Dear Parents,
     Happy Friday!  I was out of the building yesterday, in Des Moines for work.  I didn't even think on Wednesday to do the blog early, so here it is a day late.  I apologize!  I did have a great day yesterday  catching up with other 4th grade teachers from the Diocese.  I had to end my day freezing at a track meet in Osceola though.  I am happy it is the weekend.  Though not happy about the snowflakes in the forecast!  Thank goodness it is not much!  

Language Arts-  This week we are reading one of my favorite stories of the year.  It is called The World According to Humphrey.  It is about a hamster that is a class pet and each kid get to take it home on a weekend to care for it and clean the cage.  He is in a particular house where everything centers around the TV and it is loud all the time.  Humphrey (the hamster) unplugs the TV and the family thinks something is wrong with it so they find other things to do like play games, cards and go outside.  It is a great story with a definite theme or lesson for the kids.   In grammar we are reviewing comparative and superlative adjectives, which they are good at they may just forget what they are called. Our vocabulary strategy this week was about using the context of a sentence to figure out the correct meaning of multiple meaning words.   Today will be a normal Friday with a spelling post test and end of the week assessment. I expect the scores for today to be pretty high because the students did enjoy the story.

Math- You should have found the results of your student's math test in their folders.  They all did quite well on this test.  We have begun in chapter 13 working on perimeter.  Today I plan to start Area.  We will have one more lesson in this chapter then we will take our post test, so we are looking at doing that at the end of the week next week or beginning of the following week.  I think they thought perimeter was easy but one asked why we have to use the formula and not just add the sides together.  My answer was because we are trying to teach you what a formula is and how to use them.  This will get them ready for the higher grades for sure. This is consider a little bit of algebra.  When I told them that they all sat up a little straighter in their chairs ready to learn.  They love knowing this is "big kid" stuff!!!

Social Studies -  We are to have a map test today, but since i wasn't here to remind them I may move it to Monday. If that is the case we will do a map skill today on Map Scale.  This will take a little teaching and then some partner work to help each other with the skill.  We will be finishing up this chapter the next week and begin working on studying for the test.  The next set of states we cover will be the Midwest.

Food Pantry -  I hope you have seen the flyer that showed the items that we collecting for the Food Pantry. It would have come home in a Thursday folder.  We are collecting, baby items ( diapers, wipes, bathwash), also, toothpaste, tooth brushes, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, bathwash, and bars of soap.  As you can see it is mainly Health and beauty products.  They give these items out once a month.   Our table is pretty bare so please be thinking about donating an item.

The next couple weeks are busy weeks. Next Thursday we have reconciliation and on Friday we go to the Food Pantry.  April 8-12 is our Iowa Assessment Week.  We will be testing on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday of that week.  We will still have some other lessons sprinkled in that week also.  I feel April is a month that is going to go by quickly because we have lots of things on the calendar.  Also don't forget, St. Malachy is closed April 22-24 as the teachers will be attending NCEA in Chicago.  

I hope all of you have a great weekend!

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!!  The snow is falling AGAIN!!  Well we are here at school and going to work!  It was not a fun drive to get her for some.  We have to be happy it is not a snow day though.  Remember that conferences are next week!  Please be sure you have signed up for a time to meet with me. I have 3 of you that have not signed up for a time yet!!  Here is the link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0544a5a72ca1fe3-4thgrade6

Language Arts - This week the students are reading a story about Sacagawea.  It is an interesting story because you actually learn about her travels with Lewis and Clark and what she did to help them.  She proved herself invaluable to the Corps of Discovery which was the name of the group.   We are working on Abbreviations in grammar which is great!  They need to learn how to correctly abbreviate words.  Plus, we will soon have a spelling list that is based solely on abbreviations.  So this lesson helps tremendously.  The vocab strategy this week was shades of meaning.  Again, this is showing words that are synonyms but still just paint a little different picture.  Example would be large and enormous.  They are words that have same meaning yet when you hear enormous you get a different picture than if you say large. Tomorrow will be our spelling post test and end of week test.  Make sure your child gets our their yellow packet of vocabulary words and study.

Math - We are finally back and working on multiplication.  We will cover the last lesson in this chapter today and tomorrow.  Looking ahead we will most likely review on Monday, check it on Tuesday and start our test on Wednesday.  After that we will learn about area and perimeter then dig into Division.  We have been working on becoming more fluent in our multiplication facts, which will help us in  division also.  I plan to continue to work on this for the rest of the year.  We are also going to step up our game on our online program, Dreambox.  

Social Studies -  We are working on lesson one in Chapter 7.  They are working on vocabulary words and reading the lesson.  I intend to finish the lesson tomorrow.  I told the kids we would be stepping up our game a little to get moving.  The snow days are killing our progress.  Because our class in first thing in the morning a late start makes us miss it.  We have also talked about them having too much free time in study hall, so them having a little more to do will not hurt them one bit.  They are excited to get moving into the Midwest.

Spirit Day -  Tomorrow is a Spirit Day!  Bring a dollar and wear sweatpants all day!   It all goes to a very good cause.  

Food Pantry -  We are gathering items for the Food Pantry this Lenten Season.  You will find a flyer in their folders on what they are to donate.  They are in need of all baby items (diapers, wipes, body wash) .  They can also use all sorts of health and beauty products, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, ect.  Anything you would like to donate in these areas is very much appreciated.  We will collect the items until April 12th.

Biztown -  I want to thank all those who voluteered or donated money for our 4th and 5th graders to attend a day at Biztown.  It was a great day and everyone really had a lot of fun,  Volunteers can't say enough about the day and what a great learning experience it is for the students.  This is the first year I have been able to walk around and just enjoy the kids in every one of their jobs.  Some tried to take a shortened lunch period because they just wanted to work.  That was fun to see.  Some found their jobs a little overwhelming, which was a good thing.  They now know how hard their parents work every day.  Again thanks for any roles you played in getting us there.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.  I am at a Strategic Planning workshop for the Food Pantry all afternoon Saturday.  If it's going to rain I would rather be inside!  Spring Break is just around the corner, let's hope Mother Nature figures it out and gives us some weather that feels like spring.

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!!  Wow!  We are going to get in a full week this week!  It's a miracle.  Well, I guess 2 hour delay on Monday but I will take it.  I may be worn out by the end of the week though. Our field trip was yesterday, it was so much fun.  The kids were so into their jobs, some didn't want to take their full lunch break.  They knew they had work to do.  I will go over with them today what businesses were able to pay back their loans and who spent money in the town to help with that.  We really pushed for the kids to spend their money to help the economy.  The day after is a favorite for me to listen to the kids talk about their day and their experience. Miss Surma and I already have several thoughts for when we go again in 2 years.  We really enjoyed being able to wander around this year and watch all kids in their positions.  We had to help fix a few mistakes that were made  in  our classroom work that was done prior to the day but very important for the day.  There was some Math issues.  Also, some real life mistakes of an account being charged double for something, misplaced debit cards,  account numbers not matching and even a bounced check. I explained each time these are real things that can happen in life and we worked to fix them.  GREAT learning right there.

Language Arts-   This week the story is called Harvesting Hope.  It is a biography about Cesar Chavez and migrant farm workers. It tells the story about how he worked to get fair treatment and wages for the Migrant Farm Workers.  It tells his story from when he was a child and how a drought cost his family their ranch.  They moved to California to work as Migrant workers in the San Joaquin Valley.  He led a march to Sacramento from Delano, California.  That march worked to get the first contract for Migrant Farm Workers Association.  It is a good story about protesting without violence. Also a great history lesson.  We have been talking about Clauses in grammar, independent, dependent, and relative clauses.  This is difficult stuff for 4th graders but we grasp the ideas.  We will do an activity over Reference Materials this week for the vocabulary strategy.  Also the short story is a very interesting one on a school with a "garden" classroom.  The things grown in the garden are used in school lunches and kids learn how to prepare healthy lunches.  It is cool story.  Tomorrow is normal Friday with spelling post test and end of week test.

Math -  We will begin back in the math chapter today.  First I will begin by reviewing how to multiply double digit numbers using the regrouping strategy.  Then we will finish up this chapter and take a test.  We will move pretty quickly with this so that we can finish up.  I plan to teach them about area and perimeter then move on into division.  That is our plan.  I am getting to the point where I have to look at big picture (end of year) when making my plans because as long as this winter is, the end is still coming.

Social Studies -  The students have had a test over chapter 6 this week and a map test over the Southeast states.  They are working on putting states in their interactive notebooks.  This week has been MIssissippi and Alabama.  We will move onto chapter 7 tomorrow.  I plan on covering this chapter rather quickly.  We will have another map test during this chapter and finish up states in our interactive notebooks.  We will also work on new vocabulary.  Chapter 7 will again cover the Southeast States.  We will talk about people that were all ready in the region.

Auction/Gala -  The St. Malachy Gala is this Saturday night at Supertel.  I hope all of you can make it.  I will not due to it being Mom's Weekend in Ames at Jami's sorority.  Thank you to all who donated to the auction basket and silent auction item.  Both turned out great!  The students are working on placemats this week.  It is a great fundraiser and frankly a very fun evening!  If you are looking for something to do there is a fabulous meal being provided.  If you would like tickets pick them up at the office.  You can pay at the door.

Illness -  Just a reminder, illness has hit our wing at school.  We have had one diagnosed with influenza A.  I have talked to class about hand washing, sneezing, and wiping down desks with clorox wipes.  I told them to sneeze into sleeves and if that doesn't happen clean area.  They all seem to understand. Also, please remember the rule of thumb is 24 hours.  Your child needs to be fever free without meds for 24 hours, vomit free for 24 hours.  If this isn't in place they are still contagious and we are trying to prevent passing it on to others. Thank you!

I hope everyone has a great day!   I am praying the weather stays away.  I am looking forward to a day in Ames with my kids and a great friend. A little Hickory Park, shopping in  University Book Store and painting at the Sorority.  Not much of a painter but I will try. Hopefully March is a better month for weather.  I am sure those traveling are looking forward to Spring Break.  Enjoy your weekend.

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!  Well we are having 4 day weeks.  That seems to be the pattern this winter.  I don't know what it is like to teach a full week!!  I am not sure kids know how to be students 5 days a week either.  I am happy we are here today and school was on time.  I told the kids that we are working hard when we are here.  Today they will not get much of a study hall due to needing to get some important things done.  So most likely they will be bringing home some work.

Language Arts -  This week they are reading the story of Hercules.  The class always loves reading this story.  It is very different from the Disney movie.  We talk a little about the differences.  I hoped to show them the video but snow days are truly messing with us.  We are learning prepositions this week in grammar.  This topic is very hard to teach.  Sometimes I refer back to a very old grammar book I have but it didn't teach this topic at this age.  I will see how they do today with it.  The vocabulary strategy this week is on adages and proverbs.  These are a little complicated for the students to learn but we practice them.  The small story this week is called Zomo's Friends and it is a really good story.  It is longer than most but it has a moral to it.  We will be reading and sharing that today also.  Tomorrow they will have a spelling test and end of week test.  The end of week test will be based on the things we were able to go over well this week.  

Math -  We have been working on Biztown items in Math.  The students are learning to fill our deposit slips, write checks and keep a check register.  These are great life skills for them to learn.  Today we will be going over the jobs we have to fill in Biztown and having them finish their job application.  Ms. Surma and I will sit down and place them into jobs and start the work preparing for the day.  We will spend our religion/Social time and Math time to do this.  

Social Studies -  We have barely had this class due to the late starts.  Today we are checking a study guide and will have a test tomorrow.  They need to be studying for their test tonight.  On Monday they will take their first Southeast region map test.  They will need to work on learning the locations of the states in that region.  Reminder, I had a few students who did not do well on the Northeast States and so I would like to see them do better on this region.  At the end of the year they will be taking a test over the entire 50 states.  The benchmark is that they will be able to name and locate all 50 states and capitals.  Please work with them on learning them.  

Biztown- This field trip is next week Wednesday.  If you are volunteering please make sure you have gone to the link I sent you and taken the training.  Also Volunteers need to arrive 30 minutes before the kids.  So 8:30.  I have talked to the Bob at the Bus barn and if there would be a 2 hour delay we can still plan on going. Because the students need to be there by 9:00 we need to be pulling away from the school at 7:45.  Students will need to be here before then and have their sack lunch.  I know that might be inconvenient for our Greenfield people but for the kids to get the full experience we need to get there as soon as we can.  I only asked the Bus barn about a 2 hour delay because you just never know with this weather and I wanted to be prepared. Please fill out the permission form in today's folder.

I hope you all try in some way to enjoy the weekend!  Not sure a weekend of rain, freezing rain, ice and snow is what I want but I will read my book and be quiet.

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!!  Well it has been another week for sure!  Another day off and a 2 hr. delay.  When is this going to end!!!  I am ready for winter to be over and I am the winter lover.  I did not ask for all of this for sure. Valentine's Day in all this makes it for a busy week.  One year we had a snow day on Valentine's.  Be careful over the weekend.  Sounds like another storm to roll in.  When we are here we are working hard.

Language Arts -  This week's story is called The Right Dog for the Job.  This is a story about a dog's journey to be a service dog.  I think the kids were pleasantly surprised at the training that happens in the first few years.  One training is in a 6th grade classroom.  Learning to lay still in a noisy environment and learning to "come" to the person who is saying "Come".  They were blown away thinking how lucky for that classroom.  It also may have given them a few ideas on how to better train their animals.  It is interesting the first time you read it but maybe not so much after that.  So I hope that doesn't affect their scores.  In grammar we are learning about Adverbs.  I am not a fan of throwing adverbs at them in only a week's time and it was shortened due to Tuesday.  Long ago I would spend an entire unit on each part of speech.  I still refer to that book  when I need help.  The vocabulary strategy was on the suffixes -ion, ation, and -ition.  Please be sure they study their  yellow vocab packet tonight for tomorrow.  We will do our end of the week test.  Also spelling post test will take place.

Math -  We are working on Biztown math right now.  We are learning about checkbooks, deposit slips, and check registers.  This is financial literacy.  I plan to keep on working on this until I have covered all 5 lessons.  We will finish the rest of chapter 3 when we are done.  Then we will test.  I can't even make a guess when that will be due to weather.  I am going to say sometime during the last week of February.  We will see if weather cooperates with me.

Social Studies -  We are ready to finish up this chapter.  We have been covering the book, map skills which is focusing on Map keys, and putting states into our interactive notebooks.  We will be taking a test for sure next week again depending on what Mother Nature decides to do.  I will be giving them their Southeast Maps tomorrow.  They will then be expected to use those maps to study the region.  I will give them a map test next week or the following week also.  Practice! Practice!

Book Reports -  Sketchbooks are due tomorrow.  I think most of them are finished.  Please be sure to have them remember to bring them tomorrow.

Auction -  I have received a few more donations since I sent another paper home.  Thank you.  Please get me any donations for the basket soon.  The auction and Gala are March 2nd and our coordinator will need to have time to purchase items and put the basket together.

Field Trip -  Our field trip to Biztown will take  place on February 27th. This is a Wednesday and the same day 4th grade is scheduled to do Mass.  We have switched Mass with 3rd grade so now our new day is March 6 which is Ash Wednesday.  I will give more information on what to wear on day of Biztown when we find out what jobs the students will be working.

I hope everyone has a nice safe weekend.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!   What a day it already is!  I am a little shocked we did not have a 2 hr. delay this morning...BUT we are here and we will make the most of it! This winter has been a doozy for us!  Next week doesn't look any better.  They say to watch out for Tuesday!   Also be aware of colder temps tomorrow.  We will not take the kids outside but be sure hat, coats and mittens for after school and riding bus home.  We want our kiddos warm.  I will not be in the classroom tomorrow. I have a class in Osceola.  

Language Arts -  This week the story is called Riding Freedom.  It is a real-life Mulan story.  A female named Charlotte Parkhurst disguises herself as a man so she can do a man's job of driving a stagecoach.  She has an accident and loses majority of her sight in one eye.  She works hard to train herself to do the job with just one eye.  She focuses on her sense of hearing to help her.  This story is historical fiction.  It was interesting.  We are learning about adjectives this week.  We are reviewing that they describe a noun or pronoun.  It is important that we know the parts of speech so we can improve our writing.  I have tried to model what it would be like to read a book or story without adjectives in them.  I think they understand the importance of adjectives.  The vocabulary strategy this week was on figurative language.  We reviewed similes, metaphors, and idioms. The students will have a normal Friday with a spelling posttest and end of week test.

Math - We have learned the standard algorithm or regrouping strategy for multiplication.  FINALLY!!  I have not been able to teach it for like 2 weeks!  We are going to begin working on Biztown math so I can get some financial literacy into them before our field trip on Feb. 27th.  We also are working on basic multiplication facts.  We will be writing checks, filling out deposit forms and balancing checkbooks.  It is fun stuff! That will most likely start next Monday and weather permitting we will do all week next week.

Social studies -  We are working through our first chapter of the Southeast very nicely.  We have put several states into our notebooks, we have been working on map skills. Soon we will be working on located the  12 states in this region.  We will also work on the capitals.  I hope to have a map test by next Friday and we will also begin preparing for a test over chapter 6.  I really feel the students have been working really hard on the days we are here.  They seem to be enjoying Social Studies class.

Biztown -  I would like thank you for your generous donations to our field trip.  It is a great day.  We have currently met the goal of money to make this trip possible. BUT still need several volunteers to go along with us.  I have two parents that are going but we still have openings.  You will have to take an online training session and then make sure you arrive in Des Moines at Biztown by 8:30.  The students will arrive by 9:00. It is fun to watch and be a part of, so make sure you email me to let me know you would be a volunteer that day.  Even if you have told me you want to go will you send me an email or text to verify.  I feel like a 3rd person told me but I can't remember who it was.  Thank you!

Auction Basket -  I have received one donations towards our auction basket.  We definitely are in the need for more. I am sending home the paper we sent out in January  to let you know what our basket is and ideas of things to donate.  All proceeds to the basket which raises money of the St. Malachy Foundation.  Please help out. No donation is too small.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! 

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!  We are here in school!!  I apologize that I don't have much to say today.  These snow/ice/cold days are killing me!!!  When we return and it's a two hour delay I pick and choose what classes we will do.  Mainly to be sure we are finishing up important things that we don't want to linger.  So here goes:

Language Arts : Tuesday we finished the Unit 3 Test.  Today we went over the Unit Test together to discuss questions students missed.  I also finished our fluency testing this week.  We are ready to begin a new story for week 16 next week!  Finally.  We should have been dong that story this week!  

Math:  The next strategy I have to teach will be the standard algorithm. I need two solid days in a row to make sure I get that done.  We have not had that.  Thank goodness I haven't done it!  We have worked on Math facts.  Last week we took a multiplication fact test and did some work with flash cards and around the world.  I will do that same kind of thing this week it there is time.  Next Monday I intend on starting that new strategy!

Social Studies :  The best part about this subject is I have all the states interactive notebook pieces copied and I can use it to fill in at any time.  We has class Tuesday and today.  Today I did a doubly whammy of social studies.  They are working on North Carolina and they have a wkst to do.  Tomorrow we will move on with Social Studies and talk about elevation Maps and they will have homework.

Book It Calendars :  January Calendars are due Tuesday, February 5th!  They can turn them in after this date but will not be rewarded.  I have spent my snow days reading so they will be shocked when they see my minutes!

Grandparent/Special Guest Day:  The students are asked to dress their BEST tomorrow.  We will get on a bus around 1:00 and bus over to Holy Spirit.  You can meet your student there.  There will be a reception of cookies and juice in the basement of the church following Mass.  You are free to take your student with you as long as you let Mrs. Sickels know before you leave.  Bus and Trolley pick up will take place at the church at the normal times.

Happy Catholic Schools Week!  It's always crazy!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels