Week of March 30 - April 3, 2009

Friday 4/3/09

• Math 3: We took a math test today.
• Language Arts 3 and 4: We took spelling test #27, read some library books related to our new literature unit, and had a "show and tell" time to share about our spring breaks.
• Religion 3/4: Again, we used religion time to rehearse for the Easter program, which takes place TUESDAY APRIL 7 at 6:30 p.m. Please make plans to attend and invite family and friends, maybe even someone who has never heard the story of Jesus' death and resurrection before! Homework: All students should have brought their songbooks so that they can finish memorizing the songs for the program. Also, readers should be rehearsing their scripture and be comfortable enough to read expressively.
• Science 3/4: We put together our science journals, observed our beans, and decorated the covers of our journals, which we'll be using to observe the bean plants we're trying to grow. It's only been two days and some are already starting to show signs of sprouting!
• Art 3/4: To go along with our science unit we decorated water bottles that we plan to use at school to replace disposable water bottles! Please hand wash the bottles this weekend and bring them back to school on Monday so that we can put them to good use. The bottles are NOT diswasher safe, neither are the decorations.

Thursday 4/2/09

• Math 3: Today we reviewed our division facts and learned how to multiply single digit numbers by any multiple of 10, 100, or 1,000. Everyone finished 109 A in class. Homework: 109B.
• Language Arts 3: Third graders read a story about Johnny Appleseed and discussed other stories they've heard about the legendary man. They also took a comprehension quiz. Homework: Study for spelling test tomorrow.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders worked on identifying important events and their effects while reading an informative piece on the settlement of Jamestown. They also took a comprehension quiz. Homework: Study for spelling test tomorrow.
• Religion 3/4: We used our religion time to rehearse for the Easter program.
• Social Studies 3/4: We finished watching the video from yesterday and discussed how Indiana's growth might have been different (more or less) if the Indians hadn't been pushed out of the area by the pioneer settlers.
• PE 3/4: Flag tag, outside, with Mr. Bretscher! :)

Wednesday 4/1/09

• Miss Bertschi is incredibly sorry for any hurt feelings that resulted from her April Fool's joke...she is NOT engaged, nor is she dating anyone. :(
• Math 3: Today we wrote number sentences for division story problems. The goal is to be able to solve these problems without drawing pictures, and if you study your dividing facts then that won't be difficult to do. Please make it a priority to study multiplication and division facts every night. Homework: 108 A/B.
• Language Arts 3: We worked with our Ananse story from yesterday to identify the steps in a process. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Language Arts 4: We used our story from yesterday to get more practice with identifying the main idea and supporting details. We organized our thoughts using a graphic organizer. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Science 3/4: We examined lima beans today and began a slightly long-term experiment. We are comparing the growth of whole lima beans as opposed to halved lima beans. Every few days we'll check for changes and record observations in our Growth Journal.
• Social Studies 3/4: We watched a video on Pioneer Indiana to kick off our next study: The time period of 1800-1851 in which Indiana became a state and began to develop into a thriving place. We also read a Scholastic News about the future of robot technology, the new Yankee Stadium in New York, and a sunken ship that was recently discovered.

Tuesday 3/31/09

• Math 3: This morning we used stones to act out, then draw pictures of division story problems. We then used those pictures to write division number sentences. Finally, we reviewed the three ways (three different symbols) to write a division problem. Homework: 107 A/B.
• Language Arts 3: We began our new literature unit, on Storytelling! The first story was a legend from Africa about how the Anansi stories came to be. Anansi was called the spider man and represents any small, weak person who defeats a seemingly impossible opponent - kind of like David and Goliath! We will take a look at other Anansi stories this week too. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Language Arts 4: We began our new literature unit, which is on Colonial America. Our first piece was a historical one called "Early America" and it told how the various people came to America. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Religion 3/4: We used religion and most of social studies time rehearsing our easter program.
• Social Studies 3/4: We used our remaining social studies time to learn our music for he easter program. Homework: Songbooks have bookmarks on the songs that students need to memorize this week!
• PE 3/4: Volleyball with Mr. Bretscher!

Monday 3/30/09

• Math 3: We reviewed dividing by 1, 3, and 4. We also spent most of the lesson learning how to add money amounts in the thousands, ten thousands, and hundred thousands. Then we worked on writing those large numbers in words and practiced writing checks again. Homework: 106 A/B.
• Language Arts 3 and 4: We took spelling pre-test #27 and then spent the rest of our lesson reviewing adjectives and adverbs. This is something that we've already been working on and still get a little confused when trying to remember that adjectives desribe NOUNS and adverbs describe VERBS. Most students finished the packet in class today but those who didn't need to complete is for homework tonight. Also, everyone has ABC order.
• Religion 3/4: We used our religion time this afternoon to begin the blocking for our easter program, which takes place one week and one day from today - that's next Tuesday! Please plan now to attend and invite aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins...anyone who you want to share the story of Jesus Christ with!
• Science 3/4: We are beginning a new unit on botany and will also begin working on a project to help us celebrate Earth Day, which is April 22. We spent our classtime today brainstorming and discussing options for our project that we'd like to involve the whole school in, and we also made a list of ways we can help protect the earth and "go green" at home.
• Music 3/4: This afternoon we worked on the songs that we will be singing during the Easter program next Tuesday. See you there!!

Week of March 16-20, 2009

Friday 3/20/09

• Math 3: We took a test today, then worked on brain teasers or read silently until everyone finished. Homework: STUDY multiplication facts over break - I will not be reteaching multiples of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 - we have learned them and practiced them in class and now it is your responsibility as the student to study and remember them.
• Language Arts 3: We took spelling tests and also worked with sensory description in the story that we read yesterday. Students tried their hand at writing sentences using sensory description to appeal to a specific sense.
• Language Arts 4: We took spelling tests and wrote the final copies of our creative writing pieces on our new inventions.
• Religion 3/4: We did a lot of memory work today and our lesson was on Nicodemus. Homework: Everyone has memory work to study over spring break, please find a few minutes each day to work on this!
• Science 3/4: This afternoon we spent class time presenting our projects on the nervous system. We saw many models, posters, and videos about the brain, dream cycles, nerve cells, and Alzheimer's disease. It was a very informative afternoon and fun to see everyone's different projects.
• Art 3/4: For art we made "Happy Spring" cards to send with our pen pal letters since today was the first day of spring.
• Classroom Supplies request: I'm asking each student to bring in 2 packages (10-pack)of YELLOW #2 pencils and 2 pink erasers after spring break. We have completely depleted our classroom supply and I'd like to start the last quarter off right with everyone fully stocked and supplied. Thanks for your cooperation, and have a great spring break!!

Thursday 3/19/09

• Math 3: We reviewed our multiplication facts and worked primarily with perpendicular line segments. We've already been introduced to them before but we are a bit rusty and still trying to remember the difference between parallel and perpendicular. Keep practicing those multiplication facts at home, and if you're not, you need to start! Homework: 105B.
• Language Arts 3: We journaled about spring break and then finished reading the story "Sunflowers for Tina." It was a fun piece about how sunflowers can bring life and light into dark, dead places. Homework: Study for spelling test! Also, pen pal letters MUST be finished tomorrow since we're going to spring break.
• Language Arts 4: We journaled about spring break and then worked more on our creative writing assignments. We are writing pieces describing a new invention and telling all about its abilities. Homework: Study for spelling test! Also, pen pal letters MUST be finished tomorrow since we're going to spring break.
• Religion 3/4:
• Social Studies 3/4: We worked on map skills today with reading charts and graphs. I saw that many students were struggling with reading the directions and following them (i.e. not reading them at ALL and then asking me what to do), so I gave them a quick demonstration of the importance of following directions. All of them failed the "test" and they became angry with me because they thought I had tricked them, but had they followed the directions they could have saved themselves a huge headache. If you get a change to work on directions (listening skills, following instructions, etc) at home, give it a try - we all need work in this area.
• PE 3/4: Kickball outside with Mr. Bretscher!

Wednesday 3/18/09

• Math 3: We worked with fact families today and practiced writing both multiplication and division problems - keep reinforcing this skill at home! Homework: 105 A.
• Language Arts 3: We had a shorter class today because of our field trip to the fairgrounds. Third graders began reading the story "Sunflowers for Tina," the last story in our literature unit on City Wildlife. We will finish the story tomorrow. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders worked on a creative writing piece today. To wrap up our Technology unit we are writing about a new invention. Students should be demonstrating their ability to write strong paragraphs and use descriptive words in their writing. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• During the afternoon we went to the fairgrounds for the Ag Day event. We learned a lot about sheep, goats, cows, rabbits, and horses from 4-H students and snacked on popcorn and milk. It was a beautiful day to be out and about and the students enjoyed the fresh air. We returned to school around 2:15 and enjoyed a short recess time since we didn't get one at lunch. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon journaling about the fair and working on homework. Those who were all caught up got to start on their Scholastic News skill sheet from yesterday, which involves reading a bar graph as well as comparing and contrasting. Homework: Finish the skill sheet if you didn't do it in class today.

Tuesday 3/17/09

• Math 3: Our new knowledge of numbers larger than 1,000 helped us with today's lesson: writing numbers larger than 1,000 in expanded form. Since we already knew how to write numbers in expanded form, all we had to learn was how to add in the thousands place. Many finished 104A in class and everyone did a timed oral fact sheet. Homework: 104A/B and Oral Facts 104.
• Language Arts 3: We worked with facts and opinions again today and are still having trouble telling the difference between the two. If you get a chance to point out a fact or opinion at home in a conversation with your child, please do so to help reinforce this idea! We also did a review activity to keep us sharp on our contractions. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Language Arts 4: Today we read the last story in our Technology unit, "Harvey and Higgins, Incorporated." It was interesting to see how the characters came up with creative ways to solve their problems. We also continued working with topic sentences and the concept of a main idea within a paragraph. This is a key skill in writing and we will be reinforcing it the rest of this week as fourth graders will complete a creative writing project. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Religion 3/4: We talked more about the life of Christ and learned today about the time when his family accidentally left him behind at the temple. We also shared the "Temple" acrostics that we wrote for homework. Homework: See assignment book or cover of religion book for specific memory work pages.
• Social Studies 3/4: We read our Scholastic News today since we will be gone tomorrow afternoon on our "Ag Day" field trip to the fairgrounds. The cover story was on a female shark keeper and we learned some of the requirements of her job. We also had a debate about cursive handwriting and whether students should still be required to learn it. Of course all the students would love to never have to write cursive again, and they don't yet grasp the fact that neat, legible handwriting (cursive OR print) speaks volumes about the writer and shows how much he or she care about the audience.
• Science 3/4: We did not have a science lesson today but this is a reminder that the nervous system projects are due FRIDAY, March 20, 2009. No late projects will be accepted.
• PE 3/4: Flag tag, OUTSIDE!! ...with Mr. Bretscher, as always. :)

Monday 3/16/09

• Math 3: We learned how to write numbers larger than 1,000 using words - keep practicing the spelling for number words if you are still struggling. We also learned how to multiply numbers by 100 and 1,000. The rule is simple: add two zeros to the number if you multiply by 100 and add three zeros to the number is you multiply by 1,000. Homework: 103 A/B.
• Language Arts 3: We took our spelling pre-test for list #26 and then read "City Critters," another informative piece about city wildlife. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Language Arts 4: We took our spelling pre-test for list #26 and then read "George Stephenson," another piece about technology. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Science 3/4: We talked about optical illusions today and explored a fun website that had lots of optical illusions for us to try out. We also talked about our end of the chapter project to wrap up the nervous system unit, and information came home today about the project. In the packet you will find the student's project proposal, a rubric showing how I will be grading the projects, suggestions on how to carry out the project, a form for recording internet sources, and a page that addresses your topic specifically. Students working on the Dreams topic will find a sample dream diary, and students working on the Nerve Cell project will find introductory information on the structure of the nerve cell. Please don't worry, this is meant to be a simple project (but should still be taken seriously). A mini-poster board is available for each student to use if desired. This project is due on FRIDAY, which is the last day before Spring Break and also the last day of the 3rd Quarter. Because of the timing, I have no choice but to assign a zero to anyone who does not turn in a project on Friday.
• Music 3/4: We practiced recorders and worked on learning new notes to help us play "The Lamb."
• Religion 3/4: Homework: page 157 and memory work.

Week of March 9-13, 2009

Friday 3/13/09

• Math 3: Today we took a test.
• Language Arts 3: We took spelling tests and then worked on pen pal letters.
• Language Arts 4: We took spelling tests and then worked on our Horse timelines.
• Science 3/4: We played a game of Jeopardy to review our unit on the nervous system and then took the chapter test.
• Religion 3/4: We watched the first few chapters of the book of Matthew to go along with what we've been studying lately, regarding the birth of Jesus and John the Baptist. Homework: Try to use this weekend to catch up on memory work!
• Art 3/4: WELL....we were going to have art but instead Miss Bertschi's family surprised us with a visit from Ohio and brought Spider-Man cupcakes for everyone, for her birthday. If your child has a blue tongue, thank Mr. and Mrs. Bertschi. :) Have a great weekend!

Thursday 3/12/09

• Math 3: We used yesterday's strategies for finding a missing addend for a sum of 100 to learn how to make and count back change for $1.00 using the least amount of coins possible. It was kind of a tricky concept so if you get a chance, try to work on counting back change with your child at home. We learned that we count back the smallest coins first. For example if we spent $0.76, we would count back 4 pennies and then 2 dimes. Homework: Finish 102 A/B and do oral facts 102.
• Language Arts 3: This morning we reviewed capitalization of proper nouns as well as the difference between proper and common nouns. We read a fun poem called "Raccoon" and used it in our cursive practice as we re-wrote the poem.
• Language Arts 4: We used notes we had taken from previous stories in our Technology literature unit to create a timeline showing the use of the horse as technology advanced.
• Religion 3/4:
• Social Studies 3/4: Primary and secondary sources were the topic of today's discussion and we examined a census from the year 1800. We will look more at it next week because we ran out of time in class today.
• PE 3/4: Volleyball with Mr. Bretscher.

Wednesday 3/11/09

• Math 3: Third graders learned how to find a missing addend for a sum of 100. There are several strategies for solving this type of problem, ranging from rounding the number to the nearest ten, to drawing a picture of base ten blocks, to simply subtracting the number from one hundred. Some finished the sheets in class, others didn't. Homework: 101 A/B.
• Language Arts 3: Today's story was called "City Superheroes," which told us about raccoons, rats, and other city dwelling animals. Homework: Spelling sentences!
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders worked with identifying and writing topic sentences and supporting details. They also read "The Messenger," about the development of communication. Homework: Spelling sentences, and finish the Topic Sentence worksheet.
• Science 3/4: We spent most of the afternoon working on the conclusion of our science unit on the nervous system. It was interesting to discover that the human brain is very different from animal brains, but also has some similarities. However, animals cannot think on the same level as humans. We did several brain teasers and activities that required us reason and use logic, which showed us how smart we really are! There is no way our dogs could have solved the puzzles we did today. Finally, we completed the chapter review in class together. On Friday we will play Nervous System Jeopardy, take the chapter test, and discuss the projects we will be working on next week...details to come.

Tuesday 3/10/09

• Math 3: Today we learned multiples of 4! It sounded scary at first but we were surprised to find that we only learned three new facts: 6x4, 8x4, and 9x4. All the rest we've already learned when we studied multiples of 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 11! Cool! We also worked with parallel lines/line segments and the properties of quadrilaterals. Some finished their worksheets in class, others did not. Homework: 100 A and B.
• Language Arts 3: We read "Make Way for Ducklings," a fun story about a family of Mallard ducks who take up residence in the city of Boston! After taking a quiz about the story we worked more on our pen pal letters. We are trying to use our knowledge of topic sentences to write more cohesive paragraphs in our letters. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders worked on using colons and semi-colons in writing, and continued to work on pen pal letters. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Religion 3/4: Our lesson was on Jesus' birth and we sang Christmas carols! We also worked on memory work and some students still need to catch up. Today's lessson was pages 152-153, see planner for individual assignments.
• Social Studies 3/4: We worked with a primary source today and used a map of the Indiana Territory to help George Rogers Clark decide where to go to gather troops!
• PE 3/4: Volleyball with Mr. Bretscher!

Monday 3/9/09

• Math 3: Today we used our new knowledge of mixed numbers to measure line segments to the nearest quarter inch. Because this is such a complex concept (measuring, fractions, etc.) it took up most of the morning but some did manage to finish their A paper in class. Homework: Finish 99A/B and complete oral facts 99. A homework pass may be used on one PAGE if desired.
• Language Arts 3: After taking our spelling pre-test we discussed topic sentences and the qualities of a good paragraph. We wrote topic sentences given a list of examples or details, and then we came up with our own topic sentence relating to school. We wrote sentences like, "I play at recess." or "I learned a lot in science." After coming up with the topic sentence, they then needed to write a short paragraph going into detail about their topic sentence. So if the topic sentence was "I play at recess," the paragraph needs to give examples of how you play at recess. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order, and finish the "topic sentence" paragraph. **a paragraph should have 3-5 sentences.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders took their spelling pretest and then read an excerpt from the novel "Black Beauty." It was interesting to read a story from the perspective of the horse, not a human. We took a comprehension quiz on the story and then worked on pen pal letters, which we will be finishing up this week. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Religion 3/4:
• Science 3/4: We learned about the autonomic nervous system today through several experiments. It was cool to watch our partner's pupils change size depending on whether the lights were on or off, and we also recorded our resting heart rates and breathing rates. The autonomic nervous system controls these types of involuntary movements, which are different than movements that we must learn, such as walking or talking.
• Music 3/4: We continue to work on recorders and are trying to learn the notes necessary to play the song "The Lamb" from our songbooks. Students have been given a fingering sheet with the notes highlighted, and the song can be found on page 229 of our chapel songbooks if you wish to practice at home.

Lutheran Schools Week: March 2-6, 2009

Notes for this week:

• Monday: Dr. Seuss Day - dress like a Seuss character, do your hair like a Who, etc.
• Tuesday: Clash Day - wear colors that don't match, mismatched shoes, etc.
• Wednesday: Fancy Dress Day - put on your Sunday best, and bring your manners!
• Thursday: Pajama Day - clean (and appropriate) pjs please...robes and slippers too!
• Friday: School Spirit Day and Field Trip - wear your purple shirt. All students must be at school no later than 7:45 a.m., and the bus will leave at 8:00 sharp.
• Saturday: Open House 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Please help us spread the word about Peace Lutheran School and encourage friends and neighbors with prospective students to attend. They will get to see the classrooms, meet the teachers, and learn more about our school.

Friday 3/6/09

• We had a great time at Beef & Boards today seeing "Sleeping Beauty"! The show was great and we enjoyed getting autographs and meeting the characters after the performance. The bus ride was long and many of us tried to nap on the way back to school...all in all, a great day! We returned to school around 12:30 and had pizza, then recess. After that our class spent some time writing in our journals, finished the spelling bee, and had art. Alina ended up winning the 4th grade bee, and so she competed against Kevin (3rd grade champ) for the title of Class Champion. Alina won! Congrats Alina, and good job everyone else! Our art time was spent creating pieces using only construction paper and glue - no scissors, no pencils, no crayons...it required us to think outside the box because we had to tear the paper rather than cut it but we made some really interesting and unique pieces! They'll be on display for open house. Don't forget to sign your squares slip - lately, many of us have been getting lazy about returning them on Monday morning. Have a great weekend!

Thursday 3/5/09

• Math 3: We worked with fractions greater than 1 and learned how to write mixed numbers. Fractional pattern blocks helped us visualize this concept and we will continue to practice next week. Keep working on those multiples of 3, because next week we're learning multiples of 4! Homework: 98B, if you didn't finish it in class.
• Language Arts 3 and 4: Today we held a spelling bee but it went so long that we weren't able to finish in class! Kevin is the 3rd Grade Champion but the 4th Grade Champion is yet to be decided: it was a neck and neck showdown between Craig or Alina! We'll finish tomorrow after the field trip, so check back tomorrow for results and also to find out who won the title of Class Champion.
• Religion 3/4: Three people earned necklaces for completing their memory work today! Congrats to Alizza, Ryan, and Alina. They began learning about John the Baptist and discussed the Magnificat, the song Mary sang upon finding out that she would bear the son of God. Homework: Page 149, and check your planner for your specific memory work assignment.
• Social Studies 3/4: We discussed the Code Noir, a set of rules written by the French used to control the African-American slaves in their territory. We found the Code to be much less harsh than other stories we've heard about slavery, but at the same time we all agreed that slavery was not a positive experience for anyone.
• PE 3/4: Badminton with Mr. Bretscher!

Wednesday 3/4/09

• Math 3: Today in class we learned how to tell time to the quarter hour. Many students were surprised to learn that a quarter after three does not mean 3:25, but 3:15! We learned how to read time as quarter past/quarter after and quarter to/quarter of the hour. This is going to be a tricky concept to remember so try to reinforce this at home when possible. Also, continue memorizing the multiples of 3. Homework: 97B and oral facts 97.
• Language Arts 3: Third graders read two fun poems today about worms and pigeons, then the practiced cursive handwriting by copying the poem into cursive. We're still trying to remember how to form many of these letters but from here on out we will be using cursive as much as possible in order to reinforce the skill and improve our writing. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders read "Thrashin' Time" and worked with facts and opinions within the story. We talked about how facts can be proved, and they are always true. Opinions, on the other hand, are personal beliefs and are not always true for every person. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Scholastic News: Today's paper focused on Hilary Rodham Clinton and her new role on the President's cabinet as Secretary of State. She is the first Secretary who was also a First Lady! We also read articles on the migration of the monarch butterflies from Mexico, which happens in March (that's a lot of M's!!), and a new airplane called the Transition that can change into a car in 15 seconds! We worked with facts and opinions and practiced reading a table of contents. Homework: Finish the Scholastic News skills sheet if you didn't do so in class.
• Science 3/4: We talked about the brain and learned about the cerebrum, cerebellum, and the brain stem and the functions each part of the brain is responsible for. We also talked about the left and right hemispheres and thought it was interesting that the right side of the body is controlled by the left hemisphere, and vice versa. We took a handedness test and also did an activity to demonstrate how fleeting short term memory really is!
• We also spent time this afternoon writing letters to our penpals at Vienna Christian School!

Tuesday 3/3/09

• Math 3: We learned how to subtract money amounts across zeros (example: $5.00 - 2.48). This type of problem requires you to regroup twice and can be tricky if you don't keep your numbers lined up. We also talked about the importance of lining up the decimal point when adding or subtracting money amounts. Please practice your multiples of 3 this week since we just learned it and many still need to learn them. Homework: 96B.
• Language Arts 3: Third graders read an interesting piece called "Urban Roosts" that told us all about the different types of birds that live in the city and the unique places where they make their nests. Some of those birds are very creative! Homework: Spelling words 3x in very best handwriting.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders reviewed verbs and the spelling rules for changing a verb into past tense. Some of them are tricky, such as when to drop the -y and add -ied and when NOT to drop the -y...so we will continue to review these rules. We also read "The Wonderful Machine," an excerpt from the Little House on the Prairie series. Homework: Spelling words 3x in very best handwriting.
• Religion 3/4: We continued to practice our memory work. Our lesson was on John the Baptist. Homework: See planner for specific memory work assignments.
• Social Studies 3/4: We concluded our Fur Trade simulation and used some exchange rates that were actually used in the 18th century to convert all our "goods" into beaver pelts. Then we compared our own exchange rates with the actual ones and found that some of us got quite a good deal on our goods while others basically got "ripped off." We discussed the pros and cons of bartering and decided we'd rather use money and standard rates to buy things rather than have prices changing all the time.
• PE 3/4: Pickleball with Mr. Bretscher!

Monday 3/2/09

• Math 3: Third graders learned multiples of 3 today, and we also talked about weight and mass using terms like ounces, pounds, tons, grams, and kilograms. Students are responsible to know how many ounces in a pound, how many pounds in a ton, and how many grams in a kilogram. Some finished all the work in class, others did not. Homework: Finish any part of 95 A/B that is not complete.
• Language Arts 3: We read a story called "Fly High, Fly Low" about pigeons in San Francisco. We also got to read a Dr. Seuss story called "Horton Hatches an Egg" in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Language Arts 4: We read an informational piece called "The Workhorse" and took notes on how the use of the horse has been affected by technological advances. We will be constructing a timeline throughout the week as we read a few more stories about horses and technology. We also got to read a Dr. Seuss story called "Horton Hatches an Egg" in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Religion 3/4:
• Science 3/4: We conducted two experiments today to test the sensitivity to touch of several body parts - our back, shoulder, knee, cheek, and hand - palm and finger tip. We learned that the fingers and face are the most sensitive, while the back and shoulder were least sensitive. We also learned about two types of nerves: sensory nerves and motor nerves. They both play different roles - ask your child to explain the difference.
• Music 3/4: We continue learning new songs on the recorder! Some students have taken on the challenge of learning to play a song from our chapel songbooks...but remember to do your other homework before practicing!

Week of February 23-27, 2009

REMINDER: Lutheran Schools Week will kick off THIS SUNDAY, March 1, here at Peace Lutheran Church. All students are expected to attend with their families and participate in the service (we will be singing) with their classmates as a way to show the community what we are all about here at Peace Lutheran School. Please make plans to attend!

Friday 2/27/09

• Math 3: We completed part two of yesterday's two-day fraction lesson and then were able to begin our math test around 9:20 a.m. Those who finished the math test early were able to get a head start on tonight's homework. We have some extra work to do this weekend in order to make up for missing next Friday, when we will be going on a school field trip. Homework: 94 A and B. A homework pass may be used on one PAGE, not the whole packet.
• Language Arts 3: Third graders took spelling tests and also took a quiz on yesterday's piece on City Lots. Then they worked independently to read "Linnea's Almanac," a short piece about January. Homework: Read, or finish reading, "Linnea's Almanac", pages 120-123.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders worked more with cause and effect as well as character development (thoughts and feelings). They also took a spelling test and a comprehension quiz on the story "You Never Can Tell."
• Religion 3/4: Many students got caught up on their memory work today and we had a good time increasing our speed with Bible races.
• Art 3/4: We used white crayons and watercolor paints to make resist paintings in spring scenes. Anywhere we colored with the white crayon would stay white even after painting over it because the wax in the crayon repels the water-based paint.
• We also spent some time this afternoon "spring cleaning" the classroom and getting it ready for potential visitors in preparation for Lutheran Schools Week next week.

Thursday 2/26/09

• Math 3: Today we used strips of paper to represent fractions with denominators of 2, 3, 4, and 8. We compared and ordered them from least to greatest, and we also learned how to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator. This is a two part lesson which we will conclude tomorrow before we take our math test. Everyone finished their homework in class today so there is no homework!
• Language Arts 3: We read "City Lots" about the various types of lots in the city and what you can find there. It was an interesting read, and we worked on cursive handwriting afterwards. Today we did capital W and X. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Language Arts 4: Miss Bertschi attempted to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches using the directions they had written out, but sadly the sandwiches didn't turn out. After realizing that there needed to be many more details in describing the process, students wrote new directions that (for the most part) resulted in edible sandwiches. It was a fun (and funny) visual lesson on the importance of details and describing words in writing! Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Social Studies 3/4: We conducted a simulation today and assumed the roles of Miami Indians and French Fur Traders. Without talking, and then only using one word, we attempted to barter otter and beaver pelts for supplies like guns, knives, blankets, and other European luxuries. It was interesting how we worked around the communication barrier.
• PE: Badminton with Mr. Bretscher!

Wednesday 2/25/09

• Math 3: We worked more today on subtracting two- and three-digit numbers. Some of us are still struggling with remembering when we need to regroup and when we don't, but that will come with more practice! Students had a hard time staying on task today so most of us have some homework tonight. Homework: Finish lesson 92 A/B.
• Language Arts 3: We are doing a writing assignment for Lutheran Schools Week about what we like about our school, and we spent some time in class today working on that. We also reviewed prepositions and searched for sentences containing them in yesterday's story. Homework: Spelling words 3x AND finish your writing assignment about PLS.
• Language Arts 4: We are doing a writing assignment for Lutheran Schools week about what we like about our school, and we spent some time in class today working on that. We also read another story in our Technology unit called "You Never Can Tell." Homework: Spelling words 3x AND finish your writing assignment about PLS.
• Social Studies 3/4: We began a new study on Frontier Indiana by watching a short video and trying to assemble a timeline of what happened in the early 1700s here in Indiana. We talked a lot about the French fur traders as well as the French and Indian War.
• Scholastic News: Today's paper was about a new group of wild animals discovered along the Mekong River in Asia. There were some fascinating creatures discovered and the WWF is trying to protect them from becoming extinct. We also read about Daylight Savings Time as well as the Grand Canyon celebrating its 90th birthday.
• Science 3/4: With everyone getting sick lately we did an experiment today to show how effective or ineffective various methods are for killing germs on our hands. We used glitter to represent germs and tried many ways to get rid of them: wiping with a paper towel, using hand sanitizer, running them under cold water, and scrubbing them with soap and hot water. We found the hot soapy water method to be most effective and it was a fun visual reminder of the importance of hand washing and being wise about what we let into our bodies.

Tuesday 2/24/09

• Math 3: We learned how to subtract two- and three-digit numbers today. We already know how to subtract with regrouping so it was a bit of a review, but we can always use the extra practice! Almost everyone finished all their work in class today! Homework: Finish lesson 91.
• Language Arts 3: We read the first story in our new literature unit, which is on City Wildlife. It will be interesting to learn how city wildlife contrasts with the wildlife we read about in our Country Life unit. Today's story was called "The Boy Who Didn't Believe in Spring." Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Language Arts 4: After reading two pieces on ancient technology we completed a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the technnology used to build both the Great Pyramids and the Great Wall of China. We also worked some more on our process writing skills and will be putting our instructions to the test this week as we use our own written instructions to attempt to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order AND write instructions for how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
• Religion 3/4: We talked more about the story of Daniel and continued to work on our memory work. See your child's planner for his or her specific pages to work on.
• Science 3/4: After reviewing yesterday's lesson on the nervous system we watched a School House Rock video that compared the nervous system to a telegraph line! It was a good visual and helped us better understand the concept. We also did a fun experiment in which we put each of our five senses to a test and found that they did very well!
• PE 3/4: Volleyball with Mr. Bretscher!

Monday 2/23/09

• Math 3: We used the terms certain, likely, 50-50 chance, unlikely, and impossible to describe the likelihood of an event and conducted probability trials using various spinners. We also reviewed the three ways to write a division problem and learned the fact families for dividing by 2, 5, and 7. Homework: Finish lesson 90.
• Language Arts 3: We took a spelling pre-test then worked some more on our Venn diagrams comparing the country mouse to the city mouse. We also read "How Does Your Garden Grow?" about the roles gardens played in the lives of early settlers. Homework: Use a dictionary to find the definition of each spelling word - this week we have homophones so we need to know how to use these words correctly.
• Language Arts 4: We took a spelling pre-test and then worked with interesting verbs. We spiced up a paragraph that used the word "moved" in every sentence by replacing it with more interesting verbs such as "leapt" or "slithered." We also read a story about the technology involved in the building of the Great Wall of China. Homework: Use a dictionary to find the definitions of each spelling word - this week we have homophones to we need to know how to use these words correctly. Also, finish the interesting verbs skill sheet.
• Music 3/4: We worked on our recorders songs and also began learning the words to the two new verses of "Life is a Journey" that the 5th and 6th graders wrote. Please make plans to attend the School Family Worship THIS SUNDAY, when we will be singing the new verses!
• Science 3/4: We began a new unit today on the nervous system. We learned that the nervous system is composed of the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves. More to come as we learn more about the awesome bodies our Creator God gave us!
• Religion 3/4:

Week of February 16-20, 2009

Friday 2/20/09

• Math 3: We took a test this morning, then worked on math puzzles.
• Language Arts 3: We took spelling tests and also read "The Country Mouse and The City Mouse" to learn about comparing and contrasting. Homework: Daniel and Alizza didn't finish the skill sheet during class.
• Language Arts 4: We took spelling tests and worked on process writing some more. We peer edited our first drafts and will work more with this next week. Homework: Write a second rough draft for Monday, writing on every other line.
• Religion 3/4: We talked more about the book of Daniel and heard about how he was thrown in the lion's den for refusing to bow down to anyone but God, but God protected him and used him to change the king's heart. Homework: Everyone but Laurie, Craig, and Kevin still have memory work that they need to catch up on - let's try to get it done this weekend!
• Art 3/4: In our continuing discussion on African American History Month, we read a bio on Jan Ernst Matzeliger, an immigrant from Dutch Guiana who revolutionized the shoe industry in the 1800s. To celebrate his work we used the soles of our shoes to create crayon rubbings and experimented with textures that we found in the classroom.

Thursday 2/19/09

• Math 3: This morning we spent some time learning to find the sum in problems with three addends. Since we are already addition experts, we found adding three addends to be just as easy as adding two addends. Everyone finished 89 A and B in class. Homework: Oral Facts 89.
• Language Arts 3: We finished reading "Whatever Happened to the Baxter Place?" and took a quiz, then we used the rest of class time to catch up on any unfinished assignments in our literature folder. Homework: Spelling sentences, and study for the test!
• Language Arts 4: Students read the first story in our new literature unit, Technology. The piece was about how the Pyramids were built and was a great example of writing that described a process. We will be working on a lot of writing projects during this unit and will begin with writing our own "process" piece. Homework: Spelling sentences and study for test!
• Religion 3/4: We did some memory work and learned about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the book of Daniel. Homework: Specific memory work assignments are listed in each person's planner.
• Social Studies 3/4: After learning about lines of lattitude, lines of longitude were very easy. We learned about the eastern and western hemispheres and found that the continent of Africa touches all four hemispheres! We also discussed the Prime Meridian, which is 0 degrees longitude. A few students finished all the workbook pages today but many did not. Homework: Finish any missing pages in 57-61.
• PE 3/4: Volleyball with Mr. Bretscher!

Wednesday 2/18/09

• Math 3: Our work with arrays yesterday helped us today as we learned about area. We were able to use the same number sentence to find area that we used to solve the array. This concept will test our multiplication skills so find a set of flashcards and practice those facts! Everyone completed all their work today, so no homework!
• Language Arts 3: We read the first part of a story called, "Whatever Happened to the Baxter Place," which tells the story of how a once large family farm was eventually put out of use due to technology, modernization, and changing times. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Language Arts 4: We read an informative piece today about slavery and how slaves used music to inspire hope and survive their terrible times. Homework: Spelling words 3x.
• Social Studies 3/4: This afternoon we learned about lines of lattitude on the globe. We learned that the earth is divided into two hemispheres and that the Equator lies on the 0 degree line. We did several activities in our workbook to enforce this concept and will learn about lines of longitude later this week.
• Scholastic News 3/4: The title piece of this weeks' paper was about earthquakes and spotlighted the May 2008 quakes that devastated China. We also read articles about Black History Month and a cute story about scientists who used teddy bears to test new space suit designs in outer space.
• Music 3/4: Those who completed all their work were able to spend some time working on their two recorder songs, "Aura Lee" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

Tuesday 2/17/09

• Math 3: We learned how to draw and label an array as well as how to write number sentences to go along with them. An array is an orderly arrangement of objects in the shape of a rectangle, and they are designed to help us learn and remember our multiplication facts. Everyone finished 87A in class. Homework: 87B and oral facts 87.
• Language Arts 3/4: We took our spelling pre-tests this morning and spent some time journal writing. The rest of class time was spent browsing the Usborne books and selecting the ones we wished to order with our fundraising money. Three people still need to bring their forms and money in NO LATER THAN TOMORROW. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Religion 3/4: We continued with our memory work and Bible races. We also read in Jeremiah and talked about God's comfort during sad times. Everyone except Craig and Laurie have memory work to catch up on - see your planner for your specific assignments.
• Science 3/4: Our chapter review was completed today on force and motion. We worked a little more with simple machines and read some books that go into more detail about each specific machine.
• PE 3/4: Volleyball with Mr. Bretscher!

Monday 2/16/09 - President's Day! No School!

Week of February 9-13, 2009

Thursday 2/12/09

• Math 3: Today we discussed larger-smaller-difference problems, involving words like bigger, smaller, longer, shorter, hotter, colder, etc. Some students finished 86A in class, others did not. Homework: 86A and B.
• Language Arts 3: Today we took a quiz on "Potato Vacation," worked some more on our paragraphs for our book, and reviewed prepositions. Homework: Study for the spelling test!
• Language Arts 4: Today we held a literature circle discussion on "The Diary of Anne Frank." It was a very interesting story! Homework: Study for the spelling test!
• Religion 3/4:
• Social Studies 3/4: We spent some time in small groups practicing the Preamble as well as working on an activity comparing George Washington's USA to Abraham Lincoln's USA. It was strange to see a map of the USA with different markings on it, but very cool to see how things have changed since then.
• PE 3/4: Volleyball with Mr. Bretscher!

Wednesday 2/11/09

• Math 3: Today we discussed how many inches in a foot, how many feet in a yard, and how many centimeters in a meter. We estimated the length of our classroom in feet and yards then measured the actual length using a tape measure. What a crazy world this would be if everyone used his or her own foot for measuring! Good thing we have standardized units of measure now! We also learned how to use a clock to help us with multiplying by 5, how to multiply by 0, and the commutative property of multiplication. Homework: 85A and finish 85B.
• Language Arts 3: Our story for the day was called "Potato Vacation" and we learned a great deal about life for potato farmers living in Maine from the point of view of a young girl named Peggy. We talked about fact versus opinion and looked for examples of opinions in the story. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Language Arts 4: We were unable to have our literature circle today due to an absence so those who were prepared were able to spend some time practicing their spelling words using a fun website called http://www.spellingcity.com/. Those who weren't prepared for the literature circle finished their work and also completed a self-evaluation from the last literature circle discussion. Homework: Spelling sentences.
• Science 3/4: We discussed Sir Isaac Newton and his three laws of motion this afternoon. The first and most well-known is the Law of Inertia which tells us that an object in motion or at rest will STAY in motion or at rest unless another force acts upon it. This means that when we throw a baseball, the ball will continue to move forward in the air until another force (gravity) acts upon it, bringing it down.
• Scholastic News 3/4: Our Scholastic News for today was celebrating Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. We discussed many reasons why Lincoln is said to be the greatest president of all time, and we learned that the U.S. Mint is releasing four new pennies in his honor. Following our discussion of the news stories we read the Gettysburg Address and talked about what it meant.

Tuesday 2/10/09

• Math 3: This morning we learned a poem to help us remember how many days are in each month of the year: "Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November. All the rest have thirty-one, except February, with twenty-eight days clear, and twenty-nine in each leap year." Everyone finished 84A in class. Homework: 84B and oral facts 84.
• Language Arts 3: Today third graders did a fun activity to help build our sentence writing skills. Eventually we will have written a book about ourselves but for now we are working on writing strong paragraphs that focus on a central theme. Homework: Spelling words written 3x.
• Language Arts 4: Fourth graders read an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank," which is set in Germany during WWII, like our last story, "The Cage." Students looked for similarities between this and other survival stories we've read and used their dictionaries to identify new vocabulary words. Homework: Finish answering the questions from class, and spelling words written 3x.
• Religion 3/4: We had Bible races today and also talked about sins of omission as opposed to sins of comission.
• Social Studies 3/4: In our continuing mini-unit on President's Day we read a fascinating story about Abe Lincoln's journey to Washington D.C. and the things he fought for and accomplished during his work in office. Many sad things happened to Lincoln but still he fought hard to save the Union and keep everyone free.
• PE 3/4: We got to have PE outside today with Mr. Bretscher!

Monday 2/9/09

• Math 3: We learned about the Celsius scale on the thermometer and how to write temperature in Celsius. We learned that the freezing and boiling points for water are 0 and 100 on the Celsius scale, and that a Celsius thermometer shows increments of one while the Fahrenheit thermometer usually shows increments of two. Everyone finished 83A in class. Homework: 83B.
• Language Arts 3: We read a Patricia Polacco story called "Just Plain Fancy" that gave us more insight into the Amish community and also taught us a lesson on the beauty of God's creation. Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Language Arts 4: Today we held a literature circle discussion on "The Cage." It was interesting when we talked about what things we NEED to survive - are friends something you need to survive? Homework: Spelling words in ABC order.
• Religion 3/4: Homework: 126-127 in religion book.
• Music 3/4: We reviewed playing the notes G, A, B, C, and D. Most of us are working on learning the song "Aura Lee" but a few students have learned the note E and habe begun working on the song "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Students have been informed that if recorders go home this week they are to be practicing their song and nothing else. By Friday I'm hoping everyone can play Aura Lee so that we can move on to more challenging pieces with more notes.
• Science 3/4: Continuing our physics unit we discussed forces today. We talked about force, friction, gravity, work, and power. We talked about what kind of things make our work easier and what kind of things have more power, and we also talked about the effect of gravity on every object. We tested a theory by dropping a tennis ball and a baseball at the same time. Before dropping them we predicted which ball would hit first. As it turned out, the tennis ball and baseball both hit the ground at the same time, everytime!