This week, Mr. Barber visited our classroom to teach us about animal adaptations. He showed us some incredible stuff like huge elk antlers, bear and javelina skulls, pheasant feathers, an Arizona black tail rattlesnake skin, and a badger fur. He taught us about how different animals adapt to their environment in different ways. Right now we're writing informational books and reports about animals and their adaptations so we had a lot of background knowledge to connect our new learning to. Thanks for visiting us, Mr. Barber! If you want to learn more about animal adaptations through a fun game, click here!Classroom Ideas, Teaching Reflections, Parent Information, and Student Activities
Friday, September 28, 2012
Awesome Animal Adaptations!
This week, Mr. Barber visited our classroom to teach us about animal adaptations. He showed us some incredible stuff like huge elk antlers, bear and javelina skulls, pheasant feathers, an Arizona black tail rattlesnake skin, and a badger fur. He taught us about how different animals adapt to their environment in different ways. Right now we're writing informational books and reports about animals and their adaptations so we had a lot of background knowledge to connect our new learning to. Thanks for visiting us, Mr. Barber! If you want to learn more about animal adaptations through a fun game, click here!Friday, September 21, 2012
A. Caught a Fly!
We know that this has nothing to do with what we're learning about in class (unless you count the fact that we just learned about invertebrates and how the fly's eyes are a special type of adaptation that helps it stay alive). But today, in the middle of class, A. caught a fly with his BARE HANDS! We thought it was dead, but it was just stunned and it actually woke up and tried to fly away while A. was still holding it! We had a pretty exciting morning!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
Reading Informational Text
Miss Barber loves reading expository/informational text!
In fourth grade we really focus on reading to learn. One great way to learn new information is by reading newspapers, articles, textbooks, websites, and books. This week, we have been learning about the ways authors help us as we try to understand what we're reading. Authors give us organizational features and graphic features that help us make sense of the text. So we practiced reading those features first, before we even looked at the rest of the text. And we were amazed by how much we could already figure out! After making connections between the graphic and organizational features, we made predictions and asked questions. Then we finally started reading the actual text. We made connections as we read and then used those connections to help us confirm our predictions and answer our questions. Our texts may look messy but that's just a small representation of all the learning going on in our brains!

Friday, August 31, 2012
Welcome Back!
Miss Barber's class is in full swing after a wonderful summer vacation! Look for some summer pictures coming soon!
I wanted to share two awesome things that we've been working on already in fourth grade! First is our mission statement and social contract. These two documents were student created and they direct everything we do in our classroom. I'm so proud of their wonderful ideas!
Secondly, we've been studying plant structures and pollination. One of my brilliant students - "L" - created this pollination diagram with our blocks during free choice time today! Notice the bee at the bottom flower. The bee then leaves with pollen (green triangle) on it's back and visits another flower. Then the pollen creates a seed which is released from the flower and becomes a new plant! So amazing! Great job, L! :)
I wanted to share two awesome things that we've been working on already in fourth grade! First is our mission statement and social contract. These two documents were student created and they direct everything we do in our classroom. I'm so proud of their wonderful ideas!
Secondly, we've been studying plant structures and pollination. One of my brilliant students - "L" - created this pollination diagram with our blocks during free choice time today! Notice the bee at the bottom flower. The bee then leaves with pollen (green triangle) on it's back and visits another flower. Then the pollen creates a seed which is released from the flower and becomes a new plant! So amazing! Great job, L! :)
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
We Will Rock the AIMS!
It's that time again - time to show the world what we know and rock the AIMS test! Here are some inspirational videos we're watching every morning to get ourselves pumped up and ready to go!
Never Give Up - Lopez Lomong
No Excuses
I Can Do This
Make It Count
Never Give Up - Lopez Lomong
No Excuses
I Can Do This
Make It Count
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