Thursday

Here are some examples of what we have been doing lately:

Social Studies:  we are doing research in groups about the different regions of Canada.

Music:  we have been playing boomwhackers, percussion instruments that consist of long tubes, of different lengths that make different pitches.  We are reading the notes on the board, and then playing music as a group.

Media/Computers:  We have been learning about Google Form. We have started creating surveys and will be sharing them with other students who will vote on different topics.  With those rsults, we can create a graph to display our results.

Gym:  This week we did Star Wars Yoga, stations doing a number of different activities, 'Just Dance' to warm up and a ball throwing game.

Language:  We have been learning about diaries (reading the Diary of a Fly/Worm/Spider series), prefixes and suffixes, 'dropping the e' before adding 'ing', and continuing to use Google drive to write.  As always, we are independent reading, buddy reading, using writing prompts to get our creative juices flowing and spelling.

Mathematics:  Students have created a survey question (ie. What is your favourite sport?) and then using a class list to ask everyone their choice.  We have then displayed our results in a bar graph. Today, we did the same survey with the Grade 5's...and we are now comparing the two different results in a double bar graph.

Google Classroom

We have been doing a research project on an animal in Language Arts.  Students used books and the internet to do research on their animal, and recorded their information on a graphic organizer (which is a page that had questions to focus their research).  When their research is complete, students are using the computers to record their information onto a Google Doc.  I have shared the original document with them on Google Classroom-a way that teachers can share the same document with students, and they can 'turn in' their work when they are done.  Ask your son or daughter to log in to their google classroom.

Here are the steps:

1) go to www.google. com and type in 'Google Classroom'
2) sign in (using their gmail and password, that is in their agendas)
3) choose 'Mrs. Corkum's Grade 4's'
4) choose 'Animal Research Paper'

If students have 'turned in' their research paper, then they can not make any more changes.  If they are still working on it, they can still add information.

Monday

We are back up and running!

I will be updating my Blog again (hopefully two times a week) so check back regularly.
Again, we will be using the Twitter page daily, so check there every day for an 'ask your child' prompt.  Here is an overview of what we are learning these days.

Language:  We are reading 'A Series of Unfortunate Events,' learning about adverbs, and writing a research paper on an animal, using Google Docs to type out our good copy.
Math:  Patterning, and finding the pattern rule and the next numbers in a pattern
Social Studies:  Canada's Provinces, Territories and Regions
Health:  Safety and Healthy Eating
Music:  Notes on the staff, responding to music, through words and pictures
Art:  Using angles and symmetry to create a piece of art
Gym:  Co-operative games, checking our pulse, etc., for levels of exertion

Update

Unfortunately, my Twitter and Blog will not be in use until further notice. I will let you know when it will be back up and running.  Mrs. Corkum

Twitter reminder

And don't forget to check out our Twitter feed daily-it gets updated every day, whereas our blog will just be a couple of times a week.  Click here to see it (you do not have to be a member of Twitter to see it).   https://twitter.com/jennifercorkum

Friday

Here is our week at a glance (which is flexible, and can be switched around at times for special occasions or activities). 

First Block
8:00-8:40 Science, Social Studies, Health, Art and Music (depends on the unit we are studying)
8:40-9:20 French -every day at this time
9:20-10:00 Gym - every day at this time, which will sometimes include dance and drama (we are lucky to get gym every day this year!)

10:00-10:40 Nutrition Break


Second Block- Language (10:40-12:20)
Includes activities such as read alouds, reading response activities, grammar, spelling, independent reading, media literacy, computers and writing.

12:20-1:10 Nutrition Break

Third Block- Math (1:10-2:10)
Includes problem solving, manipulative work, math stations and worksheets.

'Catch up' time (2:10-2:30)
Include doing our agendas, finishing a read aloud, art or music (depending on time, and unit we are studying) and doing our class jobs, dismissal.

*We have library on Wednesdays at 10:40 and will have reading buddies (with a Kindergarten class) at some point, starting in October.  

Monday

Well, we made it through our first week!

Week two has us settling into our daily routines a bit more. We started our new Science unit (Habitats and Communities), started writing a bit more (a letter to Mrs. Corkum so she can get to know them a bit better) and did a math worksheet (on comparing numbers)....time to switch our brains over from summer mode!

Here is our 'Monday at a glance' schedule (although we are flexible, and have been known to switch the schedule around when needed, for special projects or events):

8:00-10:00
Science
French
Gym

10:00-10:40 Nutrition Break

10:40-12:20
Language Block
(Which includes activities such as read alouds, reading response activities, grammar, spelling, Independent reading, media literacy and writing)

12:20-1:10 Nutrition Break

1:10-2:10
Math Block

2:10-2:30
Agendas, class job, read aloud, dismissal

Wednesday

Check out our Twitter page for the daily 'Conversation Starter.'   https://twitter.com/jennifercorkum
P.S. Ask your child about the book we read today, and what it means to 'check for understanding'.

First Day of school

We had a great first day of school! It was very busy (organizing supplies, getting to know everybody's name, finding the right bus) but we survived!  Check out our Twitter account (you don't need to have your own Twitter Account to look at it) to see our daily ‘conversation starter.’  https://twitter.com/jennifercorkum

If your child did not bring in their school supplies or shoes today, no problem, but please have these by Friday. It was a hot day today…and it looks like it will be a hot week. Please send in a water bottle that your child can keep at school, as soon as possible. 

I hope your son or daughter had a positive first day of grade 4!  I’m sure everyone will sleep a lot better tonight :)

Mrs. Corkum

P.S. Ask your son or daughter what this book was all about.

What is this Blog all about?

Welcome to our class blog!  I am Jennifer Corkum, your child's Grade four teacher.  I am continually trying to become more technologically savvy, and have had luck with a Class Blog in the past.  This year I am trying something new....Twitter! As I am new to Twitter, this blog will be used in conjunction with our class Twitter account.

I find as a teacher (and a parent myself) kids often can't remember anything from the day that they've just had, without prompts. My goal is to help you get conversations started with your son or daughter, by sending out daily 'tweets' about what questions you can ask the,about what they learned at school. For example, one tweet could be, 'Ask your son or daughter what the difference between an herbivore and a carnivore is.' This will hopefully jog their memories and get them talking about what we have been learning in Science class, or could also be a catalyst to help you sharing information you know on a given topic.

This blog will be used to show more detailed information on things like field trips, special events and projects at school. I will write a Tweet on our Twitter account when I have posted new information on this account, or I encourage you to save this in your Favourite bar and check back periodically. I am going to be teaching the children how to access our blog and twitter accounts, and hopefully they will eventually help me write both.

I understand that Twitter, Blogs and technology in general can be overwhelming.  Our School Board is encouraging the use of technology in many areas and I am trying to embrace these changes. These two accounts will not have comments available, as a way for me to limit the content and control what gets posted.

Hopefully this will help you get the conversation ball rolling!

PS The Link to our Twitter Account is https://twitter.com/jennifercorkum