Accelerated Reader Field Trip

Congrats to Eric, Kyle, Noah, Wade, Danielle, Grace, Brooke, Kaci, and Maddi who were the top Accelerated Reader point earners in fourth grade. As a reward for this accomplishment, they were treated to lunch and miniture golf at Wolf's Camping Resort. They also got to go to Renninger's for an ice cream treat. Keep up the great reading.

4th Grade PA Trivia Competition

The 4th Grade PA Trivia Competition will be held on May 26th at 2:00. Congratulations to the finalists from Room 202: Nick, Christian, Kaci, Wade, Grace, Makena, Maddi, Brooke, Noah, and Kyle. Study hard! There are lots of facts to learn.

Clear Creek Field Trip

Thursday, May 7 is our field trip to Clear Creek. Students need to ride the high school bus or be dropped off at school by 7:20. We will be back in time for regular dismissal at the end of the day. Be sure your child is dressed for the weather. It is usually a bit cooler at Clear Creek. It may be raining, so an umbrella or rain coat would be a good idea. Please send an extra change of clothes and shoes. We will be wading in the creek and often get wet. Be sure to send your child a lunch and a drink (no glass containers). Students will also need a plastic container to dig in the sand with. A sour cream container or something similar would be great. The students are very excited for the trip. Now let's hope for a nice, sunny day.

Animal Research Reports

The class has turned in their animal research reports, and I really enjoyed reading them. I learned many interesting things from the students' research. I was surprised to learn that Dall sheep have growth rings on their horns which are very similar to the growth rings that trees have. I also learned a lot about walrus tusks. I didn't know that the tusks are used for protection against enemies or that they are used to help the walrus move around. The students are now in the process of sharing their books with the class. I think the students definetly learned about the research process. They put a lot of hard work into their projects, and I am very pleased with the final outcome. Pictured here are Makena, Eric, and Grace with their projects.

Upcoming Events

It is so hard to believe that we are nearing the end of April. That means that we will be very busy here in Room 202.

On April 28th and 29th, fourth grade students will be taking the PSSA Science test. We will be testing on both of those mornings. Please be sure that your child gets a good night's sleep and eats a good breakfast.

On May 7th, the fourth grades will be traveling to Clear Creek State Park. This is a fun-filled learning adventure. Our first activity will be constructing the Allegheny River Watershed on the beach area. Students will work in groups to dig the tributaries and build the towns along the Allegheny River. One of the favorite activities is the stream activity. Students will be wading in the stream searching for "critters." It is amazing to learn about all the different creatures lurking in the stream. Then students will then try to identify what they have found. We will also be hiking the Ox Shoe trail and learning about the timber industry in the early days of Clear Creek. The students are very excited for their trip. Please return your child's permission slip if you haven't already done so.

Kindergarten Buddy Activities

We have done some fun activities with our kindergarten buddies. A few weeks ago we made GAK. The kindergarteners were working on the letter G that week. The 4th grade students had a blask making GAK and playing with it. This past week we made spring butterflies out of coffee filters and clothes pins. The butterflies have added a touch of spring to our classroom. We sure need some spring inside with the snow outside.

Animal Research Report

We have been working very hard on our Arctic animal research. Research is finished now, and students are writing rough drafts and publishing their book. I have given the students a hard back blank book to publish their report in. I am looking forward to seeing the finished products. The students have learned some very interesting information about their animals. The books are due on Friday, April 17th.