End of School

Wow, here it is the last day of school. Sure went by fast. The kids have been told this, but I am telling you parents also. Sometimes kids forget.

Recorders came home last week. Please keep them in a safe place so we can use them again next year.

Mr. Albrecht is planning to try something new next year which would involve NOT using crates. However, I recommend you hang onto them because they are used again in 6th and 7th grades. Also, Mr. Albrecht says he MIGHT change is mind if things don't work out as planned. Stayed tuned.

I also told the kids to hang onto their science binders from this year. I may or may not decide to use them for reading with them in 5th grade. If we don't use them, again they could hang onto them for 7th and 8th grade.

Some of the kids came home with money amounts written in their notebooks. These are bills that need to be paid before they can receive their report cards on Friday.

Speaking of report cards, open them carefully because there is a lot of extra stuff in there, such as Six Flags tickets for those who earned them, band info, a fifth grade note, and who knows what else we may decide to stick in there when we clean tomorrow. (Just kidding on that last one.)

So, have a great summer, and God bless all of you!

Old World

I guess I forgot to get this out sooner, but there really isn't anything new. It even sounds like God will bless us with a really nice day.

For everyone:
Wear comfortable shoes since we will do a LOT of walking. Dressing in layers might be good so that if it gets warm, you can take a layer off.
We will have time in the gift shop, so bring along a little money if shopping is your thing.
Bring along a lunch and a beverage. We usually eat outside at a picnic table.

For kids:
No cell phones, no ipods, no other electronic equipment

For parents:
You may bring cell phones in case of emergency, but they will need to be off most of the time.
Please do not give money to any children other than your own. This can sometimes cause hard feelings.

May 17, 2011

Sorry this is late, but at least it is still Tuesday. Just a couple quick notes.

Spelling test this week will be on Friday instead of Thursday to give the AHA group an extra day.

The note about Old World Wisconsin that came home today was for parents who have signed up to go, or who intend to sign up to go. Information for the students will be posted this weekend. Most of the info is the same: wear comfortable shoes, bring a lunch.

The cars for science were very interesting and creative. Thanks to all the parents who helped.

I can't believe that we are so close to the end of 4th grade. Only 11 more days. We are so thankful for the sunshine today.

Tuesday, May 11, 2011

Thank you to all the parents who helped us sing on Sunday. Everyone did a great job of using their talents to sing praises to our Lord.

Don't forget to build a "car" and bring it to school on Monday, May 16. Check the previous blog for details.

This week Thursday is track and field day for grades 6-8. Grades 4-5 will be using part of that day as an arbor day for the city of Greenfield. Since we have never been involved in this before, I do not have many details, other than they will be working outside for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Don't be surprised if they come home a little muddy. Mr. Hackmann is in charge of this event. Depending on how long this takes, we MIGHT have our spelling tests on Friday this week instead of Thursday.

We are reading a book in class called "Little House in Brookfield." One of the chapters tells about how the families back in 1840 washed their clothes. Your child needs to read this chapter with the adult in your house who does the most laundry. It should be a humbling experience for both of you, as well as educational. There is a sheet with a few questions to fill in. This needs to be done by Friday, May 13.

Finally, we should have a blog word, since we haven't had one for a while. The blog word is the name of the youngest child in the book we are reading. Joseph is the oldest. I will ask for this on Friday at lunch.

May 6, 2011

Surprise, it's a Friday note!

The oral reports yesterday were amazing and fun to watch. The kids did a great job, and some of them even asked to do it again.

We sing this Sunday in the 10:45 service. If you have not yet been to a practice, please come to the classroom at 10:15 so that we can go through it a few times before Mrs. Bloomquist leaves to play for church. The kids, and those who have already practiced, should be here no later than 10:30 in the classroom. We reserve the entire balcony for fourth grade and their families. If you are an early church family, you are free to leave during the first hymn after we sing. It is our prayer that this helps to make your Mother's Day more special as we share our faith in Jesus and help the children to "Pass It On."

Your child needs to build a "car" for science. This vehicle is due Monday, May 16, and needs to be made out of "junk" you have around the house. No actual wheels will be allowed, no kits, no Legos, etc. The kids have the details. This car needs to be able to roll down an incline; it does not need to move on its own. If you have any questions, ask Mrs. Johnson or Mr. Albrecht.

Finally, there is now a sign up sheet for Old World Wisconsin. It is in the parent tray. It is
May 24, it is an all day field trip, and the cost for chaperones is $20, which you do not have to pay when you sign up. Because our class is small and we take a bus, we can take as many parents and/or grandparents as would like to come. Just be aware that this field trip involves a lot of walking, and much of it is outdoors on uneven paths.

May 1, 2011

What did we learn on Family Tree Day?

1. We are very blessed with many modern conveniences, such as indoor toilets, running water, and comfortable shoes.

2. We are thankful that we do not have to walk 2 miles to school each day.

3. Our ancestors came from many different countries and from 4 of the 7 continents.

4. If is fun to look at old things.

5. We liked playing games, but we missed our playground balls.

6. People in the 1800's worked very hard and did not throw away as much as we do.

7. Some of us enjoyed it more than others.

COMING SOON!

Science fair projects due tomorrow morning. The fair is Thursday.

We are singing in church on Sunday. If you have not yet done so, please return your slip indicating when you are able to practice with us. Your child should have brought home the song to start teaching you.

Ocean animal oral reports are due Thursday, May 5. Your child has a list of requirements. If not, tell him or her to ask for another one.

Old World Wisconsin field trip is May 24. More information will be coming soon.

One more very special science activity will be explained in school this week. Ask your child about it on Tuesday. It will be due on Monday, May 16.

Can you believe it's almost the end of the school year?

April 19

Yes, I realize that this is late this week, and yes, I realize that it has also been a long time. Since no one has been complaining or asking questions because they don't know what's going on, I figure all is well.

As your child has probably already told you, there is no spelling this week, or next week. We are taking some time off to practice penmanship, which seems to have deteriorated. But you and the kids need to know that the penmanship grade is not based solely on penmanship papers. It also includes everything they do every day. That means working hard on penmanship papers will help, but if daily work is sloppy, the grade will reflect that.

English reports were very good. They are coming home today. However, we are not done with them. The next step is an oral report, but I will hold off on that until after science fair projects are done. Just so you know what is coming, they will be required to give an oral report of the information they learned, and present it to the class IN THE COSTUME OF THE ANIMAL THEY CHOSE. However, this is not as tricky as it sounds. A costume can be as simple as putting on a tail, or wearing a mask, or making some flippers, or even just being dressed in all one color.
More information will be coming home soon, but this is so you can start thinking about it.

Look for our lunch journals in your Tuesday folder. Most of the kids are doing a great job of finishing their lunches. Now that they are bringing snacks, sometimes they are less hungry at lunch time. You might want to consider adjusting amounts if you see a lot being thrown away. These journals are being done for your benefit and also as part of research in connection with the PEP grant.

Reminders
Family Tree Day is next Thursday, April 28.
Science Fair projects are due Monday, May 2.
Fourth graders and their parents are scheduled to sing in church on Mother's Day, May 8. We will begin learning the song this week so the kids can start teaching it to you.

Look for a Tuesday note in next week's folder with more information on all these upcoming events.

Sorry, kids, no blog word this week.

Home stretch!

Monday is the beginning of the fourth quarter. It is a chance for a fresh start one more time. You get one more chance to do the very best you can in fourth grade.

It is also a time when some kids tend to lose ground. The weather gets nice, and other things seem to be more fun. But think of it in terms of baseball. You need to get to home plate if you want to score. If you stop now, at third base, you get no points. But if you keep pushing all the way to home, you score a run. That's what we need to do now--keep pushing for one more quarter, so that we can finish fourth grade with a home run!

Speaking of baseball, the blog word (phrase) for this week is "Keep your eye on the ball." Put it in your assignment notebook on the page for Friday. Remind me during lunch to check it.

One final note for this week. The date for family tree day is Thursday, April 28. I will get more information out to you soon, but if you want a sneak peak, you can check the blog for it from last year. I believe it is still up. You can also check out photos from the St. Jacobi photo section. Not only do you get to share information from your family tree, and bring heirlooms, if you have them, but we all get to dress as your grandparents might have dressed 100 years ago! Stay tuned for more information.

Hope you enjoyed your break.

Oh, yeah. And remember that science fair projects are due in 30 days!

March 6, 2011

Science News

Most of the kids told me last week what they are planning to do for the science fair. Monday is the deadline for taking care of this. Yes, the fair is 8 weeks away, but it is important to plan ahead, especially if you are doing an experiment, and especially if you have plans to be gone for spring break and/or Easter break.
Remember, you can't just say, "I'm doing something with electricity." I want to know exactly what you plan to do with it. Are you doing a demonstration, which requires a report, or an experiment, which requires a display of your procedures and data? If you choose an experiment, you can ask me for one of the forms I showed you at the meeting.

Family Trees

I finished looking at these, and it is fun and interesting to learn where families come from and what stories they have to tell. Our family tree day will be in April, but before then, some of the forms need to be finished. If yours is one of them, it will be coming home in this week's Tuesday folder. It will tell you what you are missing. Two of the most common sections that people forgot are:
1. Middle names. I need middle names for everyone you can.
2. Country of origin. Yes, your family came from the United States, but what country did your ancestors come from?

If your family tree is not coming home this week, it is fine.

We have not had a blog word for awhile, so the one for this week is ancestor. Be sure that it is spelled correctly and in your assignment notebook on Friday.

Finally, we are scheduled to sing in church on Sunday, March 20 at 10:45. Please mark this on your calendars and plan to be there to sing for our loving Savior.

February 23, 2011

Surprise! It's a middle of the week blog.

I talked to the kids today about science fair projects, and we are giving them until Tuesday,
March 1 to decide on a project. Some of the kids are asking questions for which I need the opinion of others, so I am going to ask at our faculty meeting on Monday. I know I recommended the sciencebuddies.org website, but you also need to realize that not everything they suggest will work.
First of all, you need to decide if the project is at grade level. Then you also need to decide which of the three categories it will fit into.

Book orders are due Friday, February 25.

Six Flags reading records are due Monday, February 28.

February 13

Three quick reminders for this week:

1. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Check back to a previous note for more information.

2. Thursday is the science fair question and answer night. Be sure to bring your child along, if you can. There is also more info on that in a previous note as well as in the daily anouncements.

3. This one may be new to you, but the kids have known for a few days. During the second quarter, there was a friendly competiton using pennies to see which class could collect the most for our mission offering, and the fourth graders won. The prize is a pizza party, which will be served during lunch on Tuesday. It includes pizza only, so you will need to either provide a beverage or have your child order milk. If your child does not want pizza, you can send a lunch or order hot lunch as always.

January 30, 2011

Spelling this week will be contractions. There was no pretest today, and the list that comes home will have 20 contractions to learn. The test on Thursday will be sentences containing contractions.
One important part of spelling contractions is putting the apostrophe in exactly the correct spot. This would be a good thing to practice when writing the words at home.

There is no blog word this week because there is no school on Friday.

Report cards come home on Monday. There are lots of papers in those envelopes, in addition to the report cards: church attendance, science fair information, and consultation request forms. You should sign the form, even if you do not want a conference. If you do, sign up on the sheets in the lobby. You should also sign up for a conference if the teacher has requested one.

Take a look at the science fair information and start thinking about a project. Since grades 3-5 are doing the project on their own for the first time, the teachers of those grades are planning a science fair "how to" evening, along with time for questions and answers. The date for this has not yet been chosen, but it should be within the next few weeks. You can also talk to teachers individually if you have questions or concerns. The biggest issue is not to wait until the last minute.

January 24, 2011

Congratulations to Kyle, who took third place in the St. Jacobi Geography Bee. Considering that first and second place went to eighth graders, Kyle's performance was outstanding! Great job!

Remember that family tree forms need to be filled out and returned by this Friday, January 28.

A few weeks ago, in afternoon devotion, the fourth graders wrote a song of praise. Here are the words; it is sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star":

Holy, holy God on high,
God created you and I,
Made the birds sing in the trees,
Made the flowers and the bees,
Sent his Son to save us all,
When he calls us one and all.

Since today is the beginning of the third quarter, our blog word this week is fresh start. Fourth grade is now officially half over, and to commemorate out fresh start, last week we cleaned and re-arranged our desks. Even though it is a fresh start, if your child was absent last week, s/he may still have some make up work to catch up on. Please take care of this as soon as possible.
Thanks!

January 16, 2011

Our Christmas collection for the almoner fund was $55.70. Thank you for your generosity in helping those less fortunate.

We just finished reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in class, and we have started watching the movie. I assumed that everyone would have seen it by now, but have since learned that some have not. While the book is excellent, there are a few parts in the movie that are a little scarier than the book, either because the director chose to show more of the fighting or because some things are a little more frightening when they are seen as opposed to being read about. The movie is rated PG, and my opinion is that in general it is well done. But if your child is more sensitive and comes home upset about something s/he saw, please let me know. Thank you.

Finally, Mrs. Hackmann has reminded the class about the importance of knowing math facts, specifically multiplication. They are being reviewed in class, and there are many activities around the room which the students can use in their free time to help review them. But the most important thing that needs to be done is review and practice at home. Beginning this Friday, those students who do not know their multiplication facts well enough to pass the timed tests will be losing some of their recess time to go to Mrs. Lippert's room to practice. If I were a fourth grader, I would much rather spend a few minutes each day practicing at home, or in the car, than to have to give up some recess. The choice is yours. And the blog word this week, which I will look for on Friday, is "multiplication facts."

Janary 10, 2011

Today we begin the first full week of school in 2011. That means there will be spelling words coming home today and a test on Thursday.

The kids seem to have adjusted to the minor schedule change caused by the switch between Mr. Albrecht and me. Therefore the blog word this week is switch and I will be looking for it in your assignment notebook on Friday during lunch. It has been awhile since we have had a blog word, so you might have to help me remember to check.

Forms for family trees were handed out in October. These need to be filled out and handed in on or before Friday, January 28. If you are unable to locate your form, please ask for a new one.

Second quarter ends next week Friday, January 21. We need to be sure that all make up work is done by then. Also, this is the time of year when school supplies begin to run out. Some stores are even having sales again, so check with your child to see if s/he still has enough. Most common items to run out of are looseleaf paper, pencils, and erasers. We've also noticed that some folders are falling apart as well, and there are a few book covers missing.

Check this week's Tuesday folder for information about the St. Jacobi Health and Wellness Fair and the Six Flags reading program. Also, the Book It requirement for this month is to read a mystery. Everyone in the class will be required to read a mystery and fill out a form that I will give them as part of their reading assignment. They are to choose one of the easy ones I have in the room, which only take about an hour to finish. If they want to use it for Book It, they need to choose a more challenging book and get my approval ahead of time.

January 2, 2011

After putting about 2500 miles on the car, my husband and I are now safely back from Texas. It was quick, but God kept us safe all the while. It will now take some time for me to get caught up on correcting, so please be patient.

Remember that family trees are due soon. I neglected to remind you about that over break, so I am giving you until the end of January to finish them.

Finally, a change is coming. Starting this week, Mr. Albrecht and I will be making a trade. He will be teaching fourth grade science, and I will be teaching his reading class. The students will probably notice a change in how things are done, but I am sure they will adapt quickly. If you have any questions, you can talk to me or Mr. Albrecht.

Wishing you all God's blessings in the new year. Mrs. Hackmann and I thank you for the lovely Christmas gifts, and for the gift of Scrip.