Journey in Literature Or Passports

Dear Families,

As September is finishing I would like to share with you how our fourth graders addressed our SLE for the month. A St. Louise Student is a well-balanced individual who sets goals and implements steps to achieve them. At the beginning of the month the students created a “Goal” banner where they wrote their goal on the banner. On the back of the banner students wrote steps to achieve their personal goal. Midway through the month, the students filled out a self-evaluation sheet on their progress working toward their goal. This allowed them some reflection time and the ability to redirect their focus if needed to accomplish their goal. Also, each student is creating a personal SLE book which will contain the monthly SLE, how they personally accomplished the SLE, and an illustration as evidence. October’s SLE is: A St. Louise Student is a life-long learner who exhibits enthusiasm for learning, including the ability to connect learning with life experiences. October has a second SLE which is: A Community Member Who Shows awareness of local, national, and international events. I believe we will be addressing this SLE right off the bat with our field trip, but let’s see how many more times we can hit both throughout October.

Journey in Literature or Passports.

The students have turned in their Passport for the month of September. Now they need to choose a new book to readfor October. Remember each month needs to be a different genre. There is also an opportunity to have a ‘family read’ where the family can all enjoy a good story. Each member of the family can take turns reading and contribute on the family read month. The October due date for the Passport is October 30th.

Study Skills:

Student can highlight the theme in the text and write on a‘Post-It’ note the details that coincide with the theme. This is a great study skill technique, along with pinpointing key facts in the text.

You can help your child understand the importance of organization and staying on top of their work by routinely checking their planner each night. This will allow you to look at the work that corresponds to what is written in their planner. This enables you to have a deeper understanding of what is happening in fourth grade. Remember to sign the planner when you are finished checking all the work.

Skyward:

Another method to help keep parents and child aware of their progress is to regularly check Skyward. Skyward is updated each week so you will have a current understanding of how your child is progressing in fourth grade. The students also have their own code to log into Skyward so they can check their own progress. This week the students will need to bring in to me a progress report from Skyward. It is due by Wednesday. Please help your child log on the first time as they are learning this new procedure.

Halloween

Halloween will be celebrated on Tuesday, Oct. 31st. Students are allowed to come to school in costume. Please keep in mind as you pick out costumes that St. Louise doesn’t allow violent costumes/characters, bloody makeup, or weapons.

Religion: Please join us for Mass on Thursday, Oct 12thwhen we meet as a community to honor Our Guardian Angels at 9:00 am. As month progresses students will begin a portion of our year-long service project, Operation Gratitude, as students write letters to active military soldiers.

Language Arts: We are learning about Cause and Effect and Author’s purpose. In grammar students are learning how to use quotation marks. Using strong words in writing is also a key focus. I am attempting to steer the students away from using the following words in their writing: said, got, like, nice… and move towards more descriptive vivid words such as: whispered, obtained, cherished. As you are reading over their written work, you may also encourage them to use more descriptive words in their writing.

Math: Math is a series of patterns. Often, we just need to find the pattern. This has come in handy as we have been using charts to establish the pattern. I understand the students think this is ‘easy stuff’ which I am glad to hear. Now while it is easy we need to teach them to check over their work. Simple mistakes can make the difference in many grades.

Social Studies: The children will be working in cooperative learning groups to develop a presentation on one of the 5 regions of Washington State. This is their first group project where students learn each child is responsible for one small portion of the assignment and each piece will form the entire project. Learning to work together as a group is a skill students will use for the rest of their life. Once the project is completed students will present their information to the class.

Science:We learn about the Matter of Light, and we will begin our study of eyes.

All that is good, all that is true, all that is beautiful brings us to God. Because God is good, God is beautiful, God is the truth.

~ Pope Francis (Address to World Meeting of Families)