CLASS FUNDRAISER BEGINS TODAY

Materials for the school fundraiser will come home today. This is how we pay for any

class field trip we take. Please help us out in any way you can.

Conductors, Insulators and Resistors

These are things that help us control the flow of electric current.

Conductors allow electricity to flow easily. Example: copper wire

Insulators stop the flow of electric current. Example: the plastic covering on a wire

Resistors slow down the flow of electric current. Example: the filament in a light bulb.

Electrical Circuits

Series circuits - one path, if one light goes out, they all go out, all resistors get the same amount of energy

Parallel circuits - two or more paths, if one light goes out, only that light goes our, each resistor only gets the amount of energy it needs

Both circuits all electrical current to flow.

Both circuits use an energy source, conductors(metal wire), insulators(plastic covering),

resistors (ex: light bulb), and a switch

Math Magician is fixed

The link at the right for Math Magician has been fixed. Try it out. Practice your multiplication facts!!

Parts of Electric Circuit

Here is a link to an interesting video on someone who work with electricity every day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dqRN0Z7-_o&feature=related



1. Energy source - battery
2. CoWnductor - allows electricity to flow easily
3. Resistor - slows down the electric current
4. Insulator - stops the electric current
5. Switch - closes or opens the loop

Facts of the Week

We are trying something new to get those multiplication facts memorized quickly.
Each week we have 4 facts to practice.
Practice them everyday
...while eating breakfast, lunch and dinner
...in the car
...before video games
...in a tree
...on the way to soccer practice

you get the idea!

Say the facts + the answer 5 - 10 times each.

this week's facts are:

4 x 9 = 36
8 x 7 = 56
6 x 7 = 42
9 x 8 = 72

Planning our Writing - Power Outlines

4th grade is a big year for writing

We use graphic organizers for all of our pre-writing steps.

These graphic organizers help us to organize our thoughts so we are ready to write. We start out with the basics, a power outline, which is a twist on the traditional outlining process. Below is an explanation and an example of how it is used.

Power Outlines (from Step-Up to Writing)

Organize your ideas for writing

T = Topic (What is the main idea)

RDF (Reasons, Details or Facts about your topic)

E – explain more

E- explain more

RDF (Another Reason, Detail or Fact)

E- explain more

E-explain more

RDF (Another Reason, Detail or Fact)

E- explain more

E- explain more

CS – Concluding sentence (restate the topic)

Example

T = McDonald’s

D – Milkshakes

E – creamy

E – chocolatey

D- Cheeseburger

E- juicy

E- mouth-watering good

D- French Fries

E-soft in the middle

E –crispy on the outside

E-salty goodness

An Exciting Year Ahead

Welcome to the 2010 - 2011 School Year!!

It is going to be an absolutely awesome year! Mark Twain teachers have spent some extra days this summer learning a lot of amazing ways to improve our teaching. I can't wait to try them out!

Also, thanks to a grant, we were able to purchase new Promethian Boards, which I am diligently trying to master so we have much more interactive learning going on in class.

We will also be receiving IPod touches. Each teacher will eventually have a class set. I am looking forward to finding many new and interesting ways to use them to improve student learning!!

School starts Monday, August 16th for all the schools in the district.

Back to School Night is that evening at 5:15 or 6:00.

I can't wait to meet all of my new students and their parents!

Some important information:

School starts at 8:03 a.m.

Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 7:30 - 8:00.

Lunch from 11:45 - 12:25.

School ends at 2:55 p.m. except on Wednesdays, it ends at 1:30 p.m.

Homework!

Monday - Thursday

about 1 hour a night

all review of materials covered in class

Weekly Reports and Parent Letters

EVERY MONDAY!

Look for them!!

Back To School

August 16th - First day of School

Are You Bored?

50 fun things to do to pass the time.
http://www.kiwimagonline.com/community/?p=289

4th grade summer reading list
http://www.educationworld.com/summer_reading/4th_grade.shtml

Mission San Juan Bautista

Mission Santa Barbara

Mission San Carlos Boromeo

Mission Santa Clara

Mission San Juan Capistrano