Learning about the Saints

This site has biographies of many saints for kids.  http://www.loyolapress.com/saints-stories-for-kids.htm?cId=402682
Post a comment with an interesting fact you found about your saint, or about your patron saint, or about the saint whose feast is on your birthday.

November 8, 2011 Homework

Today you chose an animal that is native to Pennsylvania to learn and write about.  Go to http://www.portaportal.com/ and log in to morris209 as a guest.  Read about your animal and post a comment here with an interesting fact about the animal.  Remember to tell what the animal is.

What's a Glog?

A Glog is like an online poster.  I made a Glog to help us review Pennsylvania's Climate and Animals.  You will learn to make glogs too - it's creative and fun and it's a paperless way to share what we know.  Check it out!
Mrs. Morris's Glog

2011 - a Mathematically Interesting Year

Try this with your family:

Take the last 2 digits of the year you were born.
 Add the age you are or will be on your birthday in 2011.
What was the result?  Post your results here.

What We're Learning Now

September was a busy month for us in Fourth Grade!  Our ELA theme, Tales of the Heart, focuses on how stories reveal what we have in common.  We are reading Fourth Grade Rats and Love that Dog to compare two main characters to each other and to ourselves.  We are reading nonfiction about the heart and circulatory system.  Our Science lessons in nutrition have us thinking and talking about the connection between a healthy diet and a healthy heart.  Do you know someone whose career is related to nutrition or heart health?  If so, we would love to have them visit our class to share what they know with us! 
Looking ahead to October and November, we will celebrate the lives of many special saints.  The lives of the saints teach us so much about how to live as followers of Jesus.  Talk with your child about St. Therese's little way of love and St. Francis's love for God's creation - you will be amazed at your child's insight!
The students are busy writing poems in a variety of formats - we can't wait to share them with you!

Remembering 9/11

This poem was written by Mattie Stepanek on September 11, 2001, when he was 11 years old.  Mattie had a rare disease that led to his death at the age of 14.  Mattie was a poet, a peacemaker, and his faith in the face of difficulty is an inspiration.  This week, to launch our Theme "Tales of the Heart", we will read some of Mattie's Heartsongs and we will learn more about Mattie, who is one of my heroes.

For Our World

by Mattie Stepanek

We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment…
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment…
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment…
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice…
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment…
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.

Mattie J.T. Stepanek ©
September 11, 2001

A Flood Day and Friday

Were you surprised to hear that school is closed today?  I know that we go sledding and drink hot chocolate on a snow day, but what do we do on a flood day?  Whatever you're doing today, enjoy the surprise day off!
Tomorrow, Friday, will be a busy day.  Remember that summer packets, pretzel orders, and lunch orders are due tomorrow.  If you have not already sent in the signed papers that were sent home on Tuesday, please send them in tomorrow.
We will have a prayer service in remembrance of 9/11/01 tomorrow morning.  You will have music and computer class, and we will prepare to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday.
Today we celebrate Mary's birthday, and it is also a special day because our new Archbishop, Charles Chaput, is being installed.  We can pray to our Blessed Mother today for our new Archbishop.  Enjoy your day!

Welcome to Fourth Grade!

Welcome to Room 209 students and parents!  I am looking forward to meeting all of you!  I hope you've all had lots of fun and relaxation this summer.  Here's a preview of our first week of school:
We will spend time getting to know each other, learning routines for a productive day at school, and organizing our tools for success.  We will do some activities related to your summer reading and will do a math "inventory" where you can show what you know about various math topics.  We will celebrate the birthday of someone special on September 8th.  Do you know who it is?
Here's what you should bring on the first day:
Your admission card
Snack and lunch
Your supplies
Your copy of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
A great big smile!


Parents, if you'd like to get your child's binder set up, please insert dividers labeled  "Religion, Reading, Language, Science and Social Studies".  The homework book attaches in the front of the binder, and the folder with holes goes in there too.
If you have any questions, feel free to post your question here or email me at tmorris@nativityofourlord.org
I'll be having fun in Disney World until the 4th, but I'll be checking in often.  Enjoy the last days of summer!