Polygons

What are the different types of polygons?

Have you read this book?  It's a terrific story about a triangle who changes into other polygons.

Want to re-read the book?  Check out this video:


Check out this Brainpop video about polygons!
http://www.brainpop.com/math/geometryandmeasurement/polygons/preview.weml


Here's one of our favorite polygon songs!  Check it out!


Here's the Parallelogram song!  It's a catchy tune!




Also be sure to check out these posts from a class Miss Liefer taught two years ago. They posted more pictures and videos about polygons!

http://www.missliefer.blogspot.com/2011/08/quadrangles.html

http://www.missliefer.blogspot.com/2011/08/polygons.html

FUN FACT:
The word polygon actually come from the Greek words polu (meaning many) and gonia (meaning angle).

We used everyday items (straws and twist ties) to practice geometry

a square is defined as a rectangle with all sides equal in length

a rhombus--a parallelogram with all sides equal in length
(a square is a special type of rhombus)

What can you make with straws and twist-ties?

In math class, the possibilities are endless!

Making quadrilaterals/quadrangles (four-sided polygons) out of straws and twist-ties! 

right angles

Golden Spatula!

I am so proud!

Today in the cafeteria we earned the "golden spatula" because of our excellent behavior!

Way to go!  Keep it up!

Let's always be respectful, responsible, and safe!

I have the BEST class!

Library

Today we visited Gardner Elementary's library for the first time!
Now we have some new books for our R.I.F. reading!

Our schedule is to go to the school library every other Wednesday afternoon.
So, the books we checked out today will be due back on Wed., Sept. 11.

Poetry Corner

During reading class we have been talking about text structure.
One type we looked at was POETRY.

Poetry has....
Verses, Rhythm, Meter, and Stanzas

During "town time" at the end of the day, some of us read some poems aloud.
Here's a few for you to enjoy ...

Bear in There - By Shel Silverstein


Sounds of the Rainforest - By Becky Manfredini


Hypnotized - By Shel Silverstein


Pancake


Foul Mouth - By Ted Scheu


Fancy Dive - By Shel Silverstein

Website of the Week

The websites of the week is
www.everydaymathonline.com

Today you received your Everyday Math login and password.  
It is in the front of your agenda.  

At this terrific website you can to LOTS of terrific things like....

Play the Games!
(Miss Liefer can access which games you play and how you score!)

Forget your HOMEWORK at school?
You can print another copy of the studylink!  
Simply click on the unit and lesson after you log-in!

Forget your SRB at school?
The website has a Digital Textbook!

Don't remember how to do a certain addition/subtraction/multiplication division method?
Click on the algorithms for VIDEOS explaining them!
(note- you can also access this in the FREE FAMILY RESOURCES-- you don't even have to log-in!)

Check it out!

Similes

During Small Group Reading we are beginning a new novel titled Sarah, Plain and Tall.
We are practicing as a whole class the expectations and procedures for small group reading - while enjoying an award winning book with lots of terrific lessons.

The author Patricia MacLachlan wrote similes throughout the chapters.  Similes are comparisons using like or as.  They help readers create images as they read.  As writers we also try to include similes to enhance our word choice!  

Playing the game "Smiling Similes"

Pick two cards - read the phrases

check the "answer sheet" if unsure

Did you create a realistic comparison (simile)?

Here are a few similes we found...

Paw Pride

Our first Paw Pride Friday at Gardner!

We made it! The week under our belts as fourth graders!

BrainPOP

Reminder...Your login and password is in the front of your agenda.

Check out this reading one...
http://www.brainpop.com/english/studyandreadingskills/readingskills/


These videos fit with what we are studying in Social Studies...
Continents:  http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/geography/continentsoftheworld/

Map Skills:  http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/geography/mapskills/

Latitude & Longitude:  http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/geography/latitudeandlongitude/

Geography:  http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/geography/geographythemes/


For those of you with i-pads at home, there is a FREE app for BrainPop!
Search in the iTunes store "Brainpop" and download it today!

What does reading independently look like?

This is a video of one of our students modeling what a GOOD reader would look like.
Excellent acting!  He....

-got started right away

-kept his eyes in the book

-stayed in one spot

-read the whole time

Why do we do this?  It's FUN! and helps us become better readers!

Yesterday we began checking out books from the classroom library.
Students are allowed to bring the books (novels) home. (Magazines and reference books do not go home).
The library is organized by author's last name (that's the letter sticker on the side).
The library is also organized by genre (that's the colored sticker on the side)

Our classroom library - over 750 books available for checkout!
(even more if you count all the magazines and reference books)

R.I.F. stands for “Reading is Fun.”  You will get the reading log Monday (Aug 26) to begin RIF for daily homework.

Outside of class time, you will need to read 15 minutes ; 5 days a week. 

The numbers along the side of the chart correspond with the day of the month.  Simply record the title and number of minutes and have a parent/guardian initial it.  (Saturday and Sunday are free nights - but definitely read those days too if you want to or if you need to catch up on minutes!)

The months of August and September are combined.  The goal is 375 minutes.  If you read more minutes beyond the goal- you can earn extra credit point(s) for your overall reading grade! 

 At the end of the month you will turn in this chart as part of your reading grade.  In addition, you may be eligible to earn special rewards if you meet or go beyond the required minutes.  Sit back and enjoy a good book, comic, newspaper, magazine, or whatever you like!  

Math Game: Top It

One of Miss Liefer's favorite math games is called "Top-It"
(To the parents out there...Top-It is similar to the old card game "war".)
If you have time this weekend, give it a try!

Supplies:

-1 deck of cards  (only A – 10, take out all the J, Q, K, and Jokers)

A=1, 1=1, 2=2, ...  9=9, 10=0

-2 players

Divide a deck of cards in half, each player flips over card (s)

1. Each player sets down one card, the player with the highest card value gets both cards.  Repeat.
2. To increase the difficulty level, deal out three cards to create three-digit numbers to compare.  (This game practices place value, greater than, less than)
3. For a variation of the game, allow players to re-arrange order of cards to create the largest number possible.

We'll play this game a lot in the future.  

Same basic rules, but to practice addition, multiplication, and more!  

Math is Fun!

Note - For those of you who have i-pads at home, there are several apps available for download from our math program.  Search in the app store "Everyday Math" and they'll all pop up.  (Note - the Everyday Math apps are not free.  Sometimes they go on sale for free, but usually they're about $1.99)  Some we will be using a lot this year include....
-Top-It (addition, subtraction)
-Beat the Computer
-Equivalent Fractions
-Baseball Multiplication
-Name that Number

A GREAT first day!

Today was definitely a GREAT first day of fourth grade!

 Here we are making our getting-to-know-you banners.

working hard on the first day

organizing our lockers

sharing Mad Libs

some of the stories were silly

 

Check out these GREAT smiles!

It's a GREAT day to be at Gardner!

I'm looking forward to a GREAT year!

Today we shared some of our favorite things.  Here's a few...

art

basketball

beach

being with friends

candy

cats

crafts

creepy stuffed animals

dogs

going to Hawaii

hamsters

i-pads

i-pods

Legos

Lord of the Rings

math

math

monkeys

My Little Pony friendship is magic

playing games

reading books

school

soccer

softball

sports

swimming

video games

watching TV

Common Core

Curious about the new Common Core Standards?
Check out this site...
http://www.corestandards.org/

It's Almost the First Day of School!

Hi! Welcome to our classroom blog, and welcome to all the classmates in Miss Liefer's 4th grade 2013-2014 class! I am very excited to start a new school year with you! Gardner is a great place, and we will have a wonderful year together! I've been busy preparing the room for an excellent new school year.
See you soon!

Where did you go on vacation this year?

Don't forget to bring your picture to school!

Miss Liefer enjoying the California sun sporting her Bulldog shirt!