St. Christopher School

                             " My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a branch toward heaven still.

                                And there's a barrel that I didn't fill beside it."

These opening lines, to "After Apple-Picking" by Robert Frost, are very familiar to your fourth grade student, as they were part of September's opening exercises. See our hallway bulletin board as students illustrated various parts of the poem.

We further celebrated the apple harvest by having an apple-tasting event.  Students voted for their favorites; Mackintosh and Gala tied for the most flavorful. The topic of apples wouldn't be complete without the mention of the legend of Johnny Appleseed.  We watched  a comic film and discussed the elements of historical fiction. An enjoyable Friday afternoon with 4M!

This Friday we shared narrative writing samples.  These pieces were biographical, imaginative, touching, comical, and/or sad. We're trying to write about ordinary things in an extraordinary way.  Details and dialogue, for example pull the reader in, add interest, and help the reader relate to the event. The next writing exercise is about "a favorite time of day."  I know what mine is... early morning. We'll see what the kiddos come up with.

How about a favorite time of year?  Fall certainly is beautiful. We've entered a contest with Yankee Magazine chronicling the changing of the leaves and sending daily reports to the magazine. So far, we decided the foliage is in its initial changes in Nashua. This activity ties in with science as we'll begin to study photosynthesis and also why the leaves change color.  Our first major science test is Tuesday:  Chapter 1, classification.  On to plants.  I saved some dandelions on the hillside near the playground to dig up for examples of those strong and tenacious taproots. Students will be asked to bring in different specimens.  They did a terrific job with pine cones.  We shook them and found multitudes of seeds.

Money was fun to count and students were challenged to make change.  Although the math test was Thursday and students did well, keep practicing at home. We'll be studying the properties of addition and subtraction next.  We introduce variables in 4th grade, and we'll be doing lots of old-fashioned practice to ensure mastery of basic procedures.

Please encourage your child to read at least 20 minutes a day at home.  We do silent reading every day after lunch and have award-winning literature to read at school, but an extensive vocabulary and high level of reading comprehension makes all the other school subjects easier. First book report is due October 14th.  The directions went home last week.

Your children are motivated and cooperative. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Mrs. T