LES 4th G Newsletter
For Parents and Students
New Characters Springing to Life
During Writing Workshop, the class has been creating characters as part of a realistic fiction-writing project they are working on. By giving each character a name, internal and external characteristics, and struggles, and by placing the character into a series of realistic "small moment" scenes, my students are bringing believable, relevant characters to life. I am excited to see where this project will lead! When we reach the last phases of this long-term project, we will make plans for an author's celebration. Invites to follow...
If You Could Smell the Classroom Now...
...you'd be certain we were growing GARLIC! As part of the plant study, Fourth Graders are observing, drawing, describing, and making predictions about the ever-changing clove of garlic they set into water a couple of weeks ago. Fourth graders have been observing, drawing, and labeling the parts of a variety of other plants, both seed producing and non-seed producing and learning about how the two types are the same and how they are different. Soon we will begin looking at ways plants and animals both have structures that function to guarantee their survival: From thorns and roots to lungs and skin, students will begin to understand this concept.
Notes, In Brief:
- The weekly fire prevention program, SAFE, will begin this Friday afternoon. It will last for a month or so.
- The Morse Hill trip will happen next Thursday, October 8. If you haven't sent a permission form, please do so asap. If you would like to have a bagged lunch prepared here at school, please let me know and I will make sure there is a lunch available for your child. If you need help covering the cost, please call the school office.
- The Fourth Grade is lucky to have Sarah Marcus organizing for the upcoming Harvest Festival. With Sarah at the helm, the event is sure to be a success for the class! Thank you, Sarah!
- School Pictures are next Tuesday, October 6.
- LES Open House will be held Wednesday, October 7 from 5:30 - 7:00. Open House is a time for students to give their parents a tour of the classroom and for families to visit some other spaces such as the music and art rooms and the library. I will have a hand-out or two for you and you will have an opportunity to sign up for a conference. Bring your calendar!
- Conferences will be held October 28 and 29 and November 3 and 4, between the hours of 1:30 and 4:30. A sign-up sheet will be available at the Open House.
Ms. Echevarria's Fourth Grade
Email: echevarria@leverettschool.org
Website: http://www.leverettschool.org/
Location: 85 Montague Road, Leverett, MA, United States
Phone: 413-548-9144
In case you're interested...
The following is a link to an NPR story I shared with my students recently. I know some of them have shared about it at home. It addresses the issue of stereotyping and served as a great example of a "small moment" story that could be used for writing realistic fiction. We've enjoyed listening to some of the music, too.