Field Trip to Adair Park

Last Wednesday we took a walking field trip to Adair Park! The Dekalb Historical Society put on fabulous activities where the students were able to take a trip down history lane! We got to "meet" Harriet Tubman, a colonist, a Native American, Benjamin Franklin Stanton, Mary Gay, and many other prominent historical figures. Here are a few photos from our fun experience! Thank you to all of the volunteers that joined us. -Ms. Ary

Visit to the Zoo!

THANK YOU to all of the volunteers that helped make our trip to the zoo a success! I am so grateful for such a supportive group of parents! Check out some of the fun sites that we visited below:

Update for Week of August 18th

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Be sure to check your child's communication folder tonight! At the beginning of the year, we have multiple papers going home! Specifically, please look for the field trip form and author visit book order form. This Friday at 6:00 is the F.AVE School Picnic! We will have food trucks this year that will donate a portion of their profits to our PTO. We hope to see you there! Please make sure you have signed up for the school eblast! Our Falcon Flyer Newsletter is sent via email each week. Very important communication is included that is not sent home as a paper copy. You can also find the Falcon Flyer on our school website.

Here are the details of our week:
MAP TESTING BEGINS THIS WEEK!
Thursday: Math at 8:00 a.m.
Friday: Reading at 8:00 a.m.
Monday: Language Arts at 8:00 a.m.

In reading, we are going to begin discussing expository text features. Students will be exposed to various non-fiction texts. Your child should be reading at least 30 minutes each night!

In writing, the students will continue to add to their writing territories. Most students have filled up the first 3 pages of their writing journals with all of the things they love and hate. I love seeing the students' personalities shine during this task! Over the next few days, the students will be choosing a small moment to zoom in on and write about.

In social studies, the students will continue researching six of the Native American tribes: Kwakiutl, Nez Perce, Inuit, Hopi, Seminole, and Pawnee. 

In math, we will compare numbers using >, <, and =. We will also practice writing numbers in standard form, word form, and expanded form. These are skills the students already have under their belts! We're just moving to higher numbers. As you help you children at home, please encourage them to use the strategies they already know. You'd be surprised how many of them don't realize that they simply have to apply their prior knowledge to higher place values. When they do, they have a big "Aha!" moment!

In science, we will continue our work with ecosystems, specifically moving into the flow of energy through food webs. We will be using specific vocabulary, so be looking for those words in their science journals! We are also starting to use Science Techbook. To get there, go to discoveryeducation.com. Your child's username is his or her first initial, last name, lunch number (i.e. jdoe9876) and everyone's password is fave101. Feel free to explore what Techbook has to offer!







-Ms. Ary

Native Americans Research

Below is a link to a fascinating PowerPoint about the Native American tribes that we are studying this term. Students, you are going to use this to complete your Native American research activity. Good luck! -Ms. Ary

1. Go to: https://www.georgiastandards.org/Frameworks/pages/BrowseFrameworks/socialstudiesK-5.aspx

2. Click the + sign next to 4th grade.

3. Last, click "Explore the Native American Nations" under the unit 2 heading

Week 1 is in the books!

We have officially completed week 1! This past week, the students enjoyed learning about the traits that it takes to become an internationally minded student. We also learned some interesting facts about one another and established classroom agreements.

Have a wonderful weekend! -Ms. Ary

Welcome to 4th Grade!

Hello all!

    I am very excited to begin my fourth year teaching 4th grade. This blog along with my weekly email updates will keep you feeling informed and prepared. I will be teaching reading, writing, and social studies while Mrs. Jennifer Broman-Fulks teaches both math and science. As a team, we use flexible grouping strategies for instruction. Students are grouped and regrouped according to specific goals, activities, and individual needs. We encourage a lot of independence in the 4th grade. It can be both a challenging and invigorating year for both students and parents as they acquaint themselves to a new school, new curriculum, and lots of new friends! We look forward to meeting you all and making this transition as seamless as possible. 

     During the first week of school, you can expect the homeroom classes to work together to formulate and agree upon a set of classroom agreements, students will work alongside one another in pairs, whole group settings, and even individually.  A few curriculum sequences will begin, and the students will become aquainted with their peers as well as the school.

     I hope to see you at the meet and greet taking place on August 1st from 3-4. See you in room 312!

Sarah Ary

sary@csdecatur.net

Welcome to the blogging world!

How is your summer going? I have been busy enjoying this beautiful weather, soaking up the sun with my family down in Florida, and planning for my upcoming wedding in November! I look forward to meeting each of my students in August. To cure the summertime blues, feel free to visit any of the interactive websites below:

Want to write a silly story? http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/story-starters/

Create a word cloud! http://www.wordle.net/create

Multi-player spelling bee! http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/spelling-bees/spelling-bees.html

Word Mayhem. http://members.learningplanet.com/act/wordmayhem/free.asp

Multiplication Practice. http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/ma13tabl-game-tables-grid-find

Division Game. http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/drag_race/drag_race.html


Have a fantastic week! See you in August! :) Ms. Ary