WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE FOURTH GRADE? 

June 2008

Dear Fourth Grade Family and Friends,

            First, let me thank you for the lovely luncheon you provided for us on Faculty Appreciation Day.  It truly made me feel special.

            Second, I want to take this opportunity to announce that I am not returning for the 2008-2009 school year. Since this is my last newsletter, allow me to express how much I have enjoyed meeting and working with all of you.  It has been a pleasure to be a part of the St. Benedict family. Your friendship and support during these past five years has been much appreciated.

            June is here and it is time to wind up our school year.  During the last two and a half weeks, it will be business as usual for as long as possible.  Expect homework through June 12^th.  We are finishing up our chapter in Math on two digit divisors during the first week of the month.  After that, the students will be allowed to practice being self-directed learners by choosing among a variety of subjects in their math books, including statistics and probability, geometry and measurement, and graphing.  Students will study the lesson of their choice independently and do a written assignment.  I will be available to assist them and will correct all written work.  Our Science classes will end with a study of the respiratory and circulatory systems in the body.  We are studying the final section of our country, the West, in Social Studies.  There is one last unit in our Reading, Spelling, and English series which we will finish during the first week of June.  Our last formal Spelling test will be on June 6th.  We will use the rest of the month to review what we have learned in Unit 6 in all three subject areas.  All students are currently working on the stories they are writing for their final project.  Some have finished their first draft and begun the revising and editing processes.  I plan to do a final edit for each student, before they begin their published copy.  They will finish in time to share with class members the last week of school.

            Our final book project of the year is actually a magazine project.  Each student will read a children’s magazine and report on it following a handout that will come home in the white envelopes on June 4^th.  If a student chooses not to use one of the many magazines available in our classroom, they will need to have it approved by me.  All students need to have chosen their magazine by June 6^th.  The report will be due on Friday, June 13^th.

            Our field trip to Canterbury Shaker Village is Thursday, June 12^th.  We will leave at 8:45 for our 10:00 tour.  Please remember to dress your child for the weather that day since much of our time will be spent outdoors.  You may want to help your child apply sunscreen and bug spray before they leave for school.  They should bring a snack, their lunch, and drinks.   School milk will not be available that day.  A water bottle and camera are other items your child might consider bringing.  Please do not send glass items or expensive camera equipment with your child.  We plan to return to school in plenty of time for regular dismissal.  Over half of our class had a family member volunteer to go with us.  Many thanks to all of you for generously offering your time!

            Family Fun Day is scheduled for Friday, June 13^th.  School uniforms are traditionally not worn on this day, but sunscreen and bug spray are again good things to consider applying before your child leaves for school that morning.  I hope you will be able to join your child for a picnic lunch.  Monday, the 16^th, will be a regular day of classes.  Tuesday, the 17^th, we will check books for stray pencil marks and mend small rips, as well as clean desks and move furniture to the hallway for summer storage.  Please help your child check around home (under the beds, behind and on the bookshelves, in the closet, under those piles of papers on the desk, dining room table, and kitchen counter) for books that belong to the school and to my own personal library.  Since I will not be returning to St. Benedict’s next fall, it is particularly important that all books be returned so that they can be accounted for by the end of the year.  Wednesday, the 18^th, dismissal is at 11:00.

            In past years, parents have wanted to know what they could do to help their children over the summer.  I encourage you to not be too structured.  Let them go where their interests lead them.  Read for enjoyment.  Let them read to you and you read to them.  Have them play math games, maybe even on the computer!  Suggest they keep a journal about the weather, nature, family activities, or their webkins. Try to fit in some family trips to the many historical, educational, or nature sites in New Hampshire or surrounding states.

            As I end my final letter, I want to thank you all for sharing your children with me.  We worked hard this year to acquire the tools we need to be lifelong learners.  I hope I have been able to ignite in each of them an interest, maybe even a passion, in some subject we studied this year.  May God bless you all with a safe and happy summer, and much success in fifth grade and beyond.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                Mrs. Sue Horgan