Field Day is Tuesday, June 2. If it is canceled due to weather conditions, it will be rescheduled for Wednesday, June 3. Students who have not ordered a school sack lunch need to remember to bring a sack lunch. Parents are welcome to watch the events at the stadium. Reminder: fourth grade girls need to wear a red t-shirt.  Fourth grade boys need to wear white t-shirts

The title says it all!  Watch this video of our class at the talent show!  We were FUNKY!
This was student planned, choreographed and organized!  Wow!

We had a great time on our field trip. We learned about the fur trade, as we pretended to be the “bourgeois” and the “melee” of the French and the British. Each challenged the other to a race. Fortunately it was a tie. Enjoy these pictures of our climb up Mt. Baldy, our picnic, and canoe trip.

Field Day is coming up Tuesday, June 2. Fourth grade girls are asked to wear the color red. Boys should wear white. This helps to organize students. They are selling shirts (forms were sent home), but students are welcome to wear their own shirt of the correct color. Forms also went home about ordering sack lunches. They must be returned by Friday, May 19. Students may bring their own lunch from home. However, if students want to have a school lunch, it must be preordered.

Thank you to fourth grader Ashley Tiesman for organizing Pink Day. Here are two pictures of our class on Pink Day. Which one do you like best?

Our Just Write Celebration is on Tuesday, May 5, from 2:15 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.  Please join us in celebrating our writing.  Each student has a story on their locker.  There is a scavenger hunt that we will be taking part in during that time. (a hunt for various stories).  Students are encouraged to wear their Just Write Shirt from last year if they did not get a new one.  There are a few available in the office for $10.

Dates to Remember

April 29 Art Show-Georgetown Reception at Park from 5:30 to &:7:30p.m.

May 1 Wear Pink Day!

May 5 Just Write Celebration for Fourth Grade Parents 2:15 to 3:00 p.m.

May 6 Voyageur Canoe Field Trip

May 8 Reading Counts End Date

May 15` Reading Counts Party

June 2 Field Day (Rain Date June 3)

June 4 Last Day of School

Science

Mr. Gort has been teaching our class about Space-Systems in the Sky!  The students have been very excited about this topic and are looking forward to making their project presentations this week.   I have been teaching the electricity and magnetism unit to Mrs. Jurewicz’ class.

Social Studies

At the end of this week we will switch to a study of economics.  We will be running a mini-society to experience economic decision making.  On May 8, Brenda Raterink from the Ottawa County Extension Service will lead us in some activities.  She lives on a dairy farm and shares her economic experiences in a very relevant way.  Watch for more information on this soon.

Math

We are studying geometry.  We are working to identify basic geometric including isosceles, equilateral and right triangles.  We are also identifying and counting the faces, edges, and vertices of basic three-dimensional solids such as cubes, rectangular prisms, and pyramids.

Reading

Mysteries are lots of fun to read.  We are enthusiastically playing detective and using clues to figure out the mysteries.  Alibis, red herrings, and suspects are vocabulary words that we are applying to our novels.  Many of us are reading the books in pairs or small groups called detective clubs.  Then we can discuss our findings together.

Writing

Be sure to plan on joining us Tuesday, May 5 for our fourth grade Just Write Celebration.  Our book of our writing has been published and has arrived.  Our writing will also be posted on our lockers.  Many activities will be enjoyed throughout the week to help us celebrate.

Field Trip

Voyageur Canoe Experience is May 6. Please turn in money by Friday, May 1. Read the previous blog to get complete information.  You can also click on the tag titled “field trip” or “canoe trip.”

Find out what’s happening in our classroom by reading the words of some of our students:

Science:April 20,2009:Today in science we worked on our solar system projects. We   could either do a diorama or a poster or both to get a perfect 3*!(Remember the projects are due either April 24 or April 27 2009)By, Maddie Scott

Science April 21,2009:On Friday April 24  We will have a test on the sun moon & earth. So study up!
By, Maddie Scott

Writing: April 20,2009: Today in writing  we had a CELEBRATION! We read our stories and had ice cream too. Mrs. Boersma said by adding sprinkles & Hersheys chocolate  syrup, it was like adding more details to our stories. Writing is an awesome thing to do when your bored at home or at recess.And also just a reminder that our Just Write Celebration is coming up on May 4, but for Mrs. Boersma’s class it’s on May 5. So parents or grandparents, if you would like to come the best day for Mrs.Boersma’s class is may 5.  So till then, just WRITE!
Written By,Maddie C. Scott

In reading groups we are reading mysteries. Some of the books we are reading are The Mystery of the Dark Lighthouse, The Spraypaint Mystery, From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs.Basil E. Frankweiler, Pirates don’t Wear Pink Sunglasses. Some of these books are very good to read, so if you are a kind of reader that likes mysteries these are some books that you’d like.
Written by Laura Boonstra

Our JUST WRITE collection of stories has officially been published!

You can view the published book at this link:

http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=2368410

Books are available for purchase through the website.  They will be shipped to your home.  A portion of the purchase ($4.00) of every book goes toward supplies and programs for our school writing program.

More celebration details coming soon!  Watch for information on Just Write!

Important Dates

April 15 Westshore Symphony Concert

May 6 Voyageur Field Trip

June  Last Day of School

Spring is Here!

Spring arrived Friday at 7:44 a.m.  We tried balancing the egg on end and it actually worked!  I tried it half an hour later with Mr. Gort’s class and it wouldn’t work.  There is just a brief span of time during the spring and fall equinox that this happens.  We are very grateful for the warmer weather.  Students are actually eager to get outside to play.  Please continue to send apparel appropriate for the weather.  Sweatshirts, jackets, and sometimes even mittens are still needed!

Field Trip

On May 6 we will have another class field trip.  We will be going to the Saugatuck/Douglas area to go canoeing.  These will be large “voyageur” type canoes that hold 14 + paddlers.  Naturalists from the Saret Nature Center will be guiding us on a one hour canoe experience. (We really just go across the bayou and back, but we learn a lot about the voyageurs, and have fun!).  Parents are welcome to join us.  A few parents may help with providing “muscle power” on the canoe trip as room permits.  We will have a picnic lunch at a nearby park and go to Mount Baldy for a hike.   Watch for more information!

Math

My students have successfully completed our study of fractions.  We are working on measuring and geometry for the next few weeks.   This is a nice break from some very hard, intense work.

Science