Weekly Reflection: October 26

Reporters: Maura and Lauren     Photographer: Will

Orchestra Hall

Waiting for the concert to start

Watching the Symphony of Doom perform

Symphony of Doom by Maura

Today our class went to Orchestra Hall. We listened to some pieces of music that we have listened to in music class. There was very pretty architecture on the ceilings and walls, and the music was great. There was acting and the music helped us picture what the mimes and actors were doing. We got to sit on the balcony and had a great view of the show! I thought that is was a very fun and exciting field trip!

 Testing to see if air takes up space

 Using the scale to measure soap in different states

What the soap looks like as a solid

4th Grade Science by Lauren

This week on Tuesday we had a science morning.  We spent the whole morning learning about matter. We were trying to prove that air takes up space, and that if you change the state of matter then it will not change its weight.  We found out that it won't because you are not adding or taking away from your solid, liquid, or gas.

Weekly Reflection: October 19

Reporters: Lachlan and Will      Photographer: Madison

Matter Investigations

Mad Scientists!

 We carefully recorded our observations.

 Working together, we discovered properties of matter.

In one investigation, we observed how different materials responded to being stirred.  This is dish soap.

What's the Matter? by Lachlan
In science this week we learned about matter. We had balloons filled with different things. We were identifying how it felt and what it smelt like. We opened the balloons and we found out what was in them. We looked at the color of it and we tried to see the little pieces of what made it. Then we stirred them and piled it in a cup. We tried to see it it would stay like that. We tried to see if it was like a solid, liquid or a gas.

The Year of The Dog by Will
This week for the Year of The Dog we finished reading the book. We wrote on the blog about whether or not Pacy would have found her talent if she had not got the award for the book she made. If one thing in the story hadn't happened, she might not have found her talent. I think that The Year of the Dog is a really good book and everyone should read it.

Weekly Reflection: October 12

Reporters: Madison and Hannah    Photographer: Josh

Wacky Robot
(Pictures/Video taken on our new iPad2)

Wacky Robot Video

Wacky Robot by Madison
In science we made directions for a sandwich so we could see how exact a scientist has to be. We were supposed to make directions for a robot so we had to be super specific. Mrs. Cioni and Ms. Ford pretended to be the robot reading the instructions. If you didn't say in your directions "open the bread bag"they would go to the next set of directions. Only one person's directions got all the way through!  We wrote directions twice to make them better.

Field Museum Field Trip by Hannah
All the 4th graders were learning about Naive American tribes. So then we had a little fun at the Field Museum. We went inside a cool Pawnee Lodge and also saw a huge bison. We learned a ton.  See pictures of our field trip to the Field Museum of Natural History by clicking on this link.

Weekly Reflection: October 4

Reporters: Josh and Susie    Photographer: Grace

 Our class learning about pandas in Chinese class.

Our class singing a Chinese song.

Pandas Galore by: Susie

In Chinese class we watched a video about pandas. Pandas are from China. Pandas are xiao (small) when they are born, like a stick of butter.  They are da (big) when they get older.

Native American Real Estate by: Joshua

Yesterday, we  started our Native American project. We are moving a tribe we ( each group studied their own tribe ) studied to a new region and made keynotes on the old region, new region and adaptations in the new place.

Weekly Reflection: September 28

Reporters: Charles and Grace    Photographer: Lucy

TIME for KIDS

Each group read an article and completed a One Pager.

 Then, we discussed the articles with the class.

 This group led a discussion on the teacher strike.

 This group led a discussion on the endangered coral reefs.

 This group led a discussion on this year's drought.

This group led a discussion on whether or not kids should learn cursive.

Native American Jeopardy by Charles
We were learning about Early American cultural regions this week.  We learned how different tribes lived. Jeopardy helped us to study for our test.  It asked us questions like where the regions were at and what artifacts they used.  It was fun!

Skype with Mr. Malone by Grace
On Monday we talked with Mr. Malone through Skype because we were studying hurricanes last week and he fixes houses after hurricanes happen with Habitat for Humanity.  He is in New Orleans. He told us how much it costs for them to build a house and he said about 80 thousand dollars for only one tiny house. We also learned that he elevates the houses about 5 feet off the ground  so if it floods the water will not go in. It was so much fun!  See pictures and video of our Skype at the link below.

http://mrscionisclass.weebly.com/interview-with-mr-malone.html

Weekly Reflection: September 21

Reporters: Patrick and Lucy /Photographer: Erin

Detectives in Action

 Cutting out artifacts

 Reading about regions

 Taking notes

 Discussing our different opinions

 Recording evidence

Detectives in action

Detective Work by Patrick
We were being detectives by reading passages in our History Alive book and predicting what the Native Americans used in the different regions.  We used clues from the text like the resources they had and what needs they had.

Student Elections by Lucy
This week everybody voted for student counsel  president. Fifth grade candidates put up posters, and made speeches. Today we all voted online.

Weekly Reflection: September 14

Reporters: Erin and Zach   Photographer: Conor

Our Dot Day Activity:

 We used markers and coffee filters.

 We designed our dots.

 We squirted our dots with water.

All of our dots.  WE MATTER!!!

International Dot Day by Zach

Today is International Dot Day.  Dot Day is all about showing others You Matter!!! In class we made our own dots with markers and coffee filters to show that we are all different. We sprayed them with water.

The Amazing Hurricanes by Erin

This week we studied Hurricanes. Hurricanes spin counter clockwise because of the earth's rotation. We did stations and one of them we got to research about hurricanes. It was so much FUN!!!

iFruit Winner: Lachlan

Lachlan was this month's winner of the iFruit basket.  Here's our class enjoying the prize- a tasty fruit arrangement of strawberries, oranges, and apples.  Thank you to the D25 Food Services for providing us with this healthy, refreshing snack.