Mrs. Buller's Fourth Grade Blog

I can’t believe we dissected worms today in the Science lab!!! Ok, so they were gummy worms but they really were similar in some ways to the real invertebrates. They were segmented just like the real ones. We could count the segments and figure out where the brain, five pairs of hearts, and the gizzard were located. We could see the head and tail. We could eat them too! How did you like the experiment? You can learn more about earthworms by checking out the link below. Have fun!

The Adventures of Herman

We are one week into our new online communication tool-Edmodo!!! You have used it to turn in assignments, take polls, practice your math facts, check your homework assignments, earn badges, and to read our monthly newsletter. What do you think of it?  Be specific as to what you like about it. What else would you like to see us do on Edmodo? Do you have any suggestions for assignments?

Tomorrow is Friday, the 13th! It is the first of three for the year 2012. This day has been associated with bad luck for hundred of years! Let’s look at some of the silly superstitions people believe in. Have you heard of these?

1. Pick up a penny only if it is heads up!
2. Don’t walk under a ladder!
3. Don’t let a black cat cross your path!
4. A rabbit’s foot is good luck!
5. Breaking a mirror is bad luck!
6. Crossing your fingers brings good luck!
7. Opening an umbrella inside is bad luck!

Have you heard of any of these? Why do you think people think this way?

Today in class, we were talking about Conestoga Wagons. We learned that they were made by German settlers who lived near the Conestoga River. The wagons were filled up with many goods such as gunpowder, salt, and kettles by traders who then exchanged these goods with the Native Americans for fur. Colonists also used the wagons for transportation to the west. There are many more interesting facts about the Conestoga Wagons. Let’s have a trivia contest! Use the link below to answer the three questions below. The first student to answer a question correctly and can blog the answer in a complete sentence with correct spelling will win a selection from the classroom prize box. You can only win once so that we can have three different winners. Good luck!

1. Name the three types of wood that Conestoga Wagons were usually made from.
2. What was rubbed on the canvas of the wagon to make it waterproof.
3. Why was traveling on the trail by wagon so noisy?

http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/wagon.htm

I hope you all had a great Christmas break full of family, food, and fun! Instead of asking you which gift you received that you liked the most, I am asking this simple question-what was the best gift you GAVE? I wish you an awesome 2012!

“The Stranger” sure was an interesting storyin ILA today. We never guessed until the end that the stranger was probably Jack Frost. According to “stcharleschristmas.com” Jack is an elf from Scandinavian legend who was named Jokul Frosti, meaning Icicle Frost by the Norse Vikings. He is known for his artistic talents while sneaking through towns late at night painting beautiful frost designs on windows and over the winter leaves and grass. What did you think of the story?

Tonight, Resurrection put on the annual Christmas Concert. What a wonderful night of music! You had a chance earlier in the day to hear all of the songs that were going to be sung by each grade. Then, one by one, each class performed. We stayed in the second grade room and played many rounds of Whisper Down the Lane while we waited for our turn to perform. What did you think of the night? Were you nervous? I was very proud of all of you. Great singing, fourth grade!

Today, we received the envelope we have been waiting for since last month-our paper hands from Imagiverse! The hands came from Israel, Turkey, Austria, India, and the United States. It was fun looking at all of them and to learn about other cultures. The link to the hands is below. What did you think of this Internet project which exchanged hands with schools all over the world?

Imagiverse

The first trimester has ended! Parent/teacher conferences are over. I have to say that all of you worked very hard and earned a wonderful grade report. It is important that you keep up the good work all through the year. A good way to accomplish that is to set new goals for yourself for the second trimester. Think about it. What skill area or subject would you like to improve in for the second trimester? What will be your plan to accomplish this goal?