Good morning dear families! It's beautiful out this morning, so I hope some of you are up and at 'em enjoying it while you can. It's going to creep up close to 100 later this week! I had a rough week healthwise - my allergies got out of control and turned into a sinus infection, I totally lost my voice and while I feel much better, it's still not quite back to normal, and Thursday I left school right at the bell to go see a podiatrist for pain in my ankle. Turns out I have a tear in the tendon that goes over your ankle. Three weeks in a boot might heal it, but otherwise, we're looking at surgery. Bummer! No idea how it happened.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's Easter celebration at my mom's house with siblings and their families. I'm going to smoke a pork roast and three racks of ribs for our meal. Dessert will be...candy! Haha, with so many little ones around, we decided we didn't really need any other sweets.

Thank you to all who came to hear the classes recite "Paul Revere's Ride" on Thursday. They did a wonderful job, and I know they enjoyed performing it for you! 

Our second field trip is coming up; sign ups will go live this week. Please look for an email from your homeroom teachers on Monday after school for the link and more details about that day. 

By the end of this week, we'll be finished with testing! Our AASA Math and ELA tests will be Tuesday and Friday morning. Please be sure that your children get a full night's sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, bring a healthy snack, and get to school on time. Let's take a look at the rest of our plans this week.

Language Arts:

     Poetry - "George Washington" will be recited in pairs on Monday the 25th. Because of the R&R weekend, we gave them an extra weekend to prepare.

     Literature - We will read just two chapters of COMB this week due to testing.

     Grammar - Our test will NOT be Monday; we moved it to Wednesday to allow for another tutoring session.

     L&G Roots - 

Monday  

corpus/corporis – body  

cor po real (adj) pertaining to the body  

corpse (n) dead body  

cor pus cle (n) small part of the body  

in cor por ate (v) to make into a body  

corps (n) a military division organized as a body  

  

Tuesday – No Roots  

  

Wednesday  

scio/scitum – know, understand  

sci ence (n) knowledge of the natural world through observation and experiment  

sci en tist (n) a person with expert knowledge of science  

con science (n) an inner feeling or voice that guides right and wrong behavior  

om nis cient (adj) knowing everything.  

con sci en tious (adj) wishing to do what is right, especially to do something well and thoroughly  

  

 

Math - We will not have regular math lessons this week, but will review the packets that the students have been working on in preparation for the state testing.

History - Things are heating up in the colonies! The First Continental Congress is in session and in our next chapter we will hear about Paul Revere's ride and the Shot Heard Round the World.

Science - We are finished with the circulatory system and now we'll learn how closely related to the respiratory system it is. We will be doing a fun project associated with this next week and are looking for some sturdy clear plastic bottles; these should be of heavier plastic than regular water bottles - more like smooth-sided vitamin water bottles. We will show the students what it is we're looking for, so they can convey that to you.

I would be remiss if I didn't make a plug for tax credits. It's the final weekend and there are probably some who have not contributed. Here is an email from Mrs. Swanson:

As we head out to the weekend, I’d like to remind you to make your Public School Tax Credit before you file your taxes. Did you know that you can redirect your tax dollars to our school, rather than giving it directly to the state? We will make good use of your tax dollars, I promise!

 

We use these funds to support our extra-curricular programs, such as our Wednesday afternoon clubs, on-campus and off-campus field trips. Our scholars love these opportunities to learn outside of the classroom! Just this year, your class went to the MIM and are headed to the Arizona Science Center next month. 

 

Make your tax credit using this link. See below (or ask Mrs. Swanson) if you have any questions. Or watch this quick video.

Okay, that's it for this week. We are coming up on week 5 of our final quarter of fourth grade. We only have 29 more days in the classroom this year!!! Can you believe it? Have a fabulous weekend!