Dear Parents,
      Happy Thursday!!!  I hope your student is enjoying 4th grade so far.  I am definitely enjoying the students.  It is quite an adjustment for some, and I have given out some late slips all ready.  The students will get used to having homework and knowing they need to do it.  Parents may need to push them along.  I usually dread the first full week of school but I have really enjoyed this one.  I was ready to come back and get into a routine.  I like to have fun when I teach, and I think the kids are finding that enjoyable.  I hope they enjoy my crazy ways!!!

Language Arts - We are finishing up our week on the story Because of Winn-Dixie.   We have spent time this week focusing on the vocabulary words form the story, decoding words, and picking out subjects and predicates of a sentence.  These are all things that they will be assessed on tomorrow.  It will also assess their comprehension of the story.   Remember there is a spelling post test tomorrow! I have instructed the students to be sure and study for spelling and also study their vocabulary words in their notebooks.  These are items tested over every Friday.  I request they bring their vocabulary notebooks home to study every Thursday night.

Math - We have had one full lesson in Math this week.  It focused on the base ten system and understanding that each place value is 10 times the previous place value.  We looked at base ten blocks up to 1,000 then discussed what they would look like if we had physical example past 1,000.  We will move on to 3 ways to read and write numbers: standard form, word form, expanded form, and comparing numbers next week.  It is always a slow start getting used to my teaching style and how we use our textbooks.  We will move a little faster and we go along. 

Social Studies - We are discussing the 5 regions of the United States.  These regions are: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West.  We begin by talking about the United States as a whole and our government system. Then we will move on and study the states by their region.  All 4th graders love social studies because of the content we study and the projects they will complete. This week we have focused on the Regions, their landforms, and the climate of the United States.  The students have had to do a lot of vocabulary words and we do a worksheet at the end of each lesson.  The worksheets help to summarize what they have learned and what is important.

I really hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Labor Day Weekend.  I know there are lots of fun things that happen this weekend.  I plan to spend some time with family.  I have a cousin who has been training for a triathlon, she had something come up and can't run in the real one, so her husband made one for her around Creston.  Family is gathering to watch her and show support, then having a meal together.  I admire her spirit. I plan to be there. 

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels