Keystone Elementary Room 202

Thanksgiving Readers Theater

2011-11-22T15:50:00.003-05:00

Today we did a two theaters for our kindergarten buddies. We read Turkey Trouble and T'was the Night Before Thanksgiving. Pictured here are the animal characters from Turkey Trouble - Izzy, Jaykeb, Justin, Troy, and Joe.

Stone Soup Performance

2011-10-05T12:14:00.004-04:00

Great job Room 202 on your Stone Soup musical!!!

Upcoming Events

2011-10-03T08:57:00.003-04:00

October 4th - Room 202 performs Stone Soup 2:30

October 6th - Walk at School Day
We will be walking at the track for Walk at School Day. Please have your child wear their sneakers.

October 7th - No School

October 20th - Open House

Skeleton Book Report

2011-10-03T08:53:00.002-04:00

Last week I assigned the students in my Reading class a skeleton book report. The students have chosen the books they would like to read for their book report. After reading their books, they will fill in the required information on their skeleton template. The parts of the skeleton will be assembled with string or yarn. The book reports are due October 20th. Please talk to your child about the book they are reading, and encourage them to be working on their report. This is an important reading project that should not be put off until the last minute. I look forward to reading their skeleton book reports.

Back to School Night

2011-09-07T08:14:00.001-04:00

Fourth grade teachers are hosting a Back to School Night for parents on Thursday, September 8th at 6:30. I hope you can attend to learn all about the happenings in fourth grade this year.

PA Trivia Contest

2011-04-28T14:53:00.002-04:00

Each year 4th grade does a Pennsylvania Trivia Contest. Our trivia contest is similar to a spelling bee. Today the students received a list of Pennsylvania trivia questions. On May 13th we will hold a classroom competition to narrow it down to the top 10 students in Room 202. On May 26th those students will compete against students from the other 4th grade classrooms. Please encourage your child to spend a little time each day studying the questions.

Animal Reports

2011-04-28T14:52:00.001-04:00

Just a reminder that animal reports are due Tuesday, May 3rd. The books seem to be coming along nicely, and I am very excited to see the final results.

Turn Off TV Week

2011-04-11T15:14:00.002-04:00

Just a reminder that Keystone is celebrating TV Turnoff Week from April 11 to April 17. I encourage you to have your child participate. Now that the weather is finally getting a bit more spring-like, please encourage your child to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Remember that board games are great for rainy days. A favorite that I like to play with my children is Skip-bo. My students love to play Apples to Apples when we have inside recess. Please have your child return the form that was sent home. One winner will be selected per grade level.

Animal Reports

2011-04-11T15:12:00.002-04:00

The students are off to a great start with their animal research. We have finished up the research, and now students are working on their rough drafts. The rough drafts are due on Friday, April 15th. Today, I handed out the blank books that students will use to publish their report. The final project is due on May 3rd. I am very anxious to see the final product. The students have really been doing a great job with their research.

Sandwich Book Reports

2011-01-07T15:02:00.002-05:00

On Monday, I assigned students a sandwich book report. The students chose their books and have been reading them through out the week. I gave them a packet of directions and sandwich pieces to complete their book report. Book reports are due on January 26. I encourage you to have your child tell you about the book they are reading. You might even want to read a couple of chapters together. Happy reading!

Red Ribbon Week Theme Days

2010-10-25T15:11:00.002-04:00

Monday - Rally in Red...Don't be Silly...Don't Use Drugs Day!
Wear red, silly bands, and silly socks

Tuesday - Drugs Will Mix You Up Day!
Wear mismatched clothes and shoes

Wednesday - Shade Out Drugs Day!
Wear hats and sunglasses

Thursday - Drugs Will Make You Crazy!
Wear crazy hair

Friday - Team Up Against Drugs Day!
Wear a team shirt or jersey

Walk at School Day

2010-10-05T12:35:00.000-04:00

Walk at School Day has been rescheduled for Friday, October 8th. We will head over to the track after announcements to walk some laps. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.

September News

2010-09-16T12:26:00.002-04:00

We are off to a great start in Room 202. We are wrapping up our map skills unit and our test will be on Tuesday, September 21. Please encourage your child to study their study guide. Today we played a game using longitude and latitude. The students were trying to rescue castaways on deserted islands using longitude and latitude coordinates. I hope to post some pictures soon.

Tomorrow we will have a Constitution Day assembly around the flag pole. On September 23rd, we will have a kick-off assembly for our Olweus Bullying Program. September 30th is picture day.

Your child should have already brought the food fundraiser information. This is the CATS organization's big fund raiser. CATS does many things to help our students. They fund a large part of the transportation costs for our field trips. Hopefully, everyone can participate in this fundraiser to support CATS.

Back to School Night

2010-08-31T11:13:00.002-04:00

Fourth grade will hold a back to school night on Tuesday, September 7th at 7:00. I will be discussing with parents what to expect this year in fourth grade. Hope to see you on the 7th!

Welcome Back!

2010-08-31T11:07:00.002-04:00

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great summer. We had a great first day yesterday, and I am very excited about this school year. Yesterday, we shared the boxes the students made. I really learned a lot about the students from their boxes. This year we will be doing kindergarten buddies with Mrs. Campbell's class. Yesterday, we helped our buddies find their bus to go home.

PA Trivia Blog Challenge

2010-05-18T15:34:00.002-04:00

Here are today's PA trivia questions:

1. When was the PA turnpike completed?

2. Where is Penn State University located?

3. What is the Penn State University mascot?

4. How many members are in the PA House of Representatives?

5. Who was the only civilian killed in the Battle of Gettysburg?

Remember to email me your answers: vcotton@keyknox.com

PA Trivia Blog Challenge

2010-05-17T08:16:00.004-04:00

Just a reminder that our classroom competition for the PA Trivia Contest will be this Friday. We will be narrowing it down to the top 10 students from our classroom that will compete in the 4th grade competition on June 1st.

I please ask that you take a little time each day to help your child study these questions. This is a great activity to exercise the brain and work on plain old memorization.

PA Trivia Blog Challenge
I am going to post a few questions each day to challenge everyone. Please e-mail me your answers at vcotton@keyknox.com . I will keep a running tally of each participant's correct answers. Parents and students can work on the questions together and e-mail me your answers.

Here are today's questions:

1. What river in Pennsylvania flows north?

2. Where did Little League baseball begin?

3. What was William Penn's religion?

4. What is the largest county in Pennsylvania?

5. What product does Pennsylvania "tap"?

Check back tomorrow for the answer to today's questions and for new questions. Let's see who will be the winner of Mrs. Cotton's PA Trivia Blog Challenge.

Pennsylvania Trivia Contest

2010-05-12T08:19:00.002-04:00

Fourth grade has a Pennsylvania trivia contest each year which is similar to a spelling bee. Instead of spelling words, students will answer questions about Pennsylvania. Yesterday, the students got a packet of Pennsylvania trivia questions to study. On Friday, May 21st, we will have our classroom competition. The top 10 from our class, will go on to the fourth grade competition which will be held on June 1st. Study those PA trivia facts!

Animal Research Report

2010-05-04T07:53:00.002-04:00

We have been working very hard on our animal research reports. The students' books will be due on Friday, May 7th. Several students have already turned in their books, and I am very anxious to start reading them. I have learned some very interesting information while helping the students with their research. One of the things that surprised me the most is that bald eagles are able to swim. Krista is researching the bald eagle and she found that if a bald eagle catches a fish that is too heavy to fly with, the eagle will swim to shore with the fish. The students have enjoyed researching their animal and have learned a lot of interesting information.

Field Trip

2010-05-04T07:46:00.001-04:00

Just a reminder that our field trip is on Thursday, May 6th. Your child needs to be to school at 7:20. You can either bring them to school or they can ride the high school bus. They need to be sure to bring a lunch and a plastic container to dig in the sand with. They will also need a change of clothes because they will be wading in the stream for a stream activity. Please try to send an extra pair of shoes to wade in the stream with because it is hard to walk on the slippery rocks in bare feet. Please be sure your child dresses for the weather of the day. Now we just have to hope for a warm, sunny day.

Clear Creek Field Trip

2010-04-23T10:55:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, May 6th, rooms 202 and 203 will be taking a field trip to Clear Creek State Park. Permission slips were sent home earlier this week. There is a cost of $2 to help cover the transportation. If your child hasn't already returned their permission slip and $2, please have them return it.

Students will need to be at school at 7:30 that day. We will be returning in time for regular dismissal. Students will need to take a lunch. We also ask that you send a complete change of clothes for your child, including shoes. We do a stream exploration activity where the students wade in the creek, and they usually end of getting wet.

Now we just have to hope for a warm, sunny day! Hopefully the weather will cooperate for us.

Wildlife Research Reports

2010-04-12T08:27:00.002-04:00

Last week, students began research on their wildlife research report. The outlines with all their information is due on Friday, April 16th. We did a lot of research in class last week, and we will continue to research this week. Rough drafts will be due on Friday, April 23rd. Then students will be publishing their report into a blank hard back book. Their books will be due on Friday, May 7th. The students are very excited about their project and are already learning a lot of interesting information about their animal. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

PSSA Testing

2010-04-05T08:32:00.002-04:00

It is that time of year again! We will begin the PSSA testing on Wednesday. Testing will continue through next Wednesday. We have been preparing very hard for these tests. It is very important that your child is well rested and eats a good breakfast.

Recipe for "GAK"

2010-03-23T08:16:00.002-04:00

Last week we made GAK with our kindergarten buddies. They were learning about the letter G, so we helped them make some green GAK. All the kids loved it, and many asked for the recipe so here it is.

Mix: 2 cups glue
1 1/2 cups cold water
green food coloring
Set aside.

Mix: 1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon borax
Mix until dissolved. Then mix into the first mixture very slowly. Knead. Then enjoy.

Beauty and the Beast

2010-03-15T14:27:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday afternoon, we will be walking to the high school to see a preview of the high school musical, Beauty and the Beast. Please be sure your child is dressed for the weather and is wearing comfortable walking shoes. I can't wait to see this. I have heard that the costumes are wonderful.

The Race is on!

2010-03-08T08:47:00.002-05:00

What race you may be asking? The Last Great Race otherwise known as the Iditarod started on Saturday. We began studying the race last week by doing an Iditarod trivia search on the computer. The Iditarod is a 1,112 mile dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome. Each student has chosen a musher to follow in the race. Students will be keeping a daily journal tracking their musher as they head to Nome. The students are already very interested in the race, and I am excited to see their enthusiasm grow as they track their musher to Nome. Hopefully, one of the students will be following the winner of this year's race. We will also be reading many books about the race so students will realize what it is really like to race in the Iditarod.

I encourage you to check out the official Iditarod website with your child: www.iditarod.com . They will be able to share lots of interesting information with you from the website and they check their musher's progress. The race will wrap up around the middle of next week. The students will be anxious to see how their musher is performing as they get closer and closer to Nome.

Valentine's Buddy Activity

2010-02-17T07:59:00.004-05:00

Last week we did a Valentine's Day activity with our kindergarten buddies. The students worked with their buddies to sort candy hearts by color. Then they made a bar graph of their colors. We then compiled the individual bar graphs into a giant classroom bar graph. The fourth graders did a great job of helping their buddies. Pictured in the top photo are Karlee and her buddy. The bottom photo shows Riley with his buddy.

Sandwich Book Reports

2010-02-03T11:04:00.001-05:00

Last week I assigned the students a book report. Each student has their book for the report and has already started reading the book. They are making their report in the form of a sandwich. On each part of the sandwich, they must report on one aspect of the book. For example, on the lettuce they need to describe the book's setting. Book reports will be due on February 17. This is an independent project, and most of the work will need to be completed outside of school. Please encourage your child to tell you about the book they are reading and show you the sandwich as they are working on it.

New Grading Period

2010-01-21T08:13:00.002-05:00

It is hard to believe that we are starting the third nine weeks today. This year has just been flying by. Today we will switch for Science, so my homeroom will be going to Mr. Bowser for Science this grading period. There they will be learning about simple machines, energy, and wetlands.

We have also started a new textbook in Social Studies. We are now learning about the regions of the United States. I have a lot of fun teaching the regions, and the students will get involved in many different projects. We are going to begin with the Southeast region.

In Reading this week, we are reading a story called Scruffy. Scruffy is an arctic wolf living on Ellsmere Island. He is a low ranking wolf in the pack, therefore his job is the baby sitter. The children have really been enjoying this story.

Tomorrow our class will be going to the book fair. Yesterday we went for our browsing day, and there were many wonderful books to choose from. Remember that you can use Boxtops for Education to purchase books.

2009-12-02T11:11:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! It is hard to believe that it is already Christmas. December is always a very busy month here at Keystone.

Today in reading class, we will be starting the book called The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It is a wonderful story about the awful Herdman children who discover the true meaning of Christmas. Every year the students are entertained by trouble the Herdmans get into. It is a book that they won't want to put down.

In Social Studies we are starting chapter 5 called The Birthplace of Independence. We will be learning about the French and Indian War and how the colonists won their independence from Great Britain.

Halloween Activities

2009-10-26T08:39:00.002-04:00

On Friday, 4th graders will participate in the Halloween parade. Students can wear traditional Halloween costumes for the parade. Your child may bring a healthy snack to share with the class if they choose. Please remember to follow the wellness policy. Some suggestions are fruits, veggies, cheese and crackers, and granola bars just to name a few.

Red Ribbon Week

2009-10-26T08:31:00.002-04:00

Miss Myers and Mrs. Wingard have planned many exciting things for Red Ribbon Week this week. I hope the students will join in the fun with all the different themes.

Monday - "Rally in Red and Sock it to Drugs!" Wear red clothing and crazy socks.
Tuesday - "You won't see me using drugs!" Wear camo.
Wednesday - "Put a cap on drugs!" - Wear a hat.
Thursday - "Drugs will make you crazy!" - Crazy hair day.
Friday - "Team up against drugs and alcohol." - Wear your favorite sport's team jersey/uniform/shirt.

The Red Ribbon Week Fairy will also be visiting classrooms each day and leaving fairy dust and a special treat on one student's desk. I wonder who the lucky students will be?

On Tuesday, we will be heading outside for different physical activity stations. Please be sure your child is wearing sneakers and a warm coat.

Most of all, I hope you will take this opportunity to talk with your child about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. We can all work together to help Keystone Kids be drug free.

202 Happenings

2009-10-13T12:28:00.003-04:00

We have been very busy in Room 202. Last week we made leaf critters with our kindergarten buddies. Pictured in the top photo are Corra, Mehki, and Rachel with their jellyfish creation. The bottom photo is Lilly, Braiden, and Ryan with their pretty butterfly. This week we are busy preparing for our class's Stone Soup performance. We are performing for our parents on Friday at 2:30. Hope you can be here. Tomorrow is Walk at School Day. Please be sure your child is dressed warmly and has comfortable shoes. We have some important tests coming up at the end of the week. Thursday we have our chapter 2 animal test, and on Friday we have a chapter 1 social studies test.

Bird Identification

2009-10-06T10:51:00.002-04:00

We were hard at work today identifying common backyard birds. The students worked in groups using field guides to identify 14 birds. Some of the birds included were blue jay, black capped chickadee, rose breasted grosbeak, american goldfinch, and red bellied woodpecker just to name a few. The students will be learned these birds and will be tested on them on their animal test. Pictured above are Rachel, Cayla, Lilly, and Braiden.

Walk to School Day

2009-10-05T08:12:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, October 7th is Walk to School Day. After announcements, we will be going over to the track to walk. Please be sure your child wears their tennis shoes that day. Now all we need is a little sunshine.

Scarecrows

2009-10-05T08:04:00.004-04:00

Last week we did a scarecrow activity with our kindergarten buddies. It is wonderful to see the fourth graders work with their buddies. I am seeing a lot of teamwork and willingness to assist the buddies on the fourth graders part. The kids are always asking when we are doing buddies again. In the top photo, Josiah and his buddy show off their finished product. The bottom photo shows Zach and his buddy hard at work.

Off to a great start!

2009-09-15T08:14:00.003-04:00

I can't believe we are in the third week of school already! We have been very busy in Room 202. In social studies, we have been learning about map skills. For science class we are learning about animal adaptations. Be sure to ask your child about some of the really cool adaptations animals have for meeting their needs. Last week, we went outside for science class to to a predator prey camouflage activity. All of the students enjoyed being birds who had to hunt for caterpillars. Our reading story this week is called Amelia's Road. It is about a migrant farm worker who has no place to call home. Ask your child how Amelia solved her problem in the story.

New School Year

2009-08-27T14:11:00.002-04:00

It is hard to believe that school is starting. It seems like the school year just ended. I am looking forward to meeting all my new students and starting a great year in fourth grade. Hopefully all of my new students have received my letter and have started on your boxes all about you. I am anxious to meet all of you on Monday and look forward to you sharing your boxes. I always learn so much about my new students when we share the boxes. Enjoy the last few days of summer vacation! See you on Monday!

Accelerated Reader Field Trip

2009-05-21T12:00:00.003-04:00

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

2009-05-18T14:05:00.001-04:00

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

2009-05-04T11:01:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-24T14:02:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-24T13:54:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-08T12:17:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-08T12:14:00.002-04:00

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.

Southwest Region

2009-04-08T11:59:00.002-04:00

We have been busy learning all about the Southwest region of the United States in Social Studies. My student teacher, Miss Whelan, is doing a creative unit on the Southwest. The students have learned about the the amazing Grand Canyon. Last week, the students explored a website on the Grand Canyon to learn about this beautiful place. This week we have been working on map work with the Southwest, and the students will be researching a Southwest state. Pictured above are Reese and Emma working on their map.

Iditarod News

2009-03-20T15:15:00.006-04:00

The Iditarod is wrapping up in Nome, Alaska. My prediction of Lance Mackey winning the race was correct. He was in the lead for several days and ending up winning by several hours over the second place musher. Jacob's musher, Mitch Seavy, was the winner in our class. He came in fourth place. We are still waiting for several mushers to finish. The Red Lantern Award is given to the last musher to cross the finish line. This award is given because just finishing the race is a great accomplishment, no matter what place you finish in. I think that is an important message for us all to keep in mind. We also read the book: The Iditarod - The Greatest Win Ever. The students enjoyed reading about Kara, a fictional character, and her ordeal through out the race. Next week, we will wrap up our Iditarod unit with a Jeopardy game and by completing our classroom ABC Iditarod book.

Iditarod Update

2009-03-14T20:22:00.002-04:00

Hi, kids! I'm sending this post to you over the weekend to keep you up to date on the race. Lance Makey has been in first place all day. He checked out of Eagle Island at 7:48 pm our time (which is 3:48 in Alaska). There are currently 4 other mushers in Eagle Island. Makena's musher, Mitch Seavy, is currently the highest placed musher that anyone from our class is following. He is in 5th place. If I was a betting person, I'd be placing my money on Lance Makey. He just dropped his first dog today. Lance also won $3,500 for being the first musher to the Yukon. This is in addition to the $3,000 he won just a couple of days ago. I bet he can buy a lot of dog food with his winnings. Be sure to be checking the current standings. The race will be over in just a few days.

Iditarod Musher Journals

2009-03-13T12:11:00.002-04:00

We have been writing in our musher journals each day telling all about what is happening to our musher out on the Iditarod Trail. The students are so excited when I pass out the updates each day. I will be posting some of the journal entries. Here is Danielle's journal entry:

March 12, 2009
Yesterday, we checked in at Nikolai at 18:08, 0r 6:08, and stayed eight hours and fourteen minutes. While we were there, I decided to change the team arrangements a bit. Stamp and Montana, the swing dogs, weren't working well together, so I switched Stamp with Oatmeal, one of the team dogs. Today we left at 2:22 and now we have been on the trail for eighteen hours and 19 minutes. We are traveling at 4.09 m.p.h. and I still have 16 dogs. We are on our way to McGrath, 54 miles from Nikolai. We moved back one place in the race and now we are in 58th place. I hope we move up farther in the race by at least 4 places by tomorrow. It is cold out here, but not cold enough to make me scratch.
Musher: Jen Seavy

March Happenings

2009-03-12T08:49:00.003-04:00

March is a very busy month in Room 202. On Monday, March 16th, we will begin the PSSA test. We have been working very hard to prepare for these tests. Please be sure your child is well rested and eats a good breakfast.

March 17th is Go for the Greens Day where children are encouraged to eat vegetables. We will be snacking on fresh veggies that day here at school. If you would like to send in vegetables with your child for a class snack, please let me know. We will also be participating in a Produce Pentathalon next week. Your child should have brought home a letter explaining this and coupons. Each day next week that your child eats fruit or vegetables at home, please fill in a coupon and send it back with your child. If your child returns all 5 coupons, they will be treated to a special prize.

We are still following the Iditarod. Each day, students are writing in their musher journals. They are recording what is happening to their musher out on the trail. The students have been very excited about this. They can't wait until I pass out the current race standings each day. I predict that the winner will arrive in Nome sometime on March 17th or March 18th. Be sure to check out www.iditarod.com to stay up to date on all the happenings.

The Last Great Race

2009-03-06T15:32:00.003-05:00

We have just kicked off a unit on the Iditarod. What is the Iditarod you ask? It is a 1,150 mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome. The students have all chosen a musher to follow throughout the race. The race begins tommorrow in Anchorage. We will be closely following the race to see how our mushers are performing. The students will be keeping a journal on their musher. Log on to www.iditarod.com to see how the race is progressing and to learn all about the race. Check back here to see what Room 202 is doing with the Iditarod.

Blog confusion

2009-03-04T14:14:00.002-05:00

For those of you who subscribe to my blog, you were sent an update to my blog about an animal report. This post is from last school year. I do not know why you received this as an update. I sorry for any confusion this caused. I hope I can find out why so we don't have this confusion again. We will be doing animal reports this spring, but we haven't started them at all yet. So if your child told you they have no idea about an animal report, they truely had "no idea."

Ellis Island link

2009-03-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

For some reason, I am having difficulty adding the Ellis Island link under helpful websites. Here is the link: http://www.tenement.org/immigrate/ . Be sure to try out this really cool websit to learn all about immigrating to America and starting a new life.

Immigrants and Ellis Island

2009-02-27T12:24:00.002-05:00

In our unit on the Northeast states, we have been studying about immigrants and Ellis Island. I added a link on the side to a cool website. You get to create a character to immigrate to the United States. Victoria, a previous immigrant, tells all about Ellis Island and beginning a new life in New York City. Check out this website to have a real life immigrant experience.

Important Dates

2009-02-24T08:27:00.001-05:00

February 27 - Yearbook orders due
March 2 - Dr. Seuss Day
March 4 - Spring pictures
March 16-27 - PSSA testing
March 20 - Biography book report due

2009-02-24T08:21:00.002-05:00

It is hard to believe that February is almost over and March is right around the corner. The school year just seems to be flying by. We have been very busy in Room 202. On Friday, we enjoyed some time with our kindergarten buddies. All the children had fun playing board games with their buddies. Pictured here are Brooke and Makena with their buddies. In Social Studies we are working on the Northeast region. We have been studying the immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, and the students are finding this very interesting. We are also enjoying a novel called Dear Levi. Through this book, the class is getting a true understanding of the hardships of traveling west in a wagon train.

Snow, snow, and more snow!

2009-01-19T12:18:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone is enjoying all this snow. With all the snowy weather outside, take some time and curl up with a good book. Book reports are due January 30th, and the children really seem to be enjoying their books. We are also reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing during our novel time. Everyone is enjoying the hilarious antics of three year old Fudge. Fudge is providing us with many laughs such as when he dumped his food over his head at the restaurant while saying, "Eat it or wear it." Be sure to ask your child what else Fudge is up to.

Tomorrow we will be starting the regions of the United States in Social Studies. We are beginning with the southeast region. We sure could use a bit of their sunshine and warmer weather.

Get out and enjoy the snow. The possiblities are endless: snow angels, sled riding, ice skating, snowball fights, ect...

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2008-12-19T15:34:00.004-05:00

Christmas is almost here and we are very busy with lots of activities. Today we made gingerbread glyphs with our kindergarten buddies. The gingerbread man tells all about us such as how many brothers and sisters, when our birthday is, and what our hobbies are.

Pictured here are Gavin and Eric with their gingerbread glyphs.

We also finished reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It is a hilarious story about the awful Herdman children who learn the true meaning of Christmas. We had a lot of laughs in this book. We particularly enjoyed when Claude Herdman took his crazy one-eyed cat to show and tell. Monday brings the much anticipated movie day and Tuesday will be the annual Christmas assembly. Merry Christmas!

Open House and Conference Day

2008-11-03T07:57:00.002-05:00

Open House is on Thursday, November 6th from 6:30 - 7:30. I hope you will be able to stop in and visit your child's classroom and see what we have been busy working on. Conference day is scheduled for Friday, November 14th. Please return your child's conference paper so that I can begin scheduling conferences.

Native American Projects

2008-10-24T13:45:00.004-04:00

We just finished up a unit in Social Studies on the Native Americans in Pennsylvania.
Students worked in groups and researched a Native American tribe in Pennsylvania. The main tribes to live in PA were the Lenape and the Susquehannock. The Erie, Seneca, and Shawnee also lived in PA. The students did a very nice job creating their informative posters. Pictured here are Maddie, Reese, and Misty with their poster on the Erie Indians.

Animal Classification

2008-10-08T14:01:00.002-04:00

In our animal unit, we have been classifying the animal kingdom. Today in Science the students did a classification activity. They had to first classify animals as either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. Then they had to classify all the vertebrates as a mammal, bird, reptile, fish, or amphibian. They had to classify the invertebrates as arthopods, mollusks, echinoderms, or ringed worms. Pictured here are Casey and Noah.

Spelling - Week of October 6-10

2008-10-06T07:56:00.002-04:00

This is a review week for spelling. Students should be studying the words from units 1-5. I will be sending a new list with the students today in case you no longer have the list. This week's test will be a bit different. It is a 25 point multiple choice test, and students will have to choose the correct spelling of the word from 4 different choices.

4th Grade Presents Stone Soup

2008-10-01T14:21:00.002-04:00

Room 202 has been working on the musical Stone Soup in music class with Mrs. Nesta. Please be sure your child is practicing their lines and the songs. Students also need to be sure that they have a costume to wear for the performance. Room 202 will be performing for parents on Friday, October 10th at 2:30. Hope you can join in the fun.

Leaf Critters

2008-09-29T08:13:00.005-04:00

On Friday, we did an art project with our kindergarten buddies in Mrs. Campbell's room. The students used leaves of various shapes and sizes to create leaf critters. They came up with some pretty creative critters.

Message in a Bottle

2008-09-11T11:57:00.003-04:00

We played a game in Social Studies today to practice using latitude and longitude. Students were trying to rescue castaways from a ship wreck by using latitude and longitude coordinate clues that the castways sent out as a message in a bottle. Pictured here are Nick and Maddi.

Fill the Bill Science Activity

2008-09-08T14:53:00.004-04:00

We have been learning about animal adaptations in science class. Today we did an activity called "Fill the Bill." Students had to determine which bird beak (utensil) was best fitted for each type of food. One station was nectar (a narrow vase with water) and the beaks included a strainer, an eye dropper, and chopsticks. The students determined that the eye dropper was the best beak to get the nectar. They also learned that a hummingbird has a long narrow beak like an eye dropper to get the nectar inside a flower. Other stations included getting worms out of mud, caterpillars off a log, tiny water plants and animals, and even flying insects.

Ride the Wave Day

2008-09-04T14:14:00.002-04:00

Friday, we will be kicking off our anti-bullying program. Our theme is Ride the Wave to a Bully Free School. Tomorrow we will be having an assembly to launch this program with the students. We are asking students to dress in surfer shorts and beach shirts tomorrow. Sunglasses and hats will be allowed at the assembly. Following the assembly we will be having our first class meeting to discuss what bullying is. Class meetings will be held on a weekly basis on Fridays. Please be sure to talk with your child about what we are discussing about bullying in our class meetings.

Welcome to Room 202

2008-08-21T12:57:00.003-04:00

It is hard to believe that school is starting already. Where did the summer go? I am looking forward to a fun, exciting, and learning filled year. Parents, please check my blog frequently to stay up to date on the happenings in Room 202. You will also find the weekly spelling words posted on this site.

Accelerated Reader Reward Trip

2008-05-20T14:19:00.002-04:00

Last week, the top 10 Accelerated Readers in grades 4, 5, and 6 were treated to an afternoon of lunch and mini golf at Wolf's Camping Resort. Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Titley at the campground for donating the lunch and mini golf. Before returning to school, the students were treated to ice cream at Renningers. Congratulations to the following top 10 readers in 4th grade: Danie, Chad, Hunter, Tyler, Kierstie, Rebekah, Tuesday, Lizzie, Emily, and Shawntelle. Thank you to Mrs. Sliker for the pictures.

PA Trivia Finalists

2008-05-19T15:34:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to the following PA Trivia Finalists: Josh, Tuesday, Ethan, Cassie, Chad, Danie, Hunter, Austin, Ashlyn, and Rebekah. The fourth grade competition will be held on May 27th at 2:00. Please join us to cheer your child on.

PA

2008-05-19T15:33:00.000-04:00

Clear Creek Field Trip

2008-05-19T14:37:00.002-04:00

One of the favorite parts of the field trip was the stream activity. The students explored the stream and caught "critters." Some of our finds included a dobsonfly nymph, a stonefly nymph, a mayfly nymph, a salamander, and many water striders. The water was freezing cold, but it was lots of fun. Pictured here are Nately and Ashlyn.

Pennsylvania Trivia Contest

2008-05-05T08:50:00.003-04:00

Fourth graders are busy learning their PA trivia. Each student has a big list of trivia questions to be studying. We will be having our classroom competition on May 14th. At our classroom competition, we will narrow it down to the top 10 in Room 202. The top 10 from each 4th grade class will compete in the competition on May 27th. Study those trivia questions!!!

Clear Creek Field Trip

2008-05-05T08:46:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday, May 13th, the fourth grade will be taking a field trip to Clear Creek State Park. If your child has not already returned their permission slip, please be sure that they do. At Clear Creek, the students will be digging the Allegheny River watershed in the beach area. They will also learn about the logging industry in the 1800's. Please be sure your child dresses for the weather. We will be hiking, so be sure your child is wearing tennis shoes and long pants. They should also take an extra pair of pants and shoes because we will be wading in the creek to find the litter critters that live there.

Animal Research Reports

2008-04-23T07:58:00.002-04:00

The animal research report is due on Friday, May 2nd. Please be sure your child is working on it and not waiting until the last minute. The students will receive their book as soon as they have completed their rough draft. Each 2 page spread in the book needs a picture. The pictures can be drawn by hand or printed from the internet. They can either write directly in the book or type it on the computer and then cut and paste into the book. The students have a paper explaining all of this. I am excited to see the final product.

Earth Day News

2008-04-23T07:43:00.003-04:00

We celebrated Earth Day yesterday with a water pollution activity called Fred the Fish. We traveled down the river with Fred as he encountered many types of water pollution. Poor Fred swam through litter, pesticides, toxic waste, untreated sewage, and many other things that polluted his habitat. By the end of Fred's journey, the water was very dirty and poor Fred was dead. This was an eye opening experience for the students, and they saw first hand how their actions everyday effect the rivers and wildlife around us. Sorry I forgot to take pictures.

On Friday, we will be heading outside with our kindergarten buddies to collect garbage around the school. It always surprises me how much garbage we find.

Field Trip Info

2008-04-16T08:36:00.002-04:00

On April 30, 4th grade will be visiting Quiet Creek. Quiet Creek is an organic farm near Brookville. We will be spending the day outside, so be sure your child is dressed for the weather. Remember to pack some sunblock. Quiet Creek is providing lunch.

On May 13, we will be going to Clear Creek State Park. We will spend the morning digging the Allegheny River watershed on the beach area. Students will be digging the Allegheny River and its tributaries. They will also be building towns along the river. At the end, we will fill the river with water and watch it flow to Pittsburgh. Later, the students will hike the Ox Shoe Trail, find aquatic critters in the stream, and learn about the early logging history in Northwest Pennsylvania.

For the Clear Creek trip, we will be outside. Children will need a change of clothes and shoes. They always end up getting wet in the creek. Remember the sunblock. Dress warmly - it is always a little bit colder at Clear Creek. You will be getting information and permissions slips soon for this trip.

Animal Research

2008-04-14T08:10:00.002-04:00

The outlines for the animal reports are due Thursday, April 17. Many students already have their outlines turned in and checked and have moved on to the rough draft. Some students have even started publishing in their hardback book. Your child will receive their book when they are ready to begin publishing. The books are due on May 2nd. Please be checking your child's progress so they are not trying to finish everything at the last minute.

Middle West Test

2008-04-04T12:30:00.002-04:00

We will be having our chapter 7 test on the Middle West on Wednesday, April 9th. On Friday, April 11, students will be tested on labeling the Middle West states and the Great Lakes on the map.

Animal Research Reports

2008-04-03T14:36:00.002-04:00

We have begun our animal research report in my language arts class. Each student is researching a different North American animal. Each student will publish their final product in a hardback book. The students are very excited about this project and have already found lots of interesting information about their animal.

Fourth Grade News

2008-03-25T08:36:00.001-04:00

This week, fourth grade classrooms are participating in centers to review for the PSSA test. Students are doing a fun activity in each classroom.

Later this week, students will begin their North American wildlife report. They will be publishing their final project in a hardback book.

2008-03-25T08:35:00.001-04:00

March News

2008-03-18T08:31:00.003-04:00

On Friday, we did an Easter craft with our kindergarten buddies. We dipped yarn in glue water and wrapped it around a balloon. After the yarn dried, we popped the balloon to create an Easter egg. It was a great experience in working together.

Room 202 is busy preparing for the PSSA's. We will be testing during the week of March 31st. Please be sure your child is well rested for the test.