Morning Message 3/26/10

Good morning! Are you ready for Spring Break?!!!
Today is Friday, March 26, 2010.
Tiger Day: I
Day 128 of School, 52 days left

REMINDERS:

• Book Reports are due today! Hold onto them for now. We will be sharing them after lunch.
• You are expected to continue to enjoy reading over Spring Break! I’ll give you a new reading log for April this afternoon. It’s your only work over break!

NOTE: Mr. Evans’ class needs a book today.

This Morning:

• Civil War research! There are a variety of books on each pod. Eventually, we’ll be switching pods so that we get a chance to explore more of the books. Ms. Bragg will show you how to make a simple graphic organizer after announcements.
• At the end of our research session, we’ll finish up the video we started two days ago... And if we have time, learn a little bit about Civil War hospitals.

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack.
2. I’ve hole-punched your VA Studies Weekly for you. Go ahead and put it away in your Virginia Studies binder. Remember to add it to the back!
3. Go ahead and choose a book from the stack on your pod. Begin to read and explore quietly at your seat during announcements.

Too Late for the King to Apologize

Too Late (for the King) to Apologize
by Soomo Publishing

Halfway across the globe
And we're standing on new ground
Screaming 'cross the waves
You can't hear a sound
There's no fair trials, no trade, no liberties
No tea
We've colonized America; we won't stand for tyranny,
Oh king
And it's too late to apologize
It's too late
I said it's too late to apologize
It's too late
We've paid your foolish tax, read the acts
And they just won't do
We want to make it clear, we believe this much is true
All men were created with certain
Unalienable rights
Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit
Of happiness
And it's too late to apologize
It's too late
I said It's too late to apologize
It's too late
It's too late to apologize
It's too late
I said it's too late apologize
It's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah
It's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah
Halfway across the globe
And we're standing on new ground

Morning Message 3/25/10

Good morning and congratulations on a fantastic performance!
Tiger Day: T
Day 127 of School, 53 days left

NOTES:

• There have been some changes to the seating arrangement.
• Ms. Allan’s math class needs to bring colored pencils with them today.

Bravo! I heard that the performance was grand success! I can’t wait to hear more about it from the performers!

Outdoor Classroom! Peas need to be planted early-- before Spring Break. So I need 3 volunteers to go during recess on Friday. We will select volunteers after announcements.

REMINDERS:

• Book Reports due this Friday!
• You are expected to continue to enjoy reading over Spring Break!

This Morning:
More Civil War! You’ll work with a partner to create new vocabulary matching cards.

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack.
2. Complete vocabulary matching cards. READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY! You will be working with the person sitting next to you unless you are one of the following: Hannah R. will work with Thomas D. Ben L. will work with Thomas R. and Eva.

Morning Message 3/24/10

Good Morning and Happy Performance Day! Today is Wednesday, March 24, 2010.
Tiger Day: S
Day 126 of School, 54 days left

Outdoor Classroom! The Wednesday after we get back from Spring Break, we’ll be planting the outdoor classroom. This morning we’ll need to make some selections for what we want to plant.

• Root Vegetables: radishes/carrots, turnips, or beets
• Leafy Vegetable: lettuce, spinach, cabbage, rainbow chard, or broccoli
• Colonial Flowers: violets, marigolds, pansies, or nasturtium
• Herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, dill, mint, chives, oregano, or parsley

REMINDERS:

• Music Performance tonight! Is your outfit ready? When you arrive in the Band Room, you’ll need to locate Mr. Palermo. He’ll be standing in for me because I can’t be there.
• Book Reports due this Friday!
• Assembly today at 10am!
• Today is a short Wednesday!

This Morning:

• We’ll do some homophone work.
• Then we’ll learn more about the Civil War!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack.
2. Take out your Word Study notebook. Find a partner to work with. Play the homophone game until after announcements.

Afternoon Message 3/23/10

Good Afternoon! Today is still Tuesday, March 23, 2010.
Tiger Day: R

The “dress/tech rehearsal” went great! I’m so proud of all of you! I only have one note for you: Sing Out! It really was hard to hear your voices in the audience... And it’s only going to be harder when you get more people in the auditorium. So sing nice and loud!

I sent your parents a reminder email about the performance tomorrow night... You can certainly help out too! What are some of the things that you need to remember?

SPECIAL REMINDER: Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the performance because it conflicts with my birthing class, which was scheduled months before I knew the performance date. Thank goodness for dress rehearsals! :-)

On your desk:

• Reminder about tomorrow night’s performance.
• Flat TJ.

Put both inside your homework folder now.

Morning Message 3/23/10

Good Morning and Happy “Dress Rehearsal” Day! Today is Tuesday, March 23, 2010.
Tiger Day: R
Day 125 of School, 55 days left

REMINDERS:

• Dress rehearsal at George Mason today! Music Performance this Wednesday night!
• In order for the performance to be great, everyone will need to be extremely attentive, hard-working, and cooperative both this morning and tomorrow night.
• Remember to have your TJ t-shirt ready for tomorrow! If you are borrowing a shirt from Mrs. Harbison, you will come to the performance with your own solid-color t-shirt on (preferably dark navy blue)-- then you’ll just put the borrowed t-shirt on top of your shirt.
• Book Reports due this Friday!
• Tomorrow is a short Wednesday and we have an assembly.

This Morning:

• We’ll work on our key words for VA Studies Weekly during announcements
• We’ll board the buses around 8:45am to go to GM!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! If you want to eat snack, you’ll need to eat it now. We cannot bring snack with us.
2. Take out your issue of VA Studies Weekly. You can work on your keywords during announcements.

Computer Lab Assignment 3/22/10

Hey 4th Graders!

This morning we did some research about the Underground Railroad, the abolitionist movement, and slavery. We've also read about the causes of the American Civil War in our textbooks. Let's put all this information together now-- how are the following BrainPop animations related?

Today, you'll be doing your quizzes ON PAPER... Then on the back, you'll be expected to produce an illustration. Read the directions carefully.

Here are the links you will need:


BrainPOP: Slavery

BrainPOP: Underground Railroad


BrainPOP: Frederick Douglass

BrainPOP: Civil War Causes

Show Ms. Bragg, your illustration before you move on. She'll give you directions about what to do next.

Have fun and expand your brain!

Morning Message 3/22/10

Good Morning and Happy Picture Day! Today is Monday, March 22, 2010.
Tiger Day: E
Day 124 of School, 56 days left

Because it’s raining, we’ll be taking our panoramic picture on the risers in the gym. Are you ready to smile big for the camera?

REMINDERS:

• Turn in class and panoramic picture orders!
• Music Performance this Wednesday night! Our dress rehearsal at George Mason is tomorrow!Book Reports due this Friday!

 This Morning:

• Before/during announcements, we’ll be reading books concerning slavery, the underground railroad, and the abolition movement.
• At around 8:50 we’ll start lining up... We’ll line up inside our room with row 1 of the musical first, then row 2... And so on and so forth, ending with row 5. At around 8:55 we’ll start walking row 1 from all seven classes down to the gym, followed by Row 2, Row 3, Row 4, and finally row 5!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Be sure to turn in any important papers to Ms. Bragg’s box. Return your empty Friday Folder to its mailbox.
3. Find a buddy and pick a book from the back table. We’ll read until it’s time to line up for the Panoramic pictures.

Morning Messae 3/19/10

Good Morning! Today is Friday, March 19, 2010
Tiger Day: G
Day 123 of School, 57 days left

REMINDERS:

• We’ll perform for our Book Buddies this afternoon. We only have twenty minutes-- so we’ll have to use our time efficiently.
• Music rehearsal today!
• Book Reports due next Friday!
• Next Monday is class picture and 4th grade panoramic picture day! We want to look good! Do you know what you’re going to wear yet?

This Morning:

• Chester!
• Timelines!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Work on your Chester the Crab questions.

Computer Lab Assignment 3/18/10

Hey 4th Graders!

Welcome back to the computer lab!

You've already done some typing practice and some Virginia Studies review on Study Island. Now it's time to get a preview of our next science unit: weather!

Study these short video clips to get excited about learning more! The order doesn't matter.

Kid Meteorologist

What's a meteorologist?

Lightning Hunters

How is the rocket the lightning hunters use similar to the kite and key combo that Ben Franklin used?
What is a cloud like?

New Tools for Predicting Hurricanes

We've already satellites are used in astronomy... How are they used to forecast the weather? Do you remember what the definition of a satellite is?

Have fun and expand your brain!

Morning Message 3/18/10

Good Morning! Today is Thursday, March 18, 2010.
Tiger Day: I
Day 122 of School, 58 days left

REMINDERS:

• Music rehearsal today!
• How are the Book Reports going? Has everyone finished their book?
• Next Monday is class picture day! Have you picked out a snazy outfit yet? We’ll also be taking a panoramic picture of the whole 4th grade!
• Math Olympiad test today at 2pm.

This Morning:

• Civil War!
• Timelines!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. You’ll be working with a partner to do the vocabulary matching activity on your desk. Be sure to read the directions carefully! You’ll work with the person who is next to you (example: Hannah B. works with Christian), unless you’re on this list: Josh and Hannah R. work together. Michael and Ben L. work together.

Morning Message 3/17/10

Good Morning and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Today is Wednesday, March 17, 2010.
Tiger Day: T
Day 121 of School, 59 days left

REMINDERS:

• Today is a long Wednesday!
• No pinching! Some people enjoy wearing green and some don’t. No big deal! J
• Today is the first day of the Third Trimester-- What does this mean for Encore?
• No music rehearsal today... You’ll have rehearsal again tomorrow.
• Who needs a TJ t-shirt for the music performance? Let me and Mrs. Harbison know. She has extra t-shirts that kids can borrow on performance day.

This Morning:

• First, a little bit of homophone practice.
• We’ll be catching up with our Virginia Studies textbooks.

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Same as yesterday! Take out your Word Study notebook. Find a partner to play the “homophone game” with. That’s the game where the “speller” spells the word on the “guesser’s” back or arm... Then the “guesser” has to use the word in a sentence that explains the meaning. The “speller” tells the “guesser” if they’ve used the correct version of the homophone. Then you switch!

Morning Message 3/15/10

Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tiger Day: S
Day 120 of School, 60 days left

It’s the day before St. Patrick’s Day-- a day when we celebrate Irish and Irish-American culture and many people wear green.... Will you wear green tomorrow?

REMINDER: Today is the first day of music rehearsal in the gym. We’ll go there instead of to our regular Encore class.

This Morning:

• We’ll do a little practice with our homophones from last night. Did you find another homophone that didn’t have a match? Can you think of what that match might be? Also, is there a pair of homophones that could become a trio? We’ll see if we can add two more words to our collections.
• Then we’ll talk about the NASA’s Apollo missions... Anyone know what those were?

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Take out your Word Study notebook. Find a partner to play the “homophone game” with. That’s the game where the “speller” spells the word on the “guesser’s” back or arm... Then the “guesser” has to use the word in a sentence that explains the meaning. The “speller” tells the “guesser” if they’ve used the correct version of the homophone. Then you switch!

Morning Message 3/15/10

Good Morning! Today is the day after Thomas D.’s Birthday!
It is Monday, March 15, 2010.
Tiger Day: R
Day 119 of School, 61 days left

Spring showers are definitely here!

Quick Question: What is daylight savings and why do we have it? Also, why does daylight savings happen at this time of year? Does it happen any other time of year?

This Morning:

• We’ll recite a little poetry before we pull out all our readers’ theater materials.
• We’ll be practicing our Readers’ Theater with props. Tomorrow, we need to lend our laminated props to Ms. Hocutt’s class... But we’ll get them back before Thursday when we perform! Today, we’ll concentrate on how to act out the different systems-- epicycles are the most challenging!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Be sure to turn in any important papers (such as picture orders) to the “Notes for Ms. Bragg” box. Then return your empty Friday Folder to its mailbox.
3. Wish Thomas a “Happy Belated Birthday!”
4. Take out your red Language Arts spiral notebook and practice poetry with a friend until after announcements.

Morning Message 3/12/10

NOTE: Several days didn't get posted... Sorry about that! Just going to move-on from here on out. Thanks!

Good Morning and Happy Friday! Today is March 12, 2010.
Tiger Day: E
Day 118 of School, 62 days left

REMINDERS:
Have you thought about your book report? How far along are you in your book? It’s important to make a plan to complete the book and still leave yourself enough time to work on the book jacket. We’ll talk more about this, this afternoon.

This Morning:

• Before announcements, practice reciting poetry!
• Then we’ll finish up Virginia Studies Weekly, which was due yesterday. Please have your VA Studies Weekly out so that we can get right to it after announcements.
• Next, we’ll be working on our Readers’ Theater pieces. We’ll incorporate the props that Ms. Bragg made and you’ll need to make some additional ones too!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Wish at least 2 colleagues a “Happy Friday!”
3. Take out your red Language Arts spiral notebook and practice poetry with a friend until after announcements.

Computer Lab Assignment 3/11/10

Hey 4th Graders!

Do you remember those special words for this morning's lesson? Here are the definitions... Do you remember the words that go with each?

• the two times of year when day and night everywhere on Earth are approximately the same length.
• either the shortest day of the year or the longest.

Your first assignment today is to study this BrainPop video and see if you can make connections to this morning's lesson. (username: tjelem and password: tiger) When you are done, complete the REVIEW quiz: BrainPOP- Solstice and Equinox.

Study the video and complete the REVIEW quiz: BrainPOP- Moon

Do you recognize this guy from Readers' Theater? Study this video to learn more about him, then complete the REVIEW quiz: BrainPOP- Galileo Galilei

With the remainder of your time, you may play Study Island, VA Studies. Remember: Your password is your lunch number and your username follows this format-- FirstnameLastinitial@TJ (example: CindyC@TJ).

Have fun and stretch your brain!
-Ms. Bragg

Computer Lab Assignment 3/3/10

Hi 4th Graders!

I miss you today! But I'm feeling a little better already. I'm hoping to be back with you tomorrow. Here is your assignment for the computer lab today...


PART I: You'll need to visit the following links, which are also on portaportal. This is the most important part of your assignment and you must finish it before moving on.

• This first one has video/animation elements and interactive elements. You'll need to listen VERY closely to understand and to be able to complete the activities that follow. Be sure that you notice the "continue" and "replay" buttons in the lower right-hand corner. In the end, ask yourself this question: What is the reason for the seasons?
• Astronomy Connections: Earth in Motion
• Next, watch this video clip about the Moon. Answer this question: Why are there such extreme temperatures on the moon?
• Extreme Temperatures on the Moon
• Another, cool short video clip with footage from the Moon. Try to answer this question: Why do the feather and the hammer hit the ground at the same time? Why does this seem so strange to us here on Earth?
• Galileo On the Moon 
• The penultimate: Carefully watch and listen to the following animation. Then play the game at the end.
• Phases of the Moon 
• Finally, study this really cool video clip about Solar Eclipses. Answer these questions: Why do the sun and the moon appear to be about the same size in the sky? Why do only some people on Earth see a solar eclipse? Why do some people see a partial solar eclipse, while others see a full solar eclipse?
• Solar Eclipses
• With your remaining time, you may explore any of the links, videos, and games listed under the Science>Solar System folder.

PART II: Spend about 20 minutes playing Virginia Studies arcade games on Study Island. REMEMBER: Remember: Your password is your lunch number and your username follows this format-- FirstnameLastinitial@TJ (example: BraggC@TJ).

PART III: Spend about 15 minutes working on your typing skills on Type to Learn.

Have fun and expand your brains!
--Ms. Bragg

Morning Message 3/2/10 (posted 1 day late)

Good Morning and Happy Wacky Hair Day! Today is Tuesday, March 02, 2010.
Tiger Day: I
Day 110 of School, 70 days left

This week is National Foreign Language Week!  As part of the activities for this week, a student will say "hello" in his or her native language as part of the daily announcements in the morning. It is each class' task to see if they can identify the language being spoken each morning. The possibilities for Tuesday's "mystery language" are: 1 - German, 2 - Russian, 3 - Spanish, 4 - Italian. Which do you think it will be? Listen carefully!

REMINDERS: This is Count-Down-to-March-Madness Spirit Week! Tomorrow is Wear Your Favorite Team’s Jersey. Thursday is pajama day! Friday is wear your school colors day!

This Morning:

• Revolutionary Figures-- finish up our research! Questions?
• The Moon!

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Take out your Revolutionary Figures research packet and your Week 18 issue of VA Studies Weekly (“Founding Fathers: What it Means”). Use Week 18 to make some final notes in your research packet.

Morning Message 3/1/10 (posted 2 days late)

Good Morning! Today is Monday, March 01, 2010.
Tiger Day: T
Day 109 of School, 71 days left

REMINDER:

• Content ends at 9:25am and Math begins at 9:30am.

This Morning:

• Poetry practice! Reciting poetry improves your reading and enhances your understanding of beautiful/meaningful language. For the best performance, be sure to recite your poetry with emotion!
• As you practice reciting, Ms. Bragg will be setting up for another research session on important figures from the American Revolution. We’ll complete our charts today.

To-Do List:

1. Complete your morning routine! Don’t forget about snack!
2. Return your EMPTY Friday Folder to its mailbox. Be sure to turn in any important papers to the “Notes for Ms. Bragg box.
3. Take out your red Language Arts notebook. Practice reciting poetry with a friend-- see if you can earn a star on the chart.