Special Reader's Notebook Work

Yesterday, we got special new notebooks we'll be using to track our thinking about our fiction books. Today, we shared the work we had already done in our notebooks and studied the kind of work readers could do at the beginning of a book. Here are some examples. Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them:

Write about traits and the evidence you have for the traits for your main character and secondary characters.

Track character relationships with a relationship map and record traits you're noticing.

Create a web of pressures your main character is facing.

Write long about a big idea you're developing and the evidence you have for it

Tell about your character's actions and what might be motivating them to act that way.

Here's a link to the kind of thinking work that could be done at the beginning, middle and end of a book.  I'm excited for Fiction Fridays!

Realistic Fiction Publishing Expectations

Dear 4-324 Students and Families,

         We’ve been hard at work on our realistic fiction pieces for the past several weeks. We’ve created characters that struggle with major and minor problems. We’ve added tension to our pieces using a variety of strategies. We’ve re-imagined easy endings so our stories are reflective of real life. We’ve edited our pieces with different lenses in mind.

         Published realistic fiction pieces are due on Thursday, November 15. A copy of our realistic fiction writing rubric is on our class blog at www.fourthgradeadventurers.blogspot.com. Click on the “Writing” tab to see the rubric.

Publishing Expectations:

c Publish a copy of your piece with the revisions and edits that you made in class. You can publish your piece in script, or you can type the piece. If you type your piece, an adult can help you.

c Create a cover for your piece.

c Turn in your published piece AND your rough draft by Thursday, November 15. You can turn it in early if you finish early.

Optional:

c Create a back cover for your piece with a catchy blurb and publishers’ reviews.

c Create an “About the Author” page to teach your readers more about you.

c Try out other work that will make your realistic fiction piece even stronger.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me or send a note in to school.

Best,

Katie

The Marble Champ

As you're reading "The Marble Champ" by Gary Soto, study the moves Gary Soto is making. What does he do as a writer that makes his piece so strong? Leave your ideas in the margins.

FGA News Launch (Student Entry)

The fourth graders are having an election, and we've created a news program to follow it! We're called FGA (Fourth Grade Adventurers) News, but it's still in development. The election is on November 5th and only fourth graders can vote (The fifth graders also have an election, but we're not covering that). Well, that's all for now, but remember: This is Fourth Grade Adventurers: Where the adventure begins!

Here's our network's official logo!

POW/WWP

I just discovered a whole stack of POWs and WWPs, so the POW/WWP sheet might not have made it to you. If it didn't and you want to get started tonight, here are the two problems:

Problem of the Week: 

Weekly Word Problem

Sample Weekly Word Problem

Last week we solved our first Weekly Word Problem for homework. There will be a WWP almost every week from now on. Here's a sample of how to solve the WWP. All six steps should be completed and clearly labeled. If you have any questions, email Katie or post them in the comments!

Creating Campaign Posters About Our Values

Last Friday, we were delighted to welcome so many families into our classroom for our first Family Friday! As part of our election study, we looked at campaign posters from past presidential campaigns and the ways those posters showed what candidates valued. Then, we selected the values that were most important to us. We created posters showcasing those values, which we revealed through the symbols, colors and slogans we put on our posters.

Here are some of our finished posters! If your poster is not here, it might be because it has your last name on the front of it! We're not posting last names on our blog! To see any poster larger, just click on it!