News and Notes 1/10

News and Notes

From Fourth Grade

Showing Off

We've nearly reached the end of the second quarter! Unbelievably, this means we are about halfway through our fourth grade adventures. As a way of documenting the growth and learning from the past few months, this week we spent some time completing various mid-year assessments. The fourth graders needed a bit of encouragement, but as soon as they entered the right “zone,” they were able to show off their amazing learning from the first half of the school year. What an exciting thing it is to be able to reflect on the progress we've made! Even more than being able to recognize the progress as a teacher, it is exciting to see the fourth graders identifying the ways in which they are growing and progressing as learners. Over the next few weeks we will continue to give the students opportunities to show off their great learning in math, reading, and writing. It seems very likely that these fourth grade learners will continue to shine!

Geography

As is our tradition, this week the fourth and fifth graders at Simonds School participated in the annual Geography Bee. Based on the first round of geography testing that all the students took before the vacation, we had a collection of 10 fourth and fifth graders who participated in the Geography Bee in front of their peers and teachers. Ms. Fonte, a friend of Simonds School and former teacher, returned to host the Bee. The fourth and fifth grade participants did a tremendous job of making informed decisions and showing of their geography smarts. From naming the continents based on geographic clues to identifying historical landmarks in different states, these students showed their knowledge of the world! The audience did a great job of respectfully watching as the competition unfolded. It was a great time of fun and learning, as well as a reminder of the amazingly large and diverse world that we call home!

New

The first assignment of the year 2014 was for the fourth graders to think about what this new year will mean for them. They were asked to record their hopes, dreams, and expectations for the coming year. From personal goals to exciting adventures, the fourth graders were full of expectations for the year 2014. Hopefully some of these great accomplishments and experiences will occur during our time together in fourth grade. It is such a treat to be able to share in the growth of these fourth graders and I look forward to sharing the year 2014 with them!