October WLE TV News

October 2nd:  https://youtu.be/uj_WHu5yBXo
October 3rd:  https://youtu.be/0vB1fZkXFVs
October 4th:  https://youtu.be/_jrQ0YlnoqU

October 9th: https://youtu.be/dn2MOZxuOJI
October 10th - NO NEWS TODAY
October 11th:  https://youtu.be/MeOjr5biGUg

October 16th:  https://youtu.be/mhk5KJd__Qk
October 17th:   https://youtu.be/uSOYfjsveog
October 18th:  https://youtu.be/92BAIT9LN-c

WEAR YOUR MSU/UofM gear to show your team spirit for Saturday's Game:)  Go WHITE...

October 23rd:  https://youtu.be/W7cTfIqPBqE
October 24th:  https://youtu.be/iF_x9UpoGZU
October 25th:  https://youtu.be/qxLEx6vzMVY

October 30th:  https://youtu.be/jg7UqDaYRWg
October 31st:  https://youtu.be/Oex0gClZ55o
November 1st:  NO NEWS TODAY

A Week in Review - September 28th

Hello Families,

We are getting settled into room 17.  We have found a great routine, gotten

to know each other and are ready to dig into learning.  This group of children work so well together! 

Homework Connection - Goes Home Friday

This week we will begin our homework routine.  On Friday, I will meet with your child, help them set a goal for learning, and they will choose their homework activities.  Next Friday, they will bring their evidence of learning back to school.  We will talk about their learning, set new goals, and the process will begin again.  For this year, homework will go home on FRIDAY and will be due the following Friday.  A homework note will ALWAYS go home on Friday.  So be sure to look for it in your child's backpack.  I will also make the homework note available in Google Classroom, just in case it gets lost.


Science - Transfer of Energy
We Have been working with electrical systems in science.  Your children have learned about how to open and close a circuit.  They have learned about the differences between series and parallel circuits.  It has been quite fun to learn how energy is transferred within a system.  This week we will be working on a new force - magnetism.

Math - Making Sense of Subtraction

In Math we have been working really hard to make sense of subtraction.  Your children have been

 learning about how the "traditional algorithm" works.  We have also learned how to use other strategies, like the number line to show the DIFFERENCE between two numbers!

Often the children will work in small groups to make sense of a mathematical idea and then post their groups thinking in the room.  We will have a "gallery walk" to see how others thought about the same idea.  As a class, we will discuss similarities and differences and then make conclusions about the big idea.  Your children work so hard to make sense of mathematics.  It is really a joy to work with them.

Literacy - 

In writers' workshop we are beginning to write realistic fiction stories. Last week we learned to think about the story bit by bit and the characters feelings in each part.  This week we will transfer those ideas into a story mountain and add even more details to the stories.

      In readers' workshop we are learning to think about the clues that the author leaves us to help us understand the stories better.  These clues are called SIGNPOSTS, and can be found in ANY book - even the ones you read..   So far we have learned about 2 signposts - Aha Moments and Memory Moments.  Aha moments are when a character realizes something important about themselves.  When we notice this - we ask ourselves "How might this change things for the character?"  Memory Moments are flashbacks to an early time.  When we notice a memory moment, we ask ourselves "How might this memory be important to the story?"  Both of these signposts will really help your child think deeply about the books that they are reading and the life lessons that the book has to offer.

Family Skate Night - Thursday is our first Family Skate Night of the year at Bonaventure from 6-8:30pm.  I look forward to seeing some of you there.  My girls love family skate night.  

September WLE TV News

September 25th - https://youtu.be/CL3hoapiSiQ
September 26th - NO NEWS TODAY
September 27th - https://youtu.be/dfAGJhAsRvA

A Week In Review: September 7th

Curriculum Night Ahead!
The 4th grade curriculum night will be on Thursday, September 13th from 6:30-7:30 pm.  I hope to see you there. 

Energy Systems
In Science we have been learning about how a system works together to create electrical energy.  Be sure to ask you child which components were needed in our system to light a bulb.

Math Workshop
We have be working on understanding place value.  We have worked to see that the value of a digit is very important.  We will build on this place value understanding in the coming weeks.

Growth Mindset
We have had many discussions about growth mindset - a positive attitude toward learning.  We have been learning a little bit about brain science.  Click on the link for a brief insight into the beginning of our discussions.  Many resources are found on the YouCubed website, which is created by Jo Boehler, professor at Stanford University.

Literacy
In writing, we are learning strategies to generate ideas for stories. Ask about your child's "Buried Story Map".  We are learning strategies for comprehension in reading.  We are using our read aloud A Fish In a Tree to work on these comprehension strategies.

Upcoming Dates:
9/13 - Curriculum Night
9/28- Picture Day
10/4 - WLE Family Night at Bonaventure 6-8:30pm

WELCOME TO 4th Grade

Dear Families,

            WELCOME BACK!  This year is going to be awesome!  4^th grade is a year full of growth

both academically and socially.  I hope that this letter finds you well rested and ready to begin the school year.

            This will be my 9^th year in 4^th grade, but my 14^th year at Walled Lake Elementary.  I have two daughters – Caroline and Katelyn, and a dog, Rose.  During the summer months, I spend lots of time with them and my husband.  My favorite memory from this summer is was a family wedding in North Carolina!  The McDonald’s love the OCEAN!!

            MEET AND GREET:  We will be having a meet and greet on Monday, August 27^th from 3:00-5:00pm.  You can come into the classroom, have a look around and drop off supplies (if you have them).  I am looking forward to seeing some of you then.

            Every school year, I am excited about the first day of school.  I cannot wait to greet each one of your children on Tuesday, August 29^th.  I just know that we will have a great year together. 

            Please bring a favorite book and a family picture to school on the first day.  I can’t wait to see what types of books you all like to read.  We will be sharing our favorite books as a class during the first week of school.  The supply list for 4^th grade was available on the Walled Lake Elementary webpage.  If you have not been able to view it, I have included a link to the webpage for you:

https://www.wlcsd.org/downloads/walled_lake_elementary/2017-2018_supply_list.pdf.

A few reminders for the first day of school:

1.  FAPES (Fine Arts and Physical Education) – We will have either art, music, PE, or media on the first day of school.  Please send your child to school with gym shoes just in case.  I will send the permanent schedule home as soon as I have it.

2.  SNACK – We will have time for a snack at some time during the school day.  If you would like to send your child to school with a healthy snack, that would be great.

3.  DISMISSAL – Please send me a note if you have any after school changes that I need to be aware of. 

4.  The majority of parent communication will be through email and my school blog.  I will send home a note asking for an email address on the first day of school.  My blog is accessible with a smart phone.

https://mcdonaldroom17.blogspot.com/

 

            I am looking forward to seeing all of you on the first day of school (or at the Meet and Greet)!  Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions or concerns, my email address is ellenmcdonald@wlcsd.org.

Sincerely,

Mrs. McDonald

A Year In Review

1st Day of School

Hello Families,

This time of year is always bittersweet for me, but this year especially so.  I have watched many of your children grow since Kindergarten.  I have gotten to know them in a way that I haven't known another group of kids.  I am so proud of who they have become and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them.  So many times, kids leave WLE and I occasionally get to see them again.  However, I know for this group, I will get to see them grow even more...since they are going to be growing alongside my own daughter.

I feel truly special to have been chosen as your child's teacher.  This year has been a year of growth and change - some rough patches, but with MUCH laughter and smiles.  Please keep in touch and stop in to say hi when you are at WLE.

Halloween

Imprints

Last Week of School

As a final reflection of the year, I asked the kids to think about the following idea:  What do you want people to remember about you from 4th grade.  We all leave our imprints on people, what do they want people to remember about them.  This are the ideas that I shared with them about me:

• Mrs. McDonald LOVES math...  she loved to ask us questions and always wanted to know why:)
• She is maybe a little too emotional about books - she cried a lot.  But I hope they remember that I cried a lot because characters like Auggie got to experience joy and friendship.
• She laughs - she thinks that kids in the classroom are funny.
• She is serious too - she thinks we need to do our job.
• She believes that we can! - She always asked us to think about what we did well.
• And (last but not least)...she is Caroline's mom.  Which means that we will still see her:)  

Be sure to ask your child what they want people to remember about them.  I know I will remember what a great group of kids that they are.  I will remember how proud I am of the children that they have become.

A Year in Review

Please enjoy our final installment of A Week in Review.  However, the children feel this one should be called "A YEAR IN REVIEW".

Report Cards

They will be available in FamilyAccess on Friday.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  I will check my email throughout the summer.

iReady for the Summer

Your child will still be able to log into the math and reading lessons for iReady this summer.  They are lessons designed to meet your child right where they are in their learning.  A note will be going home about it.

June WLE TV

June 5th:  https://youtu.be/qUx09bIulF0
June 7th:  https://youtu.be/U1VvQxWdgM0