Finn's Book Talk

Mike Lupica's book Game Changers is about a kid named Ben who plays football Ben has never played quarterback, but he has tried out for it for three years but never gotten the spot. He is the best player on the team, but the coach never sees that.

Sydney's Book Talk

Seedfolks is about a bunch of people who come together to turn an empty lot into a garden. It starts with one girl. She is the first one to plant the first seed. Then more and more people help to make it happen. Each chapter introduces a new character and their story.

Ashley's Book Talk

This book is entitled Bliss by Kathryn Little Wood. It is about a family of five who are magical bakers. One day Mayor Hammer comes to their house because her town, Humbleton, has the flu spreading and she know about this family because they have been to the mayor's town before. The parents leave, and while they're gone "Aunt Lily" comes. She is a woman who comes to get the book, and causes chaos in the town. "Aunt Lily" is a bad person from the Albatross side. One day, the town sides of the family had a fight. that caused damage between the sides' relationship.

Math Update

We have started Multiple Towers and Division Stories: Multiplication and Division. In this unit, students will develop strategies for solving multiplication problems with two-digit numbers and deepen their understanding of the operation of division by focusing on the relationship between multiplication and division. Using story contexts and multiple towers, students continue their investigation of the relationship between numbers and their factors. Students practice multiplying by 10 and multiples of 10, break problems into smaller parts that can be multiplied easily, and find the multiples of two-digit numbers. They gain fluency with all multiplication combinations to 12 x 12. Students solve, represent, and discuss division story problems, including some that have a remainder.

Parent Letter

Activities To Try at Home

Old Salem

The 4th grade trip to Old Salem is just around the corner. Mark your calendar for 12/12/12! We will depart from school at 8:15 on the chartered bus. Be sure to note that we will return to campus between 5:15-5:30. We will send a detailed e-mail later this week with all the information you need to know about this learning adventure.

We will spend our Social Studies' time during December learning all about how the town of Salem was settled and about the Moravian religion and culture. We have been learning about the original settlements in Virginia and North Carolina. Ask your 4th grader to share some highlights of this learning with you. Why did the early Carolina farmers have to sell their goods to merchants in Virginia? What were the early relationships like with the Native Americans? What are imports, exports, cash crops, and surplus goods? Why did colonists move to Carolina? Who were the Moravians? Highlights of this study will include making Moravian sugar cake and having our very own Love Feast. Details to come!

Click here to learn more about Old Salem:

Christmas Performances

Last Friday we had the great opportunity to see Charlotte Youth Ballet's Nutcracker performance at CPCC's Halton Theatre. Trinity's own Thomas Young, Tyler Bell, and Hardin Minor were in the company. A real highlight was that several of the dancers came to school earlier in the week to share with us about the ballet and what it is like to be a dancer. Ask your student about Sykario and Morrighan's special contributions!

This Wednesday we are headed to Imaginon for the Children's Theatre performance of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It is sure to have us in stitches at the Herdman kids' crazy antics!

Science: Rocks and Minerals

We are having a great time learning about rocks and minerals. We have been exploring the rock cycle to understand the complicated relationship between sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. We will be conducting many experiments in our classroom to aid in our understanding of rock formations. Throughout the week, ask your student about what we did with crayons, charcoal, beans, and playdough. Many students have been bringing in rocks and we are looking forward to identifying each one. Click on the link below to refresh your memory of rocks! Also, enjoy the "Rock Cycle Song" as a fun way to review the 3 different kinds of rock.

Rock Cycle Song  

(Sing to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

SEDIMENTARY rock  

Has been formed in layers  

Often found near water sources  

With fossils from decayers.  

Then there's IGNEOUS rock  

Here since Earth was born  

Molten Lava, cooled and hardened  

That's how it is formed.  

These two types of rocks  

Can also be transformed  

With pressure, heat and chemicals  

METAMORPHIC they'll become.