The Carstens’ Class Chronicle October 2011 www.hgsd.k12.wi.us days your child may have family at home. obligations that make it difficult to Our science field trip to the

fit in reading time. In that case, Pigeon River was great – even in your child can read additional the rain! Thank you to Mrs. minutes on some other day so that Cassity, Mr. Danen, Mrs. Dirker, they continue to meet the goal of Mrs. Kane, Mrs. Matte, Mr. reading 140 minutes every week. Mueller, Ms. Phillips, and Mrs. Please remind your child to record Zerger for supervising the the pages read at home in the exploratory groups. It was a Reading Log. Please remember to wonderful way to introduce our sign your child’s log each day. unit on ecosystems, water quality, the water cycle, groundwater, and Heritage School Current Events erosion. Now it’s on to water and In reading we have been land experiments! On Thursday, October 6th, our talking about our classroom as a class will be traveling back in time reading community. We have read to the year 1877, when we visit picture books where the characters Heritage School in Sheboygan. Classroom Webpage interact in a community and are The students will experience developing our own sense of a www.hgsd.k12.wi.us school life in a one-room classroom community that works Please remember that class schoolhouse. It is a wonderful and learns together. We have information is posted on the school educational experience and a lot of identified various ways that we can district website under my fun! They will spend the morning choose a “just right book” for classroom name. You can check learning lessons as they were independent reading so everyone is the webpage for photos of our taught 134 years ago. From reading a book at an appropriate class, recent newsletters, and reading at the recitation bench, to level. The students have started homework. There is also a link to doing math problems on a slate developing stamina when reading the Scholastic website where you board, to writing with pen and ink, to self so they can read for a length can order books. Other links take the students will be actively of time without disturbing others. you to websites that offer kid- involved in learning what school The students have also been friendly information, games, and was like in 1877. Please working on writing short essays math practice. remember to have your child dress using the 4-Square Method – as they did in 1877 and have which is just a way of organizing Check out this new math him/her bring an appropriate their thoughts before they begin webpage that has fun math practice 1877’s lunch. Thank you for the actual writing of the activities and games. But be helping your child prepare for this paragraphs. Currently the students careful, they can be a bit addicting! special day! are working on an essay about http://www.coolmath-games.com/ their trip to the Pigeon River and Daily Independent Reading pond. The focus is on writing Most of the students have been complete sentences and organizing Enjoy some of our keeping up with their daily inde- their thoughts into paragraphs that Autumn Poetry! pendent reading at home. Thank support a main idea. After we go you for seeing that your child is to Heritage School, the students completing this important daily will be writing essays about the Challenges of Life reading practice. Remember that differences in education between Critters climbing in the trees, all 4th graders are expected to read 1877 and 2011. Collecting nuts and finding shelter for winter, Deer growing thick coats and fighting to survive, at least 20 minutes every day. Of We have finished our review of Birds migrating far away to escape the coming course, they can always choose to graphing and Chapter 2 on place cold, read more than 20 minutes! The value and numbers into the Northern Pike hunting smaller fish same expectations are in place on millions. They will be taking the in the freezing, icy water, Wolves turning white, camouflaged in the snow, the weekends. I realize that some Chapter 2 test this week. Please They pounce on their prey and satisfy their hunger, continue to practice the basic facts Otherwise they won’t make it through winter. Alex Zerger