come (contact me), first serve.

*Please contact me with any questions.  syoder@mid-prairie.k12.ia.us

Have a great week.  Keep practicing those basic facts in math.  Don't forget Math Facts in a Flash!