Sailing Home

This week we are reading “Sailing Home: A Story of a Childhood at Sea” by Gloria Rand.  We will focus on the following vocabulary words in this story.  It would be helpful if you will reinforce the meaning of these words at home with your child.

Vocabulary Word	Meaning
bow	the forward part of a ship, boat, or aircraft; front
cargo	load of goods carried by a ship, plane, or truck; freight
celestial	of the sky or outer space; heavenly
conducted	directed; managed
dignified	having dignity; noble; stately
navigation	skill or process of finding a ship’s aircraft’s position and course
quivered	shook; shivered; trembled
stern	the rear part of a ship or boat

Spelling Words: reaction, prerecorded, incorrectly, incredibly, disobedient, disagreeable, refreshment, unbreakable, declaration, retirement, misdialed, undefined, unhappily, watchfully, gleefully, sportsmanship, repayment, questionable, displacement, midshipman, multicultural, universally, understatement, outlandish, inflammable

Reading Challenge

Remember to keep up on your nightly reading!  Fourth graders need to read 2 ½ hours each week to meet our goal!  Slips are due each Wednesday so that we can keep track of how each student is doing.  I have several students who are not returning these to school.  Please help your child remember!

The students who meet their reading goal will attend Dr. Suess' The Lorax on Friday, March 2, 2012.

Next Book Report

Don’t forget that the Award Winning Book Reports need to be turned in by March 7^th.

Students have three choices for the type of report this month. They each get to choose the one project that most interests him/her. 1. Book jacket Cover 2. Book Float and/or 3. Scrapbook page.

Newsletter Reminders for February 6th Week

NWEA MAP winter testing is here!  Our class has been scheduled to test on Tuesday- February 7^th, Wednesday  -February 8^th, Thursday- February 9^th and Monday- February 13^th. 

Parents, please help your child prepare to do his or her best by encouraging an early bedtime the night before, as well as a good breakfast the morning of each testing session.  Thank you for your help in this matter!

These scores will be given to you at an upcoming meeting for parents in early March.

School Reading Challenge

Remember to keep up on your nightly reading!  Fourth graders need to read 2 ½ hours each week to meet our goal!

The first slip is due Wednesday so we can chart how we are doing as a class!

Students may bring a decorated box on Valentine’s Day!  We will have a small activity in class that afternoon.  Please do not send Valentines earlier than the 14th.

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander

This week we are reading “Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander” by Donald Sobol.  We will focus on the following vocabulary words in this story.  It would be helpful if you will reinforce the meaning of these words at home with your child.

Vocabulary Word	Meaning
amphibians	cold-blooded animals with backbones and moist, scaleless skins.  Their young usually have gills and live in water until they develop lungs for living on land
crime	activity of criminals; violation of law
exhibit	act of displaying; public showing
lizards	reptiles with long bodies and tails, movable eyelids, and usually four legs.  Some lizards have no legs and look much like snakes.
reference	used for information or help
reptiles	cold-blooded animals with backbones and lungs, usually covered with horny plates or scales
salamanders	animals shaped like lizards, but related to frogs and toads.  Salamanders have moist, smooth skin and live in water or in damp places
stumped	puzzled

Spelling Words: distrust, uncertain, incomplete, unlikely, unfair, discontinue, unaware, disorder, discount, indirect, unopened, disrespect, unimportant, unlisted, disrepair, inability, disapprove, unsolved, disobey, unsuspecting, disintegrate, disillusioned, unconscious, unappetizing, intolerant

Groundhog's Day

Happy Groundhog's Day!  This morning we all heard the official word from Punxsutawney Phil! There will be 6 more weeks of winter because he saw his shadow!

We took Altamont Groundhog outside today and here are our results:

No shadows for us - anywhere!  Will we really have an early spring?

Valentine's

Students may bring a decorated box on Valentine’s Day!  We will have a small activity in class that afternoon.  Please do not send Valentines earlier than that day

School Wide Reading Challengs Correction

The school wide reading challenge begins today, February 1^st!  I had a typo in the last newsletter - Fourth graders need to read 2 and ½ hours each week to reach their goal.  That is 30 minutes each school night a week or 20 minutes a day with an extra 10 minutes somewhere.

This year there is a component for the adults, as well.  Keep track of how much you read and submit it to.  The race is on.  Who can read the most – elementary students, high school students or adults?